Trip Day:	78	Latitude:	38°58.55 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	0	Longitude:	076°28.93 ' W	Locks Total:	8
Total Miles:	1,520	Location:	Annapolis City Basin

After a few chores this morning we walked across the square and entered the grounds of the  Naval Academy which is impressive by anyone’s standards.  This is Commissioning Week and today’s activities include a band concert and the Climbing of the Herndon. 

The plebe (freshman) class form a human pyramid around the 21-foot tall Herndon Monument. Members of the class try to make it to the top to remove a plebe hat, or “dixie cup,” that upperclassmen have placed on the top of the obelisk. The midshipman then replaces the “dixie cup” with a midshipman’s.

The class of 2015 took 2 1/2 hours to accomplish the task—we watched the first hour.

 

Later in the afternoon we felt a bike ride around the historic area was in order.  There are many well-preserved homes from the late 1700s and 1800s.

The Maryland Inn was built in 1776 as a  tavern and inn and has remained an inn to this day.

Since its original charter in 1649, Maryland has always played an important role in    governmental affairs with Annapolis as it’s capital. 

The Maryland State House was built in 1772 and served as the Capitol of the United States from 1783-1784.  Today it is the oldest state house still in legislative use.  It was here that General George Washington resigned his commission before the Continental Congress in 1783, and in 1784 Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris to end the Revolutionary War. 

MONDAY - MAY 21, 2012

Rain is in the forecast for the next couple of days and we are watching TS Alberto off the South Carolina Coast.  The guys let us in on a local tip—breakfast at Chick and Ruth’s—where Ron had Eggs Benedict with Lump Crab Meat.  Oh yes, this little hole-in-the-wall deli serves up some great eats!  Each morning at 8:30 they salute the flag with the pledge of allegiance with full participation from staff and breakfast patrons

Vince, Tom, Ed and Bill from Philly

Unfortunately,  walking distance from the basin is mostly restaurants and tourist shopping.  So, another Enterprise rental gave us access to a hardware store, a real grocery store and an amazing mall—wow, we haven’t been to a mall in two months!  A good rainy day for walking the mall and picking up a few treasures to mail home to some special little people whose hugs are sorely missed. 

 Ron spent some time attempting to repair our shower faucet, after two trips in the dinghy to transport all our grocery and shopping bags to the boat.  A quiet night was in order after our four hours of walking and shopping.  We will bring the boat into a slip in the city basin tomorrow morning.