Trip to Baltimore's Inner Harbor

[psjanker]

I had a great sail this past weekend with two friends from the military. Strong winds were forecasted from the north so I elected to visit Baltimore MD a port which I had normally bypassed for Annapolis and points further south. The Inner Harbor being just a short jaunt south of my Gunpowder Basin Marina made it a relatively short weekend trip with plenty of time to do some sightseeing especially since we were departing about noon.

I was somewhat apprehensive about where to stay in the harbor area especially if slips were available or if anchoring was a possibility but figured I could always visit the inner harbor and then spend the evening on the hook outside the harbor.
Saturday conditions were great with 12-15 mph winds blowing us at a reasonable 5.7 to 6.3 knots (high was about 7.3 knots) flying only a genoa. We did have a couple of sprinkles and one gust of about 20 mph but conditions were overall much better than forecasted. Did not notice a single other sailboat out on the water.

Arrived in the Inner Harbor about 1800 hrs. and anchored just off Fells Point to have a great dinner at a small diner named Ekiben which serviced what I can best describe as a high end Hawaiian box meal. Best meal I have had in many years and a tribute to 400 or so positive reviews on Yelp.

Came back to the wharf to see a Harbor Police Patrol boat next Dakota Lee (my Cape Dory 30B). As I got into my dinghy they motored over. Very pleasant and professional officers. They asked if I was the skipper and inquired if I was planning on spending the evening. I indicated that I had just had dinner and would be looking for a place to anchor overnight. They indicated that since I was out of the channel that I was fine where I was but that they would prefer that if were overnighting that I anchor between the USS Constellation and the Navy Sub over by the Baltimore Aquarium. I joked about if the City would have the buildings turn down the lights so we could sleep and we all had a laugh.

Weighed anchor and moved just off the paddle boat area next to the Pride of Baltimore and the USS Constellation and had an excellent experience. Caught the last hour of a concert and had what will surely be one of the most memorable anchoring locations in my career. It’s hard to explain the feelings one has when one wakes up in the pre-dawn hours next to a vessel like the USS Constellation!

On our way out we stopped at Fort McHenry and toured the grounds and were on our way back to the Bush River by 0900 hrs.
Bottom line, it was a great trip and I will surely do it again with my wife and other friends. A completely different experience from the typical Chesapeake Bay experience and one that should not be missed. Too bad it so hard to figure out what one can do and the City does not do more to advertise itself as a local sailor’s destination. Not NYC but not bad to have right in our Chesapeake backyard.

V/r

Pete