Getting around Annapolis in many ways.

To visit Annapolis by boat is one of my favorite things.  The maritime heritage of the US is deep and Annapolis, arguably, is the deepest.  This trip for me marks the third or fourth time that I have been here by water and I have to say that it’s just great.  To view the city from the water and see the glow of lights on the capitol dome, Academy chapel and in the windows of private homes in the evening is magical.

As the front came through yesterday afternoon, with it’s gusty wind and torrents of rain I was struck, again, by how quickly things can change on the water.  One moment it was calm and warm and the next Pandora was being blown over one way and the next.  I had been out getting some fuel for my dink and saw blue sky off to the southeast and dark lumpy clouds off to the northwest.  Within literally minutes the calm was shattered as the front was upon us.

Later that evening, at sunset, I was treated to a magnificent and colorful sunset. Sorry, no picture this time.

It’s just so great to be here, tucked away in such a secluded spot, right in the middle of a city.  It’s hard to believe that I was able to just drop my anchor here and settle in for a week.  In so many harbors there isn’t any room for anchoring as it’s totally filled with “private, keep off” moorings, that are mostly vacant, leaving no room for folks to visit.  And, it’s clear that the city has made a point of making the water accessible to transients.  Interestingly, there doesn’t seem to be a problem with derelict boats camped out full time.  Perhaps that’s because the harbor master comes by to register anyone who plans to anchor for more than three days.  I had to give him a lot more information to anchor than I did to pay for a mooring.

Whatever the reason, it’s a city that still respects their maritime roots and history unlike so many of the communities that we have visited over the years where you have to pay a fee to be there, on a regulated mooring with no place to anchor.  On top of that, every street that dead ends at the harbor has a small dock for dinks.  So, how great is that?

Anyway, enough from my soap box for now.  As I sit here on Pandora I am also treated to all the comings and goings on the water.  Everything from the drama of the harbor police moving wayward powerboats (see last post) to really interesting boats that come by all day.

I was particularly struck by this rowboat that passed me yesterday.   They were being shadowed by another boat complete with an enthusiastic photographer documenting her every stroke.  I wonder where she plans to head.  I expect that her voyage will likely take her to another continent.  Europe?  Japan?  For now I expect that her destination is the Sailboat Show in a a few days.  I’ll find out more about here plans there.   I wonder where you go to buy such a craft.  Probably “home made”.  If so, I’d love to meet the folks that live in that home or the women rowing.  Clearly, she’s not a “girly girl” and probably not the type that spends the typical 8.5 hours per day watching TV.  Just a thought, if a bit random one at that.If I were going to row across an ocean, and I wouldn’t, I’d feel pretty comfortable (a relative term) in this boat.  It looks new to me.  No voyages yet. 

However, what’s with the guy in the stern who probably didn’t think I could see him.  Perhaps if I scrunch down real low, know one will see me.  I wonder if she even knew he was there.  OMG, a stowaway!!! So, that’s where all of my sea biscuits have gone.  GIVE THEM BACK!!!Not all transport in Annapolis is waterborne, at least not all of the time.  I loved this one.   Yellow is such a great color for a plane.  I wan’t to go for a ride!!!  I wonder if my life insurance would allow this?  No wait, I am too old for life insurance now that I am getting AARP mailings what seems like every other day. Count me in, I am going.  As soon as he lifted off he powered overhead.  What fun.  You too can get a ride and sign up at their site.  They take a lot of private yacht photos and you can go to their site and purchase a print.  It seems to be a franchise operation.  Perhaps now would be a good time for you to chuck it all and purchase a little yellow plane for yourself.  Perhaps not.

Enough dreaming.  Time go get the lead out.  Today is sunny and cool.  No excuse to sit around.