Sharing The Chesapeake With Friends

September 17 - 24, 2012 

On September 17^th we returned to Baltimore and the Inner Harbor.  Even though it was our third time to enter the area, it was just as exciting.  We enjoyed seeing some of the same sights and noted many things that we hadn’t seen before. 

What is scarier...being on a sinking ship or riding
this life boat like a bobsled into the sea?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've shown you tug boats that help manuever
ships in the harbor.  Here is a boat that brings
a "pilot" to the freighters.  The pilot drives the boat
in the harbor and docks it for the ship's captain.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our friends John and Gail arrived the evening of the 18^th.  They are the couple that started the trip out of Minnesota with us almost a year ago.  But, before they arrived a major storm came through.  A tornado was sighted in Washington DC and Baltimore was expecting gusts of 70 mph along with heavy rain.  Brian put out an additional three lines to hold us to the dock and four extra fenders to keep us from scraping against the dock.  If we were going to go anywhere, the dock was going to go with us!  The gusts only got up to about 40 mph, but the weather forecasters were correct about the rain.  Lots of flooding in the area.  By the time John and Gail arrived, the worst was over.  Brian walked to meet them at the parking lot.  I was going, but for the first time on our trip, I couldn’t step from the boat to the dock.  The water was at high tide and with all of the additional rain we were riding too high for a comfortable exit. 

John’s birthday was the 19th.  We were off early to resupply at Costco followed by jumbo crab cakes at Faidley’s in the Lexington Market.  Since John still had the car for the afternoon, we did a quick tour of Little Italy and walked around Fells Point.  The birthday dinner brought us back to Little Italy and La Scala – delicious entrees, but very disappointing service. 

 

 

 

The Baltimore view from our cockpit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smooth sailing past a lighthouse on our way to
Annapolis.

On the 20^th we left Baltimore for a four hour cruise to Annapolis.  Around 4:30 we caught a mooring ball at the end of Spa Creek, one of our favorite places.  Gail prepared a rack of lamb dinner on the grill and we dined on the cockpit deck enjoying the perfect weather and scenery.  A dingy ride into town on Friday was followed by a walking tour of our favorite shops, restaurants and sights. 

 

Ready to catch a mooring ball.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calm water as we leave Annapolis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures don't really show the wave action.

All was calm on Saturday as we sailed past Annapolis, but once we got into the bay we were in rough seas.  Three foot waves at close intervals kept Gail and me on the back deck staring at the horizon.  John and Brian seemed to enjoy the challenging six hour passage to St Michaels where we dropped our anchor in a well protected creek. John has friends, Brad and Cheryl, that live in a gorgeous home on the water here in St Michaels (near Chaney and Rumsfield).  We had made plans to see them while in town.  They brought us to their home for cocktails on Saturday, met us for dinner

at the Crab Claw on Sunday and even drove John and Gail to the Baltimore airport on Monday. 

Dingy at maximum load!
Four adults, two suitcases and two backbacks.



John, Gail, Cheryl and Brad

We had been to Baltimore, Annapolis and St Michaels last month, but it was fun to show friends some of our favorite places on the Chesapeake.  Because John and Gail have spent so many hours on board during previous trips, it is easy to share close quarters with them.  They have rented a house for a week in Kauai in February and invited us to join them.  We are hoping that it will work out.  Those islands are not on our boating itinerary.  Next on our calandar, a couple more days anchored peacefully in St Micheals before we return to Solomons.

 

Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride