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Volume 51

Number 3

PUBLISHER John Stefancik

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Meg Walburn Viviano

MANAGING EDITOR Chris Landers

Cruising Editor: Jody Argo Schroath Multimedia Journalist: Cheryl Costello Contributing Editor: Susan Moynihan Editors at Large: Wendy Mitman Clarke, Chris D. Dollar, Ann Levelle, John Page Williams Contributing Writers: Rafael Alvarez, Ann Eichenmuller, Robert Gustafson, Mark Hendricks, Marty LeGrand, Kate Livie, Nancy Taylor Robson, Charlie Youngmann

ART DIRECTORS Jill BeVier Allen Caroline Foster

Contributing Photographers: Andy Anderson, Mark L. Atwater, Skip Brown, André Chung, Dan Duffy, Jay Fleming, Austin Green, Jameson Harrington, Mark Hergan, Jill Jasuta, Vince Lupo, K.B. Moore, Will Parson, Tamzin B. Smith, Chris Witzgall

PRODUCTION MANAGER Patrick Loughrey

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mike Ogar

ADVERTISING Senior Account Manager Michael Kucera • 804-543-2687 m.kucera@ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com Senior Account Manager Megan Tilley • 919-452-0833 megan@ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

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Chesapeake Bay Magazine (ISSN0045-656X) (USPS 531-470) is published by Chesapeake Bay Media, LLC, 601 Sixth Street, Annapolis, MD 21403. $25.95 per year, 12 issues annually. $7.99 per copy. Periodical postage paid at Annapolis, MD 21403 and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes or corrections for Chesapeake Bay Magazine to 601 Sixth Street, Annapolis, MD 21403. Copyright 2021 by Chesapeake Bay Media, LLC— Printed in the U.S.A.

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Features

JULY/AUG 2021—Volume 51 Number 3

38 Poplar Island

28 Annapolis

An island nears completion in the Chesapeake Bay—Jay Fleming

BALTIMORE 44

44 Industrial Icon

A waterfront factory sign means an awful lot to people who live in its shadow—Rafael Alvarez

12 Dorchester County 44 Baltimore

ANNAPOLIS 28

WASHINGTON D.C. ST. MICHAELS 38 20

80 Unique Stays Around the Bay

20 St. Michaels, Md. 38 Poplar Island 80 Deltaville, Va.

26 Virginia Beach

From lighthouse to lockhouse, eight places you should check out—Susan Moynihan

Talk of the Bay 12 Finding Ben’s Ten

Archaeologists discover a chapter of Harriet Tubman’s life—Kristina Gaddy

20 Third Time’s the Charm

The Maryland Dove gets one more chance to get it right—Kate Livie

26 That’s a Wrap

VA VA

80 DELTAVILLE

CAPE CHARLES

NORFOLK

Ann Eichenmuller explores Bay boating’s biggest coverup.

July/August 2021

On the Cover

Experience Baltimore Harbor in a new way at Sagamore Pendry.

JENNIFER BISHOP

CONTENTS

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

CONTENTS

Columns 28 Chesapeake Almanac: Bay Paddle

Chris Hopkinson paddled the entire Bay on his SUP; this time he’s bringing friends—Capt. John Page Williams.

32 Chesapeake Chef: Cobia Ceviche

Jay Fleming has a hot summer dish, no stove required.

34 On Boats: Boston Whaler 250 Dauntless John Page Williams checks out a serious fishing machine.

JAY FLEMING

92 Wild Chesapeake: Fishing with Kids Capt. Chris D. Dollar on getting kids hooked (without getting hooks in kids).

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50 Marina Showcase

10 From the Editor 104 Stern Lines

88 Real Estate 97 Brokerage

Things to consider to find the best home for your boat.

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Now is the time to discover the Chesapeake Bay’s 6,945 miles of coastline, charming bayside Now is the time to discover the Chesapeake Bay’s 6,945 miles of coastline, charming bayside Now is the to trail discover the Chesapeake Bay’sExplore 6,945 miles coastline, charming bayside towns andtime water system second-to-none. this of amazing estuary by letting a towns and water trail system second-to-none. Explore this amazing estuary by letting a towns ed and water trail system Explore this amazing estuary by letting a Certifi Storyteller guide yousecond-to-none. through the nooks and coves that make the Chesapeake Certified Storyteller guide you through the nooks and coves that make the Chesapeake Certifi Storyteller guide Choose you through the nooks spend and coves that make Chesapeake Bay aned American treasure. your adventure, the night and dothe it all over again. Bay an American treasure. Choose your adventure, spend the night and do it all over again. Bay an American treasure. Choose your adventure, spend the night and do it all over again. Be open for your Chesapeake Bay story. Find hotels and Storyteller tours at Be open for your Chesapeake Bay story. Find hotels and Storyteller tours at Be open for your Chesapeake Bay story. Find hotels and Storyteller tours at visitmaryland.org/chesapeake. visitmaryland.org/chesapeake. visitmaryland.org/chesapeake.

FROM THE EDITOR

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ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com 10

July/August 2021

icture the place you most cherished in your youth. Perhaps it’s your childhood home, or a beloved grandparent’s house where you whiled away summer days. Have you been back to see it? Sometimes revisiting memories can lead to disappointment: Your long-ago home has fallen into disrepair, or it’s much smaller than you remembered. One of my most cherished places was Dobbins Island on the Magothy. It was a quick zip down the river from our creek, but going the long way around the sandbar took ages when I was anxious to get there. I loved swimming and wading along the sandy bottom. I loved people-watching the crowd of boats that always gathered. I loved when my dad would duck underwater and put me on his shoulders, then stand up and toss me through the air as I giggled and splashed back into the water. I loved the island itself: its steep, sandy cliff and the not-so-secret path that wound through trees and brush on the uninhabited land. At one point, someone carved a giant face into the side of the cliff, with nose and browbones protruding enough to climb up. Dobbins Island has eroded noticeably since the 1980s and early ’90s. The carved face was erased by many barefooted climbers. The island’s current owner is much more specific about where boaters can and can’t trespass. Not all special places can remain as perfect as they were in our memories. But in this issue of Chesapeake Bay Magazine, we come back to find that some places have held onto their history—and become

even better than we left them. In Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood, what was the circa-1914 Recreation Pier is now a luxury hotel with a pool bar overlooking the harbor. A former dance hall and harbormaster’s office now caters to trendy urban travelers. The original structure, however, is still easily recognizable, with its “CITY PIER BROADWAY” sign shining above the swanky Sagamore Pendry. We feature several unexpected stays on the Bay (p. 80) that pay homage to their past, like an old steamboat’s pilothouse planted firmly on the ground as an Airbnb. Having been saved from the scrapyard, it now serves as a charming place to wake up on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula. Another “better than before” story: Poplar Island, all but gone in the 1990s, has been rebuilt from shipping channel spoils over two decades, creating a wildlife-rich paradise. Photojournalist Jay Fleming gets rare access to the island to document its success (p. 38). Whether its Poplar Island or Dobbins Island, an old steamship or a city pier, we can acknowledge the memory of a place and appreciate its present state. Dobbins still has a lovely sandbar, and I intend to be there this summer. I just won’t be the one getting tossed from my dad’s shoulders into the water—I’ll leave that to the grandkids. h Meg Walburn Viviano grew up boating on the Magothy River. She started as a Chesapeake Bay Magazine intern, launched the Bay Bulletin online news site in 2017, and now leads all of CBM’s media content. Reach her at meg@chesapeakebaymagazine.com.

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TALK OF THE BAY PEELING BACK THE LAYERS Archaeologists Kayla Marciniszyn, left, Diannah Bowman, and Brandon Ellis work the site.

Finding Ben’s Ten

An archaeological dig turns up a piece of Harriet Tubman history—by Kristina Gaddy

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

n the swamps and lowlands around the Chesapeake Bay, legends tell of treasures: the fortune that the ghost of Big Lizz guards, the buried treasure at the ruins of the Warwick Fort Manor House, or the lost gold of the pirate William Kidd. It turns out that the swamps have treasures based in reality, too. In the early months of 2020, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge Manager Marcia Pradines thought a partnership between the federal government and state of Maryland might be able to find something priceless. “We are going to acquire some property that may have Ben’s Ten on it,” archaeologist Julie Schablitsky remembers Pradines telling her. This wasn’t 10 chests of gold, but 10 acres that had belonged to Ben Ross, Harriet Tubman’s father, who was also enslaved in Dorchester County, Md.

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July/August 2021

Schablitsky is chief of the Cultural Resources Division at the Maryland Department of Transportation and although she hadn’t heard of Ben’s Ten, she knew that it was a great opportunity. She had previously done digs related to the Eastern Shore’s African American history and she knew if they found something, they could add it to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, a 223-mile driving route that highlights 45 places in Maryland and Delaware connected to Tubman’s story and the Underground Railroad. Within a year of the purchase of what is known as the Peter’s Neck property, archival research, surveys of the land, and two digs led to an amazing discovery: the place where Ben Ross had once lived and where Tubman spent some of her formative years before escaping slavery and

July/August 2021

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

becoming one of the most well-known conductors on the Underground Railroad. A chorus of birds and frogs provided the soundtrack for the mid-April announcement of the find at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, as a bald eagle soared overhead. The surrounding farmland, forests, and marshes were where Tubman’s life began, and where she decided that she would not live out her life in bondage. Tubman’s mother Harriet (or Rit) Green met Ben Ross around 1803 on Anthony Thompson’s farm in Dorchester County. Thompson owned Ross and had married Mary Brodess, who owned Green. While Ross and Green could choose to have a family together, Thompson and Brodess, as

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com 14

DIG IT Artifacts discovered at the Ben Ross site (top); archaeologist Christopher Triplett's painstaking search (bottom).

