> I have 4 more weeks to get her ready to sail down from Middle River, MD > to Norfolk. So time is of the essence for now. And of course it is going > to snow tonight... Lovely (sarcasticly typed)
FWIW, the boat I'm doing Charleston Race Week on left yesterday morning from Rock Creek, just a teeny bit down the Bay from Middle River. When they left at 0930 yesterday, the air temp was 37 and the breeze at Key Bridge was 24, gusts to 28. Long story short, they blast-reached down the Bay and made it to mile 0 of the ICW by 0630 this morning, 21 hrs to go approx 185 (statute) miles. Not too shabby for a mid-size displacement boat! So, that North wind can be a beast, but it'll get you down the bay fast! For the Balto to Norfolk run, I dont know which I'd prefer, 37 degrees and NNW force 6-7....OR...79 degrees SSE force 5-6...we get days like that in Spring before a strong cold front and with a lot of run-off coming down the Susquehanna and the gates open up there at Conawingo, you can get some amazing seas on the ebb in one of these "smoking southerlies." Along those lines, for the Annapolis NOOD regatta last year we, in essence, never had saw a flood tide. It was all ebb, anywhere from 1 to 3 or 4 knots...nice when you are headed south to Hampton Roads!! Spring on the Bay can be darned interesting in a sailish-type boat. Best of luck on the trip south!! tf
