04/22/24 Norfolk, Virginia to 5/1/204 The Chesapeake Bay

04/23/2024

Left Norfolk, Virginia heading to Deltaville.

We passed a naval base as we were leaving the harbor. There was a naval boat in the water making sure you did not get too close.

A submarine passed behind us. Again, warnings went out to keep your distance. The broadcast also stated that it was going to submerge on the other side of the bay. Nancy and Dave got to Deltaville after us and rafted up to us. A couple from England passed by on their dinghy and we invited them over for drinks and snacks. A very interesting couple who have another boat in England but bought a boat here in the states to do the loop.
This was a very peaceful anchorage with a beautiful sunset.

04/24/2024

We headed to Tangier Island and docked at Parks Marina. This is a really small town of about 436 people. Nancy and I got our bikes out and rode around this also small island. Most shops were closed until Memorial Day when boaters start coming to the town.

The owner of the marina provided warm hospitality to boaters for decades. He passed away a few years ago. The man below (Norm) seem to have taken over as being the greeter. He provided us with information about the little island, marina and its inhabitants.

The boat below has been like that for at least 7 years. When the owner said he was coming for it - Norm bailed out the water and got it upright, but the owner never showed.

This boat looked like they were going to try and restore it but gave up.

Lorraine's is the only restaurant open (4 to 8) until Memorial Day. We ate there and there were alot of take out orders during that time.

This is one of at least 4 cemeteries we rode by. The coffins are now enclosed in burial vaults because when it flooded the ground would get soft and bodies could be found rising out of. the ground. The vaults keep them secure.

This house is one of the bigger homes on the island. It was built in 1887 and is the only house with a basement and the first to have an indoor bathroom. It was the first home to have a chainlink fence, starting the trend to replace wooden picket fencing.

Instead of a row of colored homes - theres a row of colored birdhouses !! The chickens below had quarter machines outside their cage to purchase feed for them (of course we did)

A look down one of about six streets in the town.

Joshua Thomas converted to Methodism in 1807, was licensed as an exhorter (or lay preacher). Later he was ordained an elder. He served the Chesapeake area for four decades. Known as "The Parsons of the Islands" he traveled by canoe called The Methodist. He raised his family on Tangier Island. According to history he conducted services for the British forces stationed at Fort Albion during the War of 1812 and foretold their defeat in 1814. Fort Albion which was built on the Island was subsequently destroyed and is now under water.

This is all that remains of what once was a shirt factory built near a bridge to take advantage of the water transportation. The factory employed 60 women and turned out 125 dozen shirts a day. In 1927 the factory was burnt down by arson. Legend says it was committed by men who were against their wives working in the factory. All that remains is this part of concrete foundation.

Since burial space is limited, some families have buried their loved ones in their yards

One of my favorite sunset - the clouds and pink hue !!

4/25/2024

Left Tangier Island to head to Solomons

A few pictures as we left the island - they say within the next 30 to 40 years this Island may be under water. What was once a prosperous fishing town is now many abandoned homes on the waterway.

As predicted we were in for some rocky waters until we got some shelter from the eastern shoreline of Maryland.

A lighthouse in the middle of the waters - not sure if it was functioning

We arrived at Zahniser's Safe Harbor. This was a great place - free laundry (I got 5 loads done LOL), newly remodeled bathrooms with showers, a driver to take us wherever we needed to during the day.

04/26/24

The driver took us to Walmart for groceries and waited to take us back. We had a quick lunch and went over to the Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center. They had just had "Fairies in the Garden" the weekend before, but some of the exhibits were still there. The Sculpture Garden has permanent and loaned works of outdoor sculptures.

Gathering Oysters

The entrance way into the gardens

Curved Form

A macrame bird

Monumental Standing Cardinal

A crocheted mermaid

Crochet woodpecker on tree

This was actually etched into the stone

Deer Crossing

Another etched stone

Medusa snake head

Poolside Fairies

Fairy Village

The flowers were as vibrant as ever

Interesting book art

The driver picked us up and drove us over to the Calvert Marine Museum

In the past boats were put on a railway type system to take them out of the water to work on them. Today they use Pulleys and motorized walk along.

There were several of these beautifully hand made motorized sailboats about three foot long

The Drum Point Lighthouse is one of only four surviving Screw pile lighthouses. It was relocated to the Calvert Museum in 1974. After 79 years of service it had been decommissioned in 1962. Maryland finally acquired it in 1974 after it had been added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1973.

04/27/2024

We had to dodge the sailboats that were in training to enter the town of Oxford. Another small town of 862.

We arrived in Oxford in the early afternoon set the anchor, rafted together and dingy-ed into town.We just missed the "Oxford Days Parade".

Walked around the little town

This was a 150 year old church - St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Captain John Banning , mariner and patriot, was appointed the Collector and Inspector by President George Washingtonin 1791. This was the Custom House a one room building.

Believed to be nation's oldest privately operated ferry service. The ferry has plied across Tred Avon River since 1683. Service has been continuous since 1836.

Flowers in season (this home had the most tulips I have ever seen)

I am sure someone knows this flower - I thought it was pretty (ready to bloom)

Sunset to end the evening

4/28/2024

Left Oxford to head to St. Michael's (population 1100). Local lore hails St. Michael's for "fooling the British" during the war of 1812 by using lanterns to misdirect enemy gunfire high above the town.