July/August 2021

slave owners, controlled almost every aspect of Ross and Green’s lives, including where they would live. Around 1808, Green gave birth to their first daughter, Linah, then to Mariah Ritty, Soph, and Robert before Tubman’s birth in 1822. The law determined that Tubman (named Araminta by her parents) was enslaved to whomever her mother belonged to. In this case, that was Edward Brodess, who was under the guardianship of Thompson and had inherited his mother Mary’s property after her death. About two years after Tubman’s birth, Brodess moved from Thompson’s property to Bucktown, forcing Green to come with him and splitting up the family. As with any hunt for buried treasure, the archaeologists started with maps. In Bound For The Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero, Kate Clifford Larson outlines Ben Ross’s

terms of manumission, with the 10 acres he was supposed to be given on the “west side of Harrisville Road”—a road that still borders Peter’s Neck and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Ross was a skilled laborer, a timberman whose knowledge of trees and timbering made him the highly valued manager of Thompson’s forested land. When Thompson died in 1836, he wrote in his will that Ross should be freed and given the land five years after Thompson’s death. “Land deeds over time had mentioned ‘old Ben’s place’ alongside the road, [and] in this location by the water, and putting those clues together, we had a search area,” says Schablitsky. In August 2020, a team led by Schablitsky and Pradines went to look at the property. The ground was wet and muddy, with streams running through it, and Schablitsky knew that finding anything here—even armed

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with the general location of the property—would be difficult, if not impossible. But archaeologists are optimists—they have to find a reason to take the next shovel of dirt out of the ground. In this case, the whole team understood both how historically significant the find would be and that those swampy conditions would mean continued deterioration of the site. They had to act quickly. “If it’s here, we are going to find it,” Schablitsky resolved. A few months later, in November, with fewer bugs and cooler temperatures, the team trekked out to the property again. In the search area, they started digging test holes, none of which turned up anything interesting. “After a thousand holes, I started thinking, where is this place?” says Schablitsky. Instead of a shovel, she grabbed her metal detector and started scanning the road in hopes of finding a

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nail or other metal building material. Instead, she found a 50-cent Liberty coin from 1808. On the archeology side, this was significant because it meant that people had been in this area in the early 1800s. If archaeologists believed in messages from history, the find had that too. 1808 was the year that Ben Ross and Harriet Green started their family, and liberty was what Tubman achieved not only for herself, but about 70 people she helped escape slavery. Then the team found pottery shards, a “calling card” of a place where people lived, says Schablitsky. The team ran out of time and money, says Schablitsky, but they were inspired to come back. So in March 2021, the team began digging 5' x 5' areas, and “each unit that we dug revealed more and more information, artifacts dating to the first half of the 19th century,” says Schablitsky. Then they found a brick, which Schablitsky believes formed a pier that Ross’s wooden cabin would have sat on. They found buttons, pipes, drawer pulls, and more pieces of pottery dating to the 1830s and 1840s, when Ben Ross was living in the area. This was also the only spot in the area that had evidence of a residence, and at that point they were confident they had found Ben Ross’s home. After Tubman, her mother, and her siblings were forced to leave Anthony Thompson’s land, Ben Ross remained there, working and living in the area that Schablitsky’s team had been searching. But Ross was also still able to see his family. Tubman’s four younger siblings—Rachel, Ben, Henry, and Moses—were born between 1823 and 1832. Although the experience of the Ross-Green family wasn’t that of the large cotton plantation farther south, slavery in Maryland was still brutal. As children, Tubman and her siblings were hired out to work, which was a way that Brodess could earn money from their labor even if they weren’t working for him. With no

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

regard for the Ross family, Brodess also sold Linah, Mariah Ritty, and Soph out of Maryland. In her early teens, Tubman suffered a devastating head injury when an overseer attempted to hit an enslaved boy with an iron weight but hit Tubman instead. She recovered from a fractured skull and was forced to keep working. By her later teens, Brodess allowed Tubman to hire herself out, which meant she kept part of her wages and paid Brodess the rest. Tubman began working in timber yards and on docks, in the same area where her father worked, and had the opportunity to learn from him and visit his home near the Blackwater River. The ceramic shards and pieces of pipes found at the dig were what captured Tina Wyatt’s attention. During each dig, Schablitsky had been texting photos of the finds to the descendants of Ben Ross, which was the next best thing to actually being out on the dig, says Wyatt, who is Tubman’s greatgreat-great grandniece and Ross’s great-great-great-great granddaughter. On a personal level, these artifacts help her visualize the lives of her ancestors. She could see Ben smoking one of those pipes and teaching Harriet about the landscape and how to navigate it, skills that would allow her to help others escape to freedom. “She embraced this environment—not her circumstances, but her environment,” says Wyatt.

TREASURE HUNTING The archaeology team works "Ben's Ten."

Working in the marshes and forests of Dorchester County, Tubman would have learned how to navigate the woods. From Black mariners who transported timber to Baltimore, she could have heard the latest news and learned how to move along the waterways. In 1844, she married a free Black man named John Tubman, but five years later, that marriage was threatened when Brodess died. Harriet could easily have been sold away from John and the rest of her family, so she resolved to run away. On October 3, 1849, Brodess’s widow Eliza put out an advertisement in the newspaper looking for the return of “Minty,” and her younger brothers Harry and Ben. Tubman, who had changed her name to Harriet, was not content with leaving her family in a slave state. White abolitionists and Quakers helped Tubman’s rescue missions, as did her father. Ross had used his earnings as a free man to purchase his wife around 1855. Around the same time, he was suspected of helping runaways in the area. In fact, Harriet had met her brothers at their father’s home on Christmas 1854 and led them north. A few years later, Ross was July/August 2021

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

suspected of helping a group of eight people escape from bondage in Cambridge. With the risk of an imminent arrest, Tubman returned to her parents in 1857 and brought them to Philadelphia. Wyatt feels like the information the archaeology provides dispel myths about the lives of the enslaved, and that discovering more artifacts will not only tell the story of her family but will help tell the story of enslaved life more broadly. “When she [Schablitsky] showed us the fragments of some of the plates, I looked at them and said, wow. I didn’t expect to see something like this used by enslaved people,” says Wyatt. “It’s so important not just for the family, but for the world to understand our history, to be able to understand the differences between the different types of plantations and farms” and the ways enslaved people lived, she says. At the time of the announcement, Schablitsky and her team had only excavated about 25 percent of the site. They plan to continue archaeology work to find out as much as they can about Ross’s property and who lived there in addition to Ross, but they also need to do it quickly. Over the next 100 years, “the area is predicted to naturally convert to marsh, with parts remaining forested,” says Pradines. Schablitsky says they are already fighting rising water at the site. “We’ll excavate down about a foot and if we step away and come back the next day, water would have come into the hole,” says Schablitsky. When “you are excavating soup,” you don’t get the vertical and horizontal controls needed for archaeology work, she says. In this case, however, they are saved by the fact that the archaeology is pretty basic, with a discreet location and only one layer of time, the 1820s to 1850s, so they know that all the items are from the time when Ross lived here. Sea level rise isn’t just a problem for the Ross homeplace site, but for other African American heritage sites across the Chesapeake region.

“Shorelines are beginning to be eaten away and the water table is getting higher,” says Schablitsky. In April 2021, the scientific research and reporting nonprofit Climate Central published a report on the future flood risk for the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. They noted that because many of the sites are just “a few feet above sea level, coastal flooding already poses a significant risk to many of these sites.” They also predict that this risk of flooding will “increase dramatically” as sea levels rise in the next 50 to 100 years. The stops on the Byway are some of the over 44,800 archeological sites and almost 3,150 National Register of Historic Places-eligible properties in Maryland and Virginia that are less than 50 meters above sea level. The vast majority of these historic places are in the Chesapeake Bay watershed,

and experts believe that with sea level rise, they “will be submerged and hence lost or damaged.” The Chesapeake includes not only the earliest places associated with African American history in the United States, like Point Comfort, Va., but also sites of freedom and struggle, from Baltimore’s Fells Point, where Frederick Douglass learned to read and began his escape to freedom, to Bethel A.M.E. Church in Cambridge, the center of the Civil Rights movement on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Wyatt believes that the collaboration that led to the discovery of Ross’s home should be a model for the rediscovery and preservation of African American history. While the Harriet Tubman Museum and Education Center and other grassroots efforts kept Tubman’s memory alive on the Eastern Shore, she says, the

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backing from the state of Maryland and various federal agencies working together were what made this discovery possible. And soon, Hershel Johnson, a Dorchester County historian who has been working hard to educate the public about Tubman’s time in Maryland, hopes to be able to lead visitors to the place where he, Wyatt, Schablitsky, and others feel Tubman developed practical skills and furthered a humanitarian outlook which allowed her to become a heroic Underground Railroad conductor, spy for the Union army during the Civil War, and suffragist who fought for women’s rights. h

Kristina Gaddy writes about history and culture. Her nonfiction book Flowers in the Gutter came out in January.

