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MD - Severn River - 2009/05/09 - 6 miles
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After a week of rain, a rookie gets out on the water in Annapolis.
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Rookie Report
By Robert Weber
Second in a series of shakedown paddles for new equipment. I started at Amos Garret Park on Spa Creek in the Murray Hill section of Annapolis. Saturday morning before 9AM and I was the only one there. Launching was very easy. I started by paddling west, up the creek to look for other launch sites. None were found. It became apparent that wind would picking up from the west. I turned around and had a most pleasant paddle between stately homes lining the banks and numerous expensive yachts at docks and moored at buoys in the river. With wind at my back it was quite the occasion crossing under the bridge into Eastport and out into the Annapolis Basin. I had definitely beat the crowd because few other vessels were moving. A two-person kayak launched from a dock near the bridge and up the creek from where I had just been. Another lone kayaker was paddling north around Eastport from farther out in the basin. I headed for the Naval Academy. Once I got around the wall on the Severn River side, I was protected from the wind and made good progress northward. Just before reaching the Rt. 450 Bridge, I saw a handful of rowing skulls coming at me. They turned into a small creek before reaching me and appeared to take a rest before going in for the day. I continued under the bridge and found a small creek to the west. It dead-ended rather abruptly, but afforded me a good spot to relax before turning around to go back. My original plan was to go farther up the Severn, but the wind was increasing in strength, so discretion was the better part of valor. I turned around and once again used the sea wall to shield me from the wind. I sprinted through the mooring balls and tied up yachts to get back in the creek to avoid being capsized by a vessel with a larger ego. Upon going under the bridge again, the wind was less of factor and still very few boats moving, so I leisurely made it back to the launch site with ease. Very scenic.
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