5/16 Taking advantage of waiting for the winds to die down.

The winds were still rather high today.  So we took advantage of them to spend another day in Baltimore.  Alicia didn't have to work until 4 so she kindly acted as tour guide.  We rode the Water Taxis and Harbor Connector to see the sights.  The sun came out finally though.  We toured the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, the oldest screw-pile lighthouse, built in 1856 at the mouth of the Patapsco River.  It was moved to Baltimore's inner harbor in 1989.  So I can finally show you a picture of a legendary lighthouse with blue skies in the background.  While touring the outside, I got this great picture of Alicia with Federal Hill in the background.

The Domino Sugar factory stands over the Harbor.  The sugar cane arrives by huge ships for processing.  Alicia tells us that 16% of the Sugar in the US is processed here.

For perspective, the dot on the "I" is 6 feet tall.

Baltimore is home to 4 Historic Ships and we toured 3 of them.  The first we toured, was the USS Constellation, a sister ship to the USS Constitution.  They fired one of the guns while we were there and it was loud. The Navy calls them guns and the Army calls them cannons.  At the double helm, I learned why they had two wheels that worked together.  When they had storms at sea, it could take up to 8 men holding the wheel to be able to steer the boat safely.

The second ship we boarded was the submarine Torsk.  It was built in 1944 and was state of the art.  Eighty men served on the Torsk at a time.  With the sound of the engines not to mention the torpedoes going off, it must have been so loud.  There was very little extra room to move.  The hatches from one compartment to another were so small.  I cannot imagine how scary it was to walk along the top of the submarine when it was above the ocean.

Lastly, we visited the United States Lighthouse Service vessel Chesapeake.  The Unites States Lighthouse Service was a precursor of the Coast Guard.  These ships were anchored in places where they were not able to build lighthouses.  The Chesapeake was near the Delaware River for much of its service.  The bell was huge. 

Finally, we got up close and personal with Mr. Trashwheel.  The trashwheel is at the mouth of the Jones River where it enters the Patapsco.  It runs off the current of the Jones River and solar panels.  Booms are in place that catch the trash that floats into the river.

  The current turns the wheel and the trash goes up the conveyor belt to a dumpster in the back. 

This has been very successful in decreasing the trash in the Baltimore Harbor.  Plans are in place for another trashwheel to be added.

5/15 Grandkid day on the Hydrophilic

It was a very windy day with wind speeds gusting to 35 but at least it was sunny.

   Everyone was tired last night and went right to sleep after a squirt of whipped cream from Grandpa, a family tradition.  We awoke to a very windy day and had pancakes for breakfast.

Alicia joined us for church and we walked to St. Casimer.  Alicia lead the ducklings down the dock.

John and Grandpa had a good time on the dinghy. 

John and Grandpa on the dinghy

Sarah was the Captain of the Dinghy even though it was cold out there.  She also helped with boat chores like filling the water in the tank and unfurling the American flag.

Captain Sarah

Madeline liked having lunch on the fly bridge, because the sun made it warm and we were out of the wind.  Grandpa played games with M&M's and whipped cream as prizes.  Madeline liked that too.

Madeline poses on the dinghy

Aunt Alicia was a great crew member on every dinghy trip.

Catherine came to collect the grandchildren so they can to school tomorrow and I miss them already.

John bundled up in his life jacket

Lat 39 degrees 16.53 North
Long 76 degrees 34.67 West

5/14 The Backmeyers Visit

Thanks to Alicia, who took me for my Mothers Day gift.  I may be on a boat but my nails look great.  She also took us to the grocery store as we prepared for the visit of the Backmeyers.  Before they arrived John and Alicia had a Captains meeting on the back of the boat.

The day had been sunny but the clouds arrived and we had today's rain.

Catherine and Stephen arrived with Madeline, Sarah and John.  The kids will stay on the boat tonight. They helped us to hoist a pirate flag.   We had a special bottle of North Carolina Blackberry Juice to celebrate and they loved it.

John was sitting in the captain's chair and wanted to drive to North Carolina.