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TALK OF THE BAY

Third Time’s the Charm The most accurate Maryland Dove yet—by Kate Livie

GEORGE SASS/CHESAPEAKE BAY MARITIME MUSEUM

t’s a fresh spring day at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime 17th-century vessels in the last hundred years. Thanks to Museum when I first meet the next incarnation of advances in maritime archaeology and new technology Maryland Dove. The build, started in 2019, is well including submarines, scuba equipment, and remotelyunderway. As lead shipwright Joe Connor guides me into operated underwater vehicles, Connor and his team are the huge white tent along the museum’s bulkhead, the building a Maryland Dove that those English colonists effect is straight out might have of Gulliver’s Travels. recognized. Her huge skeletal That so much timbers dwarf the attention has been shipwrights who lavished on the Dove busily swarm, may surprise attaching planking, students of securing knees, Maryland’s early breathing life into history. For starters, this sleeping giant. it was the larger Ark Once complete and that carried 140–150 splashed into St. settlers and their Michaels harbor this supplies in 1634 as fall, she will briefly they established the tower over the Maryland colony. deadrises and The Dove, it’s now buyboats in the believed, followed museum’s fleet behind with little on before setting off for board but ballast. her permanent berth Her mission was to at Historic St. Mary’s serve as a coastal City—a time traveler trading vessel along from the Golden Age the Chesapeake and of sail. other ports on the In the last East Coast. But century, Maryland Dove’s time as the Dove has been Maryland colony’s resurrected three pickup truck was times: once, in 1934, short. In 1635, loaded to commemorate with furs and corn Maryland’s on a return voyage to tercentenary; again England, she REAR VIEW in 1977, to serve as a floating exhibit foundered and sank. According to Joe Piece by piece, a new Dove for Historic St. Mary’s City; and finally, Greeley, the former waterfront takes shape. the current iteration under director at Historic St. Mary’s City, the construction at the Chesapeake Bay location is a mystery. “She’s lost at Maritime Museum. Counterintuitively, as each build has sea, somewhere between Maryland and England. It could gotten progressively farther from the original in time, it’s be 20 feet off our dock, it could be right off the coast of gotten closer to period accuracy. We’ve learned a lot about England—we’ll never know. It’s a big ocean and ultimately,

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com 20

July/August 2021

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if the ocean wants you, the ocean will take you.” Despite the short lifespan of the original Dove, her outsized Maryland colonial symbolism has endured, something that can largely be chalked up to practicality. Of the two founding vessels, Dove was significantly smaller—40 tons to the Ark’s 400 tons—and therefore cheaper to build and maintain as a replica. The first incarnation of the Maryland Dove (the name given to the three replicas built by the State of Maryland in the ’30s, ’70s, and today) was a slapdash affair. The budget was tight—the build began in 1933 during the last year of the Great Depression— so the state got creative. Maryland’s Conservation Commissioner Swepson Earle retrofitted a 36-foot motor sailor by lengthening the hull an extra 10 feet, adding a superstructure to mimic the 17th-century upper decks, and

swapping in a ketch rig. Local Sea Scouts made her sails and rigging. The overall effect might not have been accurate or pretty (Commissioner Earle pronounced it “a fair resemblance”), but for an elaborate prop meant to vaguely represent old-timey Maryland at summer yacht clubs and regattas, it served its purpose. The second life of Maryland Dove started in 1977. Commissioned by Historic St. Mary’s City, this version of Maryland Dove was not a slavish replica either. Intended to generally represent a medium-sized cargo ship of the time, the vessel would serve as a floating exhibit at the museum’s waterfront once complete. The plans for this Maryland Dove were designed by naval architect William Baker. One of the foremost 20th-century authorities on the design and construction of colonial wooden

vessels, Baker also designed plans and specifications for famous reproduction historic vessels such as Mayflower II and Gjoa. The work was undertaken by a respected Eastern Shore boatbuilder, Jim Richardson. In a July 8, 1977 interview with the Baltimore Sun, Baker said of Richardson, “There were only two yards in the country I’d let build her. One of them is a yard in Maine; the other one is right here. Since this is a Maryland vessel, it has to be a Richardson.” Richardson’s bread and butter were traditional Chesapeake wooden sailing vessels, but he’d moonlighted on some pretty offbeat projects—such as the 18' cable car and 65' Haida dugout canoe from the Pacific Northwest he’d restored side-by-side for the Smithsonian. Richardson came out of retirement for the Maryland Dove project and assembled a team of

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young shipwrights, men and women, for the massive build at his shop on the Choptank’s LeCompte Creek. With a creative mashup of 17th-century tools, Eastern Shore timbers, and skipjack-style boatbuilding techniques, the Maryland Dove took shape at Richardson’s shop in only 15 months. For over 30 years, the 1977 Maryland Dove served as a floating exhibit and ambassador for Historic St. Mary’s City. During that period, Historic St. Mary’s City’s focus on living history deepened, based on 20th-century archaeological advances and research. The site’s interpretation expanded into four different hands-on exhibits that told the story of early Maryland history, reflecting the highest standard of period accuracy. And as new information came to light about sailing vessels in the 17th century, Maryland Dove was the next exhibit to be reassessed. In particular,

Historic St. Mary’s City was interested in moving away from the general tobacco trading ship the 1970s version represented. For the third life of Maryland Dove, they planned to build a replica that looked and sailed like the original. To meet that challenge, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum started by sending lead shipwright Joe Connor and rigger Sam Hiltgartner on a pilgrimage to learn about 17thcentury boatbuilding in the most immersive way possible—by observing and exploring an actual Swedish warship, Vasa, constructed in the 1600s. Remarkably intact, the Vasa sank on her inaugural voyage and spent four centuries submerged on the bottom of the Stockholm harbor before being carefully salvaged in the 1960s. Through the discovery of wrecks like the Vasa, knowledge of the maritime world of the past was

HISTORY RECREATED Planking begins on the replica vessel.

vaulted from conceptual to physical. Where Will Baker’s research was done in archives, Connor and Hiltgartner were able to learn from the real article in Sweden, recreating elements from the past such as rigging, lines, and construction with a time-traveler’s expert eye. The result is a vessel that will balance modern practicality—Coast Guard certification and the ability to take out passengers— with painstaking period detail. In particular, a new Boyer rig and sail plan will allow the new Maryland Dove to sail closer to the wind, an essential element of a coastal trading vessel. In the hull, Connor has incorporated July/August 2021

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July/August 2021

period boatbuilding techniques including wood fasteners, wood joints, and big timber joinery. A wealth of other small details breathe authenticity into the project. Hiltgartner and other shipwrights have handcrafted an impressive inventory of individualized blocks for the running rigging—another lesson gleaned from the Vasa. During the pandemic shutdown, shipwrights took bags of oakum home to spin into caulking, custom-turned handmade bolts in bronze, and smithed hinges and latches for the ship’s interior in backyard shops. To date, despite the inevitable slowdowns of 2020, Connor and his team have kept the Maryland Dove build roughly on time for its scheduled launch this October, with rigging and finishing to be completed in Fall 2022. As Connor walks me through the sawdust piles and catwalks of Maryland Dove’s build site, he seems satisfied with the progress. “We’ve all got a lot more gray hairs but we’re all still moving somehow. We’ve pieced her through most of the big challenges,” Connor says. He acknowledges it’s been a herculean effort, but one he’s tried to approach with his team one step at a time, with an appreciation for the importance of the project and its legacy. “We’re getting a chance to use all the right materials, start with a really good design, and cut joints and install pieces that will outlive the craftsmen making them,” says Connor. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—and it’s incredibly exciting to be a part of that.” h Kate Livie is a Chesapeake writer, educator, and historian. An Eastern Shore native and current faculty at Washington College’s Center for Environment and Society, Livie’s award-winning book Chesapeake Oysters was published in 2015.

