Annapolis, MD

It was a sunny but brisk day on Tuesday, September 21 when we cruised from Baltimore to Annapolis. After a four hour trip we picked up a mooring ball in the outer harbor of Annapolis.  We debated staying in the outer harbor vs. Spa Creek which is further in and more protected from the rolling nature of the outer harbor. But we decided to stay put as the dinghy ride into town is much shorter in the outer harbor and we aren’t too bothered by the rolling seas.

Annapolis and Baltimore are our two major ports to rendezvous with visitors. Both are easy journeys from the Baltimore airport.  This time my cousin Kathy and her husband Mark were meeting us as they traveled with their two dogs up the east coast for an extended vacation.

Kathy and Mark arrived at their Air B&B at about the same time as we arrived at our mooring ball. We decided to meet them for dinner at our favorite Annapolis restaurant, the Boatyard Grill.  They brought their two dogs but we left Archie onboard Zendo as we figured that showing up with three dogs at that restaurant might be a bit much.  We had a very good dinner - we especially love their crab cakes - the best we’ve had at any restaurant.

We made our plans to meet in town the next day.  Kathy and Mark had never been to Annapolis.  It is such a pretty and historic town and we were happy to show them around.  Because we had the three dogs with us we were pretty much restricted to walking around outside which is exactly what we did.

We showed them the grounds around the Maryland State House, strolled by the Naval Academy and through St. John’s College and Ego Alley, and admired the many historic houses with plaques designating the periods in which they were built.

 

We found a new (to us) outdoor restaurant called Iron Rooster where we had a very nice lunch.  Afterwards we strolled a little more (our recent historic Annapolis tour proved helpful) and then split up to our respective “homes.”  Our plan was to meet later that evening for dinner.

Upon returning to Zendo, we learned more about the impending storm.  The waters were kicking up considerably and Zendo was rocking and rolling. We called the harbor master to see if there were any available moorings in Spa Creek but she didn’t know for sure. So Jonny set out on the dinghy to scout out the situation.  When he returned he reported two available mooring balls.  We  had just enough time to make the 6:00 bridge opening before the weather deteriorated.  We took off and arrived quickly -  just in time for the skies to open and pour buckets.  Jonny quickly donned his rain gear and got us safely tied up at the new mooring ball.  Spa Creek was exceedingly calm and we were relieved to be able to spend the night there.

But because the weather was so bad we called Kathy and Mark and we all agreed to forego our dinner plans for the evening. Instead, we hunkered down for a cozy evening on board in our lovely Spa Creek anchorage.

Baltimore, MD

On Tuesday, September 14, Jonny took off from the Maryland Yacht Club with his newly promoted first mate (Archie), bound for Baltimore. The MTOA Rendezvous had been a success and it was time to head to Baltimore where he would be joined by his friend David for the few days that I was away. Jonny and Archie had a pleasant two hour cruise and arrived at the Anchorage Marina by 2 p.m.  

David flew in from Miami on Wednesday and they began their two days of male bonding which included lots of walking, talking and trying various brew pubs.  As expected, David and Archie got along famously and the three of them found a great dog park to run around in.

David and I must have crossed paths in the airports in Baltimore and Charlotte as we each flew back to our respective spouses.  I got back to Zendo on Friday evening. This trip to Charlotte was the first time I’ve flown since Covid and everything went smoothly.  As always it was great to be “ home” again!

Anchorage Marina is really a dockominium and we are renting our slip from an owner who owns several slips. The marina has great docks, very nice facilities and is in a perfect location. We can walk to Fell’s Point which we did on Saturday for their great farmer’s market where we stocked up on corn, tomatoes and peaches.  The waterfront has the most wonderful walkway that is beautifully paved and seems to go for miles.

Jonny and Archie took me to Archie’s new dog park where he runs and runs with whoever is there and ready to play.

On one of our return walks, Jonny discovered a very large store that sells beer, wine and even craft beer and nibbles. With an outside patio and a dog friendly policy, it was definitely worth a second visit!  We made that second visit the following evening. We have never seen such an array of interesting and unique beer and liquor! Of course, we took the opportunity to stock up.

Later that evening we did some taste testing back on Zendo as we planned our departure to Annapolis the next day.

Pasadena, MD

On Wednesday, September 8 we took Archie into shore for a quick walk. Heading back to Zendo we were able to capture this nice shot of our home away from home.

We left our anchorage on Sue Creek and headed out onto the bay. It was a beautiful day for cruising and we headed south on the Chesapeake bound for Pasadena, MD which is not far from Baltimore.

We arrived at the Maryland Yacht Club, site of this year’s MTOA Annual Rendezvous. MTOA stands for Marine Trawlers Owners Association.

We were welcomed by the MTOA docking committee who helped us to tie up.  This yacht club is situated in the most beautiful setting. It is on a promontory with a 270 degree view of the water.

We wound up on the same dock as our friends Liz and Steve which was great. That evening we joined them along with two other couples for a fun dinner at a local restaurant.

The rendezvous took place over the next few days with an array of interesting workshops. It was great to see so many of the people we’ve gotten to know through our boating adventures and to make new  friends as well.

On the second day we participated in a tour of Annapolis which was excellent. Although we had been to Annapolis several times we had never taken a tour of the city.  The guide was a young woman dressed in colonial attire and full of interesting facts and stories.  It was well worth it. 

