Annapolis - A Wild Harbor on the Weekends!

Trip Day:	77	Latitude:	38°58.55 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	18	Longitude:	076°28.93 ' W	Locks Total:	8
Total Miles:	1,520	Location:	Annapolis Basin Mooring Field

Awakened a little lazy this morning knowing there was no hurry to depart our comfy creek.  After checking the weather we got underway and followed KatMan2 through the bridge at Kent Island Narrows.  The bridge was extremely narrow and the current was ripping through the opening.  As soon as we passed through, Marc headed toward the restaurant dock ahead of us.  We pulled in as well, knowing he had been experiencing electrical problems with his engine.  Ron grabbed his multimeter and he and Marc went to work.  About an hour passed as they hunted down the loose connection and corrected the problem.

We sailed under the Bay Bridge with the water very much like a washing machine.  Waves seemed to be coming from every direction, boats of every size were tacking across the bay, ships, and tugs pushing barges were in the main shipping channel.  The closer we got to Annapolis Harbor the crazier it got until it was total chaos!  Sixty foot sailboats were tacking in every direction, then there was a fleet of 420s, kayaks and even paddle boarders right in the mix seemingly oblivious to the large boats.  I had a hard time rounding into the wind for Ron to drop the mainsail dodging the boat traffic and the crab traps, but we managed to get into the city basin and pick up a mooring ball.  The local sport seems to be sailing through the mooring field which entertained us for awhile, as did the harbor ducks,  before boarding our dinghy to go ashore to do laundry.  


As we headed back out to our boat, a sailor we met earlier hailed us over to his Beneteau 41 for drinks and snacks.  Bill, Tom, Ed and Vince are college buddies who sail together for one week each year and they gave us the low down on Annapolis, Baltimore and the surrounding bay area. As we enjoyed happy hour with them, a steady stream of boats, from 20 footers to 60  footers motored into the basin, up as far as they could, then turned around to leave.  Bill said this is known as “Ego Alley” and the parade is never ending. 

Trip Day:	76	Latitude:	38°57.26 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	40	Longitude:	076°15.85 ' W	Locks Total:	8
Total Miles:	1,502	Location:	Kent Narrows

We raised the anchor and followed KatMan2 out the channel then paused to raise the mainsail.  Heading out Tred Avon until we cleared the green mark, then rounded up and headed for Tilghman Island.  After passing through the bridge at Knapps Narrows, we shut down the engine, raised the outdrive and sailed up the Bay with the winds 60 degrees off our bow at 10-15 kts.   Wow, we are sailing 7 knots up the Chesapeake feeling very lucky, and a little selfish, to be making this trip .

We could definitely tell this is a weekend by the multitudes of sailboats in the Bay.  There must have been a hundred sailboats crossing each other’s wakes, on the eastern shore, on the western shore and up the rivers.  After several hours of sailing we headed into Eastern Bay, then into Prospect Bay, then into Kent Island Narrows.  Kent Island is basically directly across from  Annapolis on the western shore. 

Turning into a secluded little creek just south of the Kent Narrows Bridge, we dropped anchor in 8ft of water.  The Kent Narrows has become a suburb of Annapolis and Baltimore area.

Having packed a duffle bag with a bottle of wine, humus and pita chips, and a side dish we are off to have dinner aboard KatMan2 with Marc and Betty. 

This is our eighth straight night at anchor—a marina is a must stop soon so we can do laundry and wash the salt off the decks.  However, we will be checking weather closely since we just learned about tropical storm Alberto.

FRIDAY - MAY 18, 2012

We had a calm, cool evening and awakened to a brisk morning air.  Our visit to St. Michaels was enjoyable and we can understand why James Michener chose it as his home base while he researched the area for his book, Chesapeake. 

 We have actually gone a little south, leaving San Domingo, out Broad Creek, up the Choptank River, into the Tred Avon River, into Town Creek off the shore of Oxford.  This is the oldest town on the eastern shore, first settled by the Choptank Indians, there were settlers and plantations here as early as 1659.  In the late 1600s Oxford was an established port where ships delivered manufactured goods and salt from Great Britain, wine from Madeira, rum and sugar from the West Indies, slaves from Africa and indentured servants and convicts from Scotland and Ireland.  They returned to England with cargoes of tobacco, barrel staves, furs, pine, tar and other raw products. 

