Cape May, Delaware Bay, and the C and D Canal lie in our wake. Time is short, there is a date on land coming up, and we have only been able to get a sniff of these interesting areas.

The locals are out in numbers, taking a last fling at summer freedom.

This leads to some of the riskiest seamanship we have seen in years. Like these folks, blasting out a crowded Cape May channel at 40+ knots. Or the two port side sport fishermen who sped up to cross our bow by less than a boat length.

 

Cape May  is home to a Coast Guard boot camp, with an interesting collection of the USCG’s latest designs.

Balancing the negative of the crowds is a wonderful array of bird life, most of which is happy to fly within close range for photo ops.

We were startled to see this fine feathered specimen observing Sunday traffic in the C and D Canal.

Now what is more interesting? Vintage Detroit iron or a unpainted aluminium unsailboat? We’ll go with the muscle cars, especially the GTO (not shown here) with which we had intimate acquaintance prior to the Beach Boys.

The Chesapeake is filled with hundreds of lovely anchorages, small towns, and watermen who still derive their living from the sea. On the other hand, we noticed a large proportion of leisure boat crews who seemed intent on avoiding eye contact and did not return friendly waves. This is a first for us. Perhaps it is the end of summer blues, or maybe these folks are infested with Washingtonitis?

Annapolis has become less friendly and the waterfront area decidedly given over to tourism. After a walk ashore, upon return to Wind Horse, carefully anchored out of the traffic pattern as shown on the current NOAA chart, we were greeted by two scouling badge wearers driving a pump out boat. They advised in unpleasant tones that we had to move, at once. When we inquired where it was permissible to anchor the retort was “read the notice” taped to our hull under the rub rail, where it was invisible. It being Tuesday, with the anchorage empty, perhaps they were frustrated at not having more yachts to order around.

In any event, it is not a big deal to reanchor, but the encounter has left an unpleasant taste, and we doubt this demeanor is beneficial to local merchants.

Annapolis is home to the Naval Academy, and the midshipmen were out sailing their dinghies in less than optimal weather. Others were practicing seamanship in what looked like a fleet of 80 to 90 foot mini-ships.

There were also a few 505s out practicing. We can remember when this was a radical, breakthrough design. We sailed on US#1 with an Englishman named Larry Helshire (sp?). In those days, aside from the Flying Dutchmen, the trapeze was unknown.

Wind Horse is now secured with two sets of lines, 12 in all, in Baltimore’s rainy inner harbor. There are lines to pilings and others to dock cleats, all in anticipation of a hurricane, which these efforts will no doubt forestall. But the rain! Buckets of it, washing us for three days.

The ducks and geese seemed content enough.

But the osprey

and herons do not appear as pleased.

The ambiance of this vibrant big city reminds us of London and St. Kathryn’s.

The marina is next to a redeveloped downtown.

There are theaters, a Whole Foods Market, and numerous restaurants within a three block area designed for pedestrian traffic

We’ll have to allow some time when we return for exploration.