The copper dome of the Naval Academy had just been redone and it looked completely different. Every other time we had seen it, the dome had the classic burnished green patina from having weathered over nearly a century. It was quite a change!

The other famous dome in Annapolis is that of the Maryland State House. This is the largest wooden dome in the U.S. constructed without nails! 

Back at the Rendezvous, we were happy to spend a half day getting re-certified in first aid and CPR. That evening, dinner was served outside on the lawn overlooking the water. Later on a couple of musicians performed on the nearby gazebo - a lovely setting on a beautiful evening.

I left the Rendezvous on the second to last day to travel to Davidson, NC (outside of Charlotte) to help my friend Cathy pack up her mother’s apartment. Her mother is quite ill and will be moving to a skilled nursing facility. We kept very busy during the several days I was there but we did manage to enjoy our time together and have a few very good meals!

In the meantime, Jonny finished out the Rendezvous and was going to take Zendo to Baltimore where I would join him at the end of the week.

Sue Creek, MD

Our original plan on Tuesday, September 7 was to take a couple of days to explore new anchorages on the Chesapeake Bay as we make our way to the MTOA Rendezvous. We decided that our our first stop would be in Georgetown, MD which was only a three hour trip from Chesapeake City. So we took  our time in the morning and brought Archie for a walk in this charming and historic little town.

Back onboard we set about doing boat chores.  Jonny cleaned the hull (which really needs a good wax job) and I worked on putting up our new wall hangings. 

After having a leisurely lunch we left Chesapeake City at 1:30 and hopped across the canal to get fuel.  The fuel stop was located directly under huge pillars holding up the bridge that spans the C&D Canal.  With a running current and the bridge pillars right there, it could be a little tricky tying up for fuel. But of course Zendo’s able Captain had no trouble! We took on an enormous amount of fuel (fortunately at a very good price) having somehow miscalculated how much we had put in previously. (See Zendo docked to the right of the bridge in the photo below).

Once we got underway it was a glorious day - clear skies, calm seas and perfect temperatures.  We thought we would arrive in Georgetown by 5:00 but we received a phone call from a friend who was out on the bay and paying more attention to the weather forecast.  We immediately checked the wind and wave forecast and learned that the wind on the bay expected to pick up that night and over the next two days.  Because of that we decided to skip Georgetown and push on to an anchorage closer to our ultimate destination.  We would have a very short cruise from there to the Maryland Yacht Club and arrive at the Rendezvous a day earlier than originally planned - all in all,  a good idea for safety and convenience.  Plus the negotiated rate for our boat was just $25 per night plus electric, an amazing price to stay at a very nice yacht club!  

So on we went arriving at Sue Creek, a very well protected inlet off of the Middle River where we had anchored once before.  We arrived at 6:00 and dropped the hook in very calm waters. The days are definitely getting shorter which is evident by the afternoon sun that seems to start waning by 4:00.  We are not at all keen about traveling on Zendo in the dark if we don’t have to.

We weren’t sure where we could take Archie in to relieve himself but we decided to dinghy over to a nearby yacht club’s gas dock. The dockhand said we could tie up as long as we didn’t stay long. Fortunately there was a good sized grassy area nearby and we threw Archie his frisbee over and over to give home some exercise.  He’s getting pretty good at retrieving it (with lots of treats of course)!

That night we had ravioli and salad for dinner and Jonny had a long phone call with his friend Mao who lives in Reno.  We cemented our plan to go to the Maryland Yacht Club in Pasadena, MD the next day just to make life easier. We’ll be there at the MTOA Rendezvous for several days and I’ll be flying out to Charlotte for a few days to help my friend Cathy with her mom who is quite ill. Jonny will be holding down the fort with Archie who will be promoted temporarily to first mate!

Chesapeake City, MD - return trip

After eight wonderful days in Philadelphia, we left on Labor Day, September 6, bound for  Chesapeake City. We had delayed our departure by a day due to all the debris in the Delaware River. Our scouts told us that conditions were improving so we timed our departure to take advantage of the tides leaving at 9:50.  It was a good decision.  Although we encountered some clumps of debris and occasional floating logs early on, once we got a little ways down the river (and once the tide turned) we were practically debris free.

 It was a long day of cruising - seven and a half hours - but it was calm and sunny and very pleasant. 

Boat traffic was light, mostly just the occasional barge.

It got busier once we entered the C & D Canal. It was Labor Day, after all, and there were quite a few weekend boaters out and about.  We arrived at Chesapeake City by 5:10. There’s a free town dock that one can tie up at but it’s on a first come first served basis.  Jonny was quite irritated because the space we could have fit in was occupied by two jet skis.  Little Chesapeake City was buzzing with the holiday crowd. The harbor was filled with small boats and jet skis zipping around and the waterfront restaurant was full and playing loud music.

We chose the better option which was to anchor in the nearby anchorage basin where it was quiet and surrounded by greenery. We could dinghy into a nearby dinghy dock and walk Archie along the same canal walkway that we loved in Delaware City. And that’s exactly what we did.

That evening we had an easy dinner of leftovers and explored our options for the next two days cruising through the Chesapeake Bay as we make our way to the MTOA Rendezvous in Pasadena, MD.