June 26, 2026 We Begin our Visit to Baltimore (or Hey Hon, we're in Bal-more!)

 Friday June 26, 2026   Home and back, Touring Ft. McHenry, and an MTOA Gathering

We've had the boat docked here at Anchorage Marina in Baltimore for a little over two weeks into our month-long stay.  Been the perfect location so far.  Walking distance to Canton, Fells Point and even the Inner Harbor.  Grocery, hardware store and plenty of restaurants nearby.    Enterprise rental car within walking distance, so able to reserve a car to head home for a few days.   Three doctor appointments in one day.  Thankfully, none of them for anything serious.   Time to get a tune-up on my hearing aids. Dentist visits for both of us - checkup and cleaning. Then a follow up with Orthopedist for my thumb. Surgery has all healed up but still working on getting that opposable thumb to fully flex.  Extra arthritis buildup on the joint is making it a harder process, but I keep working on therapy. Great to get together with some of the neighbors and our pickleball group. Even able to get in a few games with them one morning before heading back to Baltimore.

Some of our pickleball buddies.  Gonna miss getting that exercise while away.

Since we still had the rental car a few extra days after our return we decided to play tourist and visit Ft. McHenry.  Only seemed fitting during this 250 celebration.  The bombardment of the fort during the War of 1812 is what led Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner - our national anthem.   During WWII the property was a major army hospital base covered with over 100 buildings. Since then they've all been removed and it's now a large open national park and monument with an informative visitor center, and good interpretive signs around the fort with great open vistas to where the battle occurred. While we visited a summer program for youths was underway.  A week long program for kids of all ages interested in recreating a fife and drum parade.  In 1948 President Harry Truman issued a proclamation that a 15 star flag like the one flown during the battle should be flown 24 hours a day 365 days a year at the fort.   If conditions are right they fly a full size 30' x 42' replica.   Most times, like the day of our visit when the wind was blowing, they fly a smaller flag.  They utilize 4 different sizes based on the actual conditions.   On the way back we stopped at Ministry of Brewing.  Very memorable  brewery from our last visit as it's in a repurposed historic church.  Good selection of assorted styles of beers were much needed refreshments after a day in the sun and wind.

Flagpole inside the fort flying one of the smaller flags.
Surrounded by barracks, officer quarters and gunpowder magazines.

View out to where the British ships were lined up some 2 miles away.
Outside the 1-1/2 miles range of the fort's cannons.  While the fort was repeatedly
 hit, only one British ship was hit despite roughly 23 hours of firing by both sides

Big guns installed during Civil War as part of a fort expansion 

Youts on the march.  Surprisingly large group - this is just a portion of them
 with the fife and drum brigade following behind

The fife and drum core making their way onto the parade grounds.

Much needed refreshment after a day walking the fort

One of the big impetuses for coming to Baltimore was a gathering of MTOA members for the Sail 250 celebration here.  MTOA is the Marine Trawler Owners Association of which we're members.  An active association with local area groups that hold get togethers.  Some social, some technical, plus a big annual rendezvous. Their forum activity tends to be more technical, problem solving, etc.  Good group. We had over 30 boats arrive for a pot luck dinner on Friday.   Ran into friends Liz and Steve who were slipmates at Ess-Kay Marina last year on the Erie canal before we started the Down East Cruise.   She's a volunteer officer in the club.   Just sold their 1984 41' Roughwater  Shingebiss and were driving back to Florida so stopped in for the festivities.  They've had the boat a long time and seemed melancholy about the sale.  Certainly confirms again, the day you sell is NOT necessarily one of the 2 best days of boat ownership for some people. 

The full "Strawberry Moon" shines down on As You Wish
 in her July 4th celebratory decorations.