Annapolis to Solomons Island, MD, September 18 - 21, 2014

September 18 - 21, 2014

St Michaels harbor

St Michaels Church

Grave yard in front yard of church

All these years of knowing Sam, I didn't know he was a runner! Welcome to our morning workout club, Sam! Independently (but often crossing paths), the three of us ran/walked the Lewnes Steakhouse neighborhood in Eastport, returning to the boat for breakfast this Thursday morning. While Sam returned his rental car, Clay topped the onboard water tanks (250 gallons total) and I made a quick dash to the Naval Academy gift shop. Departing Annapolis late morning, we cruised three-plus hours to arrive at Higgins Yacht Yard, St. Michaels, MD, on the Miles River.

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

An old bridge relocated to the St Michaels Museum

An old, relocated lighthouse

Museum workshop to restore boats

Per the Waterways Guide, the Miles River is one of the Eastern Shore's busiest waterways when warm weather rolls around. There are many other offerings in the way of excellent anchorages in its many creeks and gunkholes, but St. Michaels is touted as the crown jewel of the river. The town hosts a number of important regattas and cruising events each year, boasts two excellent harbors, several seafood restaurants and a good deal of Chesapeake-flavored history. St. Michaels, once a waterman's enclave, has transformed into anmule still maintaining its quaint flavor. Convenient to boaters are a full-provisioning grocery, a combo meat/deli/produce/liquor market with imported cheeses (Village Shoppe), a post office, several ATM's, and a variety of restaurants, pubs and shops. We had a choice of dining options, not only recommendations from the marina dockmaster but also from Sam's resources. 

Midafternoon Thursday, we set out to explore the town, soon going separate ways with the guys doing their guy thing and me doing mine. I wandered into a darling little main street shop named 'Take Me Home,' subtitled, 'Simply Must Haves.' I wanted to see what I simply had to have. Living on a boat as I am, and really requiring mostly/only consumables, I find myself spending little on material things. Enamoured by both shop owner Regina and her merchandise offerings, I soon found myself giggling over a selection of greeting cards; of course, I had to call Sus and share the most humorous so we could giggle together. Life can sometimes be lonely without my female friends along, most especially my sister. Clay has often expressed thanks (and regret) for cell phone connections between the twins!

Gina's restaurant

We chose Gina's, a southwest restaurant/bar nestled in the heart of St. Michaels, for dinner. Wow! A terrific choice! I'd go back in a heartbeat for their homemade chips and guac, a wide offering of fish tacos and quesadillas, margaritas/craft beer/wines. Following our southwestern fare, we stopped at an Irish Pub to watch another Nationals game. The Nats do have an avid fan in Sam!

Tilghman Island Marina

This sums it up!!!

Two If By Sea Restaurant

Friday morning I picked up a few grocery items from the full-provisioning grocery store and Toma (yum!) and Manchego (double yum yum!) cheeses from the Village Shoppe while Sam and Clay did a quick tour of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. With a noon departure deadline, we pushed away from the dock with fifteen minutes to spare, bound for Tilghman Island. A delightful cruising day, we guided north then curled west and finally south on our travels to enter the very narrow fairway of the Tilghman Island Marina some two hours later. Snugged into a slip with little wiggle room and tied securely, we were soon off to explore what there was of this island community.

Crabs Benedict--yum!!!

Inside of Two If By Sea

We soon verified the fact that storms over the centuries have truly whittled the island down to a marshy chunk less than one mile wide and three miles long. The single main road that splits the island lacked shoulder and thus denied safe foot travel; nonetheless, we did our share of exploring along this route while dodging the occasional vehicle and bicycle. We found a smattering of gift and antique shops, a USPS, Crawford's Book Bank (selling new and old books in predominantly nautical themes), a couple of woodworking shops, a Corner Market (advertising a Friday night wine tasting), and Tilghman Waterman's Museum; but business hours were quirky, and our entry was denied by locked doors too often for our liking.

The old and the new--lighthouse and nuclear reactors

We enjoyed dinner aboard, then the fellas geared up for a walk to the Bridge Restaurant (named for the adjacent bridge crossing Knapps Narrows) to watch yet again another Nationals game while I cleaned up Sally's Galley (so appropriately named).

Pretty sailboat on the Chesapeake

Saturday morning found me wujjing solo along a route of my choosing (YAY!) which took me dog-dodging through neighborhoods bordering the main road, then across the Knapps Narrows bridge and back again. Sam and Clay opted to hoof it for a hearty breakfast at Two If By Sea, followed by a visit to the book store and museum, both sporting weekend hours only. I struck up conversation with the marina co-owner Nancy, sharing favorite authors and some female companionship. (Nancy's hubby Ron had endeared himself to me upon our arrival when he complimented my first mate skills, telling Captain Clay I was a keeper; I keep telling Clay this, but it's SO nice when someone who knows the ropes affirms the same!)

This lighthouse might be past it's prime-note boats fishing.

Our departure was dependent, in large part, on the tides schedule, but I'd gleaned info from Nancy in our conversation that high tide was going to be 1.5' higher than normal around 2:20 p.m., so we were safe to depart at our leisure and prior if we so desired. Captain called noon, so he again expertly navigated the narrow slip and narrow fairway, bound for Solomons Island, MD.

Another "fish trap" on the Chesapeake

With a diesel refueling stop at Calverts as we entered the Solomons Island waterway (Patuxent River), we arrived late afternoon at Zahniser's Yachting Center just as did Jim and Sanci Canella, our first guests aboard after beginning the Loop in 2013. Once securely tied with water and electric connected, I broke out the Toma and Manchego cheeses with crackers, presenting them as best I could on the lone h'ord tray, with Sanci's assistance; she quickly fell into the routine we'd established as companion galley gals some twelve months ago. Fun to have them aboard again as we quickly caught up on the past twelve months, with Sam and Jim catching up on the past forty-plus years since their days as FiJi's at Westminster. Our fly bridge companion-ability morphed into dinner at nearby Dry Dock Restaurant where we enjoyed one of the better meals along our route! Kudos to Sam for reassessing table availability on the marina premises! And, Jim and Sanci, thank you for our evening dining.

What's that is Sam's hand?

Clay and I completed our morning outing while Sam packed in preparation for his Sunday morning departure with Jim and Sanci. We bid the trio adieu after coffee and homemade pumpkin bread (thanks, Sanci!), encouraging repeat appearances as guests/crew! 

We then faced a quick turnaround time as Clay and I anticipated and prepared for lunch company. Thankful that they were fifteen or so minutes late (we were able to fill every minute!), we welcomed Clay's LHS classmate Karen Hallows and her hubby Keith aboard the SaSea Sally. We chatted in the salon area of the trawler, gave Karen and Keith a tour, then ate lunch on the fly bridge after which we geared up for an afternoon cruise. I was thankful for calm waters with only occasional beam waves as Clay guided us through channel markers along the Patuxent and out into the Bay. We returned to our dock location after enjoying a delightful two-plus hours on the water, then continued conversation with wine and snacks on the fly bridge before

Sally, Clay, Karen and Kieth

their departure. Clay and I ended the weekend with leftovers and an early lights-out, but not before a mental walk-through of tomorrow's plans for departure up the Potomac River toward Washington, DC.

Our adventures continue with our trip on the Potomac upcoming.

Captain Sam Freeman