Quiet Destinations

Monday October 25 - 26TH- It was time to explore somewhere new. We heard so many great things about the James River, and decided to let our nomadic instincts take over. Early in the morning we untied the lines, and took a right turn heading up the James River. Richmond,VA would be the farthest we could travel up the river but our destination today was the River Rest Marina on the Chickahominy River. The James River twists and winds and narrows gradually. We came upon the James River reserve fleet which are rows of military vessels in the mothball stage waiting to be scrapped on mooring balls. Don't even think about getting near this area....

The trip up the river was another race with the weather. We could see fast moving fronts dumping rain from a distance. We entered the Chickahominy river and we discovered a winding narrow river with sparsely populated banks of homes , but there were forests of tall oak and maple trees just beginning their color change, mixed in with the natural green of pine. There were numerous duck blinds each unique in its design and empty thank goodness at the moment. However we did hear the odd gun shot going off in the distance,,, hmmmm.

 Late afternoon, we tied up at the River Rest Motel and Marina. Two dock hands were waiting to tie us up, the current runs 3-4 knots and can give cruisers quite an interesting welcome. The captain made docking look easy, and the dock hands were quite impressed that he was a single screw (engine). The dock master welcomed us, and told us the restaurant was closed Mondays, but on Tuesday it was open and worth the visit. He also warned us not to walk off the paved roads because it was grey powder season, (deer hunting : ( awwwww)

That evening we spent aboard the Summer Wind and just as dinner was being prepared that weather front came in full blast. There was a tremendous pounding of rain and then 5 minutes later, it stopped. As I(first mate) was down in the galley the captain exclaimed "OH MY! Look at that rainbow!" It was a huge, beautiful rainbow, out came the camera and pictures were snapped before it quickly disappeared. The picture just doesn't do it justice, the rainbow was amidst the dark sky and to the west was a pink sky with the setting sun, simply breath taking. Our second event of the night, we noticed a strobe light outside the windows, and wondering what or who was on the dock. Sure enough a big 42' Grand Banks was coming into the docks, and believe me it was pitch black. The captain of the GB didn't have such luck with his docking. After 3 attempts, side swiping the ends of the docks, and giving our boat a nudge, he finally made it in,,,, whew!

On our second day, the Captain decided to install the new float switch he purchased. The chore became a two man job. Finally a chance to get into the engine room and get my hands dirty! Sorry there aren't pictures because we were both 'knee deep' and busy.  That evening We did enjoy the "Blue Heron" restaurant and couldn't believe the offerings or the prices. It was a fantastic dinner!

Hampton Roads, VA

Saturday, October 23RD- 24TH-  Woke up and began getting ready to leave when we noticed the moon was setting.Shortly after 7am we untied and headed out into the Bay. The seas were relatively choppy, we were taking spray up to the bridge. NOAA was a little off on its prediction of wind speed. We were noticing winds over 10 knots and we were taking spray up to the bridge. The chatter on the radio were cruisers asking what the conditions were like further south. They were making decisions whether to just duck in or continue on for the day. After hearing reports of calmer seas further south, we continued on our track. Sure enough as we continued south, the winds seemed to calm down and it was a much more enjoyable trip.

As we were coming to Thimble Shoals which is at the mouth of the Bay and the inlet to Hampton Roads we noticed dozens of sailboats heading out for a sail. Soon we were pulling into Hampton City Docks and the captain docked with relative ease.
That evening as were showering we noticed that the shower didn't seem to be draining properly. Sure enough, the pump stopped working.The captain fiddled with the wires and thought he had things working when it stopped again. Sunday morning we went to the dock master to see what time the West Marine shuttle would be coming. She told us that wasn't happening until Monday. Well, a couple that were on the sailboat nearby said they were going to West Marine, would we willing to share a cab? We were thrilled and made plans to head to West Marine. The captain was able to find a switch for the pump.
That's how we met Judy and Stephen, isn't it great! They are planning on doing the Caribbean 1500 but only going to the Bahamas and they were provisioning their boat with necessities. Have a great sail and great to meet you both!

