The Sailboat Tara

We’ve had many days of rain but today is hot, sunny and beautiful. Some would say our 11:00 am push off is late but we’re sailing with the tide and not with the clock. We’re heading 90 miles down the river, into the Chesapeake Bay and north to Saint Michaels, Md.

Someone who was probably me decided to wash all the bedding before we left which is usually a good idea (everyone likes clean sheets, right?) until I realized I would have to put a queen sized duvet cover back on the comforter from the inside of a sweltering catamaran cabin. The sheets were clean but I was covered in sweat by the time the bed was made. Regardless of the heat, thank you to the catamaran gods that we have a queen sized bed and not a v-berth, the v-shaped bed found in most sailboats that takes special sheets and requires acrobatics to change the sheets.

The cabinets are stuffed with dry goods and the starboard aft cabin is a makeshift vegetable stand. We’ll be in port in 3 days but I wanted as much on board as possible. We always eat well while underway- eggs and bacon, crab guacamole, salads, grilled chops and seared ahi tuna, and endless picnics with cheeses, olives and cured Italian meats. Did I mention that one box of wine is the equivalent to 4-6 bottles but takes up much less space? We have so much room for wine boxes! 

We were beating into the wind on the river so we motored for the entire day.

Puppy potty training on a boat may involve a lot of “Sylvie go potty!” After many long hours and many visits to the front of the boat, she figured it out and we were thrilled. No cabin accidents, knock on wood, and success for the puppy’s first sail.

We anchored with a few hours of light left and Charles and Sylvie went for a swim after a long hot sail.  

The three of us enjoyed the front deck after dinner with all the comforts of home.  

The perfect end to an easy day of sailing on a calm and breezy river.
At night I looked up into the sky and with no light pollution the blanket of stars was bright and endless. I commented on the star that was so much closer and brighter than the rest… the star that may or may not also be known as the light at the top of the mast.

No wine had been opened yet but apparently it was time to open the box.