To recap: Saturday was really bad; one of our worst sailing days. See "Dymer Creek: 37°40.281N 076°21.201W" for gory details. Sunday was really good; one of our best sailing days. See "Yopp's Cove: 37°39.070N 076°26.073W" for details.

The forecast for today was flat calm.

After we got the anchor up, we drove up Carter's Creek to set eyes on the famous Tide's Inn.

It may not be famous to you, but around here, it's Something Important.

You hear more-or-less constant radio traffic from big yachts to the Tide's Inn Marina. It seems like it's a notable destination for boats from around the Chesapeake Bay.

Conditions were — as predicted — flat. Calm. Almost windless.

Monday was nothing like Saturday. No five foot seas. No waves breaking over the bowsprit.

Today we motored down the Rappahannock to the Stingray Point lighthouse. Conditions were flat.

*How flat were they? *

*Conditions were so flat I didn't spill any olives from my martini. *

Conditions were so flat that we played billiards in the saloon.

Conditions were so flat we put the boat on autopilot and played Jenga.

The wind at the lighthouse was less than 5 knots. But the direction was fair to enter the Piankatank River. We hoisted the Yankee to do a little sailing.

We drifted partway into the Piankatank for about an hour, making 2 knots. We tried rigging the whisker pole to grab a little more air in the Yankee.

We count this as great sailing. We weren't going fast, but we were going. Indeed, at these speeds, the boat is almost silent.

How silent was it?

It was so quiet, we could here the buzzing of the instruments and it was bothersome because it was so loud.

It was so quiet, we didn't dare fart because other boats would hear it.

Since conditions were flat, it was ideal for fooling around with a giant aluminum pole on the foredeck.

We're back in D-dock. Labor Day weekend was a delight.