Northern Victorian Towns
Leaving Baltimore we crossed the tip
of the Chesapeake Bay and headed via the Elk River into the Chesapeake and
Delaware Canal. This 16 mile canal is really an open man-made passage between
Philadelphia and Baltimore built in 1829 but enlarged many times and now
without locks. We lucked into a spot on the free dock at Chesapeake City – a
mere four miles into the canal. Shortly after the boat next to us help tie our
ropes, we were visiting and comparing notes. Dan and Jodi on Water Hog are in
month five and a half of their six month trip to the Bahamas and had lots of
suggestions for Steve’s planned trip over there next winter. Even more amazing,
Dan built their boat from “a kit”! He bought the hull and filled it with all
the things needed to make his perfect boat. It is beautiful from the shiny
fiberglass to the gleaming woodwork. His care in planning the smallest detail
is evident in the clever use of space and roomy layout. Having seen his boat,
we were pleased that he found the quality in the Krogens impressive. I say
Krogens plural because John and his crew arrived on his Krogen 44, Feisty Lady
– very much like the one our friends from Marathon, Mark and Mary have. We all
made plans to run down the Delaware bay to Cape May the following day. Before
we left Chesapeake City, we took a walk around this cute little Victorian
Town. Most of the homes and businesses
here in the area of the harbor date from the early days of the canal and have
been restored with period detail. Many are bed and breakfasts or inns and some
are retail business or restaurants. This
tiny town was only a foretaste of the treat to come in Cape May.
Our little group traveled down the
Delaware Bay keeping in touch and in sight of each other on the long – for us –
day which fortunately was blessed with favorable winds and current. The Delaware Bay is reputably a nasty place
when the wind is fighting the current. All we saw were calm seas and fair winds
the entire way into our anchorage in front of the Coast Guard training facility
on Cape May. Their drilling and routines have added a little spice to our stay
here. We have spent two full days
waiting for the storm front to pass and the seas to calm for our 140+ mile trip
into New York Harbor. The stormy weather did not much inhibit our (my) touring
of this town that boasts more than 600 Victorian homes and businesses. Needless
to say we had to walk and bike around and enjoy these colorful gingerbread
homes. They have also created a
pedestrian zone in the heart of the downtown and reconstructed the boardwalk in
concrete along the Atlantic which saved them from serious Sandy damage. We took
a bike ride out to the lighthouse and a walk on the beach followed by lunch at
the Key West Taco shack – we couldn’t resist. The owner runs the shop 7 months
of the year and the rest he spends in the Keys or further south. It was our
kind of place from the great food to the tropical Jimmy Buffet inspired décor.
Steve also graciously toured the Emlen Physick Estate a grand Victorian home
designed by Frank Furness – the mentor of Louis Sullivan who then had Frank
Lloyd Wright as a student. The home did include many items from the original
family and has been restored based on the oral histories collected from both
family and the servants who worked there. Sadly, we were not allowed to take
pictures – so you will be spared my photos of the William Morris wallpaper,
ceilings, fireplace tiles, and woven wood screens. This “cottage” included more
than 6000 square feet for the Doctor, his mother and aunt. The rich knew how to
live.
John and the Feisty Lady headed to
Atlantic City this morning after a farewell pizza party. Weather permitting,
tomorrow we will be travelling half way to New York City with Dan and Jodi.
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