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TALK OF THE BAY

That’s a Wrap

Hull designs for your go-fast boat—by Ann Eichenmuller

PHTOTS: COURTESY OF AGWRAPS

e were lying on the beach, lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves, when our nap was abruptly ended by the frantic shout of a little boy. “Shark!” We both sat up, expecting to see a scene reminiscent of Jaws. Instead, we watched as a bright yellow tour boat roared by, complete with a gaping mouth of jagged teeth and flames streaming from its gills. The vessel was the 70-foot Rudee Rocket, a Virginia Beach icon, and while we’ve done our share of boat-watching, we had never seen anything quite like it. “It is eye-catching,” Captain Skip Feller of Rudee Tours agrees. “Going up and down the beach, being able to draw attention like that, makes all the difference.” Although the Rocket’s design is more elaborate than most, custom paint

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July/August 2021

above the waterline has long been seen on large muscle boats and racers. Now, with modern advances in computer graphics and marine wraps, these same head-turning designs are available— and affordable—for everyone. “The majority of the boats we do are center-console fishing boats,” notes John Hall, Jr. While his company, AGWraps, did the graphics for Rudee Rocket, he points out that most of his clients are not commercial operations, but rather private owners of smaller vessels who want to personalize their boats. “There are essentially no limitations to the artwork,” he explains, “and there’s no real increase in price for a more complex design.” With endless choices, it is up to the graphic designer to tease out exactly what the customer would like to see. “Our clients often don’t come in

with a set idea—they don’t come in and say, ‘I want a fish here, I want a boat this big in the background.’ So we ask a lot of questions. Basically, we try to pull the ideas out of their heads.” The company’s four in-house graphic designers start by showing clients examples of other wraps and stock images to get a feel for the theme they want. Hall says it usually takes a couple of days to develop a design, and another day or two of going back and forth with the client to fine-tune the final graphics. For most of Hall’s clients, the real draw of the boat wrap is the opportunity to have a totally unique look. Creating that look is a job that requires a special kind of artist. “I’m pretty picky,” Hall laughs, when asked about what he looks for in a graphic designer. “I look for good composition skills, but also someone with a little bit of an edge. The kind of

custom work we do is radical—more like t-shirt design than corporate artwork.” Leafing through the company’s photo gallery, I am surprised by just how varied these designs can be. While leaping sportfish seem to be a popular motif, the finished wraps range from solid colors and geometric shapes to complex canvases of tropical sunsets, speeding boats, and mermaids. The graphics are bold and, yes, edgy. I mention they would seem as at home on a motorsports track as they do at the dock. “That’s actually how we got into marine wraps,” Hall laughs. “We have a marina nearby, and the boat owners would see these custom cars we’d just wrapped sitting outside the shop. A few of them stopped in to see if we could do the same thing to their boats, and now it’s a major part of what we do.” It’s easy to see why. For anyone with an older vessel, re-doing the gelcoat is time-consuming and expensive. Even paying to have a mid-sized boat professionally detailed can cost a thousand dollars or more. For two to three times that, boat owners can get a brand new, custom look—one that should last seven to eight years. In addition, wraps have the

benefit of being fast. Hall says the entire process, from walking through the door with a general design idea in your head to being out on the water in your “new” boat, takes just seven to 10 days. Most of that time is spent designing and printing, with clients’ boats usually in the shop for no more than 24 hours. But what about selling a wrapped boat? Could a personalized design make it more difficult to find a buyer? “It’s the opposite,” Hall says. “The wrap protects the gelcoat underneath from the elements, and it can be removed without damage. Some of our clients actually cite resale value as one of the reasons they choose to wrap their boats, because it preserves the gelcoat in pristine condition.” For Captain Heller, while the longevity of the wrap over paint and the cost are factors to consider, it’s variety that seals the deal. “The main reason to choose a wrap is because you can have anything you want.”

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Ann Eichenmuller is a freelance writer and the author of two nautical mystery novels. She lives along Virginia’s Rappahannock River where she and husband Eric sail Avalon, a Morgan Out Island.

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CHESAPEAKE ALMANAC

The Bay Paddle

One epic Chesapeake adventure deserves another—by John Page Williams

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BAY PADDLE

ast year, his daughter’s science project led Annapolis native Chris Hopkinson to an unprecedented Chesapeake adventure. He watched, fascinated, as she placed a handful of mud from Deep Creek’s bottom and half a dozen live oysters from Annapolis Seafood Market into an aquarium tank full of creek water. Within three or four hours, the tank’s water was clear as the oysters filtered out the mud, ingesting whatever algae had been in it. “How can I draw attention to restoring the Bay’s oysters,” Chris wondered, “in a story that people will pay attention to?” Long story short, he thought up a trip down the Chesapeake’s 200-mile mainstem on his standup paddleboard, assisted by a carefully structured support crew. Chris is an endurance athlete who has completed two Ironmans. “I’ve always been inspired by Ironman events: normal athletes overcoming incredible obstacles. Using something unique like paddling the Chesapeake, with eagles and dolphins—it would be so cool if people looked at the Bay Paddle the way they look at the Ironman, overcoming obstacles and maintaining that healthy lifestyle.” Despite the pandemic, he made the trip in nine days last September, raising $180,000 for the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) to put 18 million oysters onto

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restoration reefs in the Bay. Chesapeake Bay Magazine was proud to be the project’s media sponsor. This year, he’s organizing an expanded Bay Paddle for 2021: a 215-mile, 8-day, staged paddle race to protect the Chesapeake. As this issue

AN ENDURANCE GAME

Chris Hopkinson hoists a celebratory beer after reaching the Atlantic

of Chesapeake Bay Magazine goes to press, dozens of paddlers have signed up, both standup boarders and kayakers. He’ll paddle part of it himself, but for this go-round, organizational details and logistics will claim some of his time. Beneficiaries include ORP and Chesapeake Conservancy, which is working to have the Chesapeake Bay declared a National Recreation Area by the National Park Service. As part of that

process, Chris would like to get the Chesapeake Bay established as a paddling destination and challenge akin to through-hiking the Appalachian Trail. The Bay Paddle’s 2021 itinerary is, again, ambitious, following roughly the same route along the Eastern Shore that Hopkinson kept to last year to minimize wind and seas (subject to adjustment for weather). Each team is responsible for engaging its own support crew, including a chase boat capable of assisting its paddlers in any way they need and dealing with rough conditions, if they occur. Since on open water crossings it is often difficult to see the next destination, Chris plans to use a 20-foot helium balloon on 100 feet of line to set 30 feet in the air each day as a marker. He’ll also deploy race buoys to help paddlers stay on course. What will the intrepid paddlers taking on the Bay Paddle 2021 face on each leg? Quite a lot.

CONCORD POINT LIGHTHOUSE, HAVRE DE GRACE

33 miles to Gratitude Marina, Rock Hall Paddlers will leave from the spot where the tidal Susquehanna River opens out to the broad Susquehanna Flats. In September, the Flats will be covered with underwater meadows growing

Notes on Gear and Special Challenges In 2020, Chris Hopkinson used a special 14' race board from Starboard, with a 75" Red Paddle (and a spare on the support boat). In choppy water, seas break over the board, but there’s enough buoyancy to keep it up so it doesn’t drag underneath. Chris notes that falls from the board are rare while training, but side winds and chop in open water “can roll you over.” He took 15 falls in first day, in 3-4' seas, with wind quartering at 45 degrees and cold air. It was discouraging, which is part of the tremendous grind of such endurance events. An ankle strap tethered him to the board for falls, and he held firmly onto the paddle. “Returning to the board and getting back up is tough in waves. The board has a V in the bottom; it doesn’t like to sit still. Regaining balance saps energy. This is an endurance game.” Throughout the nine-day trip, he stopped every couple of hours to check in with his support crew, especially at broad crossing points, according to current conditions and upcoming weather. He carried a waterproof handheld VHF marine radio and a phone with the WindFinder app. He also mounted an NKSport SUP trainer on his board to keep track of time and speed, and a GoPro camera to record parts of each day. He wore an inflatable PFD at all times, along with a Camelbak pack with fluids and snacks. On broad crossings, he asked his support boat to get a hundred yards ahead and set a line, going down Eastern Bay to Claiborne.

up to ten species of grasses that serve as home for a rich community of freshwater critters, from insect larvae, shellfish, and, yes, some blue crabs, all the way up through juvenile fish and forage species to big predators such as largemouth bass and rockfish. And don’t forget to add in the great blue herons and bald eagles, along with the first migratory waterfowl that will winter here. Last year, the combination of wind, waves, and chilly water on the Flats and the Upper Bay gave Chris his most challenging day of the entire paddle. He says it was a more trying experience than completing either of his Ironman events. Here’s hoping the Flats will be more inviting to paddlers this time around.

ROCK HALL

22 miles through Kent Narrows to Claiborne Landing, near St. Michaels There’s lots of history for paddlers to think about and boating activity to see in this stretch. Kent Island has been inhabited for nearly 12,000 years, and was home to the Matapeake tribe in more recent centuries; they called the island Monoponson. William Claiborne of the Virginia Colony built a trading post here and renamed it Kent Island in the early 1630s. A few years later, Maryland colonists successfully challenged his ownership and took it over. It has been a hub for this part of the Bay ever since, from early trade and farming to seafood harvest, pleasure boating,

and suburban development. The leg’s terminus, Claiborne Landing, lies on the Bayshore just below the mouth of Eastern Bay. It’s named for William Claiborne and served for years as a connection to Baltimore by steamboat.

CLAIBORNE LANDING

27 miles to Taylors Island Campground This leg begins as paddlers make their way south from Claiborne through Poplar Narrows, under the relative protection of Poplar Island, the wildlife refuge that the Army Corps of Engineers, the Port of Baltimore, and partners have rebuilt with “beneficial use” of dredged material from the shipping channel to Baltimore (SEE POPLAR STORY, PAGE 38). The route will take them through

July/August 2021

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WATER VIEWS

Paddling past Rock Hall

another hub of seafood harvesting in Knapps Narrows but then across the eight-mile-wide mouth of the Choptank River and the four-mile-wide mouth of the Little Choptank. Psychologically, paddling long distances over open water is tough, because the scene changes so slowly and the “road” ahead seems so immense. Paddling choppy water is a continuous balance challenge on both legs. “One mile at a time” will be the 2021 paddlers’ mantra as they make their way down the Taylors Island shoreline to the Campground. On the

latter leg, they will pass inside the eroding remains of James Island, which is next on the beneficial use restoration list for the Corps and the port.

