At the mouth of the Chester River and about 4 miles NE from Kent Narrows is a small harbor, Queenstown Creek. The entrance is narrow and shallow but getting inside makes the nail biting worth it. Actually, we almost didn’t make it as we ran hard aground on a sand bank just inside the mouth after bumping a few times on the way in. The tide was running out and still about 90min from dead low which made any mistakes doubly problematic.
So, here we were, after a run back down the Chester River, at 6:00 pm and hard aground about 100 yards from our destination. What’s a traveler to do? Hmm…
After a few futile attempts to back off of the sand bank, I did what any head scratching captain would do, I lowered the anchor the few feet to the bottom (probably not needed as we were firmly stuck anyway) and opened a beer.
A short while later another boat came in and took a slightly different path, with more water it seemed, and passed us. Armed with the confidence of now half of a beer and the new knowledge of a better path, I put the boat in gear and powered forward. Alas, we were off and into deeper water. Free, free, free at last!!!
So, 100 yards later we were happily swinging at anchor as the sun set over the bay. The view, perhaps the best yet.
Perhaps you are asking yourself why I would subject myself to such a tricky entrance knowing that the likelihood of running aground was great. Since you asked, here’s why. We began sailing, about 40 years ago, in small boats with shallow draft and I still love the secluded cozy anchorage from my catboat days. I am also hopelessly optimistic and am confident that after all low tides, there comes a high tide. So, there you are, I have bared all. Besides, running aground here is much different than where the bottom is hard and rocky. It almost doesn’t matter. Besides, it keeps slime off of the bottom of the keel.
This spot is really lovely and after dinner last evening, fillet mignon, farm fresh heirloom tomatoes, from a farm stand in Essex, with mozzarella and herbs and fresh boat-baked bread, we enjoyed the twilight from the cockpit. We have been experimenting with baking peasant bread aboard from a recipe that we got from a baker in Old Saybrook near home. He also sold us high gluten flower (we have 20 lbs on board). We are making progress. After dinner, when it was totally dark, Brenda and I climbed into the dink and drifted for a while looking up at the stars. Not a lot of light pollution here. The sight was really beautiful. With the help of the program, Star Walk, on the i-pad we picked out a few stars and constellations.
A benefit of being an early riser is to see sights like this, with mist flowing over the water. 
I love the golden light early in the morning just before the sun comes up. 
The offending sand bank. I didn’t clear it by quite enough. Oh well.
We decided to cut our visit short in Chester Town yesterday so that we could avoid motoring back down the Chester River into the wind which was forecast to shift to the south and to take advantage of a late afternoon ebb tide.
However, prior to departing, we spent the morning exploring the local streets and lovely architecture of the area. Here are a few of our favorites.There is a very pretty board/brick walk along a portion of the river near the town dock. 
Brick has been a very popular building material here over the years. 
The owners of these two homes aren’t prisoners of tradition or perhaps they are just pissed off. “I swear, if you don’t change the color of your home from that ghastly yellow, I will paint my home purple!” So, there…
“Betty Sue, how about a mint julep on the veranda? Which one, you say? Well, of course, I mean the west veranda. I just can’t believe you need to ask, every time!”
Speaking of mint juleps and verandas. It seems that everyone has a spot to sit and enjoy the sights. This is a lovely old hotel in town, porches and all. They were advertising a fig daiquiri. Is that a Southern drink? Perhaps a Southern yuppie drink.
I do love porches and shade lined streets.
This fountain was recently restored. Not so sure about the color, a really pale green, but it’s in a nice spot surrounded by magnolia trees.
And, of course, yet another photo of Pandora. This time, framed by the bowsprit of Sultana.
Well, that’s all for now. In a few hours, when the tide will allow me to escape this very pretty spot, hopefully, we’ll head to St. Michaels, about 15 miles south from here. We plan to stay put there for a few days prior to heading to the SSCA gam on Thursday.
2 responses to “A most beautiful spot, Queenstown Creek and a brush with a sand bank.”