Bermuda

Every once in a while I get the opportunity to blog about something boat or water related outside of the Chesapeake Bay. There was our boat trip to Atlantic City a few years back. Then we had an amazing time snorkeling with manatees in Florida one December. This time, it was a trip to Bermuda.

First off, no, we did not take the boat to Bermuda. That is the first question everyone asked us when they heard about the trip. While it is possible to boat to Bermuda, there were two things standing in our way:

1. We were only going on a 6 day trip. We had sailboat friends that sailed to Bermuda from NYC and it took them 5 days straight to get there. Our entire vacation would have been spent getting to Bermuda.
2. Our boat isn't really built for that sort of travel. Plus, there aren't any gas stations along the way.

So, we flew.

There were a couple key boating related sites that I just had to see.

Did you know that Bermuda is home to the world's smallest drawbridge? The Somerset Bridge is only 32 inches wide. Want proof? I was able to stand on either side of the bridge.

The hand-operated drawbridge is just wide enough to allow a sailboat's mast.

The bridge has been rebuilt in modern times but it can be found in historical records dating back to 1620.

We also climbed 185 steps to the top of one of the world's oldest cast iron lighthouses. Gibb's Hill Lighthouse has aided sailors since 1846. Our first glimpse of the lighthouse was from the golf course at our hotel.

Visitors can climb to the top for a mere $2.50.

We stayed at the Fairmont Southampton and could see sheltered coves from our balcony.

If any runners read this blog, I highly recommend the Bermuda Running Festival. The races were the initial reason for our trip. You can test your endurance and sanity by running the Bermuda Triangle Challenge -- Friday evening is the Front Street Mile, Saturday morning is the Bermuda 10K, and Sunday morning is the Bermuda Half-Marathon or Marathon. Runners that complete all three races receive 4 medals celebrating their accomplishment. I completed the Half Marathon challenge and came home with some serious bling. The courses are absolutely beautiful, the crowd support is genuine, and the weather is perfect for running. Add it to your calendar for next January.

Running related trips have also taken us to the Bay Bridge Marina and St. Michaels. Any suggestions on where we should go next?

Lastly, we did not leave our boat and cats unattended for six days during the cold winter in Baltimore. Weekend warrior friends of ours are considering the liveaboard lifestyle. We asked them to "boatsit" while we were gone so they could get a taste of the floating life. It was a win-win situation. We had someone to take care of everything and they got a fun experience. No word yet on if the long weekend has put them on a liveaboard fast-track or has "cured" them of any desire to liveaboard.

Boats, Buses, and Running Shoes

How often do you get to boat under, ride over, and walk on the same bridge in a 24 hour period? That was us last weekend when we moved the boat to the Bay Bridge Marina in order to run the Across the Bay 10K. Sure, we could have drove to a parking lot like everyone else. But where is the fun in that?

This isn't the first time we've traveled over water for a race. In May 2012 we took a group to St. Michaels for the running festival. This trip was a bit colder but we had the best possible weather for a November trip and race.

We left Saturday afternoon with a crew of four (three runners and one cheerleader). From Baltimore we ventured south on the Chesapeake Bay and under the Bay Bridge.

Here we are directly underneath the bridge we would be running on the next day.

We had a fantastic view of the Bridge from our slip.

We were also very close to Hemingway's where we shared a delightful meal of multiple appetizers. I'm sure their outdoor seating area gets really packed during the summer months as this restaurant has an amazing view.

We spent a quiet evening looking at the Bridge.

And watching planes land at the Bay Bridge Airport.

We loved being on the outer edge of the marina for the view, however, I have to admit that I wasn't planning to rock around so much. There are break walls but they seemed to funnel all of the waves right at our boat. Not an issue - just an observation.