TAYLORS ISLAND

29 miles to Crocheron Wharf

This was Chris Hopkinson’s favorite leg last year, working his way down the marshy shoreline into the Honga River. He recalls, “It was so pristine, with entry from Taylors Island and Tar Bay over shoals into the calm of Fishing Creek.

It was so natural. The bridge was like a gateway back in time. I worked my way down the Honga to Bishops Head and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Karen Noonan Environmental Education Center, just below Crocheron. The stars in the sky were so bright that night! This event is so different from an Ironman for the scenic quality of the experience, with no paved road. You are part of the environment, with water below, air above, and marshes around. I felt very connected to the Bay.”

CROCHERON WHARF

23 miles to Crisfield

Staying close to shore, especially from the Honga River south, is a lot more visually interesting, especially past marshes and over grass beds. Headed down Tangier Sound from Crocheron,

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Chris pulled up on beaches for brief stops all the way to Cape Charles. For the first half of the trip, in true endurance athlete fashion, he had focused on training and tactics. Now in Tangier Sound, he found he “began to get into the place and the moment. ‘This is spectacular,’ I said to myself. ‘Every crab starts here.’” This is broad, open water, but much of it is shallow, punctuated by a deep channel carved by the Nanticoke River. With the water’s salinity much higher this close to the Atlantic Ocean, the grasses on these flats are a salt-tolerant mixture of eelgrass and widgeongrass, and they are indeed the nursery for most of the Chesapeake’s blue crabs. “I soaked it all in,” Chris continued, “and this year, I really want these folks to soak it in too, the whole way.”

CRISFIELD

24 miles to Harborton Despite the wonders of Tangier Sound’s shallows, Chris was tired when he reached Crisfield’s Somers Cove last year. His wife, Megan, told him to “just go paddle” the next day. “I knew at that point that I needed to appreciate, to soak in the surroundings,” he said. He got a decent night’s sleep and relaxed as he departed, working down through the Cedar Island Marsh to Pocomoke Sound. “Yeah, this is spectacular,” he said to himself going through Broad Creek. He paused briefly to talk with a waterman fishing crab pots in the Sound’s eelgrass beds and slid past Watts Island, a remote patch of woods and bird habitat between Tangier and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. He saw brown pelicans, bald eagles, and dolphins, paddling “in parts of the Bay most people don’t see.” Day’s end will bring this year’s paddlers to Harborton, in Pungoteague Creek.

HARBORTON

32 miles to Cape Charles public beach This run from Pungoteague Creek slides past a long stretch of Eastern Shore Bayside beaches, all geologic

shock absorbers exposed to the full fetch of cold weather’s northwest winds and waves blowing all the way across the open Chesapeake from the western shore. More tidal creeks cut the shore at intervals, but the 2021 paddlers will have plenty of opportunities to stop, rest, and stretch their legs on solid ground on the way to Cape Charles. They should see more pelicans and dolphins, because this area receives the saltiest water that the tides bring into the Bay’s mouth. It’s a literal “tongue of the ocean” brought on by Coriolis forces from Earth’s rotation.

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Last year, Chris ended his paddle at the Line of Demarcation, the official—if virtual—dividing line between the Chesapeake and the Atlantic. “It was important to me to cross the virtual finish line standing,” he said. He took one last stroke, then dropped backwards into the Atlantic water and floated there with a big smile, as his nearby nautical cheering section let loose. This year’s paddlers will certainly have the right to do the same after their inspiring achievements. Their cheering sections, on site and virtual, will let loose again, in appreciation of both what the paddlers have accomplished and what they have contributed to the Chesapeake through the work of the Oyster Recovery Partnership and Chesapeake Conservancy. 

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CBM Editor at Large John Page Williams is a fishing guide, educator, author, and naturalist, saving the Bay since 1973. July/August 2021

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CHESAPEAKE CHEF

Cobia Ceviche

A light summer dish for a big summer fish—story and photos by Jay Fleming

obia are a summer visitor to the Chesapeake; they arrive in early June and leave in the early fall when the water starts to cool. The fish congregate to spawn near the mouth of the Bay and in the ocean just offshore. In recent years, the popularity of the cobia fishery has risen as more and more anglers are targeting cobia, even in Maryland waters. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Onacock, Va. was the self-proclaimed “Cobia Capital of the World.” The town erected a sign at the docks on Onancock Creek claiming the title. Cobia attain huge sizes (up to 70 pounds is not uncommon), put up a great fight, and are excellent to eat. The firm texture and mild flavor of cobia meat makes their fillets an excellent choice for ceviche, a Latin American recipe that calls for cooking fish and other seafoods in citric acid. Lime juice is traditional, but lemon and grapefruit juice can also be used. Ceviche is served chilled as an appetizer and is a light and refreshing dish on a hot summer day.

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July/August 2021

Cobia Ceviche Cobia attain huge sizes, put up a great fight, and are excellent to eat.

INGREDIENTS

SUMMER LOVIN’

Cobia spawn from June through mid-August near the mouth of the Bay.

1 pound cobia fillets 2 limes to make 1/4–1/3 cup of squeezed juice 1 jalapeño pepper 1/3 red onion 1/4 cup cilantro leaves 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/2 tsp. salt 1. Cut bloodline out of the fillet (the red meat in cobia has a strong flavor). 2. Dice fish into small cubes, approximately 1/2" on a side. It is important to use small pieces, allowing the citric acid of the lime juice to cook the whole piece of fish. 3. Squeeze the juice out of two limes into a separate container/cup. 4. Finely dice red onion and jalapeño pepper before mixing with lime juice and olive oil in a glass mixing bowl. 5. Add cubed cobia meat and gently toss the mixture. Allow the mix to sit in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes and then add salt and cilantro. It is important not to allow the fish to sit too long as the citric acid in the lime juice will overcook the fish. 6. Serve chilled on a toasted corn tortilla or corn tortilla chips.

July/August 2021

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ON BOATS

Boston Whaler 250 Dauntless by Capt. John Page Williams

“I

t was a completely iterative process,” said Boston Whaler’s Mark Robinson, showing me the new 250 Dauntless. “We thought everything through.” Welcome to 21st-century boat design at a large company (Boston Whaler) that’s a subsidiary of an even larger corporation (Brunswick) that also owns an engine manufacturer (Mercury). Whaler calls the Dauntless models (220, 250, and 270) “center-console bay boats that are game for anything.” They are familyoriented but also serious fishing machines with draft shallow enough for inshore fishing and beaching, and seaworthy enough to run big water comfortably when operated prudently. That makes a great combination for the Chesapeake.

Boston Whaler 250 Dauntless

COURTESY PHOTOS

LOA: 25′ 8″ Beam: 8′ 6″ Draft: 15″ (engine up) Transom Deadrise: 18 degrees Weight: 3,390 lbs. (dry, no engine) Max HP: 400 Fuel Capacity: 90 gal. Available through Chesapeake Whalertowne (whalertowne.com), Chesapeake Boat Basin (chesapeakeboatbasin.com), and Lynnhaven Marine (lynnhavenmarine.com).

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July/August 2021

The challenge for Robinson’s team was to improve on the already successful 240 Dauntless as it approached the end of its model run. Like its high-end competitors, Boston Whaler listens carefully to its customers and dealers, as well as its own employees (most of whom are themselves boaters). The designers also take advantage of what they have learned from the performance of the other 27 models in the seven Whaler boat lines. The requests the team heard were to maximize interior space in the new 250, in some cases adapting features developed for boats in the 30-foot range like bow lounges

and “garage” storage. They also looked hard at which features from the successful 270 Dauntless they could bring down into the 250. First, the hull: The feedback suggested extending its length by a foot while keeping the beam at 8'6" for easy trailering. The designers gave its running bottom a little bit more deadrise (from a 16-degree V to 18 degrees) with a sharper bow and more flare to damp spray. They also increased the freeboard and cockpit depth by two inches. These modest changes retained the bay boat’s shallow draft (15" with engine up) while offering softer and drier ride

SPLIT PERSONALITY Top right: the helm’s big-boat driving experience; Middle: lounges on an aft corner; Bottom: bow storage can be accessed without removing cushions.

quality. The increased length also allowed them to balance the 250 Dauntless well with the weights of Mercury’s 250–300-hp V8 and 350– 400-hp L6 outboards (600 & 668 lbs., respectively). We noticed that good balance from the time we stepped aboard our test boat in its slip on the York River all the way through our sea trial. The Dauntless simply seemed happy to be in the water (more on that happiness below). Aboard, the bow showed off a well-integrated split personality. Full cushions on the foredeck allow stretch-out sunning, while pads at the aft corners lift on struts to form lounges port and starboard. Or sit on those corners, with food and drink on a teak table whose leg fits into a bracket on the foredeck. When not in use, the table and leg store in a dedicated bracket in the adjacent garage’s lid. The bow deck holds a wide storage compartment that’s insulated to function as a cooler or fishbox. Forward of it is an anchor locker wide enough to accommodate a variety of anchors to fit different needs. When the cushions are in place, innovative sliding snaps allow for raising the anchor locker’s lid without removing the cushion. That garage itself is a cushioned lounge seat for two with fold-up arms on the front of the console. Inside, it is cavernous for lockable storage, deep and broad to swallow buckets and bags but keep them readily accessible. There’s even an ingenious rack for storing fishing rods (up to 7' long), water skis, and the struts for an optional bow sunshade. The console is integrated into the T-top’s frame (fiberglass hardtop optional). Both tops include overhead July/August 2021

