June 2021 Vacation - Days 5 & 6 - Annapolis

 

(Note that all my vacation photos will appear here as they are copied up to SmugMug.)

On Tuesday, the plan was to sail up to Annapolis.   The heat wave continued with only 2 to 4 kts of wind during the trip.  I expected the trip to take about 3 hours, so I slept in and departed right at my 11:00 deadline to clear the slip at Herrington Harbor.

The route stayed pretty close to the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay

Here's a final look at Herrington Harbor South and their East Beach.

The really low wind meant that the bay was smooth.

I could see clouds forming to the north and west.

As I motored north, the boat speed provided a breeze that was welcomed.  I noticed clouds forming - especially to the north and west, which hopefully meant there would be an afternoon T-storm to break the heatwave.

Just before Annapolis, I passed the Thomas Point Light, the only remaining screw-pile lighthouse still standing in it's original location.

A bit farther north, I turned into the Severn River and passed the Navy communications towers.  A bit after that I followed a catamaran into Spa Creek passing in front of the US Naval Academy.

After hailing the Yacht Basin Co. on Ch 9, they coached me into my space.  This time, I messed up and had to go around again.  Of course this happened RIGHT IN FRONT OF the Annapolis Yacht Club.  I became the afternoon entertainment for the late lunch crowd on the balcony.

By the time I checked in and paid for the slip, I was close to overheating, so I decided the first order of business would be a nap in the AC.  I was rudely awoken by a thunderclap and then went out into the cockpit to watch a nifty thunderstorm pass by.

Here is a video...

For dinner, I decided to just go up the street to Pusser's - I didn't want to walk far as I knew the storm broke the humidity, but it was all laying on the hot streets and soon all of town would be a sauna.  I have better recommendations for tomorrow once the heat abides a bit.

This was a weird restaurant experience.  The place has a great reputation, and in the past it was known for it's food.  That clearly has gone downhill... as was the service.  Incredibly disinterested greeters and waitresses got me to my place and got food in front of me... zero interest in pleasantries, or even a "thank you" as I walked out.  My favorite part was when she saw that I was finished and said "I guess you'll want the check then" (never offering dessert).  I took that as the gods speaking to me and said "sure".  

I was told this was the "Filet Special".
(I don't think it was a filet.)

I did do a quick walk around "Ego Alley", this little strip of water that enters the center of town.  But as I expected, the humidity was oppressive.  I was drenched just walking this little mile from the dock to the park around Ego Alley.  I did patronize the little ice cream shop, though... it is vacation, after all.

Ego Alley... it's "The Thing" to pull your boat in, then turn around and go back.

As sunset approached, it was finally cool enough to have my evening snack and beverage in the cockpit.  This turned out to be wonderful... watching all the watercraft pass by as the sun set behind the Yacht Club and all the colors changed.

Just after I took the photo of the Yacht Club building above, I noticed that there were a number of small craft approaching my stern.  Everyone was looking up just to my port side.  It didn't make any sense when BANG!!! the club set off a cannon as part of their flag ceremony.  Jeeeze... I was taking a sip at the moment and thank goodness I didn't spill my drink.  I think the cannon went off maybe 150 feet from where I was berthed.

I'm at the slip next-door
(where the stern of the big boat is in the satellite photo).

I continued to watch the night fall and all the colors change until Vicky called.

On Wednesday, I awoke to an almost glassy Spa Creek, the only wakes coming from a few ducks.  

With the humidity having dropped to 70%, I decided that any walking would take place in the morning before the humidity could begin to build again.  I chose to go into the older historic section of Annapolis.  It's quite charming.

They clearly knew I was coming
since they sent a truckload of chocolate fudge ice cream!

I walked up Main St. to Church Circle and then State Circle (separated by School St.).  They seemed to really want the symbolism.

Main St.  (Notice all the COVID seating out on the street.)

Church Circle

State Circle

There was some sort of painters group in town as I encountered several people working on paintings.

Row homes on Francis St.

Main St. on left and Francis St. on right
going to Church and State Circles respectively

After this walk, I then walked over the Spa Creek bridge to the Boatyard Bar & Grill for lunch.

I could see Seas The Day in her berth from the Spa Creek bridge

The Boatyard Bar & Grill
(recommended by several people)

Yes it was lunchtime... I'm on vacation!

I had heard that their burgers were wonderful so I had one with mushrooms and swiss cheese.  It turns out they serve Smith Island Cake for dessert, so I had to try the official dessert of the State of Maryland.

After that meal, I needed more walking... fortunately I had to walk back to Seas The Day.

As I approached the Spa Creek bridge, I came across this view.  Talk about a sailing capital!  There are masts literally everywhere.  I could have taken a similar photo off the other side of the bridge (left of this one).

On the return walk across the Spa Creek bridge it was being raised for a sailboat to pass under.  I recorded these videos for those with kids who might be interested in this sort of thing.  

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

When I arrived back at the dock, I had a new neighbor.
(There's always a bigger boat!)

In the afternoon, I hid from the heat and humidity.  As evening approached, I ventured back to the cockpit and found the air starting to get pleasant.  I decided to "eat-in" and prepared a tomato and mozzarella salad for supper.  (After the huge burger for lunch, I figured I could do a semi-vegetarian meal.)

I felt a weird movement by my leg and then saw my first cicada of the season.  You could hear them from the north when I was over in Eastpoint for lunch, but this is the first one I saw.  He was clearly in the last stages of his life cycle so I brushed him off the floor to feed a lucky fish.

A water taxi came by to drop off folks at the Yacht Club next door,
so I asked him for details for next visit.

I came back to the cockpit for my sunset snack and again watched all the boat traffic.  For some reason the Yacht Club did do the flag lowering ceremony but did NOT shoot off the cannon... maybe it was my presence on the foredeck with camera in hand.  It looked like they were prepping it at one point.  I stayed outside as night fell and caught the 9:00 PM bridge opening.

Summary of Annapolis costs:

Yacht Basin Company (2 nights transient slip + elect.) - $278
Tips for dock girl - $20 (she really struggled as I made my mistakes)
Pusser's - $47
Ice cream - $5

Boatyard Bar & Grill - $45

Total - $395 (two nights)

Tomorrow's Plan:

Tomorrow's plan was to go back up the Patapsco River to Baltimore and check out the Fells Point area.  This plan ended during this morning's news when I heard that business owners in Fells Point have declared that they will no longer be paying city taxes until the city does something about all the garbage and violence.  (A number of fights broke out over the weekend and 3 people were shot.)

I have no idea what to do with that information, but I don't think I want to discover it.  I do know that tomorrow afternoon a huge cold front is supposed to be coming through (breaking this heat wave finally) and with it the expected strong thunder storms.  I want a quick trip and since Rock Hall, MD and Swan Creek is listed as destinations in the Waterway Guide described on Day 0, I'll go there.

Yes... I'm going back to home port.  Expected to take 3 hours.  I'll do an early departure and hope to get there by lunch.