 This port has a long history of shipbuilding and Hinckley Yachts Boatyard is still in operation.  Cutts and Case Shipyard still builds wooden boats with their patented planking method. 

St. Michael's - Day Ashore

Trip Day:	74	Latitude:	38°46.56 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	0	Longitude:	076°13.95 ' W	Locks Total:	8
Total Miles:	1,450	Location:	St. Michael’s / San Domingo Creek

St. Michael’s was founded in 1677 on the Miles River on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake.  In 1813 when Brigadier General Perry Venson got word that the British Navy was on the way, he ordered the locals to hang lanterns in the treetops above the town.  With all town lights extinguished, the first military blackout, the ships overshot the town with only one house being struck.  This house is now call the “cannonball house” by the locals.                                                                         

Frederick Douglass born on Tuckahoe Creek, famous abolitionist and US Marshall for the  District of Columbia,  lived as a slave in St. Michaels area 1833-1836. 

 

Today St. Michael’s is a summer resort destination, but the shopping district along Talbot Street and the many residential areas are mainly homes from the mid 1800s with a few from earlier periods.  The Key Lime Café is pictured at the right, the Old Brick Inn, circa 1816, is below.

We toured tree-lined streets with brick sidewalks with house after house from the mid 1800s and earlier.  These quiet neighborhoods was so beautiful and peaceful, of course this is not high season when the rentals are full and the tourist have taken over the town.

I wanted to make of offer on this one!

The Tarr House - 1667

Henry Clay Dodson House - 1883

St. Michael’s Parish was founded in 1672 and the current church was built in 1878 and still in use today.

The church grounds was beautiful and house a peaceful cemetery. 

The tombstone for Miriam Bloodsworth reads that she died February 25, 1832, Aged 76 years, 1 month and 17 days. 

The Chesapeake Maritime Museum is an 18-acre complex of 9 buildings housing a collection of Bay boats and a look into the region’s maritime life.  Oysters were gold between 1870-1890 and most people worked in the industry in this area; dredging, shucking, processing, canning and shipping oysters.  Local shipbuilders could hardly keep up with the demand for Skipjacks which were ideal for dredging the shallow waters of the Chesapeake.  In this 20 year period the oyster beds were virtually stripped clean—now the watermen are crabbers. 

Current Skipjack restoration project with the original deckhouse - you know Ron enjoyed this exhibit, looking at every plane, adz, rasp and saw.

This “shallop” is a replica of the type boat Captain John Smith sailed in 1608 when he explored and charted the entire Chesapeake Bay. 

1879 Hoopers Strait Lighthouse moved here in 1960.

Quote of the day on Gina's Cafe chalboard.

We are trying our best to get our share of play time!

We had a great day at St. Michael's.  Ron would have been a perfect fit for the town when the Baltimore Clippers were built here and the locals raced the Log Canoes.  

St. Michael's MD - Eastern Shore

Trip Day:	73	Latitude:	38°46.56 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	39	Longitude:	076°13.95 ' W	Locks Total:	8
Total Miles:	1,450	Location:	St. Michael’s / San Domingo Creek

We decided to cross the Chesapeake to the eastern shore today since predictions were for light airs and tomorrow is supposed to be gusty from the northeast.  Leaving the Patuxent River, our view of the bay was eerily calm.  The water was like glass, not a breath of wind and the eastern shore was hidden by fog. 

These fish traps are very common on the Chesapeake, but crab traps take the honors for biggest hassle for boaters.

Cove Point Lighthouse is on the western shore above the Patuxent and one of our favorites to date.  

 

Nautical Research Facility in the   middle of nowhere. It reminded Ron of Waterworld!

 






This must be some kind of special duck salute for visitors to the Choptank.

Our view as we entered Broad Creek on our way into St. Michaels.  We met up again with Marc and Betty on KatMan2, another Gemini, and anchored together then went into town for dinner.  Softshell crabs and crabcakes were the order of the day!

Crossed into Maryland

Trip Day:               72   Latitude:             37°19.72' N               Locks Today:  0

Miles Today:       44   Longitude:      076°27.08' W              Locks Total:   8    

Total Miles:    1,411   Location:        Solomon’s Island/Mill Creek                         

Plan “A” was to take the ferry out of Reedville across to Tangier’s Island for a day of  sightseeing and local seafood.  The ferry cancelled service for today due to lack of passengers and forecasted rain.  After checking multiple weather sources, we decided to move onto plan “B” which is to run up the western shore to Solomon’s Island.  We almost turned back after 30 minutes in the Chesapeake, the winds were at 14, not the predicted 8, and the seas were high—nothing but whitecaps to be seen looking east.  Ron assured me we would only have an hour of seas on the beam, then we would turn north and ride the following seas. 