 

Sarah likes boat chores. She helped to hoist the pirate flag.  She closed up the fly bridge and covered the American flag at dusk.

Madeline helped me to install the new fender tenders that they gave me for Mother's Day.  Madeline says she likes the boat because we live on it.

We will have fun tomorrow.

5/13 Alicia boards the Hydrophilic, Fort Mc Henry

Our daughter, Alicia, is a Captain in Baltimore Harbor.  It was Alicia's idea to name our boats Hydrophilic.  This morning, Alicia came aboard with bagels.  It didn't take long until John had her working on the anchor.

Alicia working on the anchor

John and Alicia and the Hydrophilic

The rain was pretty relentless again this morning.  Alicia drove us to the Water Taxi.  The Water Taxis are really a transportation system that takes passengers all over Baltimore Harbor.

Water Taxi Boat

We took it over to Fort McHenry.  If you ever get a chance, take this tour!!   At the visitors center, they show a film, where you learn many details of the War of 1812 and the Battle of Baltimore.  As the film ends, the screen raises as they begin the National Anthem.  You are now looking out over Fort McHenry with the flag flying.  It was very moving.  As you walk around the fort, you look out over the harbor, where the English ships shot their cannons on the fort.  Life for the soldiers and sailors at the fort was not easy.  Francis Scott Key was on a boat in the harbor trying to negotiate with the British.  In the morning after the battle, he and his compatriots saw the American flag being hoisted over the fort.  As the flag was being raised, the soldiers played Yankee Doodle.  Of course, the National Anthem had not been written.

Fort McHenry

After our tour, we took the water taxi back to Fells Point.  We passed the sailing vessel Pintita.  I did not get a picture of her.  A few years ago, John and I sailed with her then owner Capt. Phil in the Caribbean.  It was fun to see her under sail.   We had lunch and walked around Fells Point.   Baltimore has done a fine job of maintaining the colonial architecture.  Under Armour has their global headquarters in Baltimore at Tide Point.  Its founder played football for the University of Maryland.  Domino Sugar has a plant in the harbor too.

Architecture of Fells Point

The water systems of Baltimore and the surrounding areas are old and many rivers run off into the harbor.  Baltimore has worked hard to clean the harbor.  Most of the trash is not thrown into the harbor but is thrown in streets where rain run off puts it in the harbor.  They have put in a trash wheel at one of the rivers and have trash boats, that work like street sweepers to grab the trash.

Trash Boat

We headed back to Canton where our marina is by Water Taxi.  Alicia was working on the Harbor Connector today.  Look carefully, that is Captain Alicia on the Harbor Connector.

Captain Alicia on the Harbor Connector

As we headed to the Canton stop, we could see the Hydrophilic in our marina.

Can you find the Hydrophilic?

About 4:30 the sun came out!!!!   We hadn't seen it for days.  Everyone is so excited!!  Here is a picture of Natty Boh in the sunshine.

Natty Boh

5/12 Oh say can you see On to Baltimore

We awoke this morning and it was not raining, but it was VERY foggy.  We navigate using charts and chart plotters that show us where the markers are located.  Markers are like guard rails so you do not run aground.  AIS is something that shows other big boats, mostly big commercial tugs and barges, and what directions they are going.  So even in the fog, one can see.  If it is really bad, we do have radar as well.

There was fog under the bay bridge which also emits a fog horn.  It sounded eerie.  But we made safe passage under it.

Under the Bay Bridge in Fog

It was a day for bridges and the next bridge we passed under was the Francis Scott Key bridge.  "Oh say can you see..."

Francis Scott Key Bridge in fog

Under the Key Bridge is the very busy Baltimore Harbor.  In addition to the commercial vehicles, there are many sailing vessels and chartered boats.

Fort McHenry guards the entrance to Baltimore Harbor.  It is easy to see how Francis Scott Key could see the battle and that "our flag was still there".   Our marina is right across the harbor from Fort McHenry.  Tomorrow, we will tour the fort.  From our slip in the marina, we have a great view of a Baltimore icon, Natty Boh.  Since the 1930's, he has represented the National Beer Company, which is now owned by Pabst.  It is as very local beer with 90% of its sales in Baltimore.  Natty Boh's visage, with just one eye, hovers over the city from Brewer's Hill and he lights up at night.

