Sailboats and Watercraft, Annapolis

The Annapolis Maritime Museum (Barge House) is a stop you'll appreciate if you are interested in collections of maritime artifacts and the history of this area.
The hours are Saturday 11 am-4 pm. There is no charge.

The Eastport Historic Walking Tour is coordinated through this museum. Eastport is a small town across the bridge from downtown Annapolis. Most of its history comes form yacht yards, which are included in a twelve site tour.

While in Annapolis consider taking a boat ride!

We cruised Chesapeake Bay while in Annapolis our last visit and thought it was the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon! You have your choice of two tours, but we chose the 40 minute tour which departed from Annapolis city dock, sailing us past the U.S. Naval Academy. It was just the right length since we were traveling with our grandson.

The Watermark 40 minute cruise sails from April 23-October 2 and cost $8 for adults; $4 for children 3-11 and children 2 and under are free. Check the website for hours which vary.

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Just over the Bay Bridge from Annapolis lies Kent Island, part of Maryland's Eastern Shore. Founded in 1631, Kent Island was the first English settlement in Maryland. Like other parts of the Eastern Shore, boating and fishing are huge businesses and leisure time activities. Kent Island offers various local seafood restaurants as well as some unique local history.

Spa Creek separates Annapolis proper from Eastport. During the boat show, one of the places that is good to anchor is Spa Creek, but first you have to get under the bridge. The Spa Creek bridge is a major impediment to the passage of sailboats, and when the sailboats are passing, the cars can't. It is a long way around by car if the Spa Creek bridge is up.

There is a landing at the end of Church street. We have had friends anchor in Spa Creek and come in and tie up at the landing and walk to meet us for dinner. Then we've gone out to their boats in the dinghies.

The yacht club is on the Chesapeake side of the bridge, so yacht club members or guests don't have to go through the bridge.

The anchorage off the Naval Academy is not as protected, and the holding isn't as good. And of course the harbor is taken up with the boat show so that isn't available.