Annapolis

Hi everyone,

We spent several days in Annapolis.  Great place.  Spent a day exploring the town, another touring the Naval Academy and another exploring Eastport (on the south side of Spa Creek).  Then another day sailing with friends John, Sharon, Gil and Jo on the Bay.

Zen Again in Annapolis with Annapolis YC in background

Annapolis is a colourful and historic town.  It was the US capital for a short time and is home to the US Naval Academy.  Very nice to wander around and take it all in.  Mooring in Ego Alley is expensive (over US$100/night).  It was empty during the week days we were there, and with only a few boats there even on the weekend.  Happily the dinghy dock is free, as are the loos and showers in the Harbour Master's building.  There's a laundry there too.  We took the US$25/night moorings just beyond the Spa Creek Bridge.

At the dinghy dock in 'Ego Alley'

Colourful terraces in Annapolis

Maryland State House

Walking around town we discovered the Reynolds Tavern.  Established 1747.  Just had to check it out. 

Reynolds Tavern

High Tea at the Reynolds Tavern

We spent a full day at the Naval Academy.  It turned out to be the end of Plebe Summer, the first six week period of the 'Class of 2027'.  We toured the campus and watched the noon meal formation along with the parents of over 1000 plebes.  Impressive.  After the tour we visited the Naval Museum which is on-campus and well worth an afternoon.

Senior officer 'cottages' on campus

Submariner Memorial

Noon Meal Formation at the Academy

Imposing Buildings

Equally impressive inside

Don't Give Up The Ship!

Academy Chapel

John Paul Jones' sarcophogus under the Chapel

Submarines display in the Academy Museum

SigInt Matters!

Semper Fi

That evening we were visited by a senior member of the Annapolis Yacht Club.  He invited us ashore for a shower, tour and dinner at AYC.  The showers were wonderful, the tour impressive and the dinner very very good.  Brian wouldn't accept a penny towards our dinner.  Thanks Mate!

Zen Again from AYC

Dinner at Annapolis Yacht Club - thanks Brian!

Eastport is a very nice residential part of Annapolis.  It fiercely defends its separate identity.  Nice to walk around with many nice cafes and restaurants.  And there's an excellent Maritime Museum which is well worth a visit.  The volume of oysters harvested from the Bay was astounding before stock collapsed and then became properly managed.  The Bay is still recovering a century after the collapse.

We spent the weekend exploring further.  Walking over Spa Creek Bridge (as I've done many times previously) with Zen Again right there was a bit special.  We discovered a get-together of Corvettes which was pretty impressive.

Zen Again and Nicki from/on Spa Creek Bridge

A 'clutch' of Corvettes?

On Monday we got together with friends from my days in the 1980s working in Virginia.  We went for a sail on Gil's 32-footer 'The Forecast' which was great fun.

The motley crew

And of course we produced an updated photo to compare & contrast with that from 1987 (see preceding post).

Just like in 1987

We've now turned Zen Again south.  We're heading towards Deltaville, VA where we'll haul out.

Departing Annapolis

Trust all's well where you are!