Chesapeake Bay Part IV

 TRAVEL DAY 53 - Oxford to Tilghman Island

May 19, 2023

1.53 Hours/13.1 Miles

    What we thought would be a run to Annapolis, turned out to be a stop at Tilghman Island. The winds picked up considerably and the crew just wasn't feeling the need for a 6 hour ride in slop. Even though the winds were from the E/SE which essentially meant we would have following seas, we opted to end our day at Tilghman's Island. There is a cut through Tilghman's Island called Knapp Narrows, which makes traversing from our location on the Eastern Shore easier than going around Tilman Island.

Commercial Waterman Boats

    We had planned to top off our fuel tanks at Knapps Narrows Marina because at $3.30/gallon, it would be the cheapest fuel we have seen since South Carolina. The entrance to Knapps Narrows was tricky with a pretty stiff wind blowing the water into the entrance and the tide coming out. We called the bridge as soon as we were at the entrance so we would not have to hold station in the narrow channel with high winds and opposing current. We got an immediate opening. As soon as we passed the draw bridge, the marina was on the right and we pulled to the fuel dock. We called for assistance twice but got no answer. I misjudged the fact that the underlying current from the west and the wind from the east made it difficult to bring the boat against the dock from either direction and we ended up in a standstill with our bow on the dock and our stern out in the canal and found it impossible to swing the boat in. Finally, the dockhand came out and helped pull the stern to the dock. We topped off the fuel and made a plan to move to the floating dock for the night. 

Knapps Narrows

    The dockhand was nowhere to be found again so we decided to make the move without him. To be fair, he did advise that we get our bow out first, then let the wind push us around in the opposite direction and get to the down stream dock and grab a stern cleat first. We did exactly that and this time we looked like knew what we were doing. A passing boat even shouted "Nice job!" then followed it up with "Sometimes you get lucky". Beth laid the excess lines up on the dock in her newly learned weave.

Beth's "Fancy" dockline weave

    All tied up, we grabbed the free loaner bikes and rode over the bridge to town for some exploration and lunch. Oxford was small, this place is even smaller. We ate lunch at one of only two places "Two If By Sea" which closes at 1 pm. It was however a good meal. Their slogan is "Order what you want, eat what you get". 

Tilghman Post Office/Real Estate Office/Thrift Store

    We rode the bikes around some more and saw pretty much everything in an hour's time. Having seen everything there is to see on Tilghman Island, we goofed around the marina for awhile looking at boats.

Knapps Narrows Bridge

Oxford to Tilghman Island

TRAVEL DAY 54 - Tilghman Island to Annapolis

May 20, 2023

3.1 Hours/22.1 Miles

    Holing up in Tilghman Island was a good call. Today the winds, although out of the north (not a favorite for the Chesapeake Bay) were light at 7 knots. This meant a light chop so we boogied out of Knapps Narrows, around Poplar Island and north into the bay for Annapolis.

Annapolis, MD

    We got a little spray on the windows but a pretty comfortable ride as the galley crew made coffee and breakfast. The overcast sky created a somewhat limited visibility of a couple miles so I ran with the radar on to help identify any boats and obstacles, and there were many.

Container Ships

    Nearing Annapolis several large container ships and sailboats appeared out of the haze and we could see Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse to our starboard. The lighthouse is the most recognized lighthouse in Maryland and the only screw-pile lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay which stands at it's original sight.

Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse

    As we turned in to the Severn River we could also see several Navy ships performing drills in the area. The sailboat traffic here is incredible and boats where scooting around everywhere. We slowed our approach and traversed past the downtown waterfront, under the Compromise St. Bridge and picked up a mooring buoy.  This was our first mooring buoy and the deck crew had no problem grabbing the tag line and hooking us up.

No shortage of big boats in Annapolis

    We dropped "Lil Scuz" (dinghy) and headed for the downtown waterfront district and "Ego Ally". Ego Ally got it's moniker from all the large and eccentric boats that cruise in and tie up along the walls. Lil' Scuz took her place among the beauties and we were on our way to explore. This was also graduation week and commissioning week for the United States Naval Academy and the place was a zoo. We saw more than a few Midshipman walking around in their starched white uniforms. 

Lil' Scuz

    We took a tour of the Naval Academy, which after going through security, we were free to view the visitor's center and walk the grounds. We went into the chapel and below it the tomb of John Paul Jones, the "Father of the American Navy". He had a very accomplished career and died at 45. His remains were not found in Paris until 1905 and he was later brought back to the US and intombed here.

Chapel at the US Naval Academy

John Paul Jones Tomb

    

    The following day we set out to view more of Annapolis. We tried to hit the "must stop" places and one of those was the Capitol Building, which was the first capitol of the United States November 26, 1783 to August 13, 1784. General George Washington resigned his commission here before the Continental Congress December 23, 1783 to become the first president of the United States.

