Forgive me for not posting for a few days. You say that you haven’t noticed. Oh well, it’s been a whirlwind weekend and great fun.
Yesterday, the SSCA rendezvous ended at camp Letts on the Rhode River capping off a terrific three day “summer camp” for cruisers. It was just terrific. There were about 75 boats along with some drive-ins and a total of 300 participants. The speakers were great and we both learned lots about what to expect on our cruise. To hear speakers who’s articles and books I have been reading for years was wonderful. Nigel Calder, who gave a number of talks, has written a number of books that I have and I can’t count the number of articles that I have read of his. talk about topics that I have read for years in the boating magazines. I also have many books by Lynn and Larry Pardey and they were there too. I added to my collection of guidebooks that we will need along the way. “You can’t get there from here” without these, I am told. 
Perhaps the best part was being with others who are “like minded” and have also done trips like we are doing aboard Pandora this winter. In a way it is just like summer camp. You make new friends, fall in love and do it quickly, just like at summer camp. I guess that makes it doubly relevant that the event was being held at a YMCA camp. At camp you know that you will only be there for a short time so you make friends faster. It felt like camp as it was camp.
This sort of view certainly brings back childhood memories for many like me. However, not a lot of camps have a “happy hour” each night. 
I couldn’t get a shot of the anchorage giving any sort of feel for what 75 boats look like. It is a large harbor with plenty of room for all. Here are some of those who were near us. 
For me it was a particularly big deal as for the first time, when a speaker would ask for a show of hands on who was headed south for the winter, both Brenda’s and my hands went up. That was big as I have never been able to do that before.
The gam began on Thursday evening with a dink raftup behind one of the boats in the anchorage. The routine is that all boats come to the event in their dink, bring an appetizer to share, tie up to others and pass around plates from boat to boat. It’s a great way to meet others and share stories as well as salsa and dip. Brenda made deviled eggs and I am happy to say that the two dozen jammed on the platter didn’t last a single circuit around the fleet.
There were dinners, lunches and breakfasts together with the group and loads of speakers. Ages ranged from some folks in their 40s all the way to one women who came in from her boat and used a walker to make it up the dock to the event. It’s safe to say that SSCA members who participate come for many, many years.
For me and Brenda, this was our first Annapolis gam with the group and yet as we already know so many folks in SSCA, it didn’t feel like a first time. It’s also clear to me that if it wasn’t for the SSCA and all of the welcoming people that we have met over the last few years, that without this group we wouldn’t be doing this trip at all.
The meeting was over on Sunday morning and now Brenda and I are in Annapolis on a mooring just off of town were the sailboat show will begin on Thursday. Even though the show isn’t even set up yet, we were very lucky to get what turned out to be the very last mooring when we got here late morning Sunday. We paid for the mooring for a week and are looking forward to the coming festivities. You’d never know how much different things will look in a few days but the rafts of docks being towed into position and the huge float of log pilings waiting to be driven into the harbor bottom certainly suggest a big transformation to come.
While I have been to the Annapolis Sailboat Show many times over the year, this is the first time that I will have been staying in the thick of it and the first time that I will have been here for the entire show. Actually, this will been the longest time that we stayed on a mooring in one place aboard anywhere. Good thing that I won’t have to sit still as I doubt that I could do it. Egad! Stay in the same place for a week!!!
Seeing old friends, and meeting new ones at the show will be just great. As an aside, yesterday afternoon I was sitting out in the cockpit reading and someone who I didn’t even know came by on a paddle board and said “I like your blog”. I had never seen this guy, ever and was stunned. It seems that he is in the market for a boat and is considering buying a SAGA 43. In his search he came upon my blog. Go figure. As I have always said to our boys many times, “watch out what you do in public as you never know who will see you.” Good advice on keeping a blog too. You never know who will be watching and this example proves it.
I wish I had better photos to share but I will just have to give you a few of the “pre- show” views of the area. The tranformation will be massive beginning today. In the next four days tents will be put up and hundreds of vendors and boats will arrive to set up.
Our mooring is just outside of the are that has been closed off for the show. It’s a bit hard to see but the moorings that have been covered with red cloths will be in the area of the harbor that will be covered by docks and boats for the show. Our mooring is on the first string off of that closed area. It’s a lot closer than it looks, believe me. 
Some of the first dock sections, of which there will be many, came by last night. 
The inner harbor juts into the down town area and will be totally filled with boats and exhibits. On Sunday afternoon, not so much.
Main Street is always picturesque. The dome building is the state capitol. 
There’s room for at least one lighthouse photo of the Thomas Point Light near Annapolis. It’s one of the few remaining screw pile lights on the bay. It’s a very pretty light.
Before I close I have to put a photo of Brenda with her most current and second finished project from our trip. It pays to be a friend of Brenda as there will likely be knitted things headed your way. Isn’t this a cute sweater? Perhaps if I work at it I can get back to my birth weight and wear it myself. Perhaps not unless I lay off of the ice cream. 
Today is going to be a busy day as it’s the first time that we have been able to do laundry since leaving home three weeks ago. Too much information (TMI) about personal hygiene you say? Happily, a good friend has offered us her car for the day for shopping and a visit to the laundrymat. Time’s a wasting and the sun is up…