Fun in Lonely Deltaville

Wednesday October 20TH-22ND- Our travelling window was very narrow, if we didn't leave today there wouldn't be good weather for a few more days. NOAA was calling for light morning showers but deteriorating in the afternoon because seas would be building. So, we made plans to get up at sun up and beat the weather. Deltaville was going to be only 40 miles away which meant only 5 hours of travelling. Sure enough when we woke, the rain had already began so we took the cover off the window and planned to steer from below. We enjoyed fresh hot coffee below and we were nice and dry. However after a few hours the waves began to build. We were so happy to be off the Bay shortly after noon, because the seas were definitely getting uncomfortable.
Our stop today was the Regatta Point Marina. It's funny we always say there's nothing in Deltaville but we always have a great time. This time was no different, after checking -in the Captain came back excited and told me were going out for dinner and we would be treated to some dancing music, YEAH!! The restaurants pick up cruisers that are at the marinas because there isn't anything close by. We had a fantastic evening at Toby's, great food and we danced the night away to some great 50's - 60's music. It wasn't crowded so we had the dance floor mostly to ourselves. What a great evening!

Woke up the next morning to the winds howling and NOAA was right this time, the winds were increasing and the Bay would be treacherous. Oh well, we decided to do some laundry and provision the Summer Wind. The marina loans out cars they keep on hand for an hour or two and we made great use of that convenience. Interesting this little town has 2 West Marines and one was situated next door to the grocery store. So, the Captain said let's go in and see if we there's anything we need for the boat. Sure enough the Captain spotted "SPOT MESSENGER" and discovered there was $100 rebate and free carrying case. For those that don't know how SPOT works click on that black box on the top right of our blog. It can track our travels, and if we aren't within cell or radio communications, we can send out an SOS message if there is ever a need. Saying all that we're rarely out of radio frequency, but redundancy is a good thing on the boat. We have two radios on board, plus a handheld and a cell phone. We liked the thought that we can track exactly where we are, and we're hoping that the grandkids will be interested in following along. So, we decided to give it a try. Headed back to the boat with our goodies in hand and excited to be setting up our new 'toy'. So, give it a try check out where we are right at this moment.

That afternoon, there was a knock on the boat and we were invited to the porch deck for a wine and cheese gathering for the cruisers! How wonderful! So we joined in and met several cruisers, we love these gatherings.
Friday morning, we woke up and winds were again blowing and there were white caps visible. Didn't look like we would be travelling today either. Oh well, so we did a few chores aboard the boat and relaxed. Dick practiced his flute and there was a clapping at the door. One gal came over and told us it was wonderful and he inspired her to pull out her harmonica and learn how to play. Isn't that great??
 For a place where there is 'nothing' we always seem to have a great time! Checked the weather that night and it definitely looks good for Saturday!!!

Heading South on the Potomac River

 Sunday October 17Th -The winds had settled enough to travel down the Potomac River. For the past couple of days the winds were gusting WNW over 30 knots. Our destination today was the Tobacco River anchorage which is the half way mark on the Potomac. It's a very picturesque anchorage. The landscape is hilly and filled with tall trees. There are only a few homes lining the rivers shore. No light pollution at night, and on a clear night the stars shine incredibly. The only noise pollution we endured were the calls of the migrating ducks and geese. At times we thought we were in their landing strip because the group would come in low bellowing a huge squawking noise. Thankfully there were no surprises on deck in the morning.



The Dove

  Monday October 18th/19th-  We weighed anchor and headed down the rest of the Potomac. Our stop today was St. Mary's River. It's an anchorage that we have never explored and we heard wonderful things from other cruisers. We arrived just in time before the skies opened with a good rain shower and decided that we'd just stay aboard for the night. After checking NOAA we realized that we were going to be here for an extra night. So we made plans on Tuesday to go to shore. St. Mary's city is one of the first settlements in Maryland and the first Capitol before moving it to Annapolis. There were ongoing architectural digs and they were finding interesting clues as to how the people lived. There were findings from Native Indians and the first Settlers. There is a replica of the Dove sailboat that carried 54 people and came from England. St. Mary's College is also located there, and they are very welcoming to cruisers. They allow cruisers to purchase meals in their cafeteria and we could not believe ,,, it wasn't McDonald's or Burger King type offerings. There was quite the buffet of food, even  a dessert chef that made us wonderful crepes filled with a banana cream a slice of brownie and topped with fresh berry sauce. Scrumptious!!!

St. Mary's College has a sailing club and each night we would watch them taking lessons just before sunset. There was also a scull crew that were going through their paces.

