We spent a great few days in Annapolis. It is truly amazing how many boats are in and around this great sailing area. We anchored in Back Creek in Eastport which is the close neighbour of Annapolis. Boats are anchored everywhere and close. A neat thing about this place is that at the end of most streets which dead end at the water, there is a dinghy dock which you can tie up to to go ashore.

We are anchored in a very convenient place, albeit scary in terms of our proximity to other boats. As I mentioned in our last blog, I along with two great guys on a Hunter 40 from Quebec, Guy and Jean-Guy, rescued a boat whose anchor was dragging while they were at the boat show. They liken the mud bottom where we are to mayonnaise and even though the anchor is set, the boat keeps pulling the anchor through this stuff.

You would not believe the number of Canadian boats; many from Quebec. It is great because whenever I get a chance, I practice my French. We meet a fellow from Quebec but originally from Paquetville. He is a Chiasson; his mother a Theriault; probably related to my colleague and good friend Donat. The community is friendly and interesting.

So Thursday, Judy and I take the 15 minute walk from our boat to downtown Annapolis, where we had breakfast and shopped. Back to the boat and then a great run for both Judy and I. Those of you who know us also know that we are avid runners; perhaps me more than Judy. But, nonetheless, it is an important part of our lives. So when we can get out, it is great.

On our way back we are invited to Breeze Hunter, the beautiful Hunter 427DS we crossed paths with earlier on our trip. They had friends from their yacht club from Ontario visiting them so we had a great evening with Kathy and Darius the owners and their friends Wayne and Cindy. We really like their boat; it is larger in most proportions than Sea Sharp.

When we awake on Friday, I chat with our neighbour who we met in Staten Island, and she tells me our boats swung through the night and came close to bumping. We'll more when we get a chance. What happens is when the tide/wind shift and the anchor resets, we may move several feet. Over a period of time, and given our close proximity to begin with, we become too close.

To the boat show on Friday. For those boaters who have never been to this show, it is truly amazing. Booked as the largest boat show in North America, There is virtually every model of every sailboat manufacturer in North America on display. We're talking big boats. There was a brand new Hinckley 70 on display. All these boats are lined up in docks which are one after the other. In addition just about every manufacturer of boat equipment is there as well as endless booths selling everything from clothing, to sunglasses, to massages, to time shares to boat loans. There were many booths hawking boat loans.

We visit all the Hunters. They are glamorous and huge but in many respects, we prefer Sea Sharp; it has nicer wood below and suits us well. The closest boat to ours is the Hunter 38 which now sells for about $200K and of course does not have near the gear we have. We like the Hunter 45 the best but at $350K, we'll stay put for now.

We buy some stuff; Judy gets boat cloths from Latitudes and Attitudes; Bob Bitchen is very much in evidence. Even after having lost 100 pounds he is still one huge guy.

Among the things I buy at the show are a new VHF radio. We already have three and a half radios. A base station with a Ram Mic as well as two handhelds. But I suspect a problem with the base radio and figure that rather than try to diagnose the problem, I'll buy another new one to install at the helm attached to a separate antennae which I've installed on the stern rail. I've got to get to West Marine, a few miles out of town to pick it up. I take a cab out but figure I'll take the bus home. The five minute cab ride, took about an hour coming home as I got on the wrong bus and had to transfer.
On Saturday, I want to go back to the show, but Judy wants to do other stuff so she takes me in and we part ways; she to take Chopin for long walks, go for a run and relax. Me to spend more money on boat stuff. Non-boaters take note that as much as sailing, boaters love to buy gadgets; stuff we don't really need for huge prices. We brag about the great deal we got on some insignificant part which you would think Crappy Tire would sell for $5.99 but because we get it at West Marine and it's made of stainless we pay $150.00.

Judy picks me up mid afternoon and I set to tear the boat apart in order to install the new radio. I had every locker emptied of its contents and tools strewed about; The boat was a mess.

We bought tickets to the bash at the Eastport Yacht Club. Billed as having three bands, lots of food, and fun, we could not resist. It was fun and we danced and ate and generally had a good time. Met new folks and headed home around 11:00 - a very late night for us.

All in all, our Annapolis respite was great. While it is amazingly busy with boats moving in and out the harbour constantly, it is exciting. We met many fine people and helped the US economy recover from the current doldrums by spending some good old Canuck bucks.