CAPE MAY

June 3- We stayed another day as we wanted to see the area of Cape May. Carol said she would pick us up at 9:00 am to go get some groceries and we were having an issue with our I-Pad so she dropped Dave off have it checked out as we shopped. Carol offered her car for the rest of the day if we wanted it but she had done enough for us so we declined and told her we wanted to bike around and see some of the area. We biked over the bridge and went to the plaza area where we walked up on side and down the other. We then biked into the gingerbread section of the town and the homes were amazing. We had lots of time so we biked down along the beach and again the homes were stunning. We were getting hungry and a little tired so we headed back to the boats just as the rain started.

This was their plaza area (very cute)

This is a dedication to lost fisherman

Bugys adorned with flowers

A very unique looking home

This is just one of the gingerbread homes here

These were some of the homes down by the beach

This was a hotel down by the beach 

CHESAPEAKE CITY TO CAPE MAY

June 2- We left Chesapeake North and headed up and out of the C & D Canal (Chesapeake and Delaware Canal) for those who don't know. We entered the Delaware River with a huge freighter getting ready to enter the canal so we just made it out in time. The ride down the Delaware River was a fairly calm and sunny one until almost the end, it turned into a little bit of a washing machine effect. You enter another canal at the end of the Delaware and that took us to our next stop, Canyon Club marina at Cape May. We called into the marina as we got closer to get our slip assignment and Dave asked if we could pump out before going to our slip and we got attitude from the guy at the office. We took the longer slip this time as we had the dingy and the dock was short. This dock would have normally gone to Mist (and it was not a problem with Bill) but the guy in the office had another rude comment for us. The dock hands were great kids who treated us with respect but the guys in the office need an attitude adjustment badly. Once we were tied up we found out the wi-fi did not work and after three different stories we finally found out that their pump out was broken. At $2.95/ft this is what you got in Canyon Club marina. We had just settled in when Evelyn came over and asked us over to their boat to meet a woman who looped with them on their first loop. She had brought us a cinnamon ring that she had made from scratch. She offered to drive us to the restaurant that night in her BMW (she made 2 trips as there were six of us). We asked her to join us and she was thrilled that we had asked her. She was just a very lovely lady who could not do enough for us (which made up for the rude people at this marina).

Heading down the C & D canal towards the Delaware River

The freighter heading into the river we were leaving

We passed this nuclear power plant on the Delaware

We had company as we traveled down the river

A strange looking light on the river

A ferry backed out just as we entered the back channel

Canyon Club marina just past this bridge

ROCK HALL TO CHESAPEAKE CITY

June 1- We left Rock Hall marina at 9:00 am (Mist, Something Special and us) heading up the Chesapeake Bay to the C & D Canal today. It is another lovely hot day and the Bay is flat again for our run. We passed a tall ship heading south that was 177 ft long, under power no sails up but he was a beautiful ship just the same. We have been hearing booms as we`ve been running and we think the military are doing exercises somewhere. We arrived at Chesapeake City and tried to get into their free dock but unfortunately we got stuck going in twice so we got out of there and headed down another 10 miles to a marina called Chesapeake North, It was not much of a marina but served its purpose. The docks needed repair, the pool was locked up and needed to be skimmed. They had one section of their dock leading up to the pool baracaded off as it was that rotten. We were hot and wanted a swim so Syd, Evelyn and myself hopped the fence and swam and enjoyed the pool area. We had to walk a half mile to get to the marina office and shore where Koby could relieve himself. They had kids running it and they could not be bothered to come down and help us into our slips.

A very calm day on the Chesapeake

This is the 177 ft tall ship we passed

The shoreline is getting higher as we go along

This is an actual trailer park 

Arriving at Chesapeake City marina

SOLOMON ISLAND TO ROCK HALL

May 31- We left Calvert marina at 9:30 am as Bill was returning the rental car. We have a 60 mile run up to Rock Hall but the Bay is completely flat and very little breeze. We were having a great trip until we got a call from a freighter behind us as we were heading towards the Chesapeake Bay bridge asking us to move over out of his way for himself and the freighter behind him as well. We turned and waited for the two freighters to go by but there was one coming the other way so we found another route under the bridge. We arrived at Rock Hall marina at 4:30 pm and docked right behind "Something Special" (our old friends Syd and Evelyn), we have finally caught up to them. They had a pool at this marina so we donned on our swim suits and had a swim. We sat chatting with Syd and Evelyn and met another couple looping as well. We all went to dinner that night and the other couple told us of their boating trips from Vancouver to Alaska.

The motel Dave,Steve and Peter stayed in at Rock Hall

Not a bad marina

This is where they work on boats

Something Special in front of us of the dock

Looking back across the bay we entered

SOLOMON AGAIN

May 30- We awoke to rain and fog this morning. A couple of boats have left the marina but most of us are hold up in our boats waiting for it to let up a little. We are planning to go to a local museum on Solomon's Island today as we are leaving in the morning. It is Bill's birthday today so we are going to take him to lunch somewhere and celebrate. After lunch we went to the museum and were quite surprised at how well it was done. They had a section on some of the local fish in the area and even had a section with otters who were fun to watch. They had a real lighthouse that was saved from demolition which a local woman had cut from its position and towed into their harbour, restored and opened to the public. It had quite a bit of room inside, but I can't imagine living 3 miles out in the bay with children and the only way into the harbour was by row boat - no thanks!

A beautiful teak carving

Sabre tooth tiger jaw

This is the lighthouse towed in and repaired

A couple inside shots

SOLOMON

May 29- Today we are planning to visit the Naval Academy at Annapolis and take a tour. It is another sunny day but we are supposed to get rain later today. We got to Annapolis at 12:00 pm and headed for the Visitors Centre to set up for the tour, but as they were so busy the tour wasn't until 1:00 pm. As we had time to wait we sat outside watching the goings on in the bay. It was an absolute zoo and I am so glad we decided not to come into this area with our boats. We had and elderly gentleman giving us the hour and one half tour. The naval academy is on 386 acres of land that was actually a fort back in the 1800's that was eventually abandoned and the navy purchased it. The students had their graduation yesterday so there wasn't many of them there. When we finished the tour we headed downtown got something to eat and watched the throngs walking around.

Waiting for the tour to begin

This is the bay in front of the Academy

Residence of students

Officers homes

I caught these students walking around

Such a beautiful church

Interior of the church

I caught this bride and groom leaving the church

SOLOMON'S ISLAND

May 28- Dave and Bill decided to rent a car for the next few days so we can sight see. We get the car at 11:00 am and plan to just stay around this area and pick up a few things. We have lucked out as we have a sunny hot day to sight see. There is an air force museum in this area so we decided to go and visit it. We spoke with a veteran who enlightened us as to the duties of these aircraft and we watched a 15 minute movie on how the planes land on the aircraft carriers. It was a very interesting tour and we enjoyed it thoroughly.

Rescue chopper

Two unmaned drones

Decommissioned jet