Our Adventure in Washington, DC

Friday October 8th/ 17th - Shortly before noon we tied up at the Gangplank marina. Our plans were to spend a week in Washington, DC, to visit with family and to explore, how wonderful!
We had an amazingly busy week. We spent a few days touring the National Mall. Washington is a wonderful city with many museums, monuments and parks to explore. It's only a mile away from the marina but you could literally walk your feet off with all the options.
 Our first visit was to the American History museum where we saw everything from the History of Lincoln, Transporation, Electricity and of course the 'First Lady's Inauguration dresses where Michelle Obama's dress is now on display. Not to forget the Ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland.

While we were in Washington we also took two tours of the Capitol. Because there is quite an echo throughout the gleaming halls, we wore headsets to hear our tourguide. The guides were very knowledgeable and gave quite a history of the Capitol. We then took a tour of the old Senate Rooms and halls. 

The National museum of the American Indian  was fascinating. We enjoyed lunch at the Mitsitam Native cafe where they served native foods and it was delicious. 

 Our last day in Washington we decided to check out the Library of Congress. Can you imagine millions of books under one roof?  We found Thomas Jefferson's library,, all the books that he read. Information about how the Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independance were written. There was an amazing exhibit on George & Ira Gershwin, and Bob Hope.

During our stay in Washington, we spent some time with the Flynn family. On Sunday we went to the Washington monument to watch Debby finish the 60 mile walk for breast cancer. It's  a 3 day event and we are very proud of her. That evening we enjoyed a wonderful Chinese dinner at their house. On Tuesday we enjoyed watching Meghan's volleyball game where her team won both games, very exciting! We ended up spending a couple of nights at the Flynn's and each night Moira took turns reading to us.

The highlight of our trip was for 'Grampy' to be the mystery reader in Moira's kindergarten class. Moira and her class came in from recess and, there was Grampy sitting in the mystery readers chair! Grampy chose a special book to read 'Make Way for Ducklings'. He had the children's attention, you could tell they were really enjoying the story. Grampy is an excellent story teller. I sat there with pride and as I looked over towards Moira and Debby, both of their faces were beaming with smiles of love and pride. Well done Grampy!
Sadly we had to say good-bye to the Flynn's but we're looking forward to seeing them in a few weeks. Thank you so much!!

San Domingo to the Potomac River

Tuesday October 5th - Honey I'm not enjoying this",,, hmmmmmmmmm never thought I'd hear those words coming from my lips. Let's back up for a moment. Early in the morning, NOAA predicted that the seas would be manageable 1-2 ft, and the winds would be 10 -15kts.It was still cloudy, cold and very damp, and we were antsy to be on our way. The wind had indeed settled and we weighed anchor and headed out towards the Chesapeake. However from our protected anchorage we couldn't see what was awaiting for us on the Chesapeake. The north winds were gusting every now and then and with it came a good 3-4 foot wave that would hit us on the side of the boat. The waves would jolt us sideways... Not a very comfortable ride.... We definitely don't like waves on the beam.Thank goodness the trip on the Chesapeake was short and we were heading into Solomon's around noon.  At the dock Ted greeted us and tied down the Summer Wind. Whew!!! That evening we enjoyed some great pizza at Ted & Nancy's. Thanks guys!!

Calmer Seas

Wednesday October 6th- Early in the morning we untied the lines and headed down the Patuxent River for the Chesapeake. The weather was totally different!! The sun was shining and the seas were literally flat. However mother nature let us know she wasn't quite finished playing, from the boat we could see some rain bands off in the distance. We were a little concerned for when we would reach the mouth of the Potomac but all  our fretting was for naught. It turned out to be very calm seas. In fact the day turned out to be a wonderful day for cruising. Our destination was Olverson's Lodge on the Yeocomico River. We pulled in, and Freddy was there to catch our lines. Tied up and Freddy said we were invited to join them for dinner at 'The Moorings' it was pasta night and they have a fabulous special. Two pasta dinners and a bottle of wine for $25, how can you refuse?? It was a fantastic dinner and we had a wonderful time with Freddy, Cass, Mike and Beverly.



Cass, Freddy, Mike , Beverly


Thursday October 7th-  Shortly before 8am we untied the lines. Mike and Beverly who were tied up next to us, said good-bye and off we went. Our first idea was to drop the hook in Tobacco River, but we had a great push with the tide that it was just too early to stop. So the captain said, let's try Mattawoman anchorage. That would give us a great head start for the next morning. The Potomac is 100 miles long to Washington DC . It winds and slowly narrows as you head further up. It was a beautiful trip up the river, the trees are just beginning to change their colors, in a few weeks it will be a spectacular show. Shortly around 4pm we came to the Mattawoman Creek. It was very tricky getting into the creek because you have to zig zag the hundreds of crab pots. This anchorage is our first exploration and again we used the Skipper Bob book and the Active Captain website to show us where to anchor. However, upon getting nearer to where we were to cross the creek was covered in this massive floating leafy plant. Again the captain made a decision to not anchor in the exact spot and found an area where there were no floating leaves. It was a wise decision. Mattawoman creek is a very picturesque and protected anchorage. When there is a big fishing derby the marina across from the anchorage has huge spot lights. We didn't need to put on our anchor light because we were well lit for the night.

