Godiva, rolling in the grass. I think she is smiling!

Out exploring on the tender.

While we were out exploring, we saw six eagles.

Sunset on the Wye River. It is so beautiful here!

Baltimore, MD

We left our beautiful anchorage on the Sassafras River, and headed to Baltimore, MD. Baltimore is another one of our favorite stops while in the Chesapeake, and our most favorite area of Baltimore is historic Fells Point. Fells Point was founded in 1730, long before Baltimore was a city. Fells Point has had a large Irish and Polish population over the years, and has few chain restaurants. Most of the restaurants, stores, and 130 pub/bars, are locally owned. If you hit every restaurant and pub/bar, it would take at least a year to hit them all. We hit a few, and they were all fun, especially the pubs. We took a three mile walking tour, and from the cobblestone streets to the beautiful old buildings, it's a great place to explore. What's not to love about Fells Point!

September Song (we will be back, Fells Point) out
Bob


Crabbers, out checking their pots as we made our way to Baltimore.

As you come into Baltimore harbor, you pass this buoy that is the spot where Francis Scott Key wrote the National Anthem.

A hospital ship, docked in Baltimore Harbor.

Fins for wind generators, stacked in front of a wind generator factory in Baltimore. If you look at the right side of the picture, you can see a semi parked next to the fins. This gives you and idea of how huge these things are.

The day after we arrived, a cold front and a warm front met. We had winds of 59.3 MPH. Sure glad we were tied to a dock. I can't believe the people that don't prepare for a storm in marinas. Bimini tops gone, and stuff left on the docks are no longer there. We don't worry about September Song because we prepare. The thing we worry about is the stuff flying off the other boats and docks, and the sailboat floating free in the harbor.

The old buildings in Fells Point.

 

They left out the first part on this pub sign!

This one is for you Di. (Aurora) One of Di's favorite sayings.

Yes Tammy, we hit One Eyed Mikes, one of your favorites.

Old buildings and cobblestone streets.

Beautiful old homes on our walking tour.

Trash is always a problem in harbors. This machine cruises around and collects trash from the water, including all the stuff that blew of the docks during the storm.

Now that's a Maryland blue crab!

To save the old architecture, they brace up the face, tear down what's behind it, and rebuild behind it, saving the old city charm.

Coal fired pizza. The oven is so hot, that it only takes 90 seconds to bake.

On the move

I think I'm finally caught up!
We are docked at Henderson Wharf Marina, in Fells Point, in Baltimore, MA. We have a storm moving through, with severe thunderstorm warnings out, and it has been blowing 25 to 30, and raining on and off all day. The cold front is about an hour away, and it is going to really blow as it passes through.
Because of the weather, it has given me a chance to catch up on my blog, and us a chance to do a little cleaning.
The storm just rolled through, and it blew at 59.3 MPH. The boat ahead of us lost its bimini top, and as I look out, I see some others flapping in the wind. Some people had things out on the dock that are no longer there, there is a sailboat adrift, and I'm sure there is other damage, but we were prepared, and everything is OK with September Song.
Back to the blog. We left Sandy Hook anchorage to a beautiful, calm, Atlantic, and made our way to Atlantic City, NJ, where we anchored again for the night. Atlantic City is a beautiful sight with all the lights at night. From there, we  headed out into another calm day on the Atlantic, and made our way to Lewes Beach, DE, and anchored out again for the night. The next morning we cruised Delaware Bay. Delaware Bay can be real nasty, but it was calm the whole way to Delaware City. We have been so lucky with the weather! Not too long after we got tied up at the Delaware City Marina, a DeFever 45 RPH pulled in ahead of us. We had never met Jim and Kathy "JimKat" before, but they knew a lot of our cruising friends. (Lifes2Short, Maya, Aurora, and others)  It's a small world out on the water! That evening, we had cocktails on September Song, and went into town for dinner together. What a fun time we had, and I'm sure we will meet up again.
JimKat was headed North, and we are headed south, so we said "until the next time" the next morning, and headed into the C&D Canal for the Chesapeake.
It was great to be back in the Chesapeake, our playground for three summers, and our first stop was a beautiful little cove on the Sassafras River. After we anchored, it was time to catch some blue crabs for dinner. I wasn't disappointed.
The trees are starting to take on their fall colors here, so after a couple of weeks playing in the Chesapeake, and waiting for Joe and Julia "Sea Pearl" to catch up, we will keep pushing South before the butter gets too hard to spread.
YA! All caught up.

September Song (love the Chesapeake) out
Bob


The trees are starting to take on their fall colors, so it will soon be time to head South. 

Beautiful day for a sail on the Delaware Bay.

A couple pieces of string, a little chicken, and Voila, crabs for dinner.

Aren't they beautiful?

A beautiful sunrise on flat calm water, as we left our Lewes Beach anchorage. 

Delaware City Marina. What a fun town.

Dinner with Jim and Kathy at Crabby Dicks.

JimKat, docked behind September Song. I said they came in and docked ahead of us, and they did, but because of the current, and the narrow channel (this was the old C&D Canal in the early 1900's) We turned our boats around during slack tide so we would be pointed out.

Sunrise over Sandy Hook, as we headed out into a calm Atlantic.

This military cargo plane came straight at us at about two hundred feet off the water, waved his wings at us, and pulled up just as he came over us. I wish I could have gotten a picture of it coming at us, but I was frozen in my chair. We have had small planes and copters buzz us before, but not one like this. I did get a picture of it after it flew over us.

It doesn't get any calmer on the Atlantic. What a beautiful cruise! This is one of those times I wish you all could be out there with us, just to see how beautiful it is. Fish, birds, dolphins, and that's England to our port.

Did I mention, it's fly season.

Back down the Hudson

I told you in my blog "Up the Hudson" I mentioned that there was another reason I was glad we made the decision to go up the Hudson. We left our anchorage, and headed back through the beauty of the Hudson, and through lower Manhattan, we passed the New World Trade Center and Memorial on 9/11, at 11:00, eleven years after the attack. Way cool! As we left lower Manhattan, we cruised by the Statue of Liberty one last time, made a stop to take on some fuel, and headed to Sandy Hook to anchor for the night.
Goodbye New York. You were great!

September Song (9/11, may we never forget) out
Bob


The Bear Mountain Bridge. It looks like it goes right into the mountain.

The train to NY, entering a tunnel in the mountain.

View of New York City, as we come back down the Hudson.

The space shuttle is under that gray bubble on the back of the aircraft carrier.

Tons of Coast Guard and police boats around lower Manhattan on 9/11.

Lower Manhattan.

The new World Trade Center and Memorial on 9/11, at 11:00, eleven years after the attack.

One last look at the grand Lady, as we leave New York Harbor.