May 29 – Dundalk, MD

Anchor Bay East Marina

“We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.”

―T. S. Eliot

We had a beautiful day to travel up the Chesapeake to the Baltimore area. There were boats….EVERYWHERE. Between it being a beautiful Sunday and a holiday weekend the bay was full of sailboats, jet boats, fishing boats and cruisers…plus people actually doing a little work, like cargo ships and crabbers.

It’s time for the next break in our cruising season. We're flying home this week to see family and friends. After a few weeks in Texas we'll help our oldest son and his family move to Pennsylvania. We’ll spend a few weeks there helping out and exploring the countryside. We’ll continue our trip north when we return the beginning of July. There are so many options on places to go, so stay tuned to find out where we’ll go from here.

A crabber checking his traps

This must have been a great place to catch fish, because there were a lot of people there

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Sandy Point Shoal Lighthouse - We passed four lighthouses today on our way to the marina

May 28 – Annapolis, MD

City Mooring Field

“I hope there are days when you fall in love with being alive. I hope a part of your heart lives there forever.” –Anonymous 

The swells coming into the harbor from the Chesapeake and the wind have made it very rolly and uncomfortable in the mooring field the last few days. So this morning we decided to move to a different mooring ball further up Spa Creek. It's very peaceful up here surrounded by beautiful homes. We felt like we were in a small lake and we enjoyed watching the paddle boarders and kayakers enjoying the day...very calming and peaceful over the craziness in the front mooring field on Memorial Day weekend.

Today was our last day in Annapolis; we went to a small flea market and then wandered through town and watched people at the waterfront. This afternoon we went to the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Eastport and walked through their historic area filled with pretty old homes with yards full of beautiful flowers. The weather has really improved over the last week and Chesapeake has gotten a perfect weekend to celebrate the beginning of summer.

St. Mary's Catholic Church

Some of the pretty homes in Spa Creek

May 27 – Annapolis, MD

City Mooring Field

I really enjoy walking around old towns, soaking in the sights and trying to imagine what it would have been like on that same street 50, 100 or even 200 years ago. Wondering just how the same old buildings looked and what life was like for those that lived there. Here are a few of the old buildings we have seen this week

A view from the State House overlooking the harbor in 1906

Annapolis was first established in 1649, so there is definitely a lot of history to take in. Here are just a few historical facts about Annapolis.

• In 1708 Queen Anne of England granted Annapolis its City Charter
• Annapolis became the state capital in 1772 and 
• The State House (Capitol) of Maryland is the oldest in the nation still in legislative use. 
• General George Washington resigned his commission before the Continental Congress December 23, 1783.
• January 14, 1784 Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris to end the Revolutionary War. 
• Annapolis was the Capital of the United States when the Continental Congress met in Annapolis, Maryland from November 26, 1783 to June 3, 1784.
• From here on September 14, 1786, the Annapolis convention issued the call to the states that led to the Constitutional Convention.
• The US Naval Academy was founded on October 10, 1845 in Annapolis, Maryland.
• Annapolis has more of these original 18th century structures standing than any other city in the United States.
• Kunta Kinte, the first ancestor of author Alex Haley (Roots) landed in the city from an African slave ship and a statue of Alex Haley now marks the site.

The end of Ego Alley and dinghy dock

The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial

Main Street

The Maryland Hotel...I couldn't find a date on this picture, but the corner looks a lot different today.

The Maryland Hotel today

The Maryland Hotel

Historic building in Annapolis

 Reynolds Tavern

A view from the State House 

Homes are built close together in Annapolis and sometimes they have walls that aren't square 

May 26 – Annapolis, MD

City Mooring Field

“One must travel, to learn.” —Mark Twain

Annapolis has been home to the United States Naval Academy since 1845. It was established under Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft and is the second oldest of the United States' five service academies, and educates officers for commissioning primarily into the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. Today we went to the academy to watch the color parade held at Worden Field. The Color Parade is the oldest parade at the U.S. Naval Academy, a tradition that began in 1867.

The Brigade of Midshipmen marches from Bancroft Hall to the parade field accompanied by the academy band and the drum & bugle corps. At the field, midshipmen perform the manual of arms, render honors to the senior officer or civilian dignitary present, and pass in review before the official party and guests. It is the Midshipmen’s last full dress parade while at the academy. It was very impressive to watch.

Officer housing - The academy grounds are beautiful

The Main Chapel at the Naval Academy  

Color Parade at the Naval Academy 

It was a picture perfect day in Annapolis

Dinner with our friends Burt and Prue. We'll see them again in New England or Maine later in the summer.

May 25 – Annapolis, MD

City Mooring Field

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Blue Angels performance was this afternoon and the harbor was packed with hundreds of boats of all sizes, kayaks, canoes, paddle boarders and dinghies. Every boat was overflowing with spectators enjoying the beautiful day.

We started our day on the flybridge enjoying our wonderful view of Annapolis with a cup of coffee. We love to begin our days like this, but those days have been few this year. Maybe spring/summer has finally caught up with us. Later in the morning we went ashore to find a barbershop for Stan and enjoy lunch at Vin909. We were back onboard in time to watch the hustle and bustle of activity in the harbor as everyone tried to find the perfect spot to watch the Blue Angels.

The Blue Angels are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year. Admiral Chester Nimitz, had a vision to create a flight exhibition team in order to raise the public’s interest in naval aviation and boost Navy morale. The U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron fly a team of six Navy F/A-18 Hornets and a C-130 Hercules, affectionately known as “Fat Albert.” The team performed a variety of high-speed, aerobatic, precision-maneuvers during their air show in front of the Naval Academy.

Just a few of the boats we saw today

One of my favorite small boats out enjoying the day

Some of the people watching from the shoreline

A close look at "Fat Albert" flown by the Blue Angels first female pilot Katie Higgins

The Blue Angels performing

Every Wednesday night...almost year around the Annapolis Yacht Club holds race night. They are fun to watch because the finish line is just past the mooring field. The boats come flying by the moored boats and it's very entertaining.