Mount Vernon

Friday October 8th-  5:30 in the morning we were jolted out of bed from the roar of the high powered fishing boats heading out. Oh well, while the captain readied the boat, I put on an extra strong pot of coffee. The early wake up call turned out to be a blessing because when we pulled up the anchor, there was a massive leaf plant attached to the chain. Our hook looked like a beautiful hanging basket that any gardener would be beaming with pride.  It took a boat hook to get the heavy piece off. The trip up the rest of the Potomac was easy, calm and relaxing.There is a vast amount of history that took place on the Potomac. We passed by Mount Vernon , the home of George Washington and we also passed by Fort Washington. 

Fort Washington on the Potomac

Our destination today was the Gangplank Marina  in Washington, DC,where we planned to spend a week. It was going to be a great adventure!

Heading South Take Two

Saturday October 2nd / 4th-  It's very easy to tell when the captain and crew were antsy to leave. Both of us were up and dressed by 6:30am and we didn't bat an eye. Both of us went to task at getting the Summer Wind prepared for departure. As we were pulling out from Worton point we spotted another cruiser. Both of us said that looks like Shangri-La. Sure enough through the binoculars we could make out the pretty lines of the Heritage East. Dick hailed captain EDon and bid him good morning. Each captain complimented one another on their fine looking vessels. This then became a photo-op for the crew to take pictures as the captain's took turns dancing around one another to get a great shot.


Shangri-La

 After dancing around one another we went back to our original course. Shangri-La and her crew were heading for Solomons. Summer Wind and her crew were heading for St. Michaels. But they might end up meeting one another again in the near future in Washington, DC.
We had a great cruise down the Chesapeake despite the somewhat soupy conditions. Upon nearing the Bay bridge we could hear announcements of races starting and the coast guard was putting out notices over the radio of over 50 boats participating in the Poker Run. We spotted several J-boats with the spinnakers raised and heading down the bay. It looked like great fun!!
Our destination today was San Domingo Creek which is considered the back door anchorage to St. Michaels. First we had to go through Knapps Narrows. At this point the captain fueled up at $2.64/gal. We're very greatful for the help that Bob Boyle gave us for fueling. For if he hadn't been there we're not sure we could have fueled up by ourselves.
That afternoon we continued on to San Domingo Creek and dropped a hook. Took a dinghy ride into St. Michaels and walked around through the various shops. Did a little food shopping and then dinghied back to the Summer Wind. We've been here now for three days because of course 'weather'. Not as bad as Nicole, but enough to put 3-4 ft. seas on the Chesapeake coming from the north and a series of downpours. It's finally autumn todays temperature rose to 54 but there was an actual windchill to make it feel like 48,,, brrrrrrr that is cold!!
Let's pray that Mother Nature takes a nice long break!!!

Poker Run on the Chesapeake

Waiting for their start

Tropical Depression Nicole and other unwanted

Arabella

Wednesday September 29th- October 2nd - Dropped our mooring ball line early in the morning and  headed down the Severn River.  Instead of turning south for St. Michaels, our destination today was back north to Worton Creek. However this was not our only concern, believe it or not mother nature was going to take a turn for the worse starting in the afternoon. This time she was coming from the south in the form of Tropical Depression Nicole.



