Baltimore! Finally, a Big City!

Wednesday, September 30

As usual, we get up early and work.

We leave at 10 AM. The tide is rising, because you need a certain water level to get out of the bay. There is an obstruction at the entrance and the directions are contradictory. Some say to follow the wall, others the pier. So we follow the pier, without problem.

This morning we are against the current and are barely making 4 kn.

After about 30 minutes of navigation, we see plenty of places where we could have anchored, but there is no protection nor any way to get ashore. For some of you, that might be fine, but with a dog it’s less pleasant.

Our speed eventually increases a bit, to 5 kn, then to 6 kn.

Many beautiful powerboats pass us, which creates a lot of wake.

The channel widens and there is a lot of debris, surely from the storm. Once the channel ends, we notice many crab pots outside the fairway.

We continue on. Around 3 PM the sun begins to set slowly, which makes the crab pots hard to see. As we head toward Baltimore, we take the marked channel. We deviate a little from the channel following the GPS track, but the water level is low. That’s exactly why there are crab pots!

I may not have mentioned it, but when I’m at the helm, Jonathan works on the computer in the cockpit!

We pass under the Baltimore bridge, the famous bridge that collapsed after being struck by a cargo ship in 2024. It is still under reconstruction.

The harbor is huge!

We anchor at Canton and leave the dinghy at the park dock.

We are very close to the Fells Point neighborhood. We walk a bit, but we are tired and have no idea where to go. We end up choosing the Kooper’s patio. They love dogs! Their logo features a dog and the interior is decorated with dog-themed artwork!

Unfortunately, Miela is being demanding tonight and we are not well rested. Strangely, our server is Belgian but keeps addressing us in English. All the servers are a bit odd and we are served the shrimp appetizer at the same time as the main courses.

After the meal, we walk a bit more, then return to Eolo, where we have a very quiet night!

Thursday, October 1

We work until 10 AM.

We take the dinghy to the Inner Harbor. It’s still a long trip, but the water is very calm, which lets us see the different marinas.

We even run into Brooke and Suzie, from Suzie Blue, other neighbors from Cape May!

Once we arrive at the Inner Harbor, the staff inform me that the rate is $5 per hour. I explain that a friend, Patrick, told us there was a $10 all-day option. They then accompany me to the next door, to the Harbor Master’s office. He seems about to leave, but he gives me the directions and lets us go there for free, saying the dock is not busy.

We return to the dinghy. You have to go all the way to the end, near the park behind Pier D. Suzie Blue is right there! The boating world is infinitely large, yet just as small!

We walk through different neighborhoods: Federal Hill, Mount Vernon, Fells Point, and the Bromo Arts District. In total, about 15 km!

In some neighborhoods, we notice that people tie down dog bowls. Is it that dangerous?

We have a beer and a shrimp appetizer at Phillips — it’s a Baltimore institution. The server is nice and the shrimp are delicious. We would have liked to eat crab, but their counter on the pier, where they serve it, is closed for a private event.

We decide to go to the Capital Grille to remind ourselves of good memories. It’s one of the first steakhouses we ate at, in Boston.

We still have time to kill, so we keep walking and discover Little Italy. It’s beautiful and charming, but no restaurant attracts us, unfortunately. As planned, we end up eating at the Capital Grille.

The service is attentive and the patio is pleasant. The crab appetizer is very tasty. Unfortunately, Jonathan sends his steak back: the doneness is wrong, it’s rather thin and lacks char. Fortunately, the second one is excellent. As for me, the wagyu tartare doesn’t surprise me, but at least it’s served with a marrow bone!

Miela was extremely calm today. It had been a long time since we’d walked this much!

We head back by dinghy to meet Dawn and Al. We tie it up right in front of the restaurants, then go to the Cat’s Eye Pub. They let us in with Miela. A band is playing live: the musicians are very good and the atmosphere is very festive!

We offer Dawn and Al a ride back to their boat by dinghy, then we return to Eolo.

Look, we have a neighbor!