Names and more

Names and more

Saturday, October 17, 2020

I have had a strong interest in boat names that I trace back to 2008.  When we bought our current boat (then named Diva) we needed to select a new name and really struggled.  So I’m curious about the names people select for their vessels, although mostly we don’t find out why.... Today on the radio we heard of boats called W.C. Fields, Zeus, Elixir (got to love that one), Healing Power (perhaps ‘heeling power’ as a pun).  In New York harbor I saw a Canadian boat called “Bonne Excuse”. In the past we liked the name “Field Trip”

We are now in the Chesapeake Bay where there are lots of interesting and different names.  Last night we had options for anchorage in the Bohemia River, the Sassafras River and Worton Creek. Consider these other place names: Havre de Grace, Great Wicomico River, Patapsco River, Magothy River (should that be said ‘maggoty’?)  One of the possible destinations for another night is the Choptank River.  That location would allow us to visit a town with aspirations—called Oxford.  Somewhere further along the shore is the rival town of Cambridge! Wouldn’t you like to know the origin of the more exotic names?  Well, the Choptank River is named for a native tribe of the area.  The word “tshapetank” in the Nanticoke language meant “a stream that separates”.  There’s one mystery solved. 

The Chesapeake has a reputation as a sailing center.  As we made our way southward today, it was very noticeable how many sailing boats there were.  In the vicinity of the Magothy River, there appeared to be a multiple races underway.  We managed to stay out of the way for the most part and are now anchored off Dobbins Island in the Magothy.

The sun is shining and it’s lovely!

Gloria

39 04.836 N, 76 27.663 W

Ripples - 1

Ripples - 2

Ripples - 3

A double exposure shot of ripples on the water, rotated 90o between shots