During the war of 1812 the young United States was in conflict with Great Britain. From 182 to 1815 Americans fought to protect their rights and economic dependence. The important Chesapeake Bay region felt the brunt of the war, there were shipping blockades and they were ravaged by the enemy. Thought there was no clear victor at the end of the, the United States protected its democracy and emerged with heightened stature on the world stage.

This was the tourist area - several buildings to walk in and out of

The car museum - it was a one room display

For a small cigar store they had lots of boxes on display

This was the millwork

This was a shallop that Captain John Smith used to travel around the Chesapeake Bay in 1608

This was a huge home in the bay area where we anchored (considering the population there were several homes under reconstruction and new homes being built)

I have never seen a goose guarding its eggs in an above ground, over the water nest - she was there all day while we went into town and we saw her still there in the morning. Looks like she was occupying an Osprey nest.

4/29/2024

Passed one of the four remaining lighthouses like this on the Chesapeake Bay. Not sure if it is operational - but since its been kept up.

Arrived in Annapolis in the early afternoon - I took my bike out to explore the area. This was a mural near our marina depicting Annapolis in old days

The town Mural

Thurgood Marshall - an American civil rights lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1967 until 1991.

He successfully sued the University of Maryland to admit a young African American Amherst University graduate named Donald Gaines Murray.

This case was dismissed on the technical matter where Mr Pearson paid his taxes. His land straddled more than one school district. The court ruled that Pearson had no legal standing because he paid taxes in District 5 and his children attended school in districts 22 and 26.

Always an ice cream shop

Several Irish bars in the area

The backyard of the Governors house

Maryland state house currently being remodeled.

St. Anne's Episcopal Church which had an iron fence around it dedicated as an iron Rosary, a Circle of Prayer. For Advent 2020 during Covid crisis they set up a prayer station and a box to collect prayer cards. They were laminated and tied on the spokes of the Rosary fence. Today the church advocates you make prayer cards at home leave in box and they will put on fence as their prayer rosary.

4/30/2024

Went to the Naval Academy. Took a walking tour around the grounds (well worth it !!).

Candidates for admission generally must apply directly to the academy and apply separately for a nomination, usually from a member of Congress. Students are officers-in-training with the rank of midshipman. Tuition for midshipmen is fully funded by the Navy in exchange for 5 years of active duty service upon graduation.

President George Washington presented Irish-born John Barry with Commission Number One. He affirmed his trust in Barry's leadership to establish the Navy under the Constitution. Barry directed the construction of the Navy's first frigate, USS United States,which he commanded. He trained many of the Navy's first officers, including the heroes of 1812. In 2005 Congress recognized him as the first flag officer of the navy. He was a uniformed head of the navy under Presidents George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson until his death in 1803

Of course I got a picture of the wrestling room !!

These are the gold footballs which were given to the navy for their win over the army football game

It was sexual, physical and verbal abuse awareness month

Entryway into the main offices of the teachers, lunch room and some dormitories. French architecture throughout the grounds was amazing

A replica model of the Wright B-1 aircraft

Submarine statue in memory of navy submarine forces. If you look under the submarine in the water you will see faces of the lost men.

The Chapel below holds Catholic and Protestant services.

The tomb of John Paul Jones. The incredible coffin is covered in sculpted barnacles and is held up by legs in the shape of stylized dolphins. The whole thing is sculpted out of a black and white marble that makes it look as though it has been weathered by untold ages beneath the waves.

John Paul Jones was born in Scotland, his dedication to independence and freedom for the United States and the world, and his fighting spirit, gave to the united States Navy its earliest traditions of courage, honor, and victory.

These are the different doorways around the academy - I believe we saw almost all of them.

Everyday at lunch time the students at the academy have to line up in the court yard and go through a drill before they can enter the building. This video is towards the end. You can see the cadets already heading into the building on the right and left walkway ramps.

05/01/2024

Spent another day in Annapolis. We went back to the Naval Academy to visit the Museum which was closed the day before.

The USS Pennsylvania

The Naval Academy has had a goat as its mascot since 1890 when on their march from the ferry station at Highland Falls up the steep hill to West Point to play the first Army - Navy Football Game, they saw a goat outside the Noncom's Houses at West Point and promptly commandeered "Billy" for the mascot. Since then the goat has remained as the mascot. To date there have been 37 goats.

The main street that houses teachers and coaches

Below is known as the Herndon Monument. Demonstrating the teamwork and perseverance they have learned during their first year at the academy, the plebes build a human pyramid to remove the “dixie cup” hat at the top of the vegetable shortening-covered monument and replace it with an upperclassman’s hat. After successfully completing the Herndon climb, the freshmen are no longer called plebes but “fourth class midshipmen.”

The men and women were in white today as recognizing the change of season and end of year. Tomorrow they will be in their fatigues.

We just happened upon this man receiving a Silver Medal for Valor. The above midshipman were taught by him in class and on the field for Lacrosse.

I visited the State House:

The 48-piece service depicts 167 scenes from the history of Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City. Governor Edwin Warfield commissioned the service in 1904, but no funds were allocated for its creation. He put a state wide fundraising effort to raise $5000.00 to designand fabricate it. In 1906 it was completed. It was used until the late 1940's, it was placed on display in the State House in 1962.

George Washington’s resignation as commander-in-chief of the
Continental Army was the final revolutionary act of the American Revolution.
Many, especially in Europe, had expected that he would assume power and lead the new nation into the early stages of its independence.

Being the 1st of May, today was known as May Day. Every year, on May 1st the city is transformed with colorful arrangements of blossoms and blooms. Containers full of fresh-cut flowers are thoughtfully placed in front of businesses and homes as part of the annual May basket competition.