Our position is: 39:16.768N 76:34.914W
Luckily it was not far up the Patapsco to
Baltimore, where we were booked into the Anchorage Marina. Baltimore had been
commemorating the bicentennial of the 1812 war as well, so many historic
boats had gathered there.
Susan prepared an excellent breakfast on
board Moonlight Sail and then we were off for the one and a half hours trip up
the river, past Fort McHenry, to arrive in time to see all the historic boats
leaving. They made a spectacular sight as they sailed past our marina in
glorious sunshine.
After entertaining Marshall and Susan and
their friends Rachel and Jim (a retired pilot on the river) to lunch we all
walked to Fells Point to catch a ferry over to Fort McHenry. It was very
interesting to read and hear all about the attack by the British on the fort as
part of their plan to take Baltimore and also the history of the writing of the
Star Spangled Banner, the words of which were written by a young American Lawyer
who had gone out to the British fleet under a flag of truce to negotiate a
prisoner exchange and was detained during the bombardment on the water,
witnessing the full artillery exchange. The hoisting of the American flag at
dawn over the fort informed him that the fort had not been
destroyed and inspired the words of what is now their National Anthem. The
fort also provided the answers to the questions we had been given so far in the
week long history trivia quiz.
We had to hurry away from the fort to get
back in time to shower and join the drinks party taking place in the sailors’
lounge at the marina. This was fantastic, with the wine flowing freely and truly
excellent nibbles provided by club members. We followed this by a restaurant
dinner with Marshall and Susan, (Commodore) Don and Ann Bradbury and Bob (the
Event Chairman) and Joy , who Ted had met previously further South in the bay
while I was at home. I was rather feeling the effect of non-stop eating and
drinking so settled for a “small plate” (it looked like a normal sized meal to
me) of sushi grade tuna, but Ted (as did most of the others) went for that
nights special of ribs. It was only a half rack but still filled the
plate.
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Breakfast on Moonlight Sail - Maximus being restrained to stop him
eating it all! Moorglade
leaving the raft
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The 2 we left
behind
a police boat guarding the Patapsco River bridge with slightly surreal cranes in
the background
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The Canadian Navy leaving Baltimore after the bicentennial
celebrations
The fire boat greeted the tall ships with water sprays (but not
us)
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Fort
McHenry
Pride of Baltimore
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A traditional Chesapeake skipjack contrasts with the navy ship
behind
This one had more sails but no people on the yards
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They seemed to be dancing on the yards on this
one
Lunch on Moorglade after the spectacle
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On the water taxi to Fort McHenry
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The guns
from
1812
and the view they would have had of the British approaching. These guns are from
the Civil War
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Drinks party at the
marina
and dinner afterwards
