ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND THE SAILING CAPITOL OF THE USA

JUNE 23, 2016

AFTER THE STORM IN HISTORIC ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND

After leaving Washington, DC we spent 3 days working our way to Annapolis, Maryland, Sailing Capitol of the USA.  Late on Monday we turned into Annapolis Harbor and picked up a mooring ball in the Annapolis City mooring field.  There is an anchorage just outside the harbor but the holding  there is said to be only fair and it can have quite a roll with all the boat traffic. 

SERIOUS SAILING ON THE WAY BACK TO PORT

Annapolis is a very beautiful historic town and the harbor is packed tight with every kind of sailing vessel you can imagine.  We were soon signed in for a 4 day stay to wait out weather coming across the country.  We settled into boat chores and a day aboard before we went ashore to see the sights.

Annapolis attracts boaters and tourists from all over the world.  Out in the mooring field we talked to a couple from Dallas that live on a large power boat.  They call Annapolis home for this year and maybe more.

Our first day ashore took us on a 4 1/2 mile walk to the grocery store.  We wound our way through neighborhoods and were quite out of breath before we were through.  It seems we are still out of shape.  After that chore was taken care of we walked the downtown area around the harbor.  The Historic District is an amazing maze of wonderful building and streets as narrow as an alley.  The downtown area has been  carefully restored and is a wonderful place to visit.

IT'S PERFECT IN THE CITY MOORING FIELD

The  Annapolis Harbor has everything you would expect in a premier historic seaport.  There are people on the waterfront playing music for the crowds, many museums, art galleries, quaint small shops and gourmet restaurants.  It is here you will find anything nautical you can imagine. I can understand why a cruiser might want to stop and call this home for a season.

On every Wednesday the harbor comes alive with the weekly Annapolis, Maryland Sailboat Races.   There are sometimes as many as 150 sail boats of all kinds racing out of the harbor into the bay.  For 55 years this race has been the highlight of the boating community.  The race begins about 6pm and ends about 8pm.  It attracts racers and observers from all over the coast and beyond.  We had a front row seat sitting aboard It's Perfect on the mooring ball.  The boats raced out mere feet from our cockpit. On their return the boats sailed their way in and around all the boats in the crowded mooring field as they returned to their marinas and slips.  It was so exciting it was crazy.  We cheered them on as they flew past and Rod took pictures from the dinghy.  That evening was worth the stay here in Annapolis.  If you are visiting the East coast you must stop for the races.

SAILING RIGHT OFF THE PORT OF  IT'S PERFECT

AFTER THE RACE

BOATS FLYING AROUND MOORED BOATS

AS THEY SAIL BACK IN AFTER THE RACE

It is Thursday night and we are preparing for departure.  It's Perfect is headed to Cape May, New Jersey about 120 miles from here.  There is a anchorage there with good holding where we will wait for a weather window to move on to Long Island, New York.