Thursday, May 24, 2018

Bay Bridge Marina and Annapolis

Southern Style arrived into Bay Bridge Marina on Monday just before noon.  We docked alongside good friends Pete and Rachel Ferrara on Endless Summer.

Southern Style beside Endless Summer



Monday was a day to settle in, and Keith repaired his previous flat tire on his bike.  We now have wheels again, so to speak.  Monday night dinner was in Kent Narrows for the best crab cakes we have had so far.

Tuesday the weather was cloudy with on and off showers early in the day.  The men were able to get in a round of golf and Rachel and I had a nice lunch at the inn on property.  As the day progressed the weather seemed to get slowly worse, but we did see the Blue Angels heading to Annapolis for some practice before the big air show scheduled for Wednesday.  Tuesday night's dinner was accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightening but we were dry on the enclosed deck of the restaurant.  Rachel hunted down a place for rockfish, another Maryland treat.

Keith, Rachel, and I had rockfish


Captain Pete had soft shell crabs

Rockfish ( aka Striped Bass) is considered by many to be the premier sport and commercial species on the "Bay".  This fish is a challenge to catch and a delight to eat.  These fish live in the ocean but lay their eggs in fresh water.  Between April and June, rivers and streams feeding the "Bay" provide spawning grounds for the Atlantic Coast Rockfish.  Those fish born n the "Bay" spend their first 3-5 years there before migrating out into the Atlantic Ocean.  Once in the ocean they can live up to 30 years.  The current Maryland record rockfish was caught in 1995 and weighed just over 67 lbs.  Rockfish is the Maryland state fish.


Wednesday was the big day as Pete and Rachel on Endless Summer had invited Keith and I as well as their very best friends, Wynn and Nancy to cruise with them to Annapolis for the Blue Angles Airshow.  The day was just beautiful with blue skies and a pleasant breeze.  We left about 9:30 AM and got onto Annapolis by 10:10 AM.  Keith and I headed up into town to a quilt shop so I could get some needed supplies while the rest explored a bit in downtown.  We all converged back on Endless Summer about 12:30 PM for lunch and then waited for the planes to arrive.  And when they did, what a show!  Definitely an experience that will be one of those special lifetime events.

Captain Keith enjoying the ride on Endless Summer

(Left to right) Wynn, Captain Keith, Captain Pete, Nancy, and Rachel waiting for the show


Proud to be an American


Blue Angels flying over the Naval Academy











The Blue Angels are the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron.  They also represent the US Marine Corps.  They currently fly 10 jets, 6 during any demonstration flight show with 4 spares.  The aircraft are F/A-18 Hornet models.  There are three major differences between the Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets and the standard combat version.  First the gun system is removed.  Second, they are equipped with smoke generators to better highlight maneuvers.  Third, they are equipped with a device which causes a force of about 16kg (32lbs) to be required to move the control stick.  This eliminates any possibility of an accidental movement of the control stick which could result in an unwanted maneuver or crash.    

The commander of the squadron must fulfill multiple requirements including a minimum of 3,000 flying hours in a jet fighter.  To perform their standard show, they require a visibility of at least 18,045 feet from the show center.  Minimum distance between the aircraft during the demonstration is 3.3-5.0 feet.  During the airshows the pilots do not use G-suits which requires that the pilots are very well trained and know how to get in and out of specific maneuvers.  In one year the Blue Angels consume 3,698,410 gallons of fuel.



After the show we cruised back to Bay Bridge Marina and had dinner at Hemingways which is right in the marina at the base of the Bay Bridge.

There I had more rockfish and Keith had a soft shelled crab sandwich.  We all shared Smith Island Cake for desert.

Smith Island Cake


This cake has been made by Smith Island, Maryland bakers for generations.  Although no one knows exactly who first made the cake, some credit the late Frances Kitching, an innkeeper on Smith Island in Maryland, as the person who called for this cake to be made with 10 layers.  Today there are many versions, however traditionally the cake is 8-14, individually baked, thin layers with chocolate fudge icing between all the layers.  The cake was often used for a fundraising tradition called a cake walk.  This is a game similar to musical chairs where donated cakes serve as the prizes.  Great attention must be paid to the perfection of the layers and form of the cake.  Before each round, the prize cake is cut in half to show the layers to the players who will pay to participate.  If the layers are poorly stacked the cake may not attract as many players and as a result less money will be raised than with a perfectly executed cake.  In 2008, Smith Island Cake became the official state desert of Maryland.



The sunset was beautiful from the deck of the restaurant.  The perfect ending to a perfect day.

Sunset from the Hemingway's

Sunset behind the Bay Bridge

1 comment:

Sister Jess said...

We got your card and Ethan was so excited about the B.A. that we came to your site to read more. His mouth is on the floor. You're a great writer. We're learning a lot!