Chesapeake Bay around Thomas Point

Over the weekend I attempted to get a good picture of the Thomas Point lighthouse.  This particular lighthouse is a "screwpile" type light (a lighthouse mounted on top of a foundation of pilings driven into the bottom mud: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw-pile_lighthouse).

More about Thomas Point light can be found here: http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=425

I had hoped to be able to park the car and walk to a good vantage point for my photo shoot, but unlike Charles Winpenny's Cornwall which features many coastal walking paths and plenty of access, most of the areas around the Annapolis area with water views and access are owned by extremely wealthy individuals and hence "no parking" signs are the order of the day.  With Elisabeth at the wheel of the station wagon I was able to snap the following pix before someone released the hounds!

Thomas Point Lighthouse seen from the shore at the community of Arundel on the Bay.  It was a cold, windy day which did not help the quality of the photographs!

There are always several large ships anchored just south of the Annapolis bay bridge.  I generally only see them when crossing the bay bridge.

Another ship waiting for orders to approach the port of Baltimore.

The other iconic structure visible from this community is the Bay Bridge which spans the Chesapeake Bay between Sandy Point on the western shore of Maryland and Kent Island. Kent Island is a large island between the eastern and western shores of Maryland. The houses in this neighborhood have spectacular views of bridge, the shipping traffic and the lighthouse.

Zooming in on the bridge.  Actually now two bridges.  This bay bridge, officially called the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge, is not to be confused with the similarly named Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel at Norfolk, Virginia.  The closest bridge, in the photo above, is the original one which is a two lane bridge which originally handled traffic in both directions.  It now carries east-bound traffic.  This span was supplemented by a second three lane bridge which carries west-bound traffic.  During summer weekends these bridges often have extensive traffic back ups in both directions.

Driving on, we turned west for a view back towards Annapolis.

We were able to find a place to pull off the road without ruining our tires.  The green dome across the water is the Naval Academy Chapel.  The day was growing late and we wanted to meet up with our daughter at the Boatyard Bar and Grill in nearby Eastport so we'll leave you for now.