Back To Annapolis

     We are back to Annapolis and only had one incident getting here.

     Mike and Heather just left here after a spring break - Easter Weekend visit. We took them into Annapolis to sightsee and breakfast at our favorite spot, Chick and Ruth's Delly. They got to see the noon formation/march at the US Naval Academy and visit with John Paul Jones in his crypt. Uh, at his crypt. We also all went into Baltimore to visit the National Aquarium again. All this was very tiring for Heather. She has a medical problem and another issue we are not talking about. Yet.

     Carol has a follow-up visit with the doctor who did her wrist surgery before she heads off to work for nearly two weeks. After L. A. she gets to go to the Boston area and will include a visit with her brother. I actually do not have much to do on the boat by way of maintenance. Too early for an oil change. I'll find something. There's always something.

     Getting here was not too bad except for one annoying incident. Okay, two. We left Wrightsville Beach after UConn lost in the semi-final Final Four game. We always lose when the start time is after 9pm. Streak ended at only 111 games because the game started at 10pm. Oh, and maybe Mississippi State played the game of their lives. They had nothing left for the Final and lost.

     The passage to Mile Hammock was without incident other than a jerk who didn't know how to do a slow pass. The second day we stopped at Jarrett Bay for fuel and badly scratched the port side when we were leaving with a very strong wind pushing us onto the pilings. Spent the night in Oriental at a free dock.

     The Neuse River - Pamlico system was uneventful and mostly calm-ish. Albemarle Sound started to pick up a bit when we were part way across but not too bad. We stopped in Coinjock to pay for a slip because rough weather was coming and because we pushed to get farther, ahead of that weather. The next day we  crossed Currituck Sound in pretty horrid conditions that were not bad for us because it was on the stern. We got to the Chesapeake-Albemarle Canal section and all was good again. Except... the railroad bridge that is ALWAYS open closed at 0800 because maybe the weather could get bad. This closed the ICW. We were trapped. The weather was perfect at the time. Didn't matter. We were lucky a nearby marina decided to  let us tie up even though we are much longer than they usually accommodate. Of course they charged us. It was their going rate but money we had not planned on spending. Only good thing was their fuel prices were very good and they actually undercharged us for some of it. Because of this unplanned stop we only stayed one night at Great Bridge. The southern free dock was full but the free spot we usually use was completely open. We talked with some people that had passed us several times in the previous few days.

     From there it was a passage past the end of the ICW to Hampton, VA. This was a planned pay marina stay to shower and do laundry before our stop in Annapolis. We also had drinks with a couple from Paris who began their start of a planned Loop back in Florida. Very interesting conversation about France, the US, politics and history. Boating, too.

     Entering the Chesapeake Bay was very calm to Reidville and almost calm to Solomons. There was a bit of a breeze on the way to Annaoplis but it was very fluky and we unfurled and furled the genoa several times. Too much work.  Arrived at Weems Creek in West Annapolis to find tying up to the Academy moorings is no longer allowed. Picked up a private mooring we've used before and will hope the owner doesn't show up. He never has before. Yet.

     A couple of days after getting here and before Heather arrived we had to rescue a local that had fallen in the creek trying to board his dinghy. We were talking with a police officer about area parking for about ten minutes before he mentioned there might be someone in the water. Fire/Rescue showed up and pointed to where this guy was. He was hanging off the stern of another dinghy and we pulled him into it and towed him to shore and the EMTs, etc. Got soggy feet but otherwise not too eventful. For us. The Maryland State marine police (DNR) showed up at least ten minutes later to rescue him. Too late. They arrested another local boater instead. This was unrelated to the reason they were called but why waste a trip. They later banned that guy from Annapolis waters for 30 days. Weird.

     The Assistant Harbormaster for Annapolis chastised me a few days later for making the rescue. Said we should have let the guy drown. When he told me the reason why (refusing to help a drowning victim last year), I had to agree with him but letting him go under would have brought us down to his level. Perhaps he will realize the irony. Probably not.

     A few weeks and we'll make  our run to Mystic.