In late June, we arrived on the Chesapeake. The weather was already getting warmer and the days and nights were quite comfortable. We planned on staying the summer and then going south for the winter again but a few things influenced our decision to stay and leave Red Swan in Annapolis for the winter.

We visited the western shore on our way north to Annapolis. Our stops were in Mobjack Bay, Reedville, Solomons and the Magothy. While on the Magothy we visited with the grandchildren although it was a rainy and stormy period, we were able to get some swimming and dinghy riding in the nice periods. After our visit we decided to cross the Chesapeake and explore some of the eastern shore.

We made a crossing above the Bay Bridge to the Chester River. While there we went the 30 miles up the Chester to the town of Chester where George Washington College is located, the oldest College in Maryland. We also went ashore at the Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge. We didn’t get a chance to visit the interior of the refuge so we will have to make another stop in the future.

It was getting close to July 4 th weekend and we wanted to be somewhere to see the fireworks display. We picked Annapolis as our destination and headed back across the bay. We arrived on July 3 rd and took up anchorage in Spa Creek. There we made lots of new friends and had numerous visits from the grandchildren.

We enjoyed our stay so well that we ended up staying all summer by fall we found ourselves working to keep the cruising kitty stocked. By the time fall came around, there was the Annapolis Boat Shows and the decision to leave the boat in Annapolis and help family and friends in Salem MA.