After a 35 NM sail up the Chesapeake, we arrived in bustling Annapolis, quite a contrast from sleepy Oxford. This town is famous for many reasons. It played a key role in revolutionary history as the site where General Washington resigned his commission as general of the Continental Army, paving the way to his becoming the first president of the United States.
Annapolis, presently the state capital of Maryland, briefly served as captial of the United States. It was here that leaders called for amendment of the Articles of Confederation, leading to the drafting of the Constitution later in Philadelphia.
Annapolis is home to the US Naval Academy, established in 1845.
Today, Annapolis is considered the sailing capital of the USA. It has hosted the famous Annapolis boat show, the largest in-water show, for over 50 years.
Everywhere you look, there are boats… sailing, docked, moored or on the hard being repaired at the many boatyards in the area.
As we arrived, we were lucky to spot the only free mooring ball in the center of town. Here we were surrounded by sailboats. The harbormaster came to our boat in a launch to collect the modest fee for an overnight stay. The next day we moved to a marina to wait for our Lake Ontario sailing friends, Jim and Donna, traveling down from Syracuse, New York to spend a few days together.
We had a nice dinner overlooking the harbor and enjoyed a rare cool evening aboard Fregata to catch up.
The next day, we visited the US Naval Academy and downtown Annapolis.
The day was capped off by the Independence Day parade and fireworks. The parade was disappointing in that many of the floats were political campaign advertisements (and not just “Elvis for President” as depicted below). So rather than a unifying celebration, it tended to incite divisiveness. The fireworks, on the other hand, were fantastic and non-partisan!
13 Responses
We love Annapolis and it is truly special to be able to dock in the center of town and stay on the water. Ego Alley is entertaining and the shopping around the town along with fabulous restaurants are favorites.
Enjoy all that Annapolis has to offer. If you get a chance, stop over to. Bacon Sails. It is worth the Uber or long walk!
Keep living the dream. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, Peter. Spent lots of time in Annapolis in younger days. Always a nice place! Hope you’re loving your new Bennie. D&S
We love Annapolis and are fortunate to have family who live nearby. A great town and a wonderful place to celebrate the July 4th Holiday. You’re making great progress.
Thanks, Larry! And welcome to Nova Scotia, one of our favorite places.
Hi Sandy and Dan, this looks awesome and enjoyed hearing about all the history of Annapolis. Driven by many times, but never stopped. Enjoy!
Thanks, Maria. Hope you’re having a good summer! D&S
Free is the best.
Including free admission to the US Naval Academy, a national treasure.
So glad you are seeing all of it and included a picture of this summer’s Naval Academy Plebes.
Their training and service will be difficult, to keep us all Free.
Thanks, Carol! Hope all well back in Rochester. D&S
I have great memories of Annapolis. My summer job between my freshman and sophomore years at Johns Hopkins was working in the kitchen at Stanley’s Carry-Out House of Seafood in Baltimore. After a few weeks there, one of the Stanley boys tasked me to do the morning runs to Annapolis in their panel truck to pick up the bushel baskets of fresh-caught crabs from a waterman there with whom they had an arrangement. Having turned 16 just a few months earlier that year–and gotten my driving license–I was ecstatic to do it, if only to escape the kitchen where we steamed the crabs in kitchen temperatures often reaching 120 degrees. The trips back to the store from Annapolis provided dramatic moments when an errant crab or two would escape from its basket and “visit” me up front as I drove. I tried to reach down and shove them back in their basket as I drove, but a few well-delivered pinches from their claws, and a few sudden swerves of the truck as I drove, provided exciting moments on the road for this newly minted driver.
Hi Larry, Well that far exceeds any experience we’re having in terms of getting deep into the Chesapeake crabbing industry! Always found those tough, physical summer jobs to be the most interesting from a development standpoint. D&S
We are looking forward to seeing you at our rendezvous in a couple days! Can’t wait!
Hi, Rob, Very excited to have both of you on board! D&S
Fun Fourth with fabulous friends aboard Fregata⛵️