Jake
Log Entries of the
Shorebird
Slaughter Creek/Taylor Island/James Islands/Little Choptank River
Year 2002

Page 2

Slaughter Creek/Taylor Island/James Islands/Little Choptank River
 
          Sept. 30th, Monday - I met Ken Murphy at the Taylor Island ramp for our much anticipated journey through the Slaughter Creek/Taylor Island marshes.  My chart shows that we should be able to get through to the bay but never having met anyone who had done this I was a little apprehensive.  We both launched into Chapel Cove and were away by 11:30 AM.  We motored under the bridge and up ahead to a calm spot for lunch and to set sails for a downwind trip through this ribbon of shallow blue water set in a field of green grasses.

Track
Ken's GPS Track Plot

          There was a nice breeze and we were able to sail about 2/3's of the way through the marshes, motoring when we had to.  It’s beautiful in there - trees, grasses and water - very remote.  This would be a great day trip in the canoe or kayaks.  We made it all the way through in just a few hours and decided to continue on sailing to Chesapeake Bay via Punch Island Creek - destination - James Islands. 

Sanity

Sanity navigates the "Narrows"
 A side trip up Jack's Creek


Punch Island Creek
 Leaving Punch Island Creek and heading
out into the Bay


The wind had shifted to the south and we had a downwind sail to the islands - Ken’s boat left me in her wake!  I deployed my new tiller mounted umbrella for some shade - it worked pretty good.  At the north end of Taylor Island we saw three bald eagles perched side by side on three dead cedar trees at the water’s edge - got pretty close and (with binocs) got a real good look.  Got to James Islands with only about an hour of daylight left, and the mosquitos were out so I’m anchored and tented in - very cozy.  The new screen cover for the center hatch works great, plenty of air moving through the boat and at night with the lights out you can watch the stars.  We’ll decide tomorrow’s sailing plans on the Little Choptank at breakfast tomorrow AM.



Gorgeous downwind sail in the open Bay, yes that's Ken ahead

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