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

storage, navigation lights, four rod holders on the after edge, and a tow point for watersports. The design team specifically sized the console door on the starboard side wide enough to admit the shoulders of adult males. Inside, headroom is 65", plenty for sitting on the available portable toilet with pumpout. It’s easy to back in or depart by holding the grab rail on the side of the console just above the entry door or the 8" springline cleat securely fastened on the washboard in front of the door. The helm holds the wheel, trim tab switch, a Mercury Vessel View screen, a panel of switches, two cupholders, and a Raymarine VHF interfaced with the GPS/chartplotter. You can choose a 9" or 12" Raymarine Axiom chartplotter/fishfinder to port with a lockable glovebox to starboard, or a pair of 9" Axioms. There’s room for a stereo as well. The top of the console holds a compass to port and a

wireless phone-charging pad on the centerline. At the helm, the design team provided what they call a “big boat driving experience” with a contoured stainless wheel and single lever throttle/shift in front of a wide, cushioned seat, including two flip-up bolsters for sitting or standing. Below the wheel, the console offers a footrest. The rest of the helm seat module can come with storage drawers and a compartment large enough for a five-gallon bucket, a livewell, or space for a 75-qt. carry-on Yeti cooler. The “competition” model includes holders for four rods. Other models offer a pair of rod holders and cupholders. The stern deck is flat and broad for watersports and fishing. In addition to the top’s tow point and the space for skis/boards or toys in the garage, that deck offers space for diving port and starboard, with a retractable ladder to

starboard, angled away from the engine. The house and cranking batteries mount beneath those two decks, in the transom corners. There’s also an optional freshwater shower wand beside the engine’s splashwell. For serious fishing, there’s a livewell centered on the deck’s forward edge, with a folding seat on either side. The design team drew a new setup for a 36-volt, bow-mount electric motor, with its three batteries mounted neatly in the console. (Whaler historically ships boats without batteries but recommends AGM models for dealer installation.) Rod holders for active fishing are distributed around the boat. There are two at the after corners of the foredeck, two more in the gunwales, four on the after edge of the T-top or hardtop, and four across the stern deck behind the seats. The helm seat module adds two or four more, depending on the customer’s choice.

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From a practical standpoint, it would be easy enough to work out routine arrangements for different styles of fishing. The only catch would be securing rigged fly rods; carrying them would require custom horizontal racks under the hardtop. Either way, the 250 Dauntless would adapt readily to any kind of Chesapeake angling. So what would it feel like, say, to take a 250 Dauntless on a long summertime ride looking for Spanish mackerel? Our test boat’s owners (proud Chesapeake Bay Magazine subscribers) and I ran from their dock up in the York all the way out to the river’s mouth and the open Bay. The Dauntless stayed happy the whole way, with the 300-hp Mercury V8 Verado purring. The boat can hold onto plane efficiently as low as 13 knots (another benefit of its good balance), but it felt happiest—and most efficient—at 22–30 knots (3,500–4,200 rpm), burning 8–11 gallons of fuel per hour. At those speeds, its conservative range is around 220 nautical miles. Push the throttle to the pin and it will approach 45 knots at 6,000 rpm, but that kind of speed is seldom practical in the kind of water for which the team designed the 250 Dauntless. In sum, it’s a longlegged rig made to order for fishing and exploring nearly all of the tidal waters in the Chesapeake and its rivers, while carrying a couple of active families or a group of friends. It’s also built to heirloom quality, with a range of capabilities that will keep it relevant for the long term, true to its unsinkable Whaler heritage. MSRP for a 250 Dauntless with a reasonable set of options is $161,009. For more information, visit whaler. com. h CBM Editor at Large, educator, guide, and author of three quintessential Chesapeake Bay books, John Page Williams was named a Maryland Admiral of the Bay in 2013.

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RETURN TO

POPLAR

ISLAND The spoils of commerce give Bay islands a chance to live again

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STORY & PHOTOS BY JAY FLEMING Once home to a small community, Poplar Island was on its way to disappearing in the mid-1990s, as erosion and sea-level rise took their toll. The landmass, which totaled 1,100 acres in 1850, had been reduced to less than five acres. Now the island is on its way to being bigger than ever. TURNING BACK TIME

BIRD’S EYE Left: Poplar Island’s 1,700 restored acres; Right: Osprey

Runoff in the Chesapeake watershed carries sediment into its creeks and rivers, eventually depositing it into the Bay where it settles to the bottom. As a result, the Bay’s deeper channels fill in over time. Constant dredging is required to maintain access for the ships that use the Port of Baltimore, which provides 1,200 jobs and generates more than $2 billion in business revenue annually for Maryland. Hart Miller Island, just north of the mouth of the Patapsco River, was the first large-scale island restoration project on the Chesapeake. Dredged material from the Patapsco River and the approaching channels was used to rebuild the island, which had nearly eroded away. Once the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland Port Authority had nearly completed restoring Hart Miller, they began to look south to Poplar Island as a new location to deposit dredged material. The landmass, which totaled 1,100 acres and was home to the now abandoned community of Valliant in 1850, had been reduced to less than five acres in the mid 1990s. In 1998, construction of the

are among the birds flocking to the island.

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Poplar Island by the Numbers

1,100

Total acreage of Poplar Island in 1847

Total acreage of Poplar’s island fragments at the start of the restoration in 1998

THE NEW LAND Rock jetties protect the new land from erosion.

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July/August 2021

1,715

Total acreage of Poplar Island in 2021, including both Phase 1 (1,140 acres) and Phase 2 (575 acres) of the restoration

10.5

Miles of rock shorelines currently surrounding the island

armored shoreline began as it was determined that Poplar was to become the Chesapeake’s next restored island. Large granite rocks from a quarry in Pennsylvania were used to protect the new shoreline from further erosion. After being dug from the channels approaching the Patapsco River, the dredged material was used to fill individual containment cells that made up the new Poplar Island.

Approximate number of bird species that use the island’s restored habitats for nesting each year

Upon arrival to the island, the material is made up of 90 percent water and 10 percent sediment. Once the sediment settled to the bottom of the cells, the water was released back into the Bay to allow room for additional loads of dredge material. Phase one of Poplar’s restoration was completed in 2016 and consisted of 1,100 acres. The construction of phase two, a 575-acre expansion of the

28,000,000

Additional capacity of dredged material in cubic yards added to Poplar Island with Phase 2

$2,400,000,000 Total cost of the Poplar Island Restoration

10,500

Estimated number of acres of island habitat lost in the Bay in the last 150 years from erosion

island’s northern portion, was completed in January 2021. The additional landmass added to the island will increase the capacity of dredge spoil by 28 million cubic yards, which is expected to be filled by 2032. Phase two made the Poplar Island project the largest beneficial use of dredged material on the East Coast. The restoration is a win-win, both for the economy and the environment.

BOTTOM DWELLING Muck and sand dredged from Baltimore’s deep water channel is placed, drained, and sculpted.

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A BOON FOR BAY WILDLIFE As erosion continues to diminish the size of the Chesapeake’s islands, Poplar’s restored habitat is becoming more and more valuable for wildlife. Poplar’s isolation and lack of land predators such as foxes and raccoons makes the island habitat ideal for birds. The upland and wetland habitats created in the cells mimic the natural habitats along the shores of the Chesapeake. Dozens of species of waterfowl, shorebirds, perching birds, and birds of prey use the island as a resting place during migrations up and

down the Atlantic Flyway. In the spring, thousands of waterbirds use the new habitat as a nesting grounds to raise their young. Large nesting colonies of glossy ibis, double crested cormorants, and least terns have been recorded on the island. Recently, a pair

of northern shovelers was found nesting on the island, making Poplar the only known location where shovelers nest. Diamondback terrapins thrive in the shallow grass beds around the island, and in early June make their way up onto the island to lay their eggs. Terrapin hatchlings from select nesting locations on the island are collected and raised by local students in the Head Start program. There is a small herd of approximately 20 whitetail deer that roams the island. The Maryland Environmental Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitors the wildlife on Poplar Island throughout the year.

AIR B&B Cormorants and other shorebirds and waterfowl use the island as a home or resting space along the Atlantic Flyway.

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FUTURE ISLANDS Poplar is growing by approximately two million cubic yards a year, and the cells in Phase II of the restoration are expected to reach their capacity for dredged material by 2032. The Army Corps and the Maryland Port Administration are looking south to Dorchester County at two disappearing islands—James and Barren—as the next sites to deposit sediment from the shipping channels leading to the Port of Baltimore and the C&D Canal. Work on the two islands, known as the MidChesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem, is expected to start in 2024 with the construction of the armored shoreline. Once completed, the restoration of James Island is expected to add 2,072 acres to the landmass that currently totals less than five acres. Barren Island, whose landmass currently stands at approximately 100 acres, is expected to gain 72 acres through the restoration. 

