Annapolis

The Sea Hawk came into Annapolis during Commissioning Week so we were able to take part in some of the festivities and tour the grounds.  Commissioning Week involves a full week of celebratory events ending with graduation day at the Navy-Marine Memorial Stadium.  Probably the most entertaining event was the climbing of the greased Herndon Monument.  The upper classmen lard up the monument placing a hat at the top for this long standing tradition since the 40’s.  It took 1 hour and 5 minutes to climb the 21 foot height to the top amidst a jumble of limbs to replace the dixie cup hat with a cover officially ending the plebes’s first year.  The class of ’72 had the fastest time at 1 minute and 30 seconds!
We were privileged to once more view the magnificent Blue Angels fly during Commissioning Week.

We took an interesting walking tour of the grounds which provided a lot of background information.  Some of the highlights for us were the Naval Academy Museum, Chapel, and John Paul Jones Crypt.

The Chapel was a beautiful study of stained glass windows depicting Scripture references to the sea.

The museum houses one of the world’s finest collections of warship models from the 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th centuries.  Of particular interest was the Bone Model Collection.  The model ships were carved from the bones of the beef rations allowed to French prisoners-of-war during their incarceration.  A fascinating tribute to the skill of prisoners who were kept in horrible conditions for years on end.  Below is an image of one of the bone ship models.  

                       
    

John Paul Jones was found dead in his apartment on July 18,1792 at the age of 45 while waiting for his commission as the United States consul to Algiers.  His remains were returned to Annapolis and interred in the crypt beneath the Chapel on January 26, 1913.   

John Paul Jones Crypt

We had a little hitchhiker, we were quite a way from land when we discovered him.  Hope he made it back.

On to the Chesapeake-Delaware Canal...............