Our third trip to Annapolis has been anything but "the same". Annapolis is such a great boating destination, we constantly laugh at the differences between Marblehead, which bills itself as a boating destination, and what a real boating destination has to offer the visiting boaters. Here we have a friendly and accomadating Harbormaster's office, very clean and convenient showers, restrooms, washer/dryer, multiple dingy docks, water taxi, large anchorage and inexpensive moorings, free wireless internet -- and all of it perched on the center of town.

During our first walk around the city we happened on the Rams Head Tavern's concert stage and scored tickets to see a jazz group called Acoustic Alchemy. If you ever come to Annapolis check out the Rams Head concert schedule during your planning stage, they have a very intimate showcase and bring in really great musicians. Acoustic Alchemy have had quite a following since the late '80's. Their music was great and the two lead guitarists had lots of personality. The band consists of three Brits who are currently playing with the Granger Brothers, Greg and Gary, from Baltimore (who seem like well known musicians). We sat at the "bands" table as it was just released just before we turned up at the box office, I have never sat so close to a live performance -it was such fun to watch the musicians up close.

We also enjoyed a performance of the Neil Simon play "Jakes Women" by the local theater company. And we walked alot every day, partly to keep warm! We enjoyed a 2.5 hour walking tour of Annapolis with a local historian, Dorothy Callhoun, who focused on the city's architecture. She has been very active on the historic preservation commission in Annapolis and we were struck or maybe I should say entertained by all the rules and regulations enforced by the commission. Interestingly, they do not enforce a specific palette of "exterior paint colors" so there are a few very unusual house colors around the historic district, but just about everything else is considered when a homeowner or building owner modifies a historic site.

We caught up with Marcia and Chris on s/v Endorphins, a couple that we spent some time with last year in the islands. They own a beautiful house on Spa Creek with Endorphins tied up right out front. We last saw them in Beaufort, N.C. after a series of accidental rendezvous in the Bahamas. They are itching to get out on Endorphins again, planning to break away from Annapolis next winter & head back to the Windward Islands.

Oh, if you come to Annapolis you have check out the really amazing gelato at Aromi d'Italia - the proprieter is Italian and it's just as we remember gelato in Florence. I plan to have one last cup before we head off this afternoon!

We had our first sighting of a guy moving pretty fast around town on a Segway Transporter. And we also had our first sighting of ducks looking pretty comfortable on Dragonfly's back steps, you think seagulls make a mess on your boat! Maybe we ought to consider a pet duck who can also act as a guard duck -- have to think about that!

I must mention our visit to St. Micheals and Kent Island prior to Annapolis. We chose to spend a few more days on the E. Shore since the wind seemed to be strong from the West/Southwest, "on the nose". We had an exciting few moments in the Kent Narrows where we had to go under a fixed bridge and immediately through a draw bridge. As always we checked the charts and confirmed with the bridge operator that the heights and widths would allow us to clear, but it never looks as if you have the extra room that you think you have. We anchored along "Crab Alley Neck" one night, all on our own in a pretty little bay surrounded by pretty homes. We then moved on to the very quaint town of St. Michaels. The weather was a bit gloomy so we were happy to have some shops to visit (including a great yarn store), a nice warm library with lots of magazines and free internet and some friends in the area.

And the socializing began in earnest here. We were totally psyched to meet Howard & Molly, friends of our friends Tim & Alison, who had spent multiple seasons captaining a sailing yacht in the Western Caribbean. Their enthusiasm for the area, recommendations and tales of Belize, Mexico and Hondorous have us really excited. We were also able to visit with the Lee family, with whom we had sailed offshore on their boat "Marjorie" in 2000 & 2001. And we also had a great evening discussing plans with Ken & Marylin of "DreamKetch'r" who we befriended during last years trip and will be sailing to the W. Caribbean as well.

One other important event in St. Michaels was to locate a new alternator for Dfly. Rick's research w/ Volvo turned up that a new alternator for our Volvo engine would cost $599.00. Yikes! Lucky for us the alternator was not in stock. After many more phone calls to marina's & dealers we contacted "Pasco Alternators", which was about 15 miles from St. Micheals and it sounded promising. One rental car ride later we had purchased the correct alternator for $38.00. Of course we bought two! Again, thanks to the internet and our cellphones we were able to find what we needed with about 1/2 day worth of work.

So, we are off now to Bodkin Creek and Pleasure Cove Marina, 10 miles north of Annapolis so we can have the boat hauled tomorrow. It took many conversations and phone calls to locate the few marinas that can haul a catamaran of our width. We recognize just how much more difficult this would be without a cellphone and the internet! We'll be replacing the props and then be back in the water headed toward Smith/Tangier Islands. Rick's family have always talked about sailing to these islands but have never gotten there -- this time we are determined! As I understand it, both islands are distinctive in that they have retained their own language, culture, and overall way of life for the past 300 years. We'll know more when we get there!