July/August 2021

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

l a i r t s u I nd c on The Rebirth of the Domino Sugar Sign

by Rafael Alvarez

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2021

PHOTO: JENNIFER BISHOP

out on the harbor and the sugar factory. We cherish it.” Generations of Baltimoreans— longshoremen, housewives hanging wash, tugboat crews, South Baltimore residents both working-class and gentrified, and folks across the harbor in Fells Point—have long cherished the fabled neon sign. Rising 16 stories above the harbor on the roof of the nearly century-old refinery, the 120-foot by 70-foot sign flashed to life on April 25, 1951 when engineers turned the switch for the first time. Bees and wasps were especially fond of the sticky sugar residue that clung to the neon tubing, nectar turned black with soot. Birds long made nests in the letters, finding privacy in the holes rusted through the structure from which they hung. Since the Truman Administration, the apricot glow (or is it blood orange?) of 12 gigantic letters—don’t forget to dot the “i”—has comforted locals and

PHOTO: BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF INDUSTRY

usan Walker Millard had a bushel basket of hometown desire for Baltimore’s sweet spot. “Every time we sailed past [the Domino Sugar] sign, I’d tell my friends, ‘You know that dot over the ‘i’ in Domino is six feet tall? I’d love to have it.’” Not only did Millard not get the desired dot—“I really, really wanted it,” said the enthusiast of all things Baltimore—but Susie’s facts were a bit off. “They gave it to the Museum of Industry,” said Millard, a Baltimore County resident who once chaperoned her son’s field trip to the massive sugar refinery. “It’s five feet, not six.” Actually… “It’s five feet tall, two-and-a-half inches, and it weighs about 190 pounds,” said Claire Mullins, the Baltimore Museum of Industry marketing director. “We’re going to put it near our wall of windows that look

DOTTING THE I'S

The Baltimore Museum of Industry will display the coveted Domino dot.

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PHOTOS COPYRIGHT JUSTIN TSUCALAS

They spelled “Domino Sugars” but said—loudly— Bawlmer.

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entertained folks just passing through. They spelled “Domino Sugars” but said—loudly—Bawlmer. “I’ve played music at the Cat’s Eye Pub lots of times,” said old school R&B guitarist David Goodfriend, a Garden State native long in love with Crabtown. “On breaks I’d walk down to the [west] end of Thames Street just to look at the sign. I always wanted to write a song about it.” And he did, with lyrics that pay homage to a hard town by the sea: “Sweet sign, Domino, harbor light, Patapsco …” Why all the hubbub about a beacon that has glowed in the city’s psyche for as long as anyone can remember? Because it’s been dark since March as the structure’s 650 neon tubes are being swapped out for LED lights, a perceived loss that metro residents across all demographics have been

mourning as though their greatgrandmother’s engagement ring fell into the murky, upriver waters of the Patapsco. A three-alarm fire in late April at the plant’s raw sugar storage shed— which, wrote Baltimore Sun reporter Colin Campbell, perfumed the waterfront “with the heavy aromas of crème brûlée”—did not cause such concern. “I don’t like the idea, some things shouldn’t change,” said Goodfriend. “Neon just looks better to my eye, it’s richer and brighter. I can tell the difference.” Perhaps. This July, from a score of angles in and around the Inner Harbor, doubters will see how closely the future has replaced the past. Ceremonial lighting of the new sign is scheduled for the Fourth of July. Because there will be no harbor fireworks this year, the updated

Domino logo will have the harbor stage to itself. It was from the deck of Phyllis Hamblin Novotny’s family sailboat Serenity that Susan Millard—without fail—expressed her love for “the dot” on nocturnal excursions. Millard’s fantasy was to have it affixed to Serenity in honor of a lifetime friendship with Phyllis, with whom she bonded when they worked as bartenders together long ago. Like Goodfriend, Novotny fears the new sign will “look different,” not unlike that close-but-not-quite taste of a relative’s casserole who swears they finally cracked Great Aunt Evelyn’s secret. The little difference is all the difference. On Independence Day, Novotny and her husband John plan to sail from their berth at the Anchorage Marina in Canton to South Baltimore to see for themselves. Neon is not necessarily richer than LED lighting; it is nostalgia that persuades us to believe it is. When a number of neon tubes blew out over a year ago, as they habitually did, refinery officials made a $2 million decision to switch over. “We’ve put in a huge amount of

time and effort to make sure it’s historically correct—that it will look exactly like the old sign,” said Rich Baker, vice-president of corporate engineering for American Sugar Refining, Inc. of Florida. The ASR Group is the largest refiner of sugar in the world and owns the Domino Sugar Baltimore Refinery, a 30-acre plant bounded by the harbor and Key Highway and known locally as “the sugar house.” Some 6.5 million pounds of raw cane sugar is processed there daily. And while the product is globally synonymous with sugar—and often confused with the company that produces it—Domino is merely a brand. The decision to replace neon with LED was driven by many factors. Two companies in the metro area that “bend neon” tubing were located but future repairs and energy costs were daunting. Like vinyl LP records, neon isn’t dead but has become something of a novelty, more likely to be found in suburban man caves than outside of a saloon. The craft is now taught more in art schools than apprentice shops as commercial practitioners age out of the game. 

We’ve put in a huge amount of time and effort to make sure it’s historically correct—that it will look exactly like the old sign.

SWEET SIGN

The new sign will be the same dimensions as the old, down to the dot over the "i."

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not tell the difference. A quarter of a century ago, in one of countless stories written about the sign over the decades, a reporter asked Mickey Seither—then chief engineer of the Baltimore plant—what might become of it in the future. Seither replied: "We have no intention of doing anything with this sign except keeping it lit.”

PHOTO: BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF INDUSTRY

“We have no intention of doing anything with this sign except keeping it lit.”

“This is happening throughout the lighting industry everywhere,” said Robert M. Kaye, a longtime employee of the Triangle Sign Company in Halethorpe and now a consultant there. Triangle installed the original Domino sign once it had been fabricated by the Artkraft Strauss company of Manhattan. One of the last prominent neon signs produced by Triangle was the winking, 38-foot wide “Mr. Boh” sign above the former National Brewery in Canton. Since then, said Kaye, LED technology has improved, and with it, energy efficiency. “Neon tubing requires skilled craftspeople; LED does not,” said Kaye, comparing the demise to the fate of hot lead in printing. “Neon is dying.” In its wake, the Gable company of Curtis Bay—which illuminated the old Montgomery Ward building on the edge of Carroll Park when it was reconstituted as Montgomery Park— was hired to build a 21st-century replica that will reduce energy costs and CO2 emissions. “The new sign is aluminum rather than steel and will be more sustainable,” said Peter C. O’Malley, vice president of corporate relations with ASR. “It will last at least another 70 years.” Gable’s challenge in duplicating the sign “to the letter” included getting the right shade of yellow paint to back the letters and measuring the amount of space between the tubes. Each letter was scanned and studied to the minutest detail. It was “very laborious,” said O’Malley, “to take out a broken tube and replicate its shape. Many of the replacement tubes didn’t really follow the lighting pattern intended by the original design.” Baker said that people who gazed at test panels for the new sign could

et’s return, one last time, to the doubters; those who are certain that when the new sign debuts they’ll be able to navigate the tricks that memory plays. “The average person won’t be able to tell the difference because [orangishred] is easy for LED to duplicate,” said Kaye, noting that many neon signs of the past, including the 2 O’Clock Club and its kin on the Block, had no distinctive color at all, just white. “There are shades of blue and ruby red that you can only get by putting neon gas in a glass tube, but the Domino sign will look the same.” So, sugar babies, what does become of the broken hearted? The large 34-foot tall “D” will be

PHOTO: JENNIFER BISHOP

Mike Kestle’s Baltimore pedigree is forged in the working-class sweat long symbolized by the Domino Sugar sign. The refinery is just about the lone industrial survivor along a waterfront where everything from laundry detergent to deep sea freighters and cinnamon left Baltimore for the world. It was the incandescent soul of a city built not on pleasure, as the modern waterfront’s marinas might suggest, but the kind of labor performed by more than 500 employees at the Key Highway plant. Kestle’s maternal great-grandparents—Fred and Frances McCoy—sold eggs and butter from a stall at Hollins Market in southwest Baltimore. Frances did side work as a chocolate dipper for Glauber’s Fine Candies, and his maternal grandfather, the late Joseph Leroy Montley, loaded trucks and rail cars at the Philadelphia Quartz company on Fort Avenue. Kestle, 46, is a grocery man for Weis Markets and a supervisor of ushers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. He honors his grandfather and the city he loves with a tattoo on his right arm. He is one of many locals of a certain age and attitude with similar tattoos, everything from Black-eyed Susans to the Bromo Seltzer tower. “I got the Domino tattoo about 10 years ago; it was my fourth one after the Ravens and the Orioles and Natty Boh,” said Kestle. “When I was a kid we’d always go down to my grandfather’s job for crab feasts and the Domino sign was always there. I associate it with my grandfather, who I consider my father.

Once you saw the sign, you knew you were home.”

cut into small chunks and given to employees. The lowercase “a” in sugars was given to Anderson Industrial Contracting near Carroll Park. Anderson disassembled the old sign and is helping the Museum of Industry install “the dot.” Remaining letters—M is for Mayor Schaefer, O is for Orioles, R is for Ravens, and S is for Sparrows Point— have been given to the Second Chance reclamation warehouse near Ravens Stadium on Russell Street. S, of course, is for Susie and lest Millard cry herself to sleep, there is a final act of generosity from the ASR group. The Domino “D” is being split into souvenir pieces, with some of it going to employees, and the rest on sale later this year in the Baltimore Museum of Industry gift shop. A great stocking stuffer for Millard and Frank G. Lidinsky, who has his own story of what the sign means to him, a long-ago memory tinted not sepia but orange. “When I was a kid, maybe nine or 10 years old, my parents would take us and my grandmother to Betterton Beach [Kent County] on one of the Old Bay Line ships,” said Lidinsky. “I always knew when I was back in Baltimore when I saw the Domino sign.” 

