Baltimore

Peter's estimate of two days in Baltimore was accurate, and we plan to depart later today, heading toward the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, then Delaware Bay (hoping the pesky flies are not too bad) and on to New York Harbor. Right now, Peter is visiting the Baltimore offices of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to clear in. Because Mantra is a foreign flagged vessel, we are required either to obtain a cruising permit or check in at every major port. Pre-COVID, we would generally be out of the country every year and could obtain a new cruising permit upon re-entry. However, we have not been out of the country since we checked in at Key West in April 2020, so we are required to submit to the tedious task of port check-ins. The CBP offices grant cruising permits at their discretion, and we keep hoping that some nice official will consider the pandemic situation and just issue one to us, but we are not hopeful. We would like to sail in southeastern Canadian waters in September, and this may, in fact, be a necessity if we want to get a one year cruising permit, which would make it possible to avoid the bureaucracy. 

Yesterday, Peter worked assiduously on repatching a leak in the dingy, which was unfortunately beside a seam and therefore challenging, and and on repairing the depth sounder through meticulous surgery on the wiring and epoxy sculpturing on the housing. After hours and hours of labor, he was quite pleased that both projects were successful. Meanwhile, we have picked up a new depth sounder here in Baltimore just in case the existing one fails again. It appears to be original to the boat (circa mid-1990's). Meanwhile, I purchased enough provisions to totally fill a dock cart and then found ways to store most of the food in the pantry locker and the refrigerator. Some bottles of juice fit in an aft cabin locker, and I made space for a few cleaning supplies under the sink in the forward cabin, so everything is ship shape. Storing the food takes longer than the grocery shopping!

I also did a load of laundry and tidied up the boat while Peter was working. It was a delight to have fresh produce for a delectable spinach, fruit, egg and cheese salad for lunch. For dinner, we walked the short distance to O'Donnell Square here in the Canton neighborhood of Baltimore for the date night special at Dangerously Delicious Pies. For $22, two people can each get a large piece of quiche or savory pie, a soft drink and a slice of dessert pie. The pies are all made on site with fresh ingredients and the variety is amazing, making it difficult to choose. Peter couldn't finish his large piece of blueberry pie, and I had mine boxed to go. 

After dinner, as the sun was setting over the tall buildings of downtown Baltimore to the west, we walked along the Promenade to Fell's Point. At Thames Street Park, the dozens of night heron nests were revealed not so much by cheeping but mostly by the two to three foot in diameter white circles of bird poop on the sidewalks beneath the trees. The streets were filled with mostly locals out enjoying the balmy weather. There was a thunderstorm warning earlier in the day, but light rain fell for only an hour; luckily, it greatly reduced the heat and humidity. Still, we needed to turn on the air-conditioning for about a half hour to make it more pleasant for sleeping.

Night heron perched along the waterfront in Fell's Point

Peter has just called me to say he is back from the CBP, so it is time to leave the boaters' lounge and go to the boat to get ready to sail.