Maritime Marvels in Maryland

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Well, if we have to get stuck in an airport for 8 hours, at least it’s before a 45-minute flight to Long Island and not before our 16-hour flight to Asia. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

We were only in Maryland for two days, but boy did we cram a lot in! The weather was still pleasantly spring-ish and perfectly sunny, prompting us to spend as much time outdoors as possible. On Monday, we gassed up my sister’s boat and off we headed from Kent Island (in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay) across the choppy waters into historic downtown Annapolis. What an underrated little city! Old brick buildings spread out from the waterfront, some dating back to colonial times (early 1700’s). The dome of the state capitol building and the impressive grounds of the US Naval Academy dominate the view as you sail in from the bay. Boats, boats, and more boats are whizzing past you in a never-ending parade of white. And need I mention the wonderful seafood? The heavenly aroma of fresh steamed crabs and Old Bay seasoning practically drips from the air. It’s good stuff. If you’re ever doing a vacation to Washington DC, do yourself a favor and take a day trip into Annapolis. It’s really a neat place!

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. Food. (What else is new?) After cruising around the city and the bay for a while, we ended up spending a delightful afternoon with some new friends on their 60-foot catamaran sailboat. To call this boat “luxurious” would be to call the North Pole “chilly.” Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a gigantic deck, and a more professional kitchen than I’ve seen on most cooking shows…oh, yeah. It was awesome. As soon as I have $2 million saved up, I’m getting one. In my dreams. (Hmmm…how long would it take to sail from Maryland to Malaysia, I wonder?)

Sidetracked again. This is what happens when you have 8 hours to kill at an airport. *sigh*

So, somehow, we end up hanging out on this luxury catamaran all afternoon and then having dinner in an incredible 5-story home right on the water. In addition to us, my sister, and brother-in-law, we dined with a truly eclectic mix of people, from an Iranian dentist to a former US Senator. Wasn’t exactly the way we pictured spending the day, but a good time was had by all. The ride back across the bay to the island was an adventure in itself – 30MPH winds, white caps, and a vicious current made the crossing feel like a maniacal mix of a roller coaster and bumper cars (not for the faint of heart)! If I hadn’t just lost a cell phone to another boat ride in Florida, I totally would’ve pulled my new one out to take some video of these waves. We all woke up the next day feeling like we’d been in a car wreck, but hey…it was fun.

Yesterday was just as great. With another cloudless sky overhead, we headed from the island to the eastern shore and a fun little spot called Ocean City. If Annapolis is a snapshot of colonial life, Ocean City is a snapshot of the roaring ‘20s. Dating back to 1902, an old-fashioned wood-planked boardwalk straddles the pristine white sand. It is a perpetual carnival, with a Ferris wheel and roller coaster towering high above a 2.5-mile stretch of tourist shops and food stands offering every fattening, delicious array of fried food you can imagine. Funnel cake, French fries, deep fried Oreos…I thought I’d seen it all until I saw deep-fried cheesecake, deep-fried key lime pie, and deep-fried cookie dough. Seriously, you gain 20 pounds just LOOKING at this stuff. But you have to try it, because, well…you just DO. Eat salads for a few days before you come here, because you’re going to want to save your calories for all these goodies!

So we walked up and down the boardwalk for a while, eating, shopping, and eating some more. When our arteries were sufficiently clogged with grease, we drove another 10 miles south to the national park on Assateague Island. Any of my horsey friends remember that children’s book, Misty of Chincoteague? These islands are where that story was set. It’s actually a pretty neat story. A Spanish galleon carrying a cargo load of horses sank off the island’s coast in the 1600’s, close enough for the stranded horses to swim ashore. They adapted well to the climate and now, over 400 years later, their descendants are still there, grazing in the tall grass and the salt marshes on the island. Once a year, to help with population control, the national park service rounds them up, swims them across the channel to the mainland, and auctions them off to private buyers. How cool is that?

Anyway, since it was so close, I couldn’t NOT take a drive over to check it out. We saw a lone pony grazing right by the roadside, then a herd of five a little further down the shore. It was incredible! I would’ve loved to spend more time exploring the island, but it was pushing late afternoon and we still had a two-hour drive home. But, like Annapolis and Ocean City, totally 110% worth a trip to see if you’re ever in the area!

Which brings us to today. Since everything went so swimmingly the past two days, I suppose it was time for another snag in the agenda. What was supposed to be a simple 45-minute flight to Long Island, New York, has now turned into an 8-hour ordeal, thanks to bad weather and canceled flights. Luckily we were able to get rebooked on the 10pm, but as it stands, it’s only 4pm, and we’ve already been here for a while. *sigh again* It could be worse. It gives me time to sort through my pictures and send y’all (yes, I said y’all. Get over it.) this ridiculous rambling excuse for a blog. But hey, if you made it this far, you’ll do well once we’re overseas. The blogs can get a little extensive when I’m excited about something…

So. If and when we ever leave this airport, we’ll theoretically be spending our last 72 hours in the states with my best friend in Westhampton, New York. In the meantime, you’ll know where to find us…

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Photos

Sitting in Baltimore Airport...
Still sitting...

Comments

[Sarah]

aiport waiting
Ugh! That's a long time to sit and wait for a rescheduled flight. Nice you had stuff to keep you occupied :-) hope you're enjoying New York.