Tell Tale Signs in the Morning

 Well we made it to Worton in great time and because the engine had ran all morning it was easy to identify where in fact the leakage was coming from. A leaking muffler is not good for the engine room, not only because the salt plays havoc with the electrical. Carbon monoxide is a danger with a leaking muffler, so it definitely needs to be addressed. The mechanic came aboard removed the muffler and took it to the shop to have both  end caps completely redone. Because it looked like we were going to be there for a few days the mechanic put in a plug so that water wouldn't back up into the engine room.
John the owner of Worton Creek offered use of his car to explore Chestertown that afternoon, which was very generous. We took him up on his offer and went for a delicious lunch at a New York  Kosher Style deli. The owners are from New York. Interestingly , there was a group of men all good friends talking about Nicole and what her effects were going to be on the town.  That afternoon we returned to the Summer Wind and the drizzle began.
The mechanic repaired and placed the muffler back into the engine room. However we weren't going anywhere. The weather was coming in good and strong.
Tropical Depression Nicole didn't disappoint, she didn't fizzle.  We were secure, and protected from the winds, the skies opened up and water began to rise. Getting off the Summer Wind became interesting, a three step ladder had to be put beside her, and even that became iffy. We watched the water rise above the dock and then flood the marina. Our plan had been to go to dinner but there was no way to get off the boat, we were staying put. John the owner had also turned off the electric ,,, just in case.


Guess we stay aboard tonight!

 Friday morning we woke to the winds blowing now from the north. Dick always says, that after a storm we get the after effects. It was again interesting watching the water recede. That evening we did get to get off the boat and have dinner at 'Harbor House' restaurant.

Work and Play,,, Worton Creek



Worton Creek Anchorage

Sunday Sept. 19th - "Flexibility" or "Adaptability" is the key word when boating. Well we heard the NOAA report for Monday morning and made the decision not to follow the CBC cruise to Still Pond. If we wanted to guarantee that we'd be at Worton Creek marina first thing Monday morning then unfortunately we had to leave the group. NOAA was calling for a gusty day and the bay was promising to be nasty. Even though Still Pond was a hop,skip, and a jump away from Worton,,, heading into the bay in possible windy conditions didn't appeal to us. That afternoon we dropped our hook in Worton Creek and turned on our VHF to hear if there were updates with the CBC group. The topic over the radio was Monday morning predictions. It turned out most of the group decided to head to their next point Fairlee Creek for better protection from the wind. Our night was relatively quiet but at first light the captain looked out the window just in time to catch a sailboat drifitng sideways towards another boat. Luckily there were no real mishaps both sailboats were tentative to the situation.
 Monday Sept.20th -24th - The Captain called over to Worton Creek marina to let them know we were coming for in our scheduled painting and a few minor repairs. Shortly around noon the Summer Wind had been lifted out of the water and her bottom had been powerwashed in preparation for the painting.The travel lift moved her to be 'blocked and braced.'  We spent a few extra days because unfortunately we needed some parts to be ordered for the muffler that was being fixed and an electrical shorepower outlet replaced. The props and rudder were sandblasted and protected with a product called Prop Speed. The boat had been in the water for two years and there was only a barnacle or two, that's saying its a great product! The captain recommends Worton Creek because they are knowledgeable and usually quick at their tasks.

 Luckily all was not work at the marina because Joy and Brian Read (members of MTOA)  who keep their boat Sara Marie( a very cute Island Gypsy) made us feel welcome and became fast friends. Our first night there they invited us over for a wonderful dinner aboard their boat. It was a wonderful evening! The second day they took us over to where the CBC group was gathering for a wonderful dinner at Craig and Lolli's on Fairlee Creek. Each day they came over to see how things were progressing and how we were coping with being up in the air. Another evening we went to a great Italian restaurant "Luisa's" and had a great time! We enjoyed one more delightful evening with them aboard Sara Marie.

Joy & Brian

Lolli in the kitchen

 All repairs were complete early Friday morning but the bay wasn't great for travelling so we stayed one more night. Early Saturday morning we untied the lines and began our journey out of the creek when off in the distance we heard a 'Bon Voyage'. Brian and Joy were out on the dock. Thanks so much Brian and Joy!!

Kunta Kinte Festival in Annapolis

Kunta Kinte Festival in Annapolis

 Saturday September 25th -29th- Early Saturday morning we untied the lines and began our journey out of the creek when off in the distance we heard a 'Bon Voyage'. Brian and Joy were out on the dock. Thanks so much Brian and Joy!! The north winds had settled down to 10-15 knots but when we pulled out into the bay you could call the seas "soupy and bubbling'. The roughest part of the journey is where the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay meet just north of the Bay bridge.
Early afternoon we were entering the Annapolis mooring field where we picked up a mooring. It was surprising to find a lot of empty moorings. When we shut off the engine, we heard some great 50's music from MO'town and realized some kind of celebration was happening, What luck! Down went the dinghy and off to shore for some exploring and to join in on the fun. We went to the visitors center to inquire what was the celebration and learned that it was the Kunta Kinte festival. Apparently Annapolis is the place where Kunta Kinte's ship first landed. There were amazing displays of jewlry, art, and rich smells of food being served. We enjoyed listening to many styles of music that afternoon.
The streets of Annapolis were jammed with people and all the stores were buzzing with tempting signs of sales. Many young cadets from the naval academy were on weekend leave, you can always spot them in their brilliant white uniforms.
Returning to the Summer Wind by dinghy was an exercise in skating all the big powerboats trying to enter Ego Alley. Both walls were full of boats but those that wanted to be seen tried very hard to cram themselves in the now over packed waterway.
We spent a few extra days in Annapolis, the weather turned rough and we spent a few days bouncing in thunderstorms.The mooring field is not the greatest spot to wait out weather but we were secure. The temperatures dropped from 90*to a refreshing 70.


