AAAAAAHHHHHH Baltimore! Loved it. Stayed for 5 days, docked at the Inner Harbor East Marina. It is owned by a USPS member, and gave a discount to us Power Squadron persons. Love that, too.
The Tall Ships made a parade through the Baltimore Harbor before departing for the to race to Newport. It was a windy, rainy, sludgy day, but they braved it, and so did I. The Marina had a lovely waterside area with tables and benches! Turned out (according to Mary, aboard the WHALER) that during the race, the Bay got so nasty that few prizes were awarded. Many boats turned back and their crews drove to Norfolk for the festivities. The WHALER arrived at the end of the race, but had motored thru a calm before the storm, and so did not place this year.
We spent a day at the Annapolis Power Boat show. Drove down with Mike and Linda Borum (SEA DREAM is also in Baltimore), and had a fun dinner with them and also Ron and Tina (SEA GYPSY) at Mike’s Crab Shack. Phoned CAROLYNN ANN to include Joe and Punk in the evening. Earlier in the day Bettie and Klass (MOON BEAM) and Richard and Shannon (ESMERALDA) were known to be at the show as well. Great Harbours everywhere!
Also did some sight seeing in Baltimore…Fred gave a submarine tour aboard the TORSK, and I gave the USS CONSTELLATION a cursory glance before walking to the American Visionary Museum. What a fun place that is---lots of inspiring and waaaayyy out there exhibits. My favorite was the screen painter, who showed how to decorate your door or window screen. The technique was used by Baltimorians to a) distinguish their home---with 12’ wide row houses everywhere, that is important, and b) provide air and privacy inside. Very nifty, and she made it look oh, so easy. Maybe I’ll paint our porthole screens one day. Maybe.
We had dinner with Lynn, Jeffrey and Denia one evening, and the next day after shopping at the Whole Foods store—walking distance from the marina---headed out. We took a side trip up Curtis Bay looking for the US Coast Guard construction site. We were able to get under the first bridge, but not the second. We could see tall masts in the distance; maybe the EAGLE?
Back in the Bay and on to the Magathy River. We did the upriver U-turn. all the way to the Causeway. From there you can look across the road (accessible only to members of the Club on the private island and their guests…there is a guard, we’re told) and watch the traffic on the Bay. We opted for a more protected anchorage ‘back a bit’.
The next morning was beautiful, and the Bay calm and quiet, so we simply motored on until about 4 when we were tucked neatly (stern first) into A-2, our Solomons slip at the Holiday Inn Marina.
A day later, the car was packed and we headed north. Our new urban travel mode is to depart at 0-dark-thirty and avoid the commuters. Worked like a charm and by noon we were back in Condo-land.
While there I helped out with a couple of UU fundraisers and we attended the Annual meeting of the Condo Association, where, sadly we were 6 signatures short of a quorum. On Thursday we gave what Fred calls our ‘dog and pony show’ at the Westchester Power Squadron Meeting. Talked (with power point) about the boat and living aboard it in general and the Great Loop in particular. People seem amazed that we have shared 37x16 feet of living space (592 sq. ft.) for 3-1/2 years—and still enjoy each other’s company. Other ‘live aboards’ understand. And yes, it really has been 3-1/2 years!
We went to the Power Squadron’s D2 fall conference in Danbury, CT, and changed our plans a bit to include the Arlington High School Marching Band’s Parents concert (Alan’s son Paul marches). Sadly, we had to go to Plan C on Saturday when the October blizzard arrived. Concert cancelled. The snow began in mid afternoon and the ride home from Danbury was exciting to say the least. Our Jeep held the road, unlike many cars and trucks whose passengers were shaking their heads and wondering how to get out of the ditch. The best part was being the only people in a Dunkin’ Donuts near Fishkill, soaking up a Dunkin’MochaChino (or whatever they call it) and giving the teenaged employee someone to talk to. He’d had a very quiet day!
On Sunday the family gathered at HPC to celebrate the three J’s. Son-in-law Jimmy and daughter Jenny had birthdays during that week, and it was with great gratitude and thankfulness that we welcomed grandson JT (age 15) home from Westchester Hospital. He’d been airlifted there on Friday after a car bounced him from the school bus stop onto the highway. He was thrown 25 ft. through the air, lost consciousness for about 5 minutes (lying in the highway's traffic lane) and miraculously suffered only scrapes and bruises! As Jenny said, “It’s official, JT is made of rubber!” It can’t hurt that he plays ball, of the foot, base and basket varieties, and so is in great physical shape! ‘Twas a harrowing experience for all, with, thankfully, a happy ending.
We’d decided not to bring the car back to the boat, as our journey now will take us to Marathon in the Florida Keys. So on Monday we packed, once again, and Tuesday a.m. set out for a many-legged trip back to the Boat. Kris drove us (and our 4 suitcases, 3 large tote bags and a pocket book) to the shuttle bus. The bus took us to the Metro North train. Elevator out of order, but a nice lady helped us up the 40 steps, and we made the train by at least 10 seconds! In New York a taxi got us to Penn Station where another kind man helped us down the steps to the Amtrack level. Somewhere there must have been a down escalator, but we sure didn't see it. At the station level we found a Porter who loaded everything on a cart, found the secret escalator to the track level, and got us into a quiet car well before the throng of passengers arrived.
Our friend Lynn was waiting when the train pulled into the Baltimore train station. She’s a Private Investigator who conveniently has a case in Solomons, and needed to take photos of a restaurant about 10 minutes from our marina. It certainly worked for us! Had time to chat during the drive, and also over lunch. Now we are ‘back in boat’, and happy to be so.
When next we meet, our journey south will have begun, and, as we’ll be cruising, I’m thinking of returning to the Monday Messages. We’ll see. In the meantime, be well, live long and prosper!
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