Crew Log for October 24th – October 27th, 2022
We were excited to be in America’s Sailing Capital to do some exploring and reconnect with the crews from other boats that we have crossed paths with on our way here. We weren’t exactly sure how long we’d be here, but there were strong southerly winds in the forecast that would keep us here for at least a few days.
In addition to being a boaters’ paradise, or as Gordon one of our BHYC buddies labeled it, “Heaven”, Annapolis is also home to: the United States Naval Academy; the Maryland State House the oldest state capital still in use; and numerous historic bars and restaurants. Annapolis also reportedly has more 18th century buildings than any other city in the United States.
Other than the occasion wake from a passing boat, we enjoyed a very quiet night on the mooring. In the morning, we made our way down Spa Creek, passing by hundreds of boats. Both sides of the creek were lined with beautiful homes, all with their own private dock or mooring. Annapolis truly is a boater friendly city. Public dinghy docks were everywhere, which made it very convenient to travel by boat. Once ashore, we unexpectedly passed by the Annapolis Arts and Culture Centre, with some unique sculptures in front of it. We eventually met up with the crew from Magali who had walked from Back Creek, and made our way to one of Annapolis’ famous landmarks.
Any trip to Annapolis would not complete without a trip to Bacon Sails. Bacon sells used boat parts on consignment in addition to having a huge inventory of used sails, and also offers a selection of new boat parts and sails. We had purchased, site unseen a cruising spinnaker for our previous boat from Bacon over 10 years ago and we still use it on Elizabeth M. They were excellent to deal with then and the staff were very pleasant and helpful during this visit.
Another stop that we felt we had to make, was to Pussers Bar and Restaurant for their famous Painkillers. We contacted Magali, Teliki and Onlalee to see if they would like to join us. The Patriots had a Monday night game against the Bears and as we made our way to Pussers we ran into a Bears fan. She wasn’t optimistic about her team’s chances, but we traded friendly insults and went our separate ways. I am sure happy I didn’t run into her after the game given how awful the Patriots played. We lost. The Painkillers helped! We wandered the streets of Annapolis with the crews off of Teliki and Onalee and decided to grab supper before heading back to the boat.
The weather wasn’t very nice the next day so as Judy continued with some boat repairs, I baked bread and caught up on some of our Crew Logs. Later that afternoon, three boats from New Brunswick made their way into the mooring field including Harold and Pam from Fredericton on “I Know You”, a CS36 out of St. John, NB. They had met Adanaco back in Onset and dropped over to say hello on their way into Annapolis.
The following morning, we made our way over in the dinghy to the Maritime Museum, around the corner in Back Creek. The museum is in the former McNasby oyster-packing plant, which was the last facility of its kind in Annapolis. It was a small, but very informative, interactive exhibit focusing on the evolution of the bay and the changing waterfront. The primary focus was on the history of the oyster fishery and the role it played in shaping the Maritime culture of Annapolis. In addition to the interactive displays, the museum also included a gallery devoted to highlighting the impacts of climate change on the Chesapeake Bay area.
Our afternoon was spent on more boat projects and visits to some of the other boats in the mooring field.
The winds the following day were still not good for going south so we decided to spend another day in Annapolis. After a another morning of blogging and bread making, we decided to visit the US Naval Academy with the crew from “That’s It” and “Bleue Jazz”. The facility was beautiful and our tour guide, a former Navy fighter pilot, was excellent. However, we were slightly distracted given we were waiting on news from home.
Established in 1845, the US Naval Academy provides academic programming to officer-in-training midshipmen, who eventually go on to serve in the Navy or Marine Corps. The student population is around 4,500 and boosts a graduation rate of over 95 percent. All graduates receive a Bachelor of Science degree.
The 400 acre campus is in the heart of the historic district of Annapolis on the former grounds of Fort Severn. It is steeped in history and is a National Historic Landmark. From the young men and women in athletic gear running through the cobblestoned streets of the city, or in dress attire enjoying a meal in a local restaurant, to the numerous shops filled with Navy souvenirs and gifts, the Academy’s presence is evident everywhere in Annapolis outside of the walls of “The Yard”.
When we got back to the boat, we received the news we had been eagerly waiting for all day. Raelyn Mae Mitson, younger sister to Sloan, daughter to Allison Grant and MacKenzie Mitson, and our sixth grandchild arrived. We were so excited and so relieved that everyone was doing fine. They were doing great in fact.
Definitely the highlight of our trip so far!
Whether it was the energy we got from the news of the arrival of our latest crew member or the changing forecast, we decided it was time to make a move and head south towards Solomon Island in the morning.
But, more about that, next time.
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