naviquan

Many years ago, the Baltimore Inner Harbor and area surrounding it were not pretty and at times dangerous. However, some two decades ago, Baltimore waterfront underwent a renaissance with the creation of Harborplace, which evokes more than a century of history and urban lore. Today, Baltimore Inner Harbor is a vibrant location attracting annually hundreds of thousands of people with its nice and clean environment, more than a hundred dining and shopping establishments, several modern hotels, National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, and several ships accessible to public: USS Constellation - the last all sail warship built by the US Navy, USS Torsk - submarine SS-423, US Coastal Guart Taney and Lightship Chesapeake (maintained by or with participation of Baltimore Maritime Museum). This three-part article with photo galleries is dedicated to the four ships mentioned above representing tremendous opportunity to learn more about various chapters in the US history. And not only - I bet very few people have any idea about what life could be on ships like this.

If you have a day - visit the USS Constellation Museum and sites operated by Baltimore Maritime Museum: Taney, Torsk and Chesapeake; you will not be disappointed. In fact, I am sure in many respects it will be an eye opening experience. You may be tempted to visit same day National Aquarium at Baltimore located on Pier 4 and 5 - very close to Torsk, Taney and Lightship Chesapeake. My recommendation - use another day for the aquarium. It's a wonderful and unique museum, and to visit everything in Inner Harbor just in one day may not be possible.

Some logistic information: there are many places in Inner Harbor where you can have lunch or dinner and/or stay overnight. The former include (I am listing places only in the Inner Harbor itself):

• Tir na Nog Irish Pub offering American with Celtic Flair cuisine at reasonable prices
• Edo Sushi (Inner Harbor - this sushi restaurant has three other locations in Baltimore); visitors may find it more expensive than other places and it has mixed reviews
• J. Paul's in the Harbor (this restaurant has another location in Georgetown Washington DC) well known for its outside bar on the waterfront and Crab Room; offers American style cuisine at reasonable prices in the "prohibition era" ambient.
• I cannot but mention the so-called Little Italy a cozy neighborhood of mostly Italian residents between Inner Harbor and Fells Point (to the East from Inner Harbor) with many restaurants and trattorias (mostly family-owned) offering traditional Italian cuisine. Some of the expensive restaurants to explore are Ciao Bella, Della Notte, Germano's Trattoria, Aldo's. For an affordable family dinner try Amicci's

Obviously, there are many hotels in Baltimore; here are several located in Inner Harbor at or close to the waterfront:

• Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace, modern hotel with 5-story glass-enclosed Atrium Mall, connected by skywalk to Harborplace, a part of the Marriott chain, offers excellent location close to everything in Inner Harbor; you are lucky if you get a room with harbor view.
• Hyatt Regency Baltimore, a contemporary glass and steel design hotel located in Inner Harbor
• Pier 5 Hotel, as name says, it is located on Pier 5; Art-Deco style three-story hotel located directly in Inner Harbor, adjacent to National Aquarium; it gets mixed reviews from its guests.
• Baltimore Marriott Waterfront (Eastern side of the Inner Harbor), a very large hotel (more than 750 rooms); enjoys mostly good reviews from guests
• Hilton Garden Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor (Eastern side of the Inner Harbor not far from Baltimore Marriott Waterfront)

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The first installment of the article is mainly about USS Constellation - she is actually the second USS Constellation in the US history, a sloop-of-war built in 1854 and decommissioned for the last time in 1955. Interestingly, several pieces from the first Constellation, a frigate, had been built into the new sloop-of-war. The third Constellation, an aircraft carrier of the Kitty Hawk class was commissioned in 1961 and remained in service for more than 40 years until 2003.The third Constellation ceratinly looks differently from the second one; but you may not know, that during World War II, the sloop-of-war Constellation was re-commissioned and even served in 1942 as a flagship for the US Atlantic Fleet.

The USS Sloop-of-War Constellation has a very rich history, and you will have chance to get familiar with it when you visit the vessel. But here I would like only to mentioned that one of the most known operations of USS Constellation was intercepting vessels engaged in illegal slave trade. During three years of this patrol Constellation was credited with the capture of three slave ships.

