Just Can't Wait to get on the Bay Again!
17 November 2009 | Solomon's Island, MD
Beth / 59 F
We may actually leave the dock today!
The water tanks are in; all the connections are happening as I write; the lid goes back on so our mattress doesn't fall into the hole.
We've been cleaning starling droppings off the decks regularly and will be very glad to be rid of that. Funny that there was no problem for the first 10 days and now they are dropping bombs on an hourly basis. We have sails on and flags flying so, other than an interior that still looks trashed, we are ready to go.
Weatherwise - we are experiencing a whole gamut of conditions. Big shivery winds, rain and high water (over our dock on Friday) from Wednesday to Saturday, then summer-like warmth and sunshine on Sunday and Monday - and I mean summer-like - T-shirts and shorts!!
On Sunday, Jim and I took a drive to St. Mary's City which we were surprised to discover has no downtown at all. We weren't expecting a city, but we thought there would be a village. Instead, it is composed of a recreated historic site (Historic St. Mary's City), a pretty residential area, and is home to St. Mary's College - an attractive brick campus in the middle of nowhere. Folks say it is a well regarded school, has a free outdoor concert series in the summer, and welcomes visitors to its dining room.
I spent several hours on Monday visiting the Calvert Marine Museum - just up the road from the boatyard. What a treat that was. It's a fine museum with lots of hands on areas and friendly people. In fact, I spent a good part of my visit chatting with Bud at the ticket desk, Lucy and Rose at the sandbox and the "OK to touch" tank, and Karl at the sting ray and skate tank. I never fail to be inspired by spending time with people who love what they do and are positively excited about sharing their expertise with visitors. I picked out a fossilized piece of stingray tooth (from about 24 million years ago!!!), learned a whole lot about horseshoe crabs (that don't look at all like I thought they did and are extensively used in research because of their blue blood), found out more about skates and stingrays (camouflage abilities, egg cases) and compared modern day teeth and barbs to fossilized ones. I laughed out loud at the antics of the river otters in their big tank as they swam by and then wrestled and played on their log before rolling off into the water again. Fish tanks, boat and motor displays, "Solomon's Island then and now" exhibits, and of course the well restored screwpile style Drum Point Lighthouse were also on my path through the museum.
Because of fumes from the fiberglassing yesterday, we had to call on Hackett hospitality again. We had invited them over for happy hour Monday evening, but had to call back and ask if we could go there for happy hour and stay all night! We had another rip-roaring good time with Carole, Richard and Joe - swapping stories and laughs and munching on shrimp and sausage and cheese and veggies and shrimp dip and crackers and nuts and olives and.... - a happy hour/dinner in the best of cruising traditions.