Annapolis by sailboat.... 

is the best way to arrive at this nautical mecca. From Solent Breeze's slip at Magothy Marina we motor sailed to Annapolis.  Weeks after the Boat show Annapolis was still busy with end of season shows and celebrations... The Power Boat Fest and Wooden craft shows had yet to happen.  A small gem for missing the Boat Show was that we moored at the Annappolis Harbour mooring basin 38°58'33.12"N 76°29'1.14"W, and with Ron's connections in the yacht club world, we got a reciprocal guest access to Annapolis Yacht Club, thus we enjoyed happy hour, dined in their dinning room and witnessed their ceremony of evening colours.  But I'm getting ahead of the day.

Hooked on to the mooring ball just about 13:30 October 17th, we quickly changed vessels (dinghy) to get to town. Finding a spot at the small vessel landing, we walked to Pusser's Carribean Grill for a harbour view lunch. Admiring the many vessels in the harbour (oops harbor) lunch was served.  As enjoyable as it was Dave was soon off, as the good skipper he is, in search of a water pump impeller and a few other parts so that we can be worry free from air lock woes.  Meanwhile.... 

Mary and Ron walked through the old town full of 17th and 18th century buildings (the most preserved in a single metropolis in the USA). This small walking tour took them to the State House circle and Church circle -- two of the first roundabouts in The Americas.  This area is touristy with more t-shirt shops than Yoga spas in Toronto, but alas Mary and Ron found a few places to spend and help keep the economy going. Reunion at the dinghy was not too soon,

we returned to the vessel to smarten ourselves for the AYC dining experience. 



A lovely dining and bar overlooking the harbour.  The Annapolis Yacht Club displayed over 50 sailing hulls with various type keels -- not one was duplicated.  The variation of hull and keel designs is enormous.  Stained glass cabinet windows at the bar illustrating the local lighthouses of the Maryland coast.  The bartender, Todd was most helpful with explaining the variations of whiskeys, rye's and bourbons (made only in the state of Tennessee) didn't know that.  Much to her delight Mary found some single malts  and was invited behind the bar to get a closer look:  ah, dessert! We had an enjoyable feast of vittles in celebration of our arrival in Annapolis.

The next morning all three of us toured The Maritime Republic of Eastport, a tongue-in-cheek name for the historic community on the east side of the harbor , by wandering into a few boat yards and looking at boats for sale.  Our walk through the business and residential area overlapped many sites on a historical walking tour.  We saw an old glass house, the set of row houses that was originally built for the glass works employees, the oldest home in the area and a few warehouses converted to high end dinning and yachting centres.  Eastport is also home to Weems and Plath, makers and suppliers of navigation and time pieces. Across the street was the J School and further down the street was a marina that is a leading enterprise in the Chesapeake Bay clean waters campaign.



Parched from our search, we stopped in a local cafe for snacks and coffee.  A small but busy place, full of local flavour (paintings, news board, old LP's on the ceiling and organic drinks).  Rested we embarked on the second half of the walking tour, sort of power shop of the old market area of Annapolis.  Skipper Dave wanted to arrive back at Magothy Marina in daylight, and we were going to sail not motor! Having carefully scouted the best of Annapolis' haute couture we boarded Solent Breeze, unhooked and soon out of the main Annapolis harbour in the midst of sailboats and military vessels and many other incoming traffic for the Naval Academy's homecoming, we raised sails and tacked up wind to get to a broad reach to sail under the William Preston Lane Jr Memorial Bridge. We gybed up the Chesapeake to Magothy River where we dropped sails once the crab pots became too close, knowing it was easier (read safer)  to doge under power than sail.  Back in the slip an hour before sunset, Mary prepared dinner, accented with wine bought in Annapolis. 

The Mystery of the Air Lock

Much to the chagrin of Skipper and Crew, Solent Breeze continues to be troubled by air locks, just as we drop sails or moor, or are about to anchor.  So far this problem's solution has a popular assessment of "it's the water impeller - too small." Having the impeller's specs confirmed by the Vetus engine manufacturer, despite popular sentiment to the contrary, the true solution to the mystery of the source of the air lock seems to evade us.  It is late October, Halloween decorations cover many houses and the days are getting shorter.  Not comfortable with sailing/motoring/motor-sailing the Chesapeake, through the Intercoastal Marine Way to our destination in Ft. Pierce, the good captain halted the voyage.  The Magothy Marina is an excellent location, near Annapolis, airports and convenient from Toronto.  The best plan now is to winterize the boat here and return in the spring.  During the winter this mystery will be studied, ruminated upon, and mulled over until **solution surfaces .... maybe a Vetus impeller not a Johnson part?



Returning in the spring of 2013, the story will continue.