Yahoody! Today the rains came and we finally had a day in the 20sC /70sF instead of the high temperatures we have experienced for 80+ days (not including the days we spent in Quebec). Such relief in the coolness!

Yesterday, we set sail early hoping to beat the worst of the high temperatures and thunderstorms which were forecast. We sailed by the Hooper Island lighthouse, which is now relocated to the Chesapeake Bay Museum in St Michaels.

En route we passed another derelict brick lighthouse, standing sentinel just outside the main channel as we left Miles River and entering the bay.

The watermen were out early, pulling up their crab pots in the shallows.

As we passed the iconic Thomas Point lighthouse, located near the mouth of the Severn River and the port of Annapolis, we were soon dancing with the big ships. All were lined up waiting to land in Baltimore, a mere 30 miles away.

We also danced with the little sailing dinghies as we meandered up the Severn.

Annapolis: a jewel of a city. It is home to some very serious watercraft – all shapes, all sizes, all speeds. The money floating on the harbour is outrageously extravagant. “Ego Alley” – town dock, is located at the foot of Main Street, so called for captains wanting to show off their boats.

Annapolis is also home to an amazing amount of American history. It is the capital of Maryland. It is home to the Naval Academy. It is the resting place of the John Paul Jones who is the ‘father’ of the American navy, as well as the resting place of Senator John McCain. It is where General George Washington resigned from the army and became the first President. It is the home of three of the signees of the Declaration of Independence. It is the place where the Star Spangled Banner was written. And the history goes on…

It is also a visually pleasing city, small and built with old streets radiating downhill from either Church Circle or State Circle. We walked the narrow brick roads up and down, discovering architectural delights with every turn. The Main Street is like walking Main Street Disneyland. Everything is perfect: flowers abound; gold trimmed signage displayed; shopfronts brimming with ambiance and merchandise. There are still the requisite t-shirt and souvenir shops, but in the main, the shops carry an eclectic array of quality art and clothes. The restaurants are numerous.

We undertook the tour of the Naval Academy: a wonderful experience. We saw some of the facilities 4,400 midshipmen experience in their four years being trained to be first class leaders. The sheer size of the academy, the parade ground (yard), the number of sporting facilities, the attention to the history and customs of the navy, as well as their study schedule were awe inspiring. We toured historic buildings, the museum, the chapel and the crypt of John Paul Jones, who is much revered.

Annapolis is truly beautiful, more so with the cooler temperatures.

I have crossed off another item from my Bucket List.

Such is Life!