Baltimore prepares for Sandy

Yesterday (Sunday, 28 October 12) I went for a pre-Sandy bike ride  around the Inner Harbor of Baltimore to check out the storm preparations. I saw sandbag stations in Canton and Fells point, and at Ft. McHenry (which is closed for the next two days) I saw that the Park Service and Army Corps of Engineers had moved their government vehicles (and a couple of survey boats on trailers) to the highest point of the park, near the main entrance.

While riding on the trail at the far eastern part of the park (there’s a beautiful vista of the harbor toward the Key Bridge there) I saw a USCG buoy tender heading inbound on the Ft. McHenry range.Once I got home I checked my AIS display and saw she was the JAMES RANKIN and had tied up over in Fells Point; the CHOCK was near Harborview.

I assume these guys are sheltering from the weather, and pre-positioning so as to be able to quickly head out after the storm to check and reset any AtoN knocked off station.

I also saw the large cruise ship CARNIVAL PRIDE at Locust Point and smaller AMERICAN STAR in the Inner Harbor taking shelter. CARNIVAL PRIDE has since shifted to anchorage off of Annapolis. Otherwise it’s pretty quiet in Baltimore Harbor and appears it will be for another day at least.