Annapolis Boat Show and Town Visit

October 4 - 6, 2012 Thursday - Saturday

Thursday and Friday were our days at the 2012 United States (Annapolis) Boat show.  Locals said it was smaller compared to previous years.  To us, it was bigger than we could have imagined.  In fact it was overwhelming.  We just did not know where to start.  We spent most of Thursday touring different boats, dreaming of the perfect sailboat.  There were so many vendors,  too many to even begin to visit.
Terry was so excited  to meet his sailing heros at the boat show;  Lin Pardey and husband Larry, circumnavigators for 40 years on 24ft "Seraffyn" (Cruising in Seraffyn), and then later on 29ft "Taleisin", (each with no motor!), cruising experts and authors, and also Bob Bitchin, another circumnavigator, cruising magazine owner ("Latitudes and Attitudes"), editor and author of several books.
We had received an email earlier in the week from sailors Pam And Steve Walton, who we met back on Lake Huron.  They were coming to the boat show and wanted to hook up.  We had dinner together Thursday, and breakfast on Friday.  They hope to make this trip when Steve retires in 2 years.  We hope they do!
We met a Canadian couple, Tutty and Muriel Lee, on a Tayana 37 "Mistress", back in Atlantic Highlands/Sandy Hook, NJ.  We have been meeting with them at many ports along the way.  We are like minded in our approach to cruising and tend to travel at about the same "speed".  They are live aboards and plan on a circumnavigation.  (See a photo of their sailing tee-shirt they designed for their departure.) We will be looking out for each other as we move along our travels.
We were so overdosed with the boat show we took Saturday off for shopping in town and sightseeing.
Downtown Annapolis is filled with lovely shops and historic sights.   We visited the Maryland State House.  Some facts of interest;

• Was the Capital of the United States November 26, 1783 - August 23, 1783
• Oldest in the nation still in legislative use
• General George Washington resigned his commission before the Continental Congress December 23, 1783
• January 14, 1783 Congress ratified the treaty of Paris to end the Revolutionary War
• May 17, 1784 Thomas Jefferson was appointed minister plenipotentiary  (diplomatic agent with full power and authority, ambassador)
• September 14, 1786 The Annapolis convention issued the call to the States that led to the constitutional convention

A significant, historic site, and also a very beautiful building.  There is no better way to learn and appreciate our nation's history than by sea travel.

"We shape our buildings; thereafter, our buildings shape us."

Winston Churchill

Terry and Lin Pardey

Lin signing her latest book for Terry

Bob Bitchin and Terry

Tutty and Muriel Lee, buddy boat

Tutty and Muriel's  Retirement tee-shirt

Just a very small section of the United States (Annapolis) Boat Show

Where ever there was water there were boats anchored

Maryland State House, front entrance

Inside the State House, Senate Chambers

Stair way inside the State House

Elaborate painted ceilings, State House

Old Treasure House, 1735
Tobacco was Maryland's Colonists primary form of currency.
Tobacco was bulky and perishable.  The Maryland General Assembly authorized the issuance of paper currency to property owners with their land as security.