Arriving in Baltimore, parking garage on S. Carvert St. There are plenty of parking space in such garages - this one is located under Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace and Mall	From garage to Harborplace and the Gallery. These folks you see in the photo are paying for parking - do not forget to do the same here since paying booths may be closed. Also, the cost of parking is pretty steep; if you come in the morning and leave mid-afternoon, it will be $22 - $25 (prices 2009).	Inside Harborplace and The Gallery - that's where you get from garage.	Another photo inside Harborplace and The Gallery - premiere shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Baltimore
Entrance to Harborplace and The Gallery (200 East Pratt Street, Baltimore: corner S.Calvert St. and E. Pratt St.)	East Pratt Street, Baltimore in early spring. It's a pleasure to walk here - streets are clean and well taken care of.	Baltimore harbor - West Shore Promenade	Baltimore harbor - view on USS Constellation
View from harbor to Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel	Stern of USS Constellation (you can see ship's rudder). For the record, the total length of the ship is 285 feet (deck - 179 feet), displacement 1400 tons, sail area 20,000 sq. feet.	Paddle boats in front of the Pratt Street Pavilion	Tir na Nog Irish Bar & Grill (Pratt Street Pavilion)
Old canon near USS Constellation	Entrance to the USS Constellation complex	Steering weal of a ship not far from USS Constellation always attracts kids	Tickets are sold here - it is called National Naval & Maritime Museum
That's how a ticket (Historic Fleet Pass) looks like. Keep it if you bought it to visit more than one ship.	USS Constellation complex entrance. Keep in mind - audio tours are offered as well (hint - watch for audio tour stops marked with numbers in blue and red)	This is a museum about museum	A gangway (ramp) from the USS Constellation building to the ship
USS Constellation masts	Capstan - a mechanism used for lifting heavy things like anchors.	Helm (steering wheel) and compass on binnacle	How does it feel to be a helmsman?
A piece of standing rigging (I think this is called 'shrouds' and 'forestays')	A Parrott rifle at the bow (forward of the ship)	Bowsprit used as an anchor for the forestay and other rigging	From bow to stern - the view on USS Constellation spar (upper) deck
Ladder to the gun deck with 20 guns.	Gun deck with guns. The ship's galley and manger is located forward on this deck as well. The manger was stocked with chickens, a few goats and pigs and even a cow.	Display with typical food rationed to sailors. Milk, eggs and fresh meat were available from manger.	Anchoring gear
Piston pump	Captain's grand cabin on board of USS Constellation is on the gun deck. The cabin consists of six rooms. It was certainly a luxurious place to stay (compared to staterooms and hammocks) but it came with the burden of responsibility	View from the captain's cabin to the gun deck	Captain's stateroom
Entrance to captain's privy	If you are interested in how it looked like	Captain's office	Another view of captain's office
Ladder to the berth deck. The ship's crew included 20 officers, 255 sailors and several dozens of marines.	Berth deck, hammocks where sailors would sleep.	Let's take a closer look at hammock. Well, being a sailor has always been considered one of the toughest professions.	Dispenser room
Executive officer's stateroom. Various staterooms differ in many important details - not so much in size, but rather in shapes of their berths	Fourth lieutenant's stateroom - it is smaller and curved following the shape of the hull.	These massive beams made of wood give an idea on how the ship was built	Sick bay: everything is very simple - two canvas bunks (still better than hammocks!), a table and four small medical cabinets.
Medical cabinets	Original bottles with medicaments	There are also some original surgical instruments	A repair shop
The orlop deck with cables stowed. There are several small storerooms on this deck.	The original hull framing - this is the ship's hold. Cast iron water tanks with drinking water would be located here as well as casks of food supplies, and the chain for the anchor.	Hold deck. The brig (ship's prison) was on the forward orlop deck. Power magazine would be in this area as well.	Bronze plate with ship's bell time
One of volunteers on USS Constellation	USS Constellation: gift shop	View on USS Constellation from Pier 3. Another chance to look at ship's lines and rigging with final farewell.	Moving from Pier 2 to Pier 3. Next stop is USS Torsk.

One Day in Baltimore Harbor - Part 1, Inner Harbor and USS Constellation
One Day in Baltimore Harbor - Part 2, Submarine USS Torsk SS-423
One Day in Baltimore Harbor - Part 3, Lightship Chesapeake and USCGC Taney
One Day in Baltimore Harbor - Part 4, Walking Inner Harbor