June 20-22, Baltimore, MD.

We run from Rock Hall to Baltimore in the morning. The bay has a two foot chop as a result of the storm passing through last evening. As we arrive in the Baltimore Harbor we see a Coast Guard helicopter working on a rescue (maybe just practice). There is a news helicopter in the background that seems to be filming everything. Coast Guard is working in the middle of the channel, about 50 yards from us, as we pass by.


Pretty sailboat in front of the old Fort McHenry

Our marina is Baltimore Inner Harbor East, where a Four Seasons Hotel is under construction.

Shops and restaurants at Fells Point

Little Italy has some great Italian restaurants.

Downtown Baltimore has lots of new construction recently completed and more buildings underway. There are at least a dozen upscale restaurants and several hotels are already open. There is a walkway along the waterfront with bridges connecting the finger piers. This creates some very pleasant walking spaces. This downtown area along the water is already a nice area and going to be even nicer when the construction is finished.

Downtown sculpture commemorating Polish Army Officers at the hands of the Russians during WW II.

A fish sculpture.

A party on a barge in front of the Hard Rock Cafe.

A 40 year old party person with a spike haircut.

Baltimore is a BIG city and is quite a change from the small towns we have visited on the eastern shore of Maryland. Thursday morning we walked the whole Inner Harbor area, watched the movie at the visitor's center, viewed the sailing ship Constellation and the famous light ship "Chesapeake" used as a floating lighthouse for 40 years. We walked the "shops" at Harbortown.

Harbortown shops at the Inner Harbor

Constellation

Chesapeake Light Ship with the Baltimore Aquarium in the background

Lunch Saturday was six fresh steamed blue crabs seasoned with Old Bay at a local restaurant, Mo's Seafood. Delicious. We are enjoying Baltimore and find that it has a lot to offer visitors. The quality of the restaurants and the walking areas and public spaces along the waterfront are impressive. The downtown waterfront revitalization is working. So far, we are very comfortable here.

John and Julie, Christopher, Jack, Ryan, Tommy and Gracie McGrath join is in Baltimore on our last night there and certainly liven up the goings on aboard KOKOMO II. We have a nice dinner aboard and John and Julie take everyone on a walking tour of the Inner Harbor area. They are impressed. We then work out the sleeping arrangements.




Everyone fits and they say they are reasonably comfortable. The final arrangements are John and Julie in the forward cabin, Gracie and Tommy in the booth (made into a bed) Christopher on the couch and Jack and Ryan in sleeping bags on the salon floor. Owen and Linda, in the aft cabin. It is a crew but we're snug as bugs in a rug.