After a big grocery shopping trip, we finally set sails at around lunchtime and maneuvered our way out of the New York Harbor. On our way out, we passed the Statue of Liberty and had a great view of the New York skyline.
For some of us, it was the first time on board Pangaea, and you can only imagine the excitement that brought. Luckily, we had great weather and a calm sea so we could sail down the Atlantic coast at a speed of 13 knots. We were all still jetlagged, and the watch during the night didn’t help. It was hard to stay awake at times.
We sailed into the Annapolis harbor in the Chesapeake Bay by midday, we were given a warm welcome by Lauren’s family and the Severn Riverkeeper who were waiting for us on their motor boat. Pangaea immediately attracted a lot of attention at the boat show in Annapolis, and people were cruising around curiously in small dinghies and taking pictures.
We then set off to explore the city of Annapolis, which has a very colonial feel to it. After we finished walking and eating, the group set off to Lauren’s house by boat, where Mike raced us in his dinghy on the Severn River. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming as we celebrated Saraya’s 16th birthday with good food, crazy dancing, and swimming in the hot tub. There was a big feast with a lot of people, as Lauren had invited all of her neighbors, as well as delicious food – this was another great day and hopefully an unforgettable birthday for Saraya.