It has been a blur since we left Annapolis, MD as we have had friends visit, friends depart, a wedding, provisioning, rental cars and new crew additions. Leaving Annapolis we had an easy passage north up the Chesapeake Bay to the Baltimore Yacht Club in Essex, MD (29NM). The BYC members are amazingly friendly and preparing for their opening day/memorial day weekend extravaganza. We were very lucky to get a spot in the harbor as every slip will be taken and boats will be anchored out in the harbor. While in the harbor we get the sweetest visit from Tyler, Meredith and Millie Jones and the Watson family too! Thank you for popping by to visit on your way to Avalon, NJ. The BYC club festivities go on without us as our good friend’s son Sean Doherty is getting married in Leesburg, VA. The wedding is in the gardens of an old plantation. It is a lovely evening and a beautiful event. With the wedding behind them Maggie and Owen Doherty (parents of the groom) are now free to join us on the Independence for the rest of The Great Loop. With our new crew we head up to the top of the Chesapeake River to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (C&D Canal). This canal is evidently one of the busiest in North America but seems fairly quiet (of large ship traffic) on this Memorial Day. We pull in to a marina right on the canal in Chesapeake City, MD (35NM). This is no easy feat as the canal is running a four knot current against us as we tie-up. Once secure we walk across the bridge over the canal and check-out the sweet town enjoying their holiday. The next day we head north to the end of the C&D Canal to the Delaware River/Bay. This a very busy waterway with quite a bit of large ship traffic and not terribly scenic but interesting enough. Passing through the state of Delaware we end the day at Cape May, NJ (61NM). Cape May is a big summer destination for city folks and has the most amazing collection of old Victorian homes and hotels. I was sorry not to get photos but we only had a few hours to see the town and therefore the marina driver took us for a mini-tour in the mini-van and photos were not an option. We would have loved to stay another day but the weather is cooperating so we move on. The ocean passage to Atlantic City, NJ is lovely with just a few rolling swells (38NM). We enjoy the gym and pool at the marina hotel and tomorrow head back out to the ocean north to Manasquan inlet at Brielle, N.J. (55NM). Our first ‘fog on the deck’ experience. Thank goodness we have a good crew and good electronics. I now can read a radar screen quite proficiently.