US Naval Academy Parade and Class of 2014 Climb

All 4500 members of the United States Naval Academy Brigade of Midshipmen Pass in Review

Silent Drill Team of Midshipmen and Women perform

All 1100 Members of Class of 2014  tried the climb  of Greased Herndon Monument to obtain a Plebe Hat in 2 hours and 41 minutes, culminating their Plebe year.

A day of ceremony where midshipmen and Plebes performed and were honored marked Monday’s events.  So many families are here to celebrate and sometimes these are the third or forth generation to attend the Academy.  The day started with the parade of 4000+ midshipmen marching in company formation with their weapons and swords at the ready. The Navy, the Marine, and the bagpipe and drum bands all performed.  Following the parade of colors was the performance of the silent drill on the steps of Bancroft Hall where all the midshipmen live.  Promptly at 1:30 we heard a huge roar from 1100 Plebes as they raced up the hill to the Herndon Monument.  The tradition proclaims that this is the culmination of their Plebe year to replace their plebe hat sitting on top of the monument with the midshipmen hat.  The monument is greased with lard, so very slippery to climb.  The first thing they tried to do was take off their shirts and wipe away the slippery lard.  Then man and woman standing upon each other began the climb.  Some years have taken up to 4 hours to accomplish this feat. This year they did the climb in 2 hours and 41 minutes.  Everything at the Academy seems to be a test–and as the Navy Seals say, “The only easy day you have was yesterday.”  Plebes would certainly agree today.   The crew of the Muriel June, however, had an easier day–we only viewed these events, had an ice cream on the way out and met with several other Grand Banks owners aboard the Muriel June to review maintenance and cruising plans.

US Naval Academy Commissioning – Baccalaureate Sunday

Indian Warrior Tecumsch stands watch over plaza for Brigade Formations. Painted this week with gold bars on his shoulders for Commissioning Week.

A lone candle stands in its own pew at the US Naval Academy Chapel for the missing and fallen Naval Academy graduates

Last night was the “Ring Dance” at the US Naval Academy which culminated with fireworks as the graduating midshipmen and women received their Naval Academy Rings.  Lots of tradition surrounds the Naval Academy.  The Indian warrior Tecumsch was once on a ship that sunk during the War of 1812.  He stands proudly in front of the hall where the midshipmen live.  Today he is painted for graduation with the white naval uniform.  Each year’s class painted the base representing the classes of 2011 to 2014.  Of course he is painted for all the football games as well. And, you can just imagine how the Army try to paint him before the Army-Navy game.  So, he changes his costume paint regularly.  We also heard that the Army tries to steal Bill the Goat mascot and paint him Army green.  We attended the Baccalaureate ceremony today where the class of 2011 was honored as well as the Naval Academy alumni and all other military men and women.  The sermon, delivered by a Navy chaplain, focused on honor, courage, and peace.  In the middle of the chapel stands a lone lit candle with a wreath at its base, representing the fallen men and women of the Academy.  In addition to the regular naval choir, the Raleigh Boys Choir also sang.  Lots of time for quiet contemplation in the chapel as we gazed up to the tiffany glass windows and the depictions of the naval references in both the old and new testaments.  In addition to visiting the Academy today we also hosted our good friends the Rogers who live here in Annapolis as well as the Lowe’s who are on another Grand Banks.

Inspection by an upper classman at Bancroft Hall where 4500 midshipmen and women live

Visit to the Cruiser USS Normandy

Special Ops Helicopters Land on Aft Deck with Hanger. All three services used this ship during their recent deployment to Persian Gulf

The Stern had 64 Tomahawk Missile Silos – The Bow had the same

The crew of the Muriel June visited the USS Normandy which was brought up from Norfolk to provide security for the United States Naval Academy commissioning exercises. We were allowed to attend this tour because Alan still has his military identification–only military personnel were welcome aboard.  The Normandy had just returned from a tour in the Gulf where she was the command ship for all air defense in the Gulf providing support for all troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The tour included a trip to command and control center as well as the bridge.  The command and control center had over 50 computer screens monitoring air, water and below water activity.  Alan said it looked much like his listening post in Sinop, Turkey, where he was once stationed.  The bridge not only included the regular naval instrumentation, but also joy sticks for firing various weapon systems on the ship. We also saw demonstrations by the head of fire and rescue safety.  These men showed us all the fireproof suits they wore if they had to rescue men/women in helicopters that were on fire as well as fire on the ship. They also showed us instruments like the jaws of life which, in addition to rescuing people were also used to pry into containers on container ships to check for dangerous cargo.  Finally, the captain(Naval Academy graduate) welcomed us aboard and briefed us on the personnel aboard and the 21 year operational history of the ship.

