Day #317 - Baltimore, MD | Great Loop Blog

Day #317 - Baltimore, MD

June 13th, 2009

Yesterday we arrived in beautiful Baltimore Harbor.

As you enter the harbor you pass Ft. McHenry with the city skyline in the background. Ft. McHenry is a star shaped fort best known for its role in the War of 1812 when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in the Chesapeake Bay. It was during this bombardment of the fort that Francis Scott Key was inspired to write “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the poem that would eventually be set to the tune that would become our national anthem.

The harbor is busy with commercial ships as well as pleasure craft. This little sailing club was a colorful welcome.

This photo captured many of the harbor sites and attractions.

The water taxi shuttles all day to 14 locations and attractions. It is a great way to tour the city for $9.00 per person as you ride all day and get on and off as many times as you like. The triangular roof line is their aquarium. In the far right corner of the picture is a replica of a working lighthouse also pictured below.

The marinas are plentiful in the area. Also, there are an abundance of waterfront condos and apartments lining the harbor.

As seen below, the USS Constellation is the last Civil War vessel still floating. It was built in 1854 and is the last all-sail warship built by the US Navy. After years of restoration, she was returned to the Inner Harbor on July 2, 1999 and is open for tours as part of their Maritime Museum.

We passed all of that getting to our marina which is the farthest one into the harbor.

Bob and Deb were there to catch our lines again.

Shortly after that, they pulled out and moved to another marina where they will leave their boat for a couple of weeks while they head home. Salvage Crew pulled in next to us shortly after.