We Didn't Expect This Much Traffic | Ep 2
January 31, 2026 · 9 min · 713 views · Northumberland County, United States
Catamaran sails into sunset on calm bay waters
What this video covers
Sailing Catamaran Tumbleweed — an Astrea 42 crewed by Jon and Amanda — motors south through the Chesapeake Bay in late November, behind schedule on a planned run to Key West within a month.0:30 Wind is too light to sail effectively, with only four knots of apparent wind on the day described, so the engines run most of the day.4:58 Progress the previous day was just 20 nautical miles after time lost experimenting with sail trim in low wind; motoring with a favorable outgoing current pushes the boat to seven knots and roughly doubles the daily distance covered.5:10 Navigating the Chesapeake under power demands constant attention: commercial container ships up to 900 feet long appear quickly in narrow channels, crab pot floats threaten the props, and radar returns on the chartplotter require continuous interpretation.3:22 The crew anchors near Sandy Point at dusk, judging night navigation through the bay — with commercial traffic, fishing stakes, and small boats lacking transponders — too risky to attempt.7:46 Daylight hours are short in late November, so each day's run is capped by sunset.6:10 Motoring on a schedule beats waiting for wind, but the Chesapeake's commercial traffic and crab pots make even a calm day demanding.
Boats in this video
More from Sailing Catamaran Tumbleweed
From Sailing Catamaran Tumbleweed — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.