This Rapid Fire Gun shoots 90 rounds a SECOND

Here is the reason you do not want to come within the 500 yard security zone of a US Navy Warship

John Paul Jones Inspires US Naval Academy Midshipmen

The Crypt of John Paul Jones lies under the Main Chapel at the US Naval Academy

John Paul Jones 1747 to 1792

Main Chapel at the US Naval Academy conducts both Catholic and Protestant services

The fighting spirit of John Paul Jones gives the United States Naval Academy some of its earliest traditions of courage, honor and victory. Born in Scotland in 1747 and died in France in 1792, John Paul Jones’ grave was finally found in France by Horace Porter, the American Ambassador to France in 1899.  With old maps and documents, Porter was able to find the Jones burial site and return him to the United States where he is now buried in a crypt under the Naval Academy Chapel.  President Theodore Roosevelt blessed the burial in 1906.

John Paul Jones’ navel career included serving as Captain in the Continental Navy from 1776 to the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783. His orders were signed by John Hancock then president of the Continental Congress.  He first protected our harbors commanding a ship called Ranger.  In 1779 he took Bon Homme Richard  and the American fleet to the waters around England to strike the British closer to their home.  At the close of the Revolutionary War he was commissioned by King Louis XVI of France (and knighted as a chevalier) to command fleets for France followed by a stint with the Russian Navy under Catherine the Great fighting the Ottomans in the Black Sea.  In 1792 Washington commissioned Jones to return to France to negotiate the release of American hostages held in Algeria. There in 1792 he died from complications of a long illness.  It is said that Jones was the first to fly the Stars and Stripes and that the French (with a gun salute) were the first to recognize our flag, fleet and sovereignty.  He once said he’d sink before he lowered the American colors, in a statement,  “I’ll sink, but I’m damned if I’ll strike.”

Annapolis

Old sailboat crosses the MJ Bow as we enter the harbor

The oyster and crab watermen have turned coats. Today they were rock fishing with big green bobbers like cat tails flying from their poles.  Hundreds and hundreds of fishermen were out today, so many that I’m surprised there are any rock fish left in Chesapeake Bay.  We left at 5:30 a.m. along with the fishing boats hurrying for the  biggest and the most fish.  And, for the next 60 miles as we headed to Annapolis, we passed fishermen while many tankers passed us.  Outside the Annapolis channel and waiting for pilots were anchored 8 additional tankers waiting to get into Baltimore.  Commerce must be good.  As we pulled into Annapolis the church bell chimed 11 a.m., the schooner under full sails passed us, and the harbor began to fill awaiting the events of May as the next crop of midshipmen graduate.  Here we’ll see the Blue Angels, many proud families, and learn a lot of our naval history.

We look forward to seeing the Rogers (friends from our Cal Berkeley days) who live here in Annapolis.  We passed a trawler out on the bay (Winter Hawk) we hadn’t seen since last spring in Myrtle Beach who was heading to St. Michaels. We hope to see them later in Baltimore. And, there are several trawlers in this harbor who are heading to the Great Loop Rendezvous next week in Norfolk where we’ll be heading.  We love the cruising friendships.

May 4th – Alan’s Birthday!

DeGroots honor Alan with cocktail burgee

Today on Solomons Island, Maryland, it is raining, raining, raining.  But, the sun is shining inside the Muriel June because it is Alan’s birthday and he is loving all the cards, e mails and phone calls wishing him a great day.  Our friends, the DeGroots aboard Spirit Dancer from Lakewood Yacht Club are coming aboard tonight for a birthday celebration and they are supposed to bring with them an “Alan Story.” We loved all the stories, but  the best came from my brother, John, who talked about Alan’s love for shopping: auto parts, hardward, or marine supply stores.  So true! Many thanks for all your wishes.

Cousins, Solomons Island and Texas Visitors

Lakewood Yacht Member Reunite after 3000 miles after both leaving Texas in 2009

Peggy’s Cousins from McLean VA came to visit the MJ crew

May first, May Day, was a beautiful day at the Tides Inn, VA., made so especially with a visit from cousins Bill and Muff Jenkins.  We had a wonderful guided tour of Christ Church in Irvington learning about the Carter family who built this beautiful Georgian church in 1735.  We had visited it before but learned much more about the archeology involved with the community, the plantation, and the people who once lived there during colonial times when the Church of England was trying to establish itself as separate from the Catholic Church.  The great news from the Jenkins family is that Lisa, their daughter, is on her way home from Afghanistan.  Great news for us on this day of Bin Laden’s death.

Today we cruised 70 miles to Solomons Island in Maryland.  And, there, waiting on the dock for us were Bob and Kemba DeGroot on Spirit Dancer, our good friends from Houston.  We last saw them on Spirit Dancer as we crossed the Gulf in December 0f 2009.  So, tonight we will have a toast for all our Texas amigos, to health and safety of us all.  Such a memorable day with the death of Bin Laden.