This lighthouse marking a shoal area was our target for about an hour as we rolled on and off the waves.One other sailboat was following the same path up the western shore.The only other traffic was large ships further out in the shipping channel.To our surprise we had to dodge crab traps in 40 foot of water.




 At 9:30 a.m. we crossed into Maryland, no welcome sign, just this small green marker as evidence of the state line.   

This has been our view looking east—nothing but water—after we crossed the Potomac we realized we can now see land! This is the narrowest section of the Chesapeake and where we will cross to the Eastern Shore in a couple of days.

Bluffs greeted us as we entered the Patuxent River travelling about 3 more miles to reach  Solomon’s Island.

After anchoring, we noticed that we had spectators.  Is it a bad omen to be anchored next to a group of buzzards?

Heading out in our dinghy to explore then eat at Stoney's Kingfisher Seafood House, known for it's no-filler crabcakes that size of baseballs!  Ron and Jean over and out!

Historic Triangle Part II

Trip Day:	71	Latitude:	37°50.14 ' N	Locks Today:	0
Miles Today:	52	Longitude:	076°16.39 ' W	Locks Total:	8
Total Miles:	1,367	Location:	Reedville VA / Cockrell Creek Anchorage

 It was an early start this morning to run 50 miles up the eastern shore of the Chesapeake passing Mobjack Bay, the Piankatank River, Rappahannock River and entering the Great Wicomico River.  We are anchored in a secure little cove off Reedville, second only to Alaska in fish processed per year.

Part II of the Historic Triangle:  Willamsburg and Yorktown

Leaving Jamestown on the shuttle bus, we drove into the future and arrived in Williamsburg which lies between the James and York Rivers.  Founded in 1632 as Middle Plantation, the city served as the capital of the Colony of Virginia from 1699 to 1780 and was the center of the politics of the revolution.  Ron had a little chat with George Washington upon our arrival. 

The Governor’s Palace, authorized by the 1706 Virginia General Assembly and built in 1722, was home to many governors including Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson. 

Bruton Parrish Church has been in continuous service  since 1715. 

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry were all members.  Family pew boxes are still in use today.  

 

The Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg stretches over 301 acres, and includes 88 original 18th-century structures. Hundreds of houses, shops and public outbuildings have been reconstructed on their original foundations.

George Wythe House 1722—Tutor and friend of Thomas  Jefferson.  Wythe was the first Virginian signer of the Declaration of Independence.

      Right:  1771– Court House

 

British Justice

"Be assiduous in learning, take much exercise for your health, and practice much virtue. Health,     learning and virtue will ensure your happiness; they will give you a quiet conscience, private esteem, and public honor.”

–Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, 1788

Yorktown - the final battle for independence!

Yorktown was established in 1691 by an Act for  Ports passed by the Virginia House of       Burgesses. 50 acres of land were purchased from Benjamin Read next to the York River and the town was surveyed into 85 half-acre lots.  At it’s peak in the 1750s the population was about 1,800 and tobacco fueled the economy.

It was late in the summer of 1781 that Lord Cornwallis brought his army to Yorktown seeking a victory that would subdue the states back to British allegiance.   The allied French Fleet sailed from the West Indies to blockade the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, cutting off Cornwallis from help or escape by sea. 

The armies of Gen. George Washington and Gen. Jean Baptiste de Rochambeau and Lafayette joined forces in Yorktown to attack Cornwallis by land. Camps were built, trenches were dug, the allied army siege line was formed and bombardment commenced. After 9 days of intense, round-the-clock bombardment and a failed attempt to escape across the York River, Lord Cornwallis requested a cease-fire to discuss surrender terms. Two days later on October 19, 1781 he surrendered his army ending the last major battle of the revolution for independence.

 

Beaten and unwilling to accept the terms of surrender, Cornwallis hid in this cave along the shoreline of the York River, sending his second in command to lay down arms and surrender.

(Our boat was anchored just off the shore in front of this cave.)

Yorktown Victory Monument

Ron had to go into this pub - just looking for his home boys!



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