Saturday, September 2, 2023

Baltimore Inner Harbor

This official USCG navigation marker identifies the spot
where Francis Scott Key was aboard an anchored British
warship as the ship bombarded Fort McHenry in Baltimore
and Mr. Key penned the Star Spangled Banner.

Baltimore Cruise Day 2

As reported by Captain Sean:
Labor Day Cruise, Day 2:  Saturday we woke up in Bodkin Creek, had breakfast, and headed for Baltimore. The shipping channel was busy with freighters, barges, and recreational traffic. After passing Fort Carroll and the Key Bridge, we had to get some photos at the Frances Scott Key Memorial Buoy, the spot where he wrote the Star Spangled Banner during the war of 1812. We passed by Fort McHenry, and then on to Inner Harbor to anchor. Coming into Inner Harbor on my own boat has been a dream of mine since 9th grade when we stopped there for lunch on a band trip. As soon as we set the anchor, a tour boat captain hailed us, had us switch to 81, and said that he didn't think we could anchor there. My dream almost ended quickly. I replied that I showed it as an anchorage on my chart, then a lady from the Coast Guard said "I see the sailboat, he is in the anchorage, he's fine."  We were back in business!  So we dropped the dinghy, fought our way through all the sea dragons there, and took a tour of the Historic Ships of Baltimore. We got to see them all before they kicked us out at 5p. We motored up to Anchorage Marina and pulled into our nice slip E-33 with full-length floating fingers with tie-offs on either side. We got cleaned up and then went to a catered party they were having with a band. We met Ken and Chris, who have a motor cat named Green Envy that they take to the Bahamas for a several months every year. We hung out on their boat for awhile and talked about the full-time cruising lifestyle. We wanted to see Fells Point, so Allen Murphy , Warren Stewart, and I found and ice cream place to head to. We lost Bill Paviol at the party. No real sailing yet, but it was a great day.


Baltimore Harbor

Historic screwpile lighthouse in
Baltimore's Inner Harbor.


South Paw at anchor in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
Murph capture's South Paw in the Inner Harbor.

Historic WWII submarine at
Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
Baltimore Clipper model at the entry to the "Constellation"

Bill takes over temporarily for a staffer.
Guy, Sean, Bill at the USCG Cutter

South Paw in her slip at
Anchorage Marina, Baltimore. 

The full time cruising catamaran we
met at Anchorage Marina.

We just liked the wild design!



 The band at the marina was terrific!

An historical anchor, I noted the 
similarity to our anchor on South Paw!

Notice the bent stock on South Paw's anchor!

Track for our cruise from Bodkin Creek to the Inner Harbor.

Track from our anchorage in the Inner Harbor to
our slip in the Anchorage Marina.

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