Rafael Alvarez was awarded a “Living History Honor” for 2021 by the Baltimore Historical Society for his body of work about his hometown. He can be reached via orlo.leini@gmail. com.

July/August 2021

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

MARINA

oat sales, like the sales of homes, cars and RVs, are at a record high despite the pandemic—or maybe because of it. The National Marine Manufacturers Association puts the increase over the past year at a whopping 12 percent, indicating that the boating business has grown at twice the rate of the overall booming U.S. economy. All of this is good news for the boating world, and it’s great news for all of the newcomers to that world. Whether your new dreamboat is power or sail, now that you own it, you need to find a place to keep it. Choosing the ideal marina for your ideal boat takes careful consideration, but fortunately, the boom in boat sales hasn’t resulted in competition for boat slips. There are plenty of marinas to choose from, and here are some tips on how to find the best one for you.

Cost

Location, Location, Depth

Amenities

Slip fees vary considerably depending upon where the marina is located and the quality of the amenities and services available. Some industry experts will tell you to expect to pay between $20 and $25 per foot per month.

You want to keep your boat near where you like to use it, but not too far away from where you live. Think of how often you’ll be using your boat. If that’s going to be every weekend, you’ll want a fairly short commute. But first, you must find out if your boat will even fit into any of the slips. Compare the length, beam and depth of your boat to the dimensions of the available slips and particularly the depth of the channel leading into the marina. Check tide tables to make sure you can come and go even at extreme low tides.

Any good boatyard will have the basics—fuel, water, electricity, repair and maintenance services—but the trend is moving towards marinas with more resort-style features like swimming pools, a workout room, and a restaurant and bar. “There’s a higher expectation now amongst seasoned boaters, as well as new boaters, that their base of operation is going to be a place with good amenities that their family is going to enjoy: the creature comforts one might expect from a resort,” says Bruce Wagner, president of Coastal Properties, an Annapolis-based firm that manages seven marinas on the Chesapeake Bay.

50 ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2021

by Jeff Holland

Now for the Best Part Most marinas offer transient dockage, so it’s easy to plan a cruise combining marina hopping with marina shopping. There are certain intangible qualities in marinas that don’t show up in a magazine ad or a website, things you won’t find out unless you go there. For instance, one long-time slipholder said that the best things about his marina, Haven Harbour in Rock Hall, “are the friendly and welcoming on-site staff and, importantly, the extremely knowledgeable and capable team of marine technicians and specialists.” Until recently, the drill was to wait until you were within hailing distance for the VHF radio, hope someone was monitoring the right channel, and pray that they had an available slip for a boat your size. Now you can download a free app on your smartphone like Dockwa or Snag-a-Slip, and book a slip online. Snag-a-Slip was launched in 2015 by Annapolis-based Oasis Marinas as a way to encourage boaters to visit the many marinas they manage between New York and Florida. “It works,” says Oasis marketing director Kevin Harvey. “We expanded outside of the Chesapeake Bay, along the Intracoastal Waterway, and now we’re reaching out into the Bahamas and the Great Lakes, and we’re even looking to expand to the West Coast.” So go ahead and use your new boat to find its new home. It’ll be a new adventure – which is just what you were looking for in the first place.

July/August 2021

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scraping and barnacle removal, Bottom painting, Interior and Exterior Detailing, Hull Waxing, Topside Waxing, Oil Changes, Winterization and more

3 SHELTER COVE YACHT BASIN 230 Riverside Drive, North East, Md. 21901 833-425-2423 galahadmarine.com/shelter-cove-yacht-basin HOURS Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Gas, Diesel AMENITIES Showers, Town Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Parking, Retail Nearby, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, WiFi, Ice, Pump-Out, Laundry, Launch Ramp, Ship Store, Floating Docks, Boat Service, Gas, Diesel, Travel Lift, Cable TV, Winter Storage, Snack Shop, Fuel, Dry Storage, Bathhouse, Post Office within 1 Mile, Bait and tackle, Drop-in/Haul out Services, Provisions, Hardware, Lockers, Restrooms MARINE SERVICES 35 and 50 ton travel lift, Forklift Haul out, Hang/Set and Launch, Trailer Load or Unload, Gas and Diesel Mechanics, Inboard, Outboard and I/O Repairs, Complete Repowers, Fiberglass Repairs, Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing and Toilet Repairs, Electronic Sales & Installations, Pressure Washing Bottoms, Bottom scraping and barnacle removal, Bottom painting, Interior and Exterior Detailing, Hull Waxing, Topside Waxing, Oil Changes, Winterization and more

2 MCDANIEL YACHT BASIN 15 Grandview Avenue, North East, Md. 21901 410-287-8121 galahadmarine.com/mcdaniel-yacht-basin HOURS Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Gas, Diesel AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Parking, Retail Nearby, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Hotel/ Lodging Nearby, WiFi, Ice, Security, Pump-Out, Picnic Area, Laundry, Grills, Launch Ramp, Ship Store, Floating Docks, Boat Service, Medical Facilities Nearby, Gas, Diesel, Travel Lift, Grocery, Restaurant On-Site, Cable TV, Swimming Pool, Winter Storage, Snack Shop, Fuel, Dry Storage, Bathhouse, Post Office Within 1 Mile, Bait and Tackle, Golf Course Nearby, Provisions, Lockers MARINE SERVICES 35 and 50 ton travel lift, Forklift Haul out, Hang/Set and Launch, Trailer Load or Unload, Gas and Diesel Mechanics, Inboard, Outboard and I/O Repairs, Complete Repowers, Fiberglass Repairs, Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing and Toilet Repairs, Electronic Sales & Installations, Pressure Washing Bottoms, Bottom

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

4 BOHEMIA BAY YACHT HARBOR

July/August 2020

1026 Town Point Rd., Chesapeake City, Md. 21915 410-885-2601 • bbyh.com HOURS Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm ; Marina Store & Fuel Dock Sun-Thurs 8am-6pm, Fri-Sat 8am-8pm DOCKAGE Covered Slips to 65’, individual full length finger piers, Open Slips to 45’ FUEL Gas, Diesel, Pumpout, Slipholder Fuel Discounts AMENITIES Dockside WiFi, Ships Store, Pool, 50 Channel Cable TV, AC Heads,

Laundry, Nettle Free Beach, Water & Taxi Service to Moorings, Picnic Peninsula MARINE SERVICES 50T Lift, 125/250 Volt, 50 AMP Electric, Twin 125 Volt 30 AMP Electric, Dockside Water Mechanics on Duty 6 Days

5 GUNPOWDER COVE MARINA 510 Riviera Drive, Joppa, Md. 21085 667-309-9336 • gunpowdercovemarina.com HOURS Mon-Sun (Daily) 8am-5pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Gas AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Pet Friendly, Security, Ice, Pump-Out, Floating Docks, Grills, Launch Ramp, Ship Store, Boat Service, Snack Shop, Fuel, Bait and Tackle, Winter Storage, Gas, Parking, Medical Facilities Nearby, Dry Storage MARINE SERVICES Winter Storage, Dry Storage

6 MARYLAND MARINA 3501 Red Rose Farm Rd. Middle River, Md. 21220 410-335-8722 • marylandmarina.net HOURS Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm DOCKAGE Annual FUEL Available nearby AMENITIES Storage for over 200 trailered boats, launching ramps, clean bathhouse & laundry facilities, winter storage program, popular Sunset Cove Waterfront Restaurant & Beach Bar, 360 Slips for up to 55’ boats, ground level rack service, “Do-it-yourself” friendly marina, free pump-out station, webcam, security cameras, complimentary Wi-Fi, experienced, professional and helpful staff, grated facility with ample parking, relaxing park & pavilions with firepits and playground for social gatherings MARINE SERVICES Hull & deck repairs & refinishing, bottom work, electrical & water systems, running & standing rigging, furling systems, parts and service Dealer for

sponsored by

Yanmar, Universal, Westerbeke and Beta

7 BOWLEY’S MARINA 1700 Bowleys Quarters Rd, Middle River, Md. 21220 410-335-3553 • bowleysmarina.com HOURS 8am-5pm DOCKAGE Call for pricing FUEL Gas, Diesel AMENITIES Fuel dock, pump out, pool, bathhouse, WiFi, clubhouse/bar, playground, gazebos, firepits, boat ramp, Marine store, gated property, social events MARINE SERVICES Mechanic onsite, bottom painting

8 CRESCENT MARINA 951 Fell Street, Baltimore, Md. 21231 443-510-9341 • crescentmarina.com HOURS Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL None AMENITIES Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Security, Pump-Out, Medical Facilities Nearby, Water Taxi, Post Office within 1 Mile, Retail Nearby MARINE SERVICES None

9 HARBOR EAST MARINA 40 International Drive, Baltimore, Md. 21202 410-625-1700 • harboreastmarina.com HOURS Memorial Day-Labor Day: SunThