Day 221-223 – 5/12-14/24

Starting location: South River Anchorages, MD.

Weather: low to mid 50s am, mid to high 60s pm. Sunny for two days, then mostly cloudy.

Ending location: One night at Horn Point Harbor Marina, Eastport, MD, then 2 nights at St. Mary’s Mooring Field, Annapolis, MD.

Statute miles: 12, then 3

General summary: Pulled up anchor and motored East into the Bay and around the peninsula North, then West up the Severn River to a marina in Eastport. Needed a night to charge our batteries, to fill our water tank, and to pump out before moving on to Annapolis, where we hoped to snag a mooring ball. Passed beautiful Thomas Point Lighthouse on the way.

Moved on the following day. Downtown Annapolis is a boater’s paradise. Several marinas and three large mooring fields. The mooring balls are only $25-35 a day with numerous free dinghy docks on shore, which allow you to easily get to multiple locations on land. The mooring balls are first-come-first-served. You just tie up to an available one, call the Harbormaster office, give them the number on the ball, and pay by credit card. They are within walking distance of historical sites and the US Naval Academy. There is a water taxi service if you prefer not to dinghy – they pick you up at your boat ($4 each way). Also a mobile pump-out for only $5.

We walked around the local neighborhood and saw many historic homes. All well kept. Colonial style. Real functional shutters. Lots of brickwork (streets and houses).

Saw the Maryland Inn. Built in 1772.

Annapolis was the US capital for a period, until it was moved to DC. It is now the state capital of Maryland.

In all the years I lived in Maryland, I never toured the Naval Academy. The museum was my first stop – very informative about the development of the Academy and the entire history of the US Navy from pre-Revolutionary War to current. Then, I paid for a guided tour, which ended up being led by a previous USNA graduate (from the 1970s) and current director of admissions. He knew his stuff!

On the guided tour, I learned a ton about student life. 16,000 applicants this year for about 1000 spots. The first year is the rough “Plebe” year which sounds like constant hazing. I was there on the day of the “sea trials”, the final official day of the school year, where each Plebe must complete 14 hours of physical challenges to move on to the next year.

The following day was the traditional climb up the Herndon monument. I did not go, but watched some of it on You Tube. The senior midshipmen cover it in advance with over 100 pounds of grease and place a “dixie cup” hat on top (the white cap with the blue rim that Plebes wear). The goal is to climb the 21 foot monument and replace the dixie cup hat with an upperclassman’s hat. This often takes hours. Only then, are they no longer Plebes. I heard it took 2 hours and 19 minutes this year.

Graduation or “Commissioning” of the First Class Midshipmen (seniors) lasts a full week and starts in a few days. Glad we saw Annapolis beforehand and it gets crazy busy then.

There are many notable graduates:

Walked to grocery store and back in the rain.