Baltimore's Inner Harbor is a tribute to a city's effort to turn an eyesore into an asset of the first quality, and they have succeeded magnificently. This is a view from our lunch table across the water.
This is another view showing some of the festival-like area immediately adjacent to the harbor. Rouse and Company did a wonderful design and construction job on this complex.
This view shows one of the dozens of water taxis leaving the harbor.
Finally, this shot shows an ancient powerplant which was been converted to bookstores and restaurants. What a great feel, and notice how many people were there on Memorial Day weekend.
As we left Baltimore early in the morning, the skyline was quiet and still. This is another kind of magical moment in a typical day of our adventure.
While we were in Baltimore we flew our flag (insiders know it as a "personal signal") for the first time. We had been given this flag as a going away gift by our friends in St. Petersburg. Thanks guys--it look sensational, don't you agree!
The C&D Canal (the "C&D" stands for Chesapeake and Delaware) connects, cleverly enough, the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. Proposed more than two hundred years ago, it was finished in the 19th century. Part of the way down, we passed under the St. George's Bridge (aptly named, I suppose, because St. George lives there), which looks very much like the Sunshine Skyway bridge in St. Petersburg. A taste of home.
Delaware Bay was rough, windy, and busy. Here is a partially loaded container ship which passed nearby.
This is a photo of one of the now-automated lights in Delaware Bay.
From Delaware Bay we cut through the Cape May Channel into Cape May harbor. (They're so clever how they name these things). Cape May, New Jersey is on the Garden State Parkway, and you'll always know which exit, because it is the last. Cape May's central district is on the national register of historic places because of the wonderful collection of Victorian homes that remain. We took lots of pictures.
Another view along one of the streets near the boardwalk.
Still another view. This is a view of the Mainstay Inn--about as cute as they get.
Another view of the same place, it was so attractive.
This is the Physick Mansion which we toured. It even has much of the original furniture in it, and restoration of the interior is well along.
We left Cape May and ran up the outside. There was little to see which was exciting except for the Snake River Inlet (behind the ship's spray in the photo below). This is exciting because it is the former stomping ground of John Walsh, and he's pertty exciting.
At the end of this run was New York Harbor. You know you're there when you see the Verrazano Narrows bridge spanning from Staten Island to Brooklyn.
Another view of the bridge after we passed by.
New York Harbor on a small boat is almost too much to behold, the next several photos show some of the sights we enjoyed while playing dodge-'em-boat. This is one of the Staten Island Ferries with Manhattan in the background. We took this photo for our Ed Gillott who used to live on that ferry.
Next we saw the Statue of Liberty come into view.
What a grand sight.
We proceeded north, toward the financial district of Manhattan and its imposing skyline.
As we passed-by, this was our view out the rear window of the boat.
We tied-up in Weehawken, NJ across from Manhattan. Here's a view of Jan, Interlude, and the skyline, all in one. What a bargain.
Beyond Manhattan on the New York side of the Hudson is the Amtrack train, running along the river.
On the other side of the river, in New Jersey, is the Palisades. This shot gives you some perspective of the height of the cliffs by comparing it to the anchored sailboat in the foreground. Beautiful!!
