Back in Annapolis
Author: Shirlz
Thursday, 8 October 2015
I left St Michaels and moved back to Annapolis where I found a good anchorage in Weems Creek. I had received a message from the SA Embassy in DC that my new passport was ready for collection.
A lazy scene on the Potomac
A little internet research revealed a commuter bus that runs during rush hours between Annapolis and Washington and it starts from a point about 15 minutes’ walk away from where I can leave the dinghy at the Tucker Street boat ramp. It meant an early start, as the last morning bus leaves at 7am. The trip took about 1hr 30min and cost me all of $4 each way (as an old person of course). I got the passport and spent the rest of the day doing the usual sight-seeing.
An old canal
A slow walk back from the embassy on Massachusetts Avenue took me through a lovely park and then on along the bank of the Potomac River. I spent some time downtown and ended up in the Museum of Fine Art for a quick culture shot.
I spotted a deer in the park
First bus back leaves about 3:30. It was a successful day.
Weems Creek is quite convenient for local shopping and very well protected. I decided to stay for a while and try to reduce the length of my job list.
Last week the weather turned nasty with 5 days of strong winds and torrential rain. The water tanks were nicely filled, but getting ashore was not an option. I hauled the dinghy up on deck to keep it safe and avoid having to keep climbing down to bail out the rainwater which threatened to sink it. With no sun for the solar panel to convert to amps, I was forced to run the engine for a few hours to top up the battery. And it turned cold. After years of tropical heat to suddenly find myself experiencing temperatures down to 11C soon had me searching for woolly socks and a warm jersey. It made a delicious change.
Weems Creek after the storm
Hurricane Joaquin was strengthening and moving through the Bahamas. At one point it looked as if it might head directly for Chesapeake Bay. I anxiously read up on how best to handle things if the worst came to the worst. I let out all my chain and checked that the Fortress anchor was ready if needed. I hate putting out two anchors unless absolutely necessary. The wind regularly gusted to 30 knots but the water was relatively flat as there is not much fetch across the Severn River. It was much like a strong trade wind day in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou. Great relief when Joaquin headed further offshore. It was a guilty relief for me, when I thought of my friends in Bermuda.
But now the danger is past and the creek is quite beautiful. Calm blue water, trees just starting to get their autumn colours. The ospreys have left. I keep an eye on a bald eagle who has a nest in a tree nearby and makes an occasional appearance. The canada geese and terns are gathering. A great blue heron stands sentinel in a favourite spot on the river bank. Each morning a crab boat does its rounds and I watch the lone skipper dipping his net and collecting the crabs that cling tenaciously to the bait on his trolling line. Lisa and Joyce gave me a book called ‘Beautiful Swimmers’ by William W. Warner. The title is a translation of the Latin name for the blue crab – ‘Callinectes sapidus’ – literally, beautiful and tasty swimmers. The crabs have a very interesting life cycle and the book describes the work of the watermen who harvest them. It gave me a new perspective on the bay and the cursed crab pots.
I have to start to think about moving south but will stay for a few more days and have a look at the US Boat Show which runs from tomorrow till Monday.
PS: I had to do this post to get the picture of that scary snake off the start of my blog..
