July 13-July 25: Weather gods finally allowed us to leave Swan Creek and head up to the Baltimore Yacht Club where we anchored across from their docks. The Club is on Sue Creek, off of Middle River, outside and north east of Baltimore (on Patapsco River). Although the Club was founded in 1939, the current location was built in 1950's on a hill overlooking Sue Creek (see pic) giving breathtakingly panoramic views of the creek and Middle River. Thanks to RRYC membership in Yacht Clubs of America and its resulting reciprocity (yeah!), allowed us to use the BYC facility which included pool, Wifi, laundry, showers and restaurant. It also gave me the chance to take an inexpensive slip for a couple of nights so I can do some chores requiring shore power (defrost my fridge holding plates and groom Abigail). The folks at BYC could not have been more friendly..their hospitality is very much appreciated! We very much enjoyed sitting by the pool under an awning, drinking ICE water! Luxurious! We could become spoiled......
We partly decided to come to BYC because our plans have changed...we are not going to take the boats through the C & D Canal and up Delaware River to Philadelphia where we would have had to stay 2-3 days at a marina. We decided it would be cheaper to share the cost of a rental car for a few days and drive to Philadelphia for sightseeing and to take care of a list of errands. Also, Jim has never been to Baltimore so it also gives him a chance to see some of the attractions on the Inner Harbor (the historic ships, etc).
Philly is only couple of hours drive....so we set off on our "car" adventure...just like regular tourists! Parking became the first challenge....we did not realize how expensive it is to park a car....$16 for about 4 hours! Yikes! Unfortunately we picked the hottest week so far this summer...the high humidity combined with temps of 95 degrees made walking around Philly a sweaty tiring experience.
We had a very educational tour of Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were created.....the official name of the building is the Pennsylvania State House because it was originally used for governing the British colony of Pennsylvania; it was "loaned' to the delegates for the meetings of the Continental Congress. The tour guide did a wonderful job of bringing the events to life by colorful descriptions, quotes from some of the delegates and sharing of amusing anecdotes. I had goose bumps to think that I was standing in the chamber where George Washington, John Adams, Ben Franklin and all the others created our country. I haven't thought about it since grammar school history class, but it is still amazing that our forefathers had the courage to separate from Britain and the belief that they could create a new country with a functioning government "for everyone".
We wanted to see the Liberty Bell but the line was a long winding curve that disappeared around the building...mostly in the sun. It seemed to be moving so s-l-o-w-l-y! I was too hot and too tired to endure it so we agreed to come back the next day and get in line early in the morning instead of in afternoon.
Next morning.....decided not to return to "hot" Philly....instead we drove to what we thought might be "cooler" Fort McHenry (guess all the grass and trees around it fooled us). The fort is on a hill overlooking the Patapsco River several miles below Baltimore. I did not get to visit the fort when I was in Baltimore in June so it was a win-win for both of us. Am so glad we went out there........The museum had a movie that did an outstanding job of bringing the events surrounding the "Star Spangled Banner" poem to life. In 1814, during the War of 1812, the British needed to eliminate Fort McHenry so they could make a successful attack on Baltimore. Francis Scott Key was detained on a British ship anchored across the river from the Fort (remember the Star Spangled buoy marks the spot)....he was an influential lawyer who had come out to the British ship to negotiate the release of an imprisoned friend. While onboard, he apparently learned of the impending attack on the fort and was held so he could not tell the Americans. The British bombed the fort for 25 hours....Key watched the bombs "bursting in air" and feared for the survival of the fort. Next morning he saw the huge American flag "waving in the air" and was moved to pen a few lines of a poem......when he was released that day he returned to Baltimore where he wrote most of the rest of the poem we know as our national anthem. It was originally titled "Defense of Fort McHenry", published the next day and was soon being sung to the tune "To Anacreon in Heaven". Now known as "The Star Spangled Banner", it was made our national anthem in 1931.
I was very hot so took shelter in the shade under a roof overhang while Jim walked around the fort. It is surrounded by a dry moat and dirt embankments fortified with stone which enclose enlisted and officer's quarters down in the hollow. Rows of large black cannons point towards the river and the British fleet. Unfortunately, the range of the guns was so limited that the British navy could stay outside of their range but with their greater range could send cannon that reached the fort. Even more amazing that the fort did not surrender!
Despite the heat, I was very glad we went.
In current BoatUS magazine, an article about ICOM RAM mics having insulation that cracks and falls off...very description of my mic! Apparently, BoatUS had received complaints from several members and had become involved. As a result, ICOM agreed to replace cord at no charge, regardless of mic model or warranty status. Hooray! Since I have a temporary stable mailing address, I boxed mine up, enclosed the ICOM repair request form and mailed it to ICOM in Washington state. It should be back in mail this week....
Sue Creek, where BYC is located, seems to be a very popular spot for numerous power boats (large and small) and a few sailboats to anchor on pleasant weekend afternoons. Some of them form rafts of two or more boats. Although Sue Creek is longer than Jordan Creek and about as wide as Jordan Creek (minus the marinas), it was chocked full of anchored power boats. Seemed that I could almost lean out from my stern and shake hands with the nearest boat's occupants! Boats passing through all the anchored boats have to run a kind of obstacle course! As soon as the anchor was down, the people offloaded all kinds of water toys....floats of every description including platforms with "seats" for one or four, colorful noodles, lounge floats, ring floats. They string them together with line tied to the boat.....otherwise the float and person would drift down the creek! One boat even had a floating bar with drinks!
Another large power boat had what looked like a small ramp off the swim platform that went down to the water......they would toss a red plastic toy into the water and two small dogs (maybe Boston terriers) would jump in, retrieve and return with it. I wondered how they would get back aboard.....that's the purpose of the ramp! The dogs would bark, the owner would toss the toy and in they would leap to get the toy and repeat! Abigail had a squealing fit whenever the dogs barked.....but she was not about to jump in!
I had bought a small float at Walmart and wanted to join the crowd in the slightly briny water but I was reluctant to take the plunge...worried about jelly fish...they would be very numerous at home in Jordan Creek in July and no one there would voluntarily go into the water! But I did not see any in Sue Creek and I scanned the water searching for any. I also reasoned that all the people and kids would not be in the water if jellies were around. So I took the plunge and jumped in...the water felt delicious! It was comfortably warm but cool enough in the 95 degree heat to keep me comfortable. No jelly fish to be seen...to justify my "float" time, I scrubbed the dirt from Celerity's topsides (accumulated in Rock Hall during the night at "the wall")....shiny red again. And then just floated around......glorious way to spend a few hours and a great way to cool off! I felt like a kid again.
Plans for the next adventure are pending.....however for several reasons they will not include a trip around NJ to NY. Those plans will be postponed to next year...as a good friend said, NY will be there next year. Instead, I will stay in the Bay and explore more of the Eastern and western Shores of MD and VA. There is still so much to see! Jim has also decided not to head North....he will soon be heading south to a yard in VA to haul the boat and do a long list of large projects. They will take him 6-8 weeks to complete and he does not want to be there when cold weather comes! I plan to be back at the Creek by late Sept/early Oct.....hopefully, after the probability of hurricanes has passed.