Fort McHenry

Natty Boh

5/11 Annapolis

Maryland State House at night

Yes, more rain today.  Noah is a becoming a good friend of ours.  Last night we had a strong thunderstorm with lightening and heavy rain.  While the thunder woke me up, the sound of the rain on the boat is similar to a rain stick and is very soothing.

We left Solomons Island and headed to Annapolis.  Once again it pretty much rained all day.  As we pulled out of Solomons, Drum Island Light was on our port (that's left for you landlubbers).  Check out the picture that got the light of the lighthouse shining.

There is a huge gas dock that sits in the Chesapeake not far from this lighthouse.   The sailboat going by it gives some perspective on just how big it is.

Heading north to Annapolis, we passed the Thomas Point Light, which is frequently photographed.  Once again we were able to photograph it with cloudy skies.

Thomas Point Light

Annapolis is the state capital of Maryland.  The State House welcomes you to the harbor.

We have visited Annapolis for the huge sailboat show a few times.  It was fun to enter the harbor in our own boat.  As you enter the harbor the United States Naval Academy is on your starboard.

US Naval Academy Campus

We are on a mooring ball in Annapolis harbor.  A mooring balls float above concrete bases that are very heavy and don't move.  Instead of using your anchor, one puts two lines from your boat through the pennant (looks like a pigtail hanging off this one) and you rest comfortably for the night.  We cooked chicken and spinach for dinner.  Yum.  Yes, you can eat well on a boat.

Mooring Ball with pennant

It is raining so hard that we had a visit from ducks on the dinghy on the back of our boat. 

5/10 Solomons Island

Rain, Rain go away!!  The sound of the heavy rain on the deck woke us this morning.  There has been rain every day at least part of the day.

But it hasn't stopped us from having adventures.  We are at Solomons Island, Maryland.  This is a very protected area.  We are at Calvert Marina and it is huge.  It is a large boat yard as well as a marina.  This marina, is on the site of the former United States Naval Amphibious Training Base, where 65,000 navy, army and marines, were trained to go ashore in battle.  For example, they trained for invading the beaches of Normandy.  The base was active from 1942 to 1945.

The morning was dreary and rainy, it finally let up a little and John and I headed up the road to the Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center.  What a serene and contemplative place!  It is named for the benefactor's wife who had died before they could develop the land.  While there are indoor exhibits, most of the art is among the trees on a path.  Many of the pieces were from the Hirshhorn Museum of the Smithsonian and the National Gallery, but they also had a good sized permanent collection.  Even the entrance was amazing.  The Gateway frames the fence and is done in ceramic.

The piece that impressed me the most, stands in the circle before the arts center.  It was commissioned as the first piece to memorialize the work of the oyster tongers on the Chesapeake.  It is done in bronze and granite.  The water flows off the mud in the tongs and off the back rack as if the tonger were working on the water.

A Tribute to the Oyster Tonger, A Chesapeake Waterman by Antonio Tobias Mendez 1994

After paying the admission to walk the path through the woods and fields to view the sculptures, I particularly enjoyed the sign at the beginning of the path.  And yes, I did have my Annmarie sticker on.

From April to September they have a special exhibit of Fairies in the Garden.  Hidden among the trees and shrubs were 55 Fairy and Gnome Homes. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  John had a favorite, Deer Crossing.

After lunch, we borrowed the courtesy car from the marina and went to the Calvert Marine Museum.  It was an informative take in.  Part aquarium, part natural history, and part maritime history of the region, the museum told how the water affected the economics of the region. 

 The Drum Point Light was right next door.  So got a up close picture.

Finally, the sun came out right before dinner, so we dropped the dinghy in the water and tooled around Solomons harbor.   We tied up to a dock and had a fabulous tapas dinner.  Boating out to dinner is a lot of fun.