Since there won’t be a Maryland Lighthouse Challenge, I did my own version this past weekend. I needed a break, just wanted to get away from everyone and everything that was stressful. What should have been a four and a half hour drive turned into eight and a half hours, most of it in 4wd. So I wasn’t doing so good at stress relief to begin with. I had to get past a lot of snow, took a major detour through PA, but Butch (my boxer) and I left home at 5:30 last Friday and about 2 o’clock, we finally got to Seven Foot Knoll.

See anything wrong with this picture? The canopy had blown off during the previous 12 hours. They said that even though they thought the lighthouse looked better without the canopy it probably would be replaced. After a major disagreement with the parking garage, first it hid my car (with Butch in it), then it would NOT let me out, I missed turning off to see Baltimore. Still not doing too good at stress relief. I had to do a U turn at the park where I would have seen Sandy Point when I saw the sign NO PETS. I could see Sandy Point as I drove across the bridge but couldn’t get Butch to snap the picture. I did manage to find my way to see Bloody Point. Several families nearly have this lighthouse is their backyard…

It wasn’t until I got home and blew up the pictures that I saw the ice.

By the time I got a room I was thinking: #1 when you are the only navigator you must plan better. #2 having a dog along is great but does cause problems. #3 Map! GPS is great but you need a map.
I plotted my strategy that evening and the next morning. First I would go back to the state park and politely ask if I could drive in just to see the lighthouse and promise my dog would not leave the car. Then I would drive back up to see Baltimore. When I got there I found that there was no one at the entrance of the Sandy Point State Park, so I paid my money into the machine and Butch and I drove down to the beach. Low and behold, not only can I see Sandy Point, but there was Baltimore also! Since there was no one in the entire park (I love that about going places off season) I let Butch run.
That’s him along with Sandy Point..

and I had an excellent view of Baltimore lighthouse also.

Saturday was going much better than Friday. Next was Hoopers Strait, the second lighthouse I could enter.

Then down to Sharps Island.

Now the night before, as I was planning, I checked the Chesapeake Lighthouse website for directions to various lights and I noticed that they had driving directions to Thomas Point and said the gate to the park opened at nine. I had read that you had to have a permit to drive into that park and that only a few were issued. I had not thought I would get to see Thomas Point on this trip, but now I thought it was worth a try. Well, there were the closed gates and all the signs about needing permits. A very kind lady jogger pointed out to me that the gate was unlocked and I could drive right in, she would handle the gates. You do not need a permit now, they just haven’t taken down the signs. Once again we had the place to ourselves. It was a beautiful little park and the view was great!