ASA 106, Del Mar Va loop

I recently completed by ASA 106 certification with the Delmarva Sailing School (part of the Captain in You). This was a very challenging loop starting in Rock Hall Maryland with a clockwise direction up the Chesapeake Bay, through the C&D Canal, out the Delaware Bay, overnight sail into the Ocean, come back into the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk Virginia, then back to Rock Hall, Maryland. We started on Tuesday morning and finished up on Sunday afternoon. The most challenging part was the overnight sail down the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to Captain Mike, the trip was both rewarding, fun, and educational. I highly recommend his schools.


We started out of the Sailing Emporium in Rock Hall, Maryland. This is a very nice facility.

This was our boat for the week, a 39' Pearson with a drop down keel. Gallivant is her name and I also sailed her when I did my ASA 104 class a few years ago.

Watch out for those large ships

Environmental vessel stationed on the C&D Canal

Alan at the helm

Here I am at the helm, fun times!

The sun dipping down

Sunset on the Ocean

Crossing over the Bay Bridge Tunnel

Solomons Island

Train drawbridge, make sure this is down when you go through

 

We were up at 5:45 every morning but it was worth it to see these great sunrises.

I'm feeling a lot more confident in my sailing abilities after taking this trip. Our night time sail was in 20 knot conditions on a broad reach where we had to be very careful not to accidentally jibe. We did setup preventers but we hand steered in 2 hour shifts. Next trip, the Spanish Virgin Islands!