TWO HUNDRED YEARS LATER
June 13, 2012
Without the least bit of planning, we happen to be in the middle of the bulk of the combat areas of the War of 1812. June 18 is the date the war started between the British and the US. This being the 200th anniversary, there are several significant events being planned this summer. Baltimore seems to be the focal point of the events with festivities celebrating the poem “Defense of Fort McHenry” which became the Star Spangled Banner. There are to be several large gatherings of tall ships from around the world. It is called Op Sail and the ships will stop in several ports in the Chesapeake. For more information this web site is a good start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812 .
I have an AIS capability on my IPhone ™ which today shows several tall ships underway toward Baltimore. Even the tall ships have to deal with wind on the nose. That must be a real challenge for square rigged ships. Tacking to weather is not easy for the tall ships and methinks it might take a few dozen crew to do it. Literally, there are ships from all over the world. Hopefully, we will get chance to see some of them underway.
A boat club from Oxford, MD tied close to us last evening. They are doing a grand cruise on the Bay. The thing is that most of the crews are “more seasoned” than we. It was very interesting to speak with a lady who has been “on the water” for well over our age. They decided to skip the annual run to Maine this year and take it easy on the Bay. While they now cruise aboard a trawler in Bristol condition, she quickly admits that she is a sailor and does not prefer power boating. Near 90 years old and still on the water. How grand is that.

The picture is of a "Bugeye" sailing oyster boat at the Calvert Museum.