It began as an easy day trip to Annapolis, MD that culminated in a frenzy to find a marina at the last minute. We try to anchor whenever possible but when doing our research en route for anchorages we learned that we were too big to fit in the mooring areas in the creeks. The alternatives were to anchor in the choppy, rough water harbor or find a marina. Since a storm was predicted during the night we opted for Bert Jabin Marina/Boat Storage. It was a good call since the winds did pick up. We were surrounded by sailboats in the marina. They are so loud they can wake the dead in a stiff wind. From my limited knowledge of sailboats I understand that it’s the sails’ hoisting cables that clank and “sing”.
There’s just something about a sunset and a sailboat.
We drove the dinghy to the historic district and docked so we could explore and dine. When we returned the boat was covered in duck poop and feathers. Yuck! This meant that we had to scrub the dinghy the following day. And since we had all the cleaning supplies out we cleaned the flybridge and dance floor. One thing lead to another and Scott replaced several screws on the dinghy that were either non-stainless or low quality stainless, etc. So, we enjoyed the rather cool and gorgeous day by “choring”.
When we returned to the historic district the next evening Scott guarded the dinghy from the ducks while I bought the lobster rolls from Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls. We ate dinner and drank a Son Of A Peach beer on board while watching a myriad of boats converge in a small area. If you’ve never had a lobster roll you don’t know what deliciousness you are missing. I prefer the Connecticut style which has the warm grilled white bun brushed with melted butter and big chunks of fresh lobster. Not a healthy meal but it was pure melt-in-your-mouth pleasure!
Annapolis was quite the popular area and we will definitely return. Touring the Naval Academy is high on our list as well as a visit to the Weems and Plath store and more lobster rolls!
****WARNING****Back Creek and the Severn River are CRAZY on a beautiful, cool, sunny, Sunday in July!!!! Crazy as in super busy and wild drivers! We saw two sailboats have minor crashes in the marina and two “almost” major crashes of sailboats in Back Creek. We left all of our fenders out to protect ourselves until we reached Chesapeake Bay…that’s how bad it was! Let’s just say that there are some sailboat owners that need some driving lessons!
For the last few days we have been catching up on chores around the boat in a marina near Baltimore. This hasn’t given me anything exciting to write about so Scott has written about the engine room which could be very exciting for the mechanical or detail minded. Some men have “man caves”. Scott has below deck compartments!
There are 6 sealed compartments below deck: the lazarette room, the engine room, the water and a/c room, the waste-vacuflush/water maker/salt water pump room, the thruster/windlass hydraulics room, and the rode (anchor chain) locker room.
The lazarette is the aft most room (compartment). It contains the rudder hydraulic cylinders, the auto-pilot pump, and the coiler containers for the two 50 amp 240 volt shore power cords. It is also where support items are stored: tools, spare parts, fishing rods, vacuum, kids toys, etc. Exhaust hoses pass through here to the stern.
The starboard side lazarette contains the power cord coilers, toolbox, and spare parts.In the lazarette facing the stern showing rudder control cylinders and miscellaneous stored gear.
The next room forward is the engine room which has engines in it and a whole lot more. There are two John Deere diesel engines to propel the boat and generate hydraulic power, two Northern Lights generators to make electricity and hydraulic power and one of the four air conditioner compressors. The support equipment for these five devices includes water intake strainers, starting batteries, seawater coolers and fuel tanks. There is one more hydraulic pump for the davit (this is the crane that lifts the dinghy in and out of the water from the roof). The engine hydraulic pumps power the stabilizers (these reduce side to side roll when travelling). The large generator hydraulic pump supplies power to the windlass (this device lowers and lifts the anchors) and the bow thruster (this device moves the bow side to side when docking or in tight maneuvers). The two generators also provide electricity, one is 12 kilowatts and one is 20 kilowatts, for general use (stove, oven, air conditioners, lights, hair dryer, refrigerator, etc…just like a house). The fuel tanks provide diesel fuel for the four engines and can hold 1740 gallons which is enough to propel the boat up to 5000+ nautical miles (this is ~5750 statute miles (car miles)). The intake strainers remove some of the debris from seawater before it is used to cool the engines, stabilizers, thruster and windlass hydraulics.
Forward-looking view of the engine room.Fuel filters.Aft looking view in the engine room.Large white box contains the 20 kw generator, the 12kw generator is to the right but not pictured.
That is a very long list of ‘equipment’…all necessary to keep your 50 ft working well. So you have to dock somewhere farther out than some of the marinas, hence the necessity of ‘taxi-ing’ back and forth in the dinghy?
Isn’t it sweet that the pigeons love your dinghy just as much as you do. Guess you can’t install an old dummy to keep them away like we did on my dock with the pontoon/ski boat.
I still have a hard time grasping that you two are on the adventure of a lifetime. But I am thrilled that I somehow get to share it through your blog.
Yes, in this case we could have taken an uber into Annapolis but it’s much more fun to take the dinghy! We never thought of putting a dummy on board! Great idea!
Thanks for writing about your adventures. They remind me of summers growing up at the beach in southern Rhode Island and running my little boat all over the salt water ponds. The “ good old days”.I could almost taste that lobster roll. Lots of great memories for a New Englander turned Midwesterner.
Scott and Melissa's "Unforgettable" Adventures 
Great remark in Scott’s “man cave”!
LikeLike
Having the Time of your Life👍👍
LikeLike
That is a very long list of ‘equipment’…all necessary to keep your 50 ft working well. So you have to dock somewhere farther out than some of the marinas, hence the necessity of ‘taxi-ing’ back and forth in the dinghy?
Isn’t it sweet that the pigeons love your dinghy just as much as you do. Guess you can’t install an old dummy to keep them away like we did on my dock with the pontoon/ski boat.
I still have a hard time grasping that you two are on the adventure of a lifetime. But I am thrilled that I somehow get to share it through your blog.
Seattle? What? Flying? Intriguing.
LikeLike
Yes, in this case we could have taken an uber into Annapolis but it’s much more fun to take the dinghy! We never thought of putting a dummy on board! Great idea!
LikeLike
Thanks for writing about your adventures. They remind me of summers growing up at the beach in southern Rhode Island and running my little boat all over the salt water ponds. The “ good old days”.I could almost taste that lobster roll. Lots of great memories for a New Englander turned Midwesterner.
LikeLike
I didn’t realize that you were a boater! I’m so glad this reminded you of the “good old days”!
LikeLike