Maryland Capital Building

    We made our way to Chick & Ruth's Delly (yes, it's spelled right) where you can get a 6 pound milkshake. If you can drink it, you get a free T-shirt. Didn't seem worth the stomach ache so Beth settled on a regular vanilla shake with her lunch.

Chick & Ruth's Delly

    Then some more walking to make up for that milkshake! We walked the side streets to view all of the beautiful colonial homes. It was a fantastic spring day and we made the most of it.

Annapolis Architecture

    Later in the afternoon, we got invited to Bama Breeze for dinner. We had a great time and we have loved cruising with these two. I've nicknamed him "The Dude" from The Big Lebowski, because he reminds me of the Jeff Bridges.

With the Crew of Bama Breeze

Toasting our 28 years!

Tilghman Island to Annapolis

TRAVEL DAY 55 - Annapolis to Baltimore

May 22, 2023

4.17 Hours/31.4 Miles

    The deck crew dropped the mooring ball and we pulled out of our anchorage at 8:30. The couple in the sailboat next to us was from the UK and heading south. I passed them the copy of the Chesapeake to Florida Waterway Guide that we had no more need of and we motored off. Just at the mouth of the river, the lookout spotted a wood piling floating upright. I stopped our forward motion and called on the radio "Pan, Pan, Pan, vessel Pau Hana". The coastguard responded and we reported the position of the obstacle. We hope we saved someone from a bad day.

Baltimore Inner Harbor

    The bay was a little lumpy but absolutely doable. We went under the massive William Preston Lane Memorial Bridge connecting the Eastern Shore with Annapolis and headed north. At the Baltimore Light the waves calmed way down and the ride got smoother.

Baltimore Light

    Once in the Patapsco River, it calmed even more, and by the time we got up to the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and past Fort Carroll, we were on lake like conditions. The air was warm and there was little breeze. 

Fort Carroll - Designed by Robert E. Lee

    As we entered the Harbor we passed Ft. McHenry and continued on into the northwest harbor and towards the marina in downtown Baltimore.

Fort McHenry

  I called the dockmaster on the radio and received my slip assignment and docking instructions. We proceeded to Anchorage Marina and tied up. We desperately needed provisions which was a short walk away. We hiked over to the Safeway and loaded up our backpacks and bags. The walk was a little tougher on the way back carrying heavy groceries, but we managed fine.

Anchorage Marina

   Our marina was within walking distance to dozens of restaurants and stores along and nearby the waterfront. We grabbed dinner and then heard about a comedy club that that had free tickets. I must be getting old, I only got about 10% of the jokes...I think. Still fun to be out with the crew on shore leave.

Max's Tap Room

    The next day was basically lounging around and doing some laundry and boat chores. Once we got all of that out of the way we set out to see Fort McHenry. Baltimore has a couple of free water taxis that will get you across the harbor. We walked to water taxi #8, jumped on and ferried across. From there, it was still a little hike up the hill at Hull Street and over to the fort.

Crab Claws Everywhere

    Fort McHenry is best known for it's role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British Navy. After the bombardment, the American storm flag was replaced with a larger 30' x 42' American garrison flag, upon seeing the ensign Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the poem "Defense of Fort M'Henry" that was later set to music and became The Star Spangled Banner. We enjoyed "brushing up" on our history of the War of 1812, sometimes called the "forgotten war".

Fort McHenry 

Cannons pointed out the Patapsco River and toward Chesapeake Bay

    The wind was expected to increase in the Chesapeake Bay so we extended our stay for the remainder of the week and through the weekend. I have found that I don't like staying in one location too long but if we have to stay somewhere for an extended period, it's certainly better when there's plenty to do and see.

Under Armour World Headquarters

    We Uber'd over to Baltimore's Inner Harbor to visit that part of town. We toured "The Historic Ships in Baltimore" which consist of the USS Constellation, USS Torsk, LV116 Chesapeake and USCG Cutter 37.  The USS Constitution was the last sail only "sloop of war" designed and built in 1854 by the US Navy. We got to see a live cannon fire demonstration (no cannonballs, drat!).

USS Constitution

Touring ships is hard work

    Commissioned for the US Navy on December 16, 1944, the USS Torsk was the only "Tench Class" submarine to see service during World War II and fired the last torpedoes of that war.

USS Torsk (A Scandinavian Cod Fish) 

After Torpedo Room

    LV116 Chesapeake was a Lightship. Completed in 1930, it's main duties consisted of patrolling, inspecting and guiding maritime traffic at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Before permanent lighthouses could be built, these ships served as aides to navigation.

LV116 Chesapeake

Captains captain while Navigators navigate

    USCG Cutter 37, commissioned as the USCG Taney. Decommissioned in 1986, it saw more than 50 years of continuous service, including Vietnam from 1969 to 1977.

USCG Cutter Taney

Navigator doing what Navigators do

    Of course after all this nautical history, we also felt compelled to tour Baltimore's Wine Village.

Baltimore Wine Village

      

Annapolis to Baltimore