Scooting Around Back Creek



Provisioning by Dinghy



Sunset in Annapolis

 Dick did a routine check on his engine and discovered that his newly repaired muffler was still leaking. Oh, Oh, back to Worton Creek!!

Joining the Cruise to Nowhere

Hopkins Creek Anchorage

Saturday Sept. 18 - Our original plan after the rendezvous had been to go to Worton Creek to have the boat hauled and the bottom painted. Plans changed because the marina doesn't do haul outs over the weekends. The CBC (Chesapeake Bay Cruiser's, a regional group of the MTOA) were beginning their "Cruise to Nowhere" , so we decided to tag along for a while. Their first stop for the night was Hopkins Creek up the Middle River. The Middle River entrance is not for the faint of heart. Depths of the water are 10' usually but make sure you stay in the channel and oh yes, watch out for the zillions of crab pots, not to mention the many power boats, no auto pilot in this spot! Maryland is famous for having the best fresh crab cakes and it takes a lot of crabs to make just one!!
 Early afternoon we dropped the hook and watched several other MTOA members follow suit.This was the first time for us to anchor in this spot and we found it to be a delightful spot. Around 4:30 we dinghied over to Lowe Key and Polarity for a refreshing cocktail party. Most of us then dinghied in for a great dinner at the Riverwatch restaurant. We think our table was the rowdiest because there was constant laughter. What a great night!!

The Quiet Group

The Rowdy Bunch!!!

The "Baltimore Bash"

White Rocks??

Sunday Sept. 12, 2010 - An early morning shower delayed our departure from the Chesapeake basin. Once the rain stopped we untied from the dock and headed for our next destination Rock Creek anchorage just a few miles south of Baltimore. The trip to the anchorage was uneventful. It was a muggy, dull and  very damp day. This was our first time into the anchorage and we were a little leary when we read 'be aware of white rocks'. Well we discovered that the area is well marked and the rocks were above water, so they were easy to spot.

 The bottom of the anchorage was heavy black mud and once we were able set the anchor she was set in good, but what work it made to clean off the anchor, YUCK!This anchorage was a great jump off stop to get into the Baltimore Harbor for the Northern Rendezvous of the MTOA (Marine Trawler Owner's Association).

Anchorage Marina, Baltimore, MD

Monday Sept. 13-17 2010 - Woke up fairly early and excited that we were heading for Anchorage Marina in the Baltimore harbor. The MTOA was having a National Northern Rendezvous and its their 20th Anniversary Celebration. We always have a great time with this very active cruising group. There were over 80 boats participating and over 200 people in attendance. Believe it or not there were 6 Nova/Heritage East boats and  seven couples, we had our own little mini rendezvous.

Nova/HE Owners' Group

Each morning most MTOAers congregated for a wonderful breakfast and then spent the rest of the day in seminars.  One of the highlights of the week was the Dinner Cruise aboard the Spirit of Baltimore. The cruise took us through the Inner Harbor of Baltimore and there was an outdoor concert being held  at Pier Six Pavillion by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Unfortunately we couldn't convince the captain that hey this would a great place to drop the anchor for a while! Oh well, we ate, drank and danced the night away, what fantastic fun! As usual the captain was very curious about the bridge and it was open for anyone that wanted to come have a look. 

Friday was supposed to be our day of departure but the winds were blowing on the bay. The sun was shining and the temperatures were warm despite the wind so we decided to take a side trip to Fort McHenry. It's a star shaped fort that survived the British invasion. Scott Key wrote the tribute to the Star Spangled Banner that is now the American anthem. There is a 'Star Spangled' buoy that marks the spot where the British prison ship was stationed just above the Scott Key bridge.


Fort McHenry