Baltimore

Saturday 6/1 we arrived in Baltimore Anchorage Marina where we will be staying for a month.  

As we approached the Baltimore Harbor we passed under the destroyed Francis Scott Key Bridge.  The bridge was hit by the container ship Dali on March 26th causing the center portion of the bridge to collapse.  The waterway was closed to all ship and boat traffic for about a month while they cleaned debris from the channel.  There was limited access in April and May and it wasn't until June that the channel was clear for normal ship and boat traffic. 

Clean-up was still underway as we passed through. 

The picture below is of the container ship Dali, which hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge.  You can see the damage she suffered, the entire front of the ship, including the cargo bins were smashed.    

Ships in the harbor. 

We stayed in Baltimore Anchorage Marina.  It is in a great location with a long boardwalk at the end of the docks in the harbor.  Floating pool out on that dock.  Continental breakfast every Saturday and live music every Saturday evening!  All included with your dock.  Shopping access is great with a Safeway grocery store right across the street.  Not to mention there is a West Marine and liquor store a short walk down the street.  Just short bike ride a way, there is a Sketchers outlet store, Nordstrom Rack, Target, Chick-fla-la and much more! 

Local knowledge gave us a head's up on a great neighborhood bar with daily specials just across the street called The Stackhouse.  You'd never know it was there if you were just driving by.   Great burgers, homemade fries! 

We are in the Canton area and it is known for being the location of the historic American Can Company.  The Stackhouse is full of memorabilia from that time.   

 

We went to a Baltimore Orioles home baseball game in Camden Yards.  

It wouldn't be us if we didn't get the chance to visit the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore!  Just so happens on Wednesdays they offer a special drawling for seniors, which yes.....we qualify.  They pick three lucky seniors who each win $555 of free play.  We were eligible and made sure we were there (except for when I was in Ohio), but after 4 tries, no winner.  

We also came the closest we have ever been to a tornado while in Baltimore.  One evening we got an alarm on our phone warning us of a tornado being spotted in the Baltimore City area.  Shortly after that the rain stopped and there was this eerie silence....it was too quite!  Then out of nowhere this big gust of wind hit us and of course I ran outside to see....yep, it looked like a waterspout or tornado moving right through the marina about 3 piers down.  

The next day I took Roxie for a walk to survey the damage.  Luckily, it didn't look like anyone in the marina had sustained any damage, but as we walked down the waterfront I found a lamppost took a direct hit, also saw a couple of sun canopies shredded on the condo balconies, and a couple table umbrellas thrown around.  On the parking lot side of the condos, there were shingles and tree branches on the ground.  

The 2nd week of our stay happened to be Fleet Week in Baltimore.  I had flown home for a meeting at work and Bill stayed with Roxie at the boat to replace our vacu-flush heads with new electric toilets and replace all the black water hoses.  He said there were all kinds of ships and aircraft moving in the harbor and in the sky.  

Replacing the heads!

Bill took a break from the potty work and went into the harbor to see the ships.  The jets were hard to catch on camera.

The last two weeks in Baltimore were busy with projects.  I've been wanting to give Cheers a little face lift in the salon and master cabins.  It's not as easy as just going to the store and picking something out although we could have shopped at Target...but we ended up ordering from Amazon and Kohls.  We got new table lamps for the main salon and comforter for the master cabin.  I finally sent some pictures from our trip to the Bahamas off to have them made into canvas prints to hang in the cabin.  Bill worked on polishing the boat sides and I polished the stainless.  So many projects and so little time!

We had gotten spoiled with having a grocery across the street and now that it was time to get back out on the water we had to reprovision.  A couple of trips with our cart back and forth and we should be good for a couple of weeks!

On to the next adventure!

  

June 2024 Summary

 Below is our Nebo summary along with numbers from our Log.

Main Hours	Gen Hours	Fuel Used	GPH Average	Statute Miles	MPG Average
15.0	8.8	45.0	1.89	86.2	1.92

May 2024 Summary

 Below is our Nebo summary along with numbers from our Log.

Main Hours	Gen Hours	Fuel Used	GPH Average	Statute Miles	MPG Average
136.6	29.9	315.0	1.89	967.3	3.07

April 2024 Summary

 Below is our Nebo summary along with numbers from our Log.

Main Hours	Gen Hours	Fuel Used	GPH Average	Statute Miles	MPG Average
62.4	46.1	135.0	1.25	410.7	3.04

Norfolk VA to Baltimore MD

We left Norfolk VA Wednesday morning 5/22 and arrived at Jackson Creek Marina in Deltaville, MD.  We had planned to anchor in the bay, but when we tried to deploy the anchor, the windless didn't work.  We took a dock at Jackson Creek Marina and luckily they had a loner car that we use to go West Marine.  

The bay in Deltaville is so nice and there are so many ospreys!  Nests are everywhere and if you have ever been around osprey nests....you know they are so loud!  Don't get me wrong, I love bird songs, but osprey must sing the hard rock versions!  Lol!  

Birds of prey have always fascinated me and I love watching them! 

Thursday morning we left the dock and anchored in the bay.  We spent the day enjoying the sun, light breeze and did some trip planning.  We found out that the port of Baltimore is open for all travel without any limitations.  We called the marina we had planned to stay for a week in June and extended our stay to the month of June.  

We left Deltaville Friday morning to continue working our way up the Chesapeake with reservations for 2 nights at Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield, MD.  

Crisfield was known as the "Seafood Capital of the World".  It used to have a train that ran right out onto the pier for loading seafood.  We were happy to secure a dock there in town over the holiday weekend and was looking forward some kind of festival or something....but the place was really quite.  We were only one of a few boats the large marina.  Turned out to be a nice and relaxing first part of the Memorial Holiday weekend.   

Went down to the end of this pier and found a makeshift crabbing basket.  The crabber ties chicken necks on sting in the basket and drops it to the bottom and waits.  Once a crab climbs in, he pulls the basket up!  

Dingy ride over to the beach. 

5/26 - Sunday - departed Crisfield and arrived in Solomons Back Creek anchorage

We were very excited to visit Solomons Island by water for the first time.  We have been there many times by car to attend the annual Krogen Cursers Fall Rendezvous, but this was the first time by water and what a difference!  It was busy with boats as it was Sunday of the holiday weekend.  We anchored just off Calvert's Marina and Maritime Museum in Back Creek.     

As we were leaving, we stopped at the city dock for a free pump out!  Thanks Solomons!

Tuesday 5/28  we departed Solomons and arrived at Herrington Harbor North in Tracy's Landing.  This is a REALLY nice marina!  It has EVERYTHING!  It's like it's own village!  Almost everything a boat could need.....Canvas, fiberglass, engine, woodworking, upholstery shops....even a West Marine!  All this with walking trails, pool, dog park, grills, coffee shop and a restaurant.    

We liked it so much, we didn't didn't even stop to take any pictures....but we schedule a haul out to get the bottom of the boat stripped and repainted in the fall!

Thursday 5/30 we departed Herrington Harbor headed to Annapolis moorings. 

We loved Annapolis!  We grabbed a city mooring ball just across from town and Naval Academy.  This place has to have more restaurants and bars per square foot of any city we have been to so far.....including Put-In-Bay!  Lot's of sightseers and activity.  

The ducks like to take naps (and dumps) on your dingy while your enjoying town!

The weather was beautiful and we were really missing our bikes after they were stolen in Ft. Lauderdale.  Bill had been watching for bike shops at our stops and found one that was about 2 1/2 miles away from the boat so we decided to go take a look. 

Long story short....we left Annapolis with new bikes!  We can't wait to ride them around Baltimore.  

Next stop Baltimore MD!