721. Chesapeake Bay

Where: Annapolis, Maryland
When: March 17-18, 2018
With: Dave, Ashley, Steve, Loren, Jason

The Chesapeake Bay is a massive estuary that spans the states of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware, as well as Washington, DC. An estuary, by definition, is a partially enclosed body of brackish water with open access to the sea and several rivers flowing into it. As a result, estuaries are exposed to the conditions of both the ocean (tides, waves and salt water) and rivers (fresh water and sediment). These conditions create a body of water filled with all kinds of nutrients providing a great natural habitat for animals and aquatic life.

These conditions also create lots of coves and inlets that make an ideal setting for adorable coastal towns. As the Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary on the continent, there are tons of quaint and charming places to visit and explore along its shores. However, the one we chose to visit uses the water for a different reason. 

We decided to spend a weekend in Annapolis, Maryland, capital of the state. Sitting right on the shores of Severn River and feeding into the Bay, this city is home to the Naval Academy, the alma mater of my best friend's husband, Jason. We decided to all meet up and get a tour from the graduate himself while also enjoying the adorable town. 

Dave and I flew into DC, where Ashley and Steve picked us up and we all drove to meet Loren and Jason. We met up in the downtown, where Loren had to hop into Steve's car to drive it on campus, as only active military and their spouses may do so. We are already seeing that this is a very different college campus experience.

Once on campus, Jason pulled out his little black book of the history of the Academy that every student (or midshipmen, as they're called) is meant to memorize. Jason was filled with fun facts about the campus, from both his book and his time there. For example, we learned about the lighting on this statue of the Academy's mascot, Bill the Goat, that is meant to accentuate particular features of its body to show that the Academy has...balls. 

Taking a nice walk around.

Passing a row of adorable houses where the officers live. 

Our first stop was in Dahlgren Hall. Our expert guide explained how it was once where they repaired ships when the river came further inland than it does now. Ships could be pulled in, the water drained out of the building, and repairs were performed. 

Now it is used as an assembly hall to practice marching and formations. It has the flags of all 50 states lining its walls, in addition to a replica of the first naval fighter plane from 1911, built with the help of the Wright brothers. 

Throughout the campus are several memorials to battles and people who have contributed to the success of the Navy. The one on the left is for all who have died while serving on submarines, and the one on the right is for the most decisive naval battle of World War II, the Battle of Midway. 

Next up, we visited Bancroft Hall. I foolishly did not take any photos of the Hall from the outside, just the view from the front of it. 

Inside the hall is a grand entrance that was absolutely stunning. Most striking are the tiny lights in the ceiling that accentuate the intricately carved designs. 

One interesting little treat of this hall was its example of an Academy dorm room. All midshipman enrolled at Navy share a two or four person dorm room on campus with one shower and no toilet (there's a common "head" on each floor). Even the closet must be organized just so, and when I asked Jason about it, he instinctively repeated a rhyme of "left to right, dark to light" to explain. We also learned that for freshman and sophomore year, midshipmen cannot bring any civilian clothing to school with them, only military uniforms are allowed. 

Further into Bancroft Hall is the Memorial Hall, dedicated to all graduates who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. 

At the center of the hall is a roughly sewn flag that says "Don't Give Up the Ship". This was the dying command of James Lawrence on the USS Chesapeake when battling the Royal Navy during the War of 1812. His good friend, Oliver Hazard Perry, had this saying stitched onto a flag that he flew during a separate, but victorious, battle on Lake Erie. Since then, it has become a motto of the Navy. The one in Memorial Hall is a replica, with the original being in the Naval Academy Museum. 

Further into campus is the US Naval Academy Chapel. 

Inside, the stained glass, while religious in nature, has a distinct water theme. Some of the stained glass even features particular naval heroes right alongside angels and saints. 

Down underneath the chapel is a crypt for the father of the US Navy, John Paul Jones. As the first commander of the Continental Navy, he encouraged the formation of a formal navy and won several decisive battles during the Revolutionary War. While he was buried in France upon his death, his body was returned to the US for the creation of this tomb and embalmed in rum for his last journey across the sea. 

After our tour, it was time for some modern warfare: in the form of lacrosse. Lacrosse is a huge sport in the state of Maryland and we enjoyed watching a game in the Navy football stadium against Loyola. While Navy lost and it eventually began to rain, it was a fun experience nonetheless. 

This crew needed some very hot showers to warm up post game, but are now ready for a night out (which also just so happened to be Saint Patrick's Day). 

The next day, the sun came out and we were treated to a beautiful day of walking Annapolis. I loved this main street, lined with adorable old buildings and ending in the view of the river. 

After an amazing brunch at a great old school diner, we headed to the Maryland State House, which sits at the highest point of the city.

Inside the building, we could see the chambers for the various Maryland State government branches. They were all so beautiful. 

Also inside this building occurred a very subtle, but important event in our nation's history. This is where, after winning the Revolutionary War, George Washington gave control of the Continental Army back to the Continental Congress. In this act, he gave up the prospect of being "emperor" of this new country that had been founded, as many people wanted (or expected) him to do. 

The actual speech he gave on December 23, 1783 is on display in the rotunda. It includes the original scribblings and notes of Washington himself. It was pretty cool to see. 

In the Old Senate Chamber, a painstaking restoration took place to bring the room back to what it might have looked like on that day. A statue of Washington addressing the Continental Congress has been placed in the room, so visitors can truly imagine how it may have looked that day. 

The view from the State House. 

Our final stop of the day was at the harbor and marina, with some views of sailboats floating by. It made us think of summer and another trip back to this beautiful part of Maryland. 

It was a beautiful introduction to this corner of the country. We have many more towns to visit, but based on this start, I'm excited to plan another trip back to the Chesapeake Bay!