Annapolis

Annapolis

$$, Date and Group Friendly, Needs a Car

Oyster Shooters at Middleton's Tavern

A proper city needs a proper coast, be it East or West. CA Boy and DC Girl have found that proximity to the water just seems to relax people and connect them to their environment (despite the downsides: sky high insurance premiums, a fragile fishing industry, and the occasional risk of flooding).

In search of a better waterfront, DC Girl and CA Boy set out for Annapolis, Maryland on July 4^th weekend, the perfect time to escape D.C. for some boating, kayaking, and seafood.

They began their day with a Bay Lighthouse boat tour, which chugs along for a lazy three hours under the twin spans of the Bay Bridge to Sandy Point Shoal, Baltimore Harbor, and Thomas Point lighthouses.

The day was beautiful, the sky cloudless, and the harbor busy with all manner of boats out to enjoy the holiday weekend. DC girl and CA Boy were happily perched on the back of the top deck, when they noticed where the water had churned up a spot of brownish bubbles.

“Marine dead zone?” DC Girl hypothesized, pondering the Chesapeake’s fragile ecological balance.

“Whale fart,” CA Boy concluded breezily.

Before the great debate could be settled, the boat’s own “professional lighthouse keeper,” Art, arrived on the boat deck to answer questions about the history of the bay. Excited to meet their first real, live lighthouse keeper, DC Girl and CA Boy insisted on a photograph with Art. He chatted with them pleasantly, confessing that he was a recent retiree from Los Angeles who had only recently moved from West to East Coast. Crushed that Art was not, in fact, a real, live, lighthouse keeper, DC Girl and CA Boy pressed the poor man to confess which coast he preferred.

“I won’t say,” answered Art, diplomatically.

After the boat ride, DC Girl and CA Boy also checked out Annapolis Canoe and Kayak, where they rented a tandem, a.k.a. “divorce,” kayak for a short jaunt around the harbor. Many a fine relationship has been wrecked on the shoals after a mutual attempt to steer this vessel, but this pair was undeterred.

Things started so well. DC Girl took the front of the kayak, and had just found a rhythm to her paddling, when a loud voice broke the silence on the harbor

“HEY YOU IN FRONT!” yelled a woman from a passing sailboat, “YOU’RE DOING ALL THE WORK!”

DC Girl turned back to discover CA Boy fixing his glasses, his paddle dragging lazily in the water.

“SSSSHHHH,” responded CA Boy across the water, “DON’T TELL HER!”

DC Girl and CA Boy soon worked out a better – mutual – paddle strategy, and an hour of kayaking left them parched in the summer sun. Not to fear, the marina boat dock had a convenience store and gas station, marked by a large with a big “FOOD, BEER, ICE” sign. While meant for larger boats, strong and thirsty people like DC Girl and CA Boy can always find a way to maneuver their kayak into the water taxi landing area. If you have a lot of arm strength and a fair amount of balance, you can get a nice cold beer in hand without flipping the kayak.

Thoroughly exercised, DC Girl and CA Boy ended the day’s adventure with steamed shrimp and oyster shooters at Middletons. The class of the old pub is a great juxtaposition to the hundreds of plastic cups used for oyster shooters littering the tables. Granted, DC Girl has never been a huge fan of raw oysters. She recognizes this as a personal failing, and continues to try them lest she suddenly change her mind. Sure enough, stick the slimy devils in a plastic shot glass full of cocktail sauce, add a chaser of Middleton’s Oyster Ale, and DC Girl is an immediate fan.

The East Coast West Coast Verdict on Annapolis: two thumbs up.

Location

Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, Annapolis is 26 miles (42 km) south of Baltimore and about 29 miles (47 km) east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is the capital of Maryland, home of the United States Naval Academy, and destination point for many local mariners.

Tips

• If you’re spending the night, you can stay at the Marriott Waterfront or, for half the price and twice the charm, try one of the small bed and breakfasts operated by the Historic Inns of America.
• July 4^th is a great weekend to explore the city. Check out the view of the fireworks at the Naval Academy, but be sure to get there early. You will have to go through security, bag check, and metal detectors (that means no alcohol that you can’t smuggle in covertly).