I was able to paddle 8.8 miles today, but only 4.1 really counted towards my circumnavigation goal. I always like to paddle a one-way trip, rather than an out-and-back, but sometimes I can’t avoid the out-and-back due to geography and the lack of someone to shuttle me, or safe roads to ride my bike on.

Last year I headed up to the upper shore and paddled from Still Pond Station to Betterton Beach, and then paddled a 4-mile round trip from Betterton to a peninsula called Grove Neck and back to Betterton. You can see that trip here:

Today I paddled to Grove Neck from Stemmer’s Run boat ramp, located about 4 miles to the north. 

I had some commitments in the afternoon (Patrick got to meet his 1st grade teacher!) so I hit the road just after 5 a.m. to head up to Cecil (!!! first time paddling in Cecil!) County. I got on the water around 7:30 and started down the shoreline. Winds were near calm and the water was flat.

One thing I noticed as soon as I launched, was that there was a LOT of grass in the bay. Rafts of grass were floating about, sometimes completely engulfing the crab pot buoys! I’d imagine the local watermen may have had a hard time locating all of their pots because their colorful buoys were covered in dark green grasses!

The calm winds didn’t last though. What little wind there was, was coming out of the NE and I didn’t realize it at first, but the Elk Neck/Turkey Point peninsula was providing shelter from the wind when I first launched. But the further south I went, the more fetch there was for the wind to create some waves coming out of the NE. 

The last half mile before I reached the point along Grove Neck where I head left off last year, was, well, a little nerve-wracking. I wasn’t in any real danger, and I definitely have more confidence since taking a women’s sea kayaking course in June (run through Cross Currents Sea Kayaking – check them out!), but the turbulent water, coming from an awkward direction, made me nervous since I was paddling alone this time.

I successfully made it to the spot where I ended last year, right near a property where the landowners somehow installed a concrete boat ramp at the bottom of their VERY steep descent from the house to the water. I can’t imagine backing a boat trailer down that thing!

And although there were some steep cliffs along the edge of Grove Neck, there was a small beach right by my turnaround spot, allowing me to get out for a minute to stretch and catch my breath (the beach was also covered in that grass).

The return trip was a lot less stressful going into the wind. Some people may think paddling against the wind would be more difficult, but when a wind is coming from behind at an angle, maintaining direction and stability is a little more challenging. When I paddle INTO the wind, I can see every wave coming and sail right over them. And just as expected, once the elk neck peninsula was between me and the direction the wind as coming from, I noticed calmer waters as I headed back north.

On the way back, I decided to hug the coast a little more than I did on the way down. I saw on the satellite images that there was a small marsh creek and some beaches off to the east that I wanted to explore. I paddled into the calm waters of the creek, but unfortunately, the beaches were covered in “no trespassing” signs. I obeyed orders and never got out on the beach, and instead, headed back to the boat ramp to call it a day.

One thing that I noticed on the way back, and completely missed on the way out, was that you can see the Turkey Point Lighthouse from here! It may have just been a white speck amongst trees, but it was still cool to see a lighthouse while paddling. And I don’t normally get excited for bald eagle sightings (they’re like any other ol’ bird nowadays), there were TONS of them around! Adults, juveniles, everywhere. It was kinda cool.

Here’s the path I took today, both to and from Grove Neck. Just 52 miles left to my goal! (scroll down for a few more photos too)