Northern Chesapeake Bay

Immediately upon leaving Annapolis and the Severn River you are fixated on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  It's an awesome sight from the Bay and is the only bridge that spans the Chesapeake from the western shore to the eastern shore - not to be mistaken with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge - Tunnel, which goes from Norfolk to just south of Cape Charles.  The one north of Annapolis is all bridge - 4.3 miles to be exact - and no tunnels.  There are actually two separate bridges these days - one for eastbound and one for westbound traffic.  The orginal bridge (eastbound) was built in 1952 and the second (westbound) was built in 1973.  The vertical clearance is a whopping 186 feet!  For comparison sake - most fixed bridges on the ICW (Intercoastal Waterway) have about 65 feet of clearance.  Our mast is a little over 60 feet tall - so, as you might imagine it is a little nerve wracking to pass under a lot of bridges but nothing to worry about at all when you've got another extra 120 feet of clearance!

Magothy River
For years we have read stories in Chesapeake Bay Magazine about the beautiful anchorages in this river, which is just north of Annapolis and the Bay Bridge.  Well, they did not exaggerate!  We thoroughly enjoyed spending a few days in a gorgeous anchorage in front of this beautiful horse farm.

 

Annapolis

Annapolis, what an awesome place!  So full of history everywhere you turn and more sailboats than anyone has ever seen in such a small space!  We didn't intend on staying here as long as we did but there was a threat of some nasty weather coming so we said "why not stay put in a place where there is so much to see and do"!

We came here a few years ago by car but it is not the same as coming by boat!  The harbor is the best we've ever visited.  We have spent part of two days touring the Naval Academy - mostly in the museum, which is so interesting and beautiful.  If you've never been here you should consider it.  The grounds of the academy are huge and the buildings are just magnificent - especially when you think about that they were built in 1845!  The museum takes you through the Navy's involvement in the wars that plagued our country from it's establishment beginning with the Revolutionary War through the Vietnam War and then into the age of space exploration.  The Naval Academy chapel is just magnificent and the body of John Paul Jones is buried in a crypt below it.

Then there's the rest of the "old" town with so many buildings dating back hundreds of years ago everywhere you look!  I have never been to a place with so many interesting restaurants, bars and shops housed in such old buildings - block after block in my life!  It just goes on and on and you can't help but be amazed as you walk along the brick paved sidewalks!

We tried to make a lot of pictures to show how very special this place that was for a very brief period our nation's Capitol - that's right but only for a few short 10 months!  However, they do boast the continous title of being Maryland's state capitol with the largest wood-structured dome in America where Gen. George Washington resigned as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on 12/23/1783 and the home of the Naval Academy.

Thomas Point Light, which marks the channel to Annapolis in the Chesapeake Bay

Naval Academy on the harbor

Annapolis Harbor

Dome of the Maryland State House sticking up above the trees.

Annapolis "downtown"

Eastport, which is a section of Annapolis located on the other side of the harbor is home to a company named Weems & Plath.  They have been manufacturing some of the finest precision navigational instruments for almost 100 years.  I specifically wanted to be sure we located it while in Annpolis because our good friends - Gail and Herbert gave us one of their compasses as a bon voyage gift earlier this spring.  Here's a picture of the very unassuming buildings where these fine products have been made for almost a century!  Thanks again, you two!

St. Michaels

A Maryland town on the Miles River just off of the Chesapeake Bay that boasts the name "The Town that fooled the British" in the War of 1812.  They have a big celebration planned for this summer because of that and it makes me wonder (obviously I didn't pay close enough attention in history class) why after winning our independence from England were we in a war with them again in 1812?  Maybe between reading materials here and the book "Chesapeake" by James Michener, which I am on page 496 of 1001 I will be able to figure that out.  Or maybe one of our nieces or nephews who are currently in school can enlighten us!   

Speaking of that book I'm reading there's a picture of a replica of Capt. John Smith's boat (below), which he sailed all over the Chesapeake Bay.  Based on our experiences with the wind on this bay I cannot imagine how he did that! 

Anyway, St. Michaels is a beautiful town full of rich history, lovely old homes on old brick sidewalks, colorful shops and many wonderful restaurants.  We're told that Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld both own homes here and I have kept my eyes peeled  but have not spotted either of them when I have been walking and shopping!

Solomons Island

This is a beautiful place just off of the mouth of the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay and it is the home of thousands of sailboats as well as the very famous Tiki Bar! 

The Calvert Museum is located just behind the screwpile lighthouse, which was moved from the Bay to it's current location by the museum.  The museum also operates one of the old Chesapeake Buy-Boats, which is docked in front of the museum.  These were the "working boats" used by the "watermen" all over the Chesapeake Bay in the early 1900's.  They hold a special and significant place in the history of the Chesapeake.