St. Michaels, MD

The Waterman in the picture was fishing on our stern Friday morning for blue crabs in a different way than I have seen before. He has a long line with bait every couple feet, the crabs hang onto the bait as it comes up on a roller you see on his port stern, he nets them and puts them into his baskets. (neat)
We weighed the anchor Friday mid AM and headed for St. Michael's, our next stop. We saw a couple cool boats on our trip I thought you might like to see. We arrived at St. Michael's harbor at our next marina, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Marina mid afternoon and found our slip not the easiest to get into. We had to maneuver between pilings about 20 foot apart and 20 foot off the bulkhead at the same time turn September Song against the bulkhead. Oh, did I mention our spot is only about 65 foot (September Song is 60 foot including the swim platform) with a very expensive antique Museum boat on our bow. Thank goodness for a bow thruster, twin engines and a great crew. (Stephanie is great)
We took a quick look at the town last night, had dinner, and found the ice cream parlor. (YUM)
Time to get out Bee and Bop, (the bikes) thanks Patti, and Bee Bop to the farmers market, then go exploring.

September Song out
Bob


Waterman fishing for blue crab

Cool ship

Skipjack - traditional Chesapeake boat

Entering St. Michael's Harbor

Old time marina's

Oxford

We left the town dock at Cambridge and entered another calm beautiful day on the Chesapeake. We arrived at Oxford at 11:30, set the anchor, put Half Note in the water, and headed for town. Oxford is a quaint little town with about 150 historic homes, all the side walks are still the original brick, lots of old time marina's, and one grocery store that is stuck in the 60's. We stopped at the 60's grocery store, had sandwiches made up, and went to one of the parks on the water and enjoyed lunch and the view. After lunch we walked the town a little more and then boarded Half Note, headed back to the boat to pick up the kids and go for a swim and play on the new beach. Pica doesn't swim unless he is forced too, so he hung out in the compartment under the center console in the shade. (cool cat) If you are looking for shopping, Oxford isn't the place to go. If you are looking for a historic little laid-back town, this is it. Oxford is one of the most charming historic towns we have visited yet. Later, in the cool of the evening we will take Half Note out and explore the creeks and inlets. We will hang out here for another day, then Friday we will head for St. Michael's where we will be docked at the Maritime Museum Marina until the 23rd and then on to Annapolis.


6 MPH is the magic # in the no wake zones

Mouth of the channel to Oxford

Waterman selling their catch

All the side walks are the original old brick in Oxford

Parks on the water front

Old historic homes

The only grocery store in town

Pica's hang out on the tender (keeping cool)

Welcome to Cambridge

Tuesday was a travel day. After waiting out the early AM rain. We arrived in Cambridge at 4:00 and tied up at the city FREE dock (we like FREE) and found only one other boat there. I don't know where all the boats are, I guess it has alot to do with the fuel prices. I am glad we have a full displacement trawler that sips fuel rather than gulp it. It also helps that we are running at slower rpm's and enjoying the journey.
Cambridge is another great biking town to explore, with a beautiful historic downtown, great waterfront and old historic homes that go on for block after block. It was a good day to bike and we took full advantage of it. We did the downtown first, then the historic homes, and then the waterfront. After a short nap we walked to the fish market and bought one pound of jumbo lump crab. (yum) I hope I don't offend anyone back in Georgia but, the blue crab are much better from the Chesapeake.
OK, now to the bike names. Today I decided that the boat has a name, the tender has a name, you have a name, but our poor little bikes have remained nameless since they arrived last Christmas. If anyone has any ideas, please let us know. Just think, you could be the one to name them.
Tomorrow we cast off the lines and travel to Oxford, our next port about 3 hours away.

From The FREE dock in Cambridge
September Song out
Bob

Historic district

This one is for you Patti

Help us name our bikes

Can you see the ghost in the dormer window

Color on the water

In Cambridge harbor

No wind today so we play

Island beach

I remembered the camera today.
We started off our day as any other day at anchor when we just hang out, ride to the beach to let the girls do their morning thing, come back and have coffee and enjoy the morning, have breakfast on the aft deck, watch the today show, (yes we have sat TV) go to our little Island beach and play with the girls, take a ride in Half Note andexplore, have lunch on the aft deck, take a nap, read a little, do a few small chores around the boat, hang out on the floats behind the boat, have a snack on the aft deck, read a little more, have chicken nachos and margaritas for dinner, take the girls to the beach to do their thing, hang out on the back deck, have dessert and watch the sun set over the anchorage. What a gloriously boring day. :-) Tomorrow we weigh the anchor (probably 100 Lbs. with the mud on it) and head for Cambridge and Oxford where we will spend 3 or 4 days.

See you at the next stop
September Song out
Bob


I told you it was little

Cassi chasing fish