Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Havre de Grace, Maryland (Tuesday, May 27, 2008). Though NOAA claimed a Small Craft Advisory and showers and thunderstorms all day, none of that came to pass. In fact, what came to pass and thankfully not too close, were explosions out of Aberdeen Proving Grounds…home of the near-by US Army weapons museum. As we watched the Army security boats protecting the borders, we’d hear shots, weapons of unknown destruction booming, and an occasional “oh crap” from the security boats…an unsettling passageway. ‘In fact, virtually no wind made for a quick motor across a glassy Chesapeake Bay. Audrey and Tony found small ‘skunk-like’ marked birds floating past—identification remains elusive at this point, but we hope to make some determinations before the end of this trip. Lighthouses have been photographed and catalogued, but none have been either hit or climbed as yet. Arrived at Havre de Grace at 1300, fueled up at Tidewater Marina for a princely $5.29 per gallon for diesel, then anchored in the mouth of the Susquehanna River where it nips at the Chesapeake.

Had a nice walk along the City Promenade, which is one of the nicest parks we’ve seen. Beautiful boardwalk area protecting the delicate interstitial zone, we saw gaggles of all sorts of geese, small nesting birds, and a no-exaggeration, 35 pound snapping turtle nestled in the cool mud. We walked around Concond Point Lighthouse, went to a few pretty park areas, and ate ice cream. We were also lucky enough to get to the Decoy Museum at 4:10; just shy of their 4:30 close. This allowed us a quick look-see for a small donation thus saving the entrance fee for support of OPEC.

Dinner aboard and a quick start tomorrow is the plan.