May 14 – Baltimore, MD

Happy Birthday Eric

Henderson’s Wharf Marina

It’s our baby’s birthday…Eric was a wonderful Mother’s Day gift 23 years ago. He has grown into an amazing young man we are very proud of and we really miss him and his wife Courtney.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are predicted for the next few days, so we decided to move to Baltimore today. We were going to explore a few new anchorages on our way there, but anchoring is no fun when the weather confines you inside the cabin all day. We left very early so we could get ahead of the heavy rain. We made the 6:30 bridge opening and made our way into the Chesapeake…no boat traffic today. It was an ugly day on the water, very dreary and a little rain, but little wind and low waves, so we weren’t uncomfortable. I think this is the first time we have docked in the rain…in fact the last time I used my rain gear was in Baltimore last summer. I see a pattern here! I’m glad we’ve seen the sites from Annapolis to Baltimore before, because we couldn’t see anything this morning. If you want to see pictures from this part of the Chesapeake Bay check out our pictures from August 2011. We spent five days in Baltimore last August preparing and riding out Hurricane Irene. We didn’t have too much time to see Baltimore, so I hope we have a better chance this week.

We did get a chance this afternoon to walk around the Fells Point area. Fells Point is a charming 18^th century village within Baltimore and is one of the nation's oldest surviving maritime communities. The cobblestone streets and architectural features remain much as they were centuries ago. While full of history this area has something for everyone…cafes, restaurants, taverns, theaters, and some very unique shops and galleries. There are a lot of museums in Baltimore, so if the weather stays bad this week we may have to check a few out. Our friends, Pam and Donny, are planning to join us by Friday…if they can get engine maintenance done. At the moment our plan is to head home on Sunday to spend a week visiting with family and celebrating our son and daughter in-law’s graduation from medical school. We will return around May 30 and hopefully we (The Pearl & Gallivant) will start our trip to New York and Canada by June 1.

Fells Point

The Dead End Saloon

At the base of the bar was a trough, where you might rest your feet. We heard the trough was used in the old days by the men to urinate and spit tobacco in, this was when women weren't allowed in the tavern. It also had a faucet attached to it, so they could turn it on and flush everything away. This trough is 1 of only 2 still around, but this one was missing the faucet.

A Bohemian-style beer, Natty Boh was first brewed in 1885 by the National Brewing Company in Baltimore, Maryland. After prohibition, National Bohemian returned with the introduction of Mr. Boh, the one-eyed mascot with a handlebar-mustache and distinctive smile. Instantly adopted as a symbol of a proud city, Mr. Boh continues to be the iconic face for the brand today.