Piankatank Passage
Topic: Eastern Shore
The dark humid expanse of the Bay swept its arms around us and pulled us in, around the Point, and then marker by marker up the River toward the heart of its source, the infamous Dragon Run, which we did not dare to penetrate.

Today, a sunny cloudless morning and forecast temperatures near 100 F inspired us to embark on a boat voyage.  After consulting the charts for an unvisited restaurant for lunch, we settled on the Seabreeze in Gwynns Island.  To get there via sea would require rounding Stingray Point and its namesake light.  The Piankatank had been explored by Capt. Smith soon after he ate the Stingray which stung him on the eponymous point in 1608--it is now part of the Capt/ Joh Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.  After slathering on the sunscreen and loading the cooler with cokes and ice we lowered the Shada into the nettled waters and clambered aboard.  We embarked at 1pm, just an hour past high tide.  We exited the shoal entrance to Sturgeon Creek with plenty of water and headed out into the Rappahannock.   Entering the Bay, we rounded Stingray in unusually calm waters.  Planing into the Piankatank at 24mph we soon spotted the green marker and passed to the right of it toward the long arm of Stove Point and Jackson Creek nestled in its pit.  Doglegging to port, we rounded the point.  To the right were the protected waters of Fishing Bay, reportedly where Capt. John Smith had paused on his 1608 exploration of the Piankatank.  Soon were cruising past Iron Point to Port and Horse Point to Starboard, then Wilton Creek's sheltered entrance before heading starboard again under the Route 3 bridge (43 ft clearance) into the big water of Stampers Bay, which encompasses Berkeley Island.  Rounding the island, we headed back down the river to address our appetites at the Seabreeze Restaurant.  At Gwynns Island one approaches a nice beach backed by an abandoned motel before passing under the bridge into Milford Haven, with the Coast Guard station to the right.  The channel heads to port past red marker 6.  We saw no sign of our quarry and maintained course up the small gut which heads to the center of the island, the community of Gwynn.  Seeing nothing promising, we went too far and gently ran aground before backing off and cellphoning the restaurant.  We quickly determined we had gone way too far and retraced our steps.  We guessed that the Seabreeze might be the greyish building with a well-carred parking lot near the boat ramp and headed there.  As we approached the ramp we could see the sign and knew our stomachs would be appeased.  The food was quite fine, service wonderful but cash only curbed our appetite a bit.  An hour later, stuffed, we headed back to the Bay to return home.  We decided to stop by Broad Creek to top off our tank (16g) before heading home--watch out they close at 4:30 but  Darby did manage to catch the fellow minding the store as he headed home and we got our fill.  Home at last, arriving just as the clock struck 5pm.  We had traveled about 45 miles all told and had a great adventure.

Ida Lee:  An inviting broad expanse of water.  When out in the Bay away from the land, it was like being on the Queen Mary again.   Darby did a great job of piloting us, Al of navigating, Kim sparkled as First Mate, and Ida Lee kept us on even keel.  
Kim:  A good experience.  Moving made it endurable; the heat was oppressive when stopped.  Going over some of the waves in the Bay returning
Darby:  Felt secure in the knowledge there were cold beers in the ice chest.  In case of sinking save the cooler.  Circling Berkeley Island was a high point.  Calmest day on the Bay I've ever seen.  Love distance cruising, cruising for the experience of it.