The race ran from the west side to the east side of the bridge. The race organizers were thorough and thoughtful in the logistics. There were shuttles to the start line from both sides of the bridge. The closest race shuttle to the marina was 6 miles away but Kent Island Transportation rescued us with a very early morning taxi ride. From there we boarded a school bus to the other side of the bridge.

In 10 waves, separated by 15 minutes each, we ran across the bridge with 15,000 other hearty souls. The only "spectators" on the bridge were the police officers stationed along the way for safety. A big kudos and thanks to the pair of officers blaring Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" about halfway across. I highly recommend this race. It was so cool to run across a 4 mile bridge that I have driven on so many times.

The finish line was a short mile from the marina. We were able to cheer on those still running as we walked back for our trip back to Baltimore.

Perhaps we should coordinate an Annapolis trip around a race next year?

Before you ask -- no, we are not moving the boat to Bermuda for their marathon.

St. Michaels Running Festival

Running, drinks, and sunshine - a fantastic first overnight boat trip of the season.

I'm smiling because I'm close to the finish line.

A couple of friends signed up for the half marathon in the St. Michaels First Annual Running Festival. I don't have their endurance yet (hopefully "yet" is the key word there), so I signed up for the 5K and we decided to make a weekend of it. St. Michaels is beautiful and flat, therefore, a perfect place for me to run and I'm hoping to go back for the festival next year. It was obvious that this was their first running festival - even to an inexperienced runner like me - but I think they will learn from their minor mistakes this year and have an even better event next year. I wish I could take the boat to my 10K in a few weeks.

We had a special treat at the beginning of our trip. The Lady Maryland was out sailing near the Key Bridge. My husband spent some time on this boat when he was in school so he always gets excited when he sees it.

The trip from Baltimore to St. Michaels is just under 2 hours. At least it is for us because we don't have to worry about the drawbridge schedule in Kent Narrows - I've found conflicting reports about when it opens. Some say only on the half hour and hour. Some say it can open more often if you hail the bridge operator. Anybody know which is correct? - Lucky for us we fit underneath the bridge. Even still, the few seconds under the bridge can be tricky. The current through the Narrows is strong so my advice is to be aware as you navigate under the bridge.

We normally stay at the St. Michaels Marina because it's on the town side of the water. Two of our friends and their dog were staying at the St. Michaels Harbour Inn so we reserved a slip in their marina. Our slip backed up to the hotel and our friends' room was right behind the decorative lighthouse in this photo:

St. Michaels is a small town so you can walk to restaurants, shops, and bars from just about anywhere, but I still prefer the convenience of St. Michaels Marina. However, for this particular trip, the Harbour Inn Marina was closest to the running festival - definitely a plus for the long distance runners in our group at the end of their race. And whoever owns this marina must be a fan of the ACC:

It's hard to see in this photo but those are all ACC flags.

After the races on Saturday we found a great new little restaurant. Gina's Cafe is uniquely decorated and pescatarian friendly. The tuna tacos with asian slaw were yummy. Gina also makes a mean margarita. With only five two-top tables and room for six at the bar, the place is tiny, but we all enjoyed our lunch. They've been open since December and I wish them luck.

No trip to St. Michaels is complete without a drink or two at Foxy's. The three runners in the group had only a beer or two on Friday and we were all ready for a good island drink. I don't drink many frozen concoctions but the dirty banana is perfect for a sunny day by the water.

Our tour of St. Michaels continued at the St. Michaels Winery. They have a brand new bright and airy tasting room. With over 20 wines there is something for everyone. It may sound really strange but I recommend trying their Chocolate Zinfandel (and that's coming from someone who doesn't like sweet wines).

We were very excited to discover that St. Michaels now has a brewery. The Eastern Shore Brewery is right next door to the winery. I only had a chance to try one of their beers so I guess I need to go back to St. Michaels soon.

If I haven't convinced you to visit St. Michaels yet, here are a couple more photos:

Even the dogs get their own bar.

Cold beer, crab dip, AND FLUFFY WAFFLES? What more could you want?