After three full days in Cambridge, MD due to high wind and rain, we got a much better forecast this morning than last night. The loyal Admiral was up in time to take this photo during high tide at 6:12 am. There are plenty of pilings visible, but the decks connecting them are under water. This was the highest of two consecutive higher than normal high tides. It is hard to tell, but the light colored sky is the sun coming up.
Despite the heavy cloud cover and 100% humidity, there was no wind. The lack of wind and decreasing chances of rain were enough to encourage us to (tentatively) start out at 8:30 am. As we left the Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin, we finally got a good view of the reproduction lighthouse. As I said yesterday, the lighthouse was built on screw piles that were literally screwed into the muddy bottom. This style of lighthouse is a classic example of many similar lighthouses around the Chesapeake Bay. The weather continued to improve, and when we left the Choptank River and entered the Chesapeake Bay, it was practically a "mill pond" with waves less than 6 inches.
As we turned northward in the Bay, we entered and area on the navigation chart that was labelled "Caution Fish Trap Area". This picture at the right is a very foreshortened view of an entire trap. Near the center you can see a line of stakes the goes a quarter of a mile or more toward the shore. This line of fish net sort of herds fish swimming parallel to the shore into the "maze" in the fore ground that is the actual trap There are plenty of cormorants sitting on top of the stakes and looking for an easy meal. During the day, the traps are easy to spot, but at night they are unlighted and difficult to spot, except on radar. Thus, it is easy to understand that these hazards are labelled on charts and also are a good area to avoid at night.
Our trip to St. Michaels, MD was 47.8 miles, and we arrived in almost exactly 6 hours at our 8 mph cruising speed. St. Michaels is a beautiful old fishing town just across Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis and only about 80 miles southeast of Baltimore. During the boating season, the harbor is packed with pleasure craft, especially on weekends. As we entered the harbor, we passed the Chesapeake Maritime Museum on the starboard (right) side. You can see several classic fishing boats and part of another screw pile lighthouse at the far right.
As the town (and surrounding area) has increased in popularity, it has also become more commercial (tourist), but overall, much of the classic feeling has been preserved. FINALLY, the Admiral got to try out her new folding, electric bike. She just scoots right along with a big smile on her face so I guess that she is pleased. We rode the 2 blocks to the main street, which has an eclectic mix of stores and restaurants. Many of the houses between the harbor and the business district were a variation of this simple house, which is not as deep as it is wide. Of course, when room permitted, many of these homes have been expanded one or even two times over the last several centuries.
Our trip into town was cut a little short since we were expecting a "Face Time" call from the Grand kids. Now, that really made our day!
There are times when I think that this blog must make it seem like all we do is "eat" during our trip. Well, eating is not only a necessary part of life, but it is also a great way to experience local cuisine, which has varied quite a bit in the approximately 3250 miles that we have covered since we left Texas. We had been encouraged by the marina staff to pick a place to tie up that had a good view. This is a picture of the restaurant that we walked to for dinner. I had fried oysters, coleslaw and potato salad for dinner. Classic fare!
Our view in the opposite direction was equally pleasant. This weekend they are expecting their first big "crowd" of boats this season, but as you can see, most of the transient docks are empty today. We are the second biggest boat in the harbor today, but if were going to be here on the weekend, we would not make the list...
We plan to leave in the morning to travel across the Bay to Annapolis, MD. The weather looks pretty good for the next week or so. Thus, once again, we will be torn between staying longer and enjoying such a beautiful, historic city or continuing our voyages.... Stay tuned to see who wins.
No comments:
Post a Comment