Oxford to Annapolis, MD September 14 - 17, 2014

September 14 - 17, 2014

Lots of beautiful wooden boats

Just shy of two hours after departing Cambridge, MD, the SaSea Sally pulled into port at Oxford, MD, on the Tred Avon River, stirring up mud in our wake as we docked at a floating dock at Hinckley Yacht Services. Once checked in with dues paid and bath house codes in hand, Clay and I borrowed a couple of the marina's cruiser bikes  to tour this 'picture perfect' town, a descriptor that fits many of the Eastern Shore villages. Oxford has a history in shipbuilding and sailmaking, farming, oystering and crabbing; then came the second-home owners and tourists as well as boaters.

Pope's Austin parked in front

Not only is Oxford a favorite cruising destination of the Eastern Shore, its harbor boasts availability of every marine service, in large part why we're here!

Pope's Tavern in Oxford

Notable among the historic sites of this seaside village is the Robert Morris Inn where James Michener famously enjoyed crab cakes while working on his book "Chesapeake." Robert Morris was a wealthy patron who built a home in Oxford in 1710, a part of which was incorporated into the Robert Morris Inn which today offers fine dining as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner at companion Salters Tavern.  Also, Pope's Tavern is located in Oxford.

One of the "fence murals"

Cute fence mural

Oxford is noted for its picket fences

As Clay and I biked the streets of Oxford, we stopped often to review dining menus, to applaud Oxford's 'mural city' scenes placed around town (paintings on four-post sections of picket fence), and to enjoy the day! Finding no enticement for dinner among the numerous restaurants, we opted to return dockside for dinner aboard.

Not a shabby paint job!

Monday morning brought the anticipated short haul at 9 a.m. but not before we managed to seek out the corner grocery for hearty breakfast sandwiches and fresh cranberry-orange muffins. On terra firma and standing clear of the operation, I watched in rapt (or should I use synonyms fascinated, spellbound, enthralled, captivated, riveted, gripped, mesmerized, entranced) attention as the lift geared up in land-rover mode to hoist SaSea Sally out of her liquid environment, suspended by what looked to be awfully skinny straps for her girth and 20-ton poundage! Realizing, of course, that I could do nothing to prevent what could (awfully slim chance) happen, I opted to scoot off on foot to see what I might see, hear what I might hear, and otherwise enjoy another beautiful day in my allocated hour of freedom! Who needed stress? I left Clay to monitor the goings-on and to learn, quite confident that he would share his newly-acquired knowledge upon my return. Which he did...I got Zincs 101, Prop Cleaning 101 and Re-entry 101 in rapid succession. 

SaSea Sally on the Hinkley Yacht lift

Slightly fouled thruster!!!

Zinc that has been partially eaten away

Once afloat, SaSea was quickly in departure mode, cruising toward an anchorage location (Selby Bay on the South River) just outside Annapolis, MD. A five-hour cruising day sporting a clean bottom, new zincs, clean props and empty holding tanks, SaSea performed admirably with Captain Clay at the helm sporting a new brilliant royal blue tee with imprint compliments of Mark Twain "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover" Appropriate, don't you agree? And, it was on sale at a local Oxford shop where I enjoyed conversation with a delightful shopkeeper while peeling off a $10 to relieve her of some of her sale merchandise and supporting the local economy. (Sorry, John, she had only L and XL).

Crab dining on grass on a boat bottom

Tuesday morning I put in my half-hour cardio on the Nordic Track (yep, it's still operational, although I wouldn't allow best friend or worst enemy on it due to performance glitches that only I'm willing to risk...whatta way to go, eh? Would make headlines someplace...probably the AGLCA Rendezvous or MTOA Rendezvous where I'd be trophied as an example (of what, tho? Compulsive? Idiot? Obsessed? Possessed? Dedicated?) I can see the headlines now: "Woman drowns after being kicked overboard by malfunctioning Nordic Track Skier"). While I was exercising, Clay was finalizing rendezvous plans with FiJi brother Sam Freeman and high school classmate Karen Hallows and hubby Keith, interspersed with a dinner date with repeat boaters Jim and Sanci Canella...all due to make appearances in the Wednesday thru Sunday upcoming. That man does like people...just like his mother!

Sally enjoying fresh air and a book

Following my tracking, we prepared for departure and pulled anchor (a disaster!) We'd been told to be careful in the Chesapeake Bay waters due to the presence of a bacteria. Of course, not wanting to subject myself to the water, I proceeded to raw-water rinse myself accidentally in the process of rinsing the anchor and anchor chain links with a defective hose nozzle made even more defective by the recent addition of a defective shutoff valve. When the first mate ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy. I'm glad there were no witnesses; it wasn't pretty. But wet wipes to the rescue, I did a full-body wipedown, and we were off.

Morning jog

Upon arrival at the Annapolis City Docks with inaccurate directions from a directionally-challenged (I hesitate to label him 'inept') harbor master (who obviously arrives by land and not by sea), we nonetheless managed to find our assigned slip. We docked stern in to the tune of boisterous laughter and the sight of comical behavior and entertaining attire as an all-female guestlist boarded an adjacent boat for an afternoon of gaiety and frivolity with libations undoubtedly anticipated to flow freely. As our afternoon played out, we explored the downtown district, reconnected with friends from the MTOA Rendezvous in Cambridge for a drink aboard, then dined at a nearby restaurant. We, of course, witnessed the return of the boatload of females and marveled that none fell in as they disembarked.

Annapolis harbor and the Maryland state capital building

John Paul Jones crypt

I led the way across the bridge to Eastport, MD on our morning walk Wednesday morning which was a delightful, 


 

Navel Academy chappel

uninterrupted route and deemed undoubtedly one to be repeated. Even companion  
Clay agreed! The remaining morning hours were spent in preparation for Sam's arrival; reaching closure at 11 a.m., we left the harbor to tour the nearby Naval Academy. Clay had researched our options to be able to view the introductory film, to accompany our host on a guided tour, and to observe the quite impressive noon 'formation.' All midshipmen, numbering 4400, lined up in the courtyard prior to the

Mezzanine in the old gymnasium donated by Ross Perot

noon meal where colors were presented, orders were shouted, and bagpipes played (most notably for me, the United States Marine Corps hymn) prior to cadence marching into the mess hall for lunch. Can you imagine a kitchen preparing three meals per day for 4400? While on campus, I also took note of the prominence of the Under Armour logo, thinking that the company might be a good investment (and texted John to that fact)!

Lunch anyone???

Sam Freeman with his phone!!!

I squeezed in a couple loads of laundry in the bath house/laundry complex, meeting a delightful gal who highlighted some shopping opportunities in the waterside town of St. Michaels (a large selection of imported cheeses offered in the back of a small grocery store called the Village Shoppe). Sam arrived in his Enterprise rental car which gave opportuinity for a provisioning run for groceries; en route we encountered a farmers market where Sam went 'hog wild' while I tried to envision where we would stow all of the produce he'd purchased! Dinner followed at family-owned Lewnes Steakhouse across the bridge in Eastport...a gourmet meal while seated at the bar so Sam could watch his Nationals win Wednesday night's game. Check out the Lewnes Steakhouse website for a fascinating read on the Greek heritage of this delightful eatery. Thanks, Sam, for the fine meal and the delightful evening!

More upcoming on our travels with Sam aboard as we depart Annapolis on Thursday, September 18 bound for St. Michaels.