We took a break from cruising for about a week to hang out on the boat in Annapolis, visit with friends, get some exercise and re-charge. And then we got delayed — by weather, naturally.

October 22 – 27, 2021
Annapolis, MD
Days 11 – 15

Just when you are getting ready to toss the lines and get under way again, the weather stops you. We had enjoyed five days in Annapolis and were ready to move on, when a gale descended on Chesapeake Bay. We decided one or two more days would be the wise choice.

We always have fun here. This visit was no exception. Friends to visit. Food to eat. Drinks to drink. And exercise — something that is often in short supply while traveling. Annapolis is a great place to walk, and we did as much as we could. The puppies helped, and loved every step of it.

We arrived just as the weekend was getting under way. We tied up in one of the slips in Ego Alley, right across from Pusser’s Annapolis. Needless to say, we were entertained. It was noisy, but we knew before we arrived that it would be. We can’t complain, because that’s just how it is in Ego Alley.

We spent a few warm, sunny afternoons and evenings on the flybridge, watching the activity. There is a never-ending parade of boats of all sorts, big and small, fancy and simple. Great people watching. Lots of dogs. An excellent way to enjoy the Annapolis waterfront.

I have mentioned Bruce’s Facebook group, Trawler Life, a few times. Well, we discovered that there are lots of Trawler Life members here in the Annapolis area. More than a dozen either came by the boat to say hi, or recognized us and stopped us on the street. It’s a bit of a hoot. I do have to say that all of them have been really, really nice, and some are quite interesting. We never envisioned what Trawler Life would become. It definitely adds a fun new dimension to our cruising.

Social media in general has been a wonderful tool as we travel by water. It has enabled us to meet a lot more fellow cruisers than we would otherwise, and, perhaps more importantly, it has enabled us to stay in touch with those we have met and enjoy. It’s a different world.

We had our share of good food in Annapolis. COVID-driven outside dining was everywhere, which was great because we could bring the dogs along. For convenience, we enjoyed the Iron Rooster and Mission BBQ, both right on the docks, an obligatory breakfast at Chick and Ruth’s Delly, and a great evening at Lewnes Steakhouse in Eastport. There are so many choices in Annapolis. Plus, we enjoyed a wonderful meal with Dee and Jocelyn at their home. You can’t beat that.

Annapolis is a wonderful town for walking. We made multiple trips over the Spa Creek Bridge to Eastport with the dogs, which is always pleasant and gets us out of the bustle of the historic downtown area. Annapolis is a very dog-friendly town. Ollie and Maisie had many opportunities to practice their social skills. The Naval Academy is also an excellent destination for exploring, and of course the downtown streets and neighborhoods are all fun. We love the variety.

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The weather was wonderful for our stay, but as so often happens, just as we were getting ready to leave, things went bad. A large storm brewed off the coast and brought two days of gale warnings to the Chesapeake. We were spared the worst of it, which really beat up New England, but gale warnings did keep us in port an extra day.

We finally cast off our lines on the sixth day. It was still blustery but the wind was out of the north and we were headed south, and was forecast to diminish during the day. We had enjoyed our stay but were ready to move on.