Last
weekend Charlotte and I traveled with our Girl Scout troop to visit
Baltimore's Inner Harbor. We toured the aquarium and all of the ships,
rode paddle boats, and ate at Hard Rock Cafe, but the most interesting
part was spending the night aboard the USS Constellation! She is the
last existing intact naval vessel from the American Civil War, and she
was the last solely wind-powered warship built by the U.S. Navy. We
learned everything about how the crew worked and lived on the ship and
had very knowledgeable guides! The girls were put to work moving the
mast, working the capstan, and moving/loading/aiming a replica cannon.
Then we experienced a real cannon firing. We slept in hammocks with
mixed amounts of enthusiam 
and the adults (and some girls) took turns on the mandatory night watch. It was an experience we will never forget!
