Today's headline

It seems that the problems aren't with the boaters on the water. Instead of more Coast Guard watching boaters -- and they did a good job of keeping things orderly while still allowing some fun -- perhaps there should have been more police watching the unruly crowds coming and going at the Chesapeake Inn.
I like sitting outside at the Inn having a beer and brick oven pizza as much as the next person, but on Canal Day, it's a different place -- especially at night after the official town Canal Day is over. The Inn does do a good job on security and 10 arrests for something that big isn't bad, true ... but I seriously doubt it was the boaters or vendors or shoppers who were causing the trouble and getting arrested. I'd bet it was a rowdier, younger night crowd that came in after the parking fee ended. And let's not let those bad apples ruin it and spark the kind of "end Canal Day" talk that came out after last year.

If you have constructive suggestions for changes, leave them in the comments section. I'm sure the organizers would love to hear what you think.

Read The News Journal article here.

See The News Journal photo gallery here.

Rafting 'em up

The basin is filling in an orderly fashion this year. This is a shot from early this morning. There's still plenty of room if you're thinking about heading in today. The boats are in good lines with clear travel lanes thanks to the early arrival of the Coast Guard. They are doing a good job of keeping things safe while still letting people have the fun that Canal Day is known for.

Here's today's Canal Day story in The News Journal.

Don't even think about it

View Larger Map
The boat ramp at the Corps of Engineers in Back Creek Basin has been blocked for the past couple of days as is usual before Canal Day. If you are a Canal Day newbie and were planning on saving on gas and just putting in at the basin -- you can forget that idea.

Share your photos

Do you have any good photos from past Canal Days you'd like to share with the world?
Do you want to share the ones you plan on taking at this year's event once it's over?

Send them my way and share them right here. Click on the link to e-mail me or just type in my e-mail address: canalday@rocketmail.com

Over 50,000 hits to this site and climbing by the hundreds each day as people search for photos you may have taken......

NSFW video

UPDATED: The video is now embedded.
This is NOT SAFE FOR WORK or MINORS.

Download the video from here.
The password is: beads

The News Journal weighs in

Canal Day is a GO
With an eye on safety, Chesapeake City plans a festival that won’t go overboard

By VICTOR GRETO
The News Journal

There’s something about Canal Day in Chesapeake City, Md., that brings out the best and worst in people.
In recent years, the event, which began small and sedate in 1975 as an arts festival to raise funds for the Chesapeake City District Civic Association, has gotten big – no, huge – and wild and crazy.
Last year’s festivities brought an estimated 400 boats and 10,000 visitors to a town that boasts fewer than 1,000 residents.


Read the rest of the article here.

It's getting closer and closer....

Read the rest of the Middletown Transcript article here.

A picture's worth a thousand words

Looking for some photos of the boats in the basin during Canal Day? There are plenty from the 2007 Canal Day on John Bowen's site, jrbowen.net

If you're looking for the Not Safe for Work Canal Day photos -- and who hasn't at some point -- check this previous post for a link to some photos. I've taken the NSFW video down for now but will upload it again if there are any requests. Just leave it in the comments.

As always, keep checking back for more Canal Day updates and links.

Every cloud has a silver lining

A commenter in the previous post mentioned the Noreaster Magazine article on Canal Day and the possibility of a 24-hour rule being enforced on boats in the basin. If your boat is occupied, I don't see that happening but you can always check with the town or Coast Guard when you pull in to moor.

Here's a link to the Nor'easter article.

I think the town is trying its best to let the water side of the event maintain its sense of fun and tradition while not letting the land side be inundated with the spillover of the boat owners' friends and hangers-on wandering around peeing on every porch and bush as they make their way to and from the basin and Inn.

Instead of letting a few ignoramuses ruin it for everyone, the town seems to be searching for balance.

Canal Day 2008 is just around the corner

There are some changes this year so be prepared.

For those driving into town, parking is now $10 per car and includes air-conditioned bus transport to and from from the parking location.
Don't forget. If you are in town Friday night, don't leave your car parked on one of the town streets. There is no parking in town after midnight on Friday, June 27. At 4 a.m on Canal Day, towing starts. No joke. Your car will be towed.

New this year ... an admission donation of $5 per adult is being requested. I'm not sure how that is going to be handled yet, but I'll post it as soon as I know.

Boaters planning to come and moor in the basin ... TAKE NOTE .... The U.S. Coast Guard will be enforcing strict safety measures in the canal basin starting Tuesday, June 24 and running through Canal Day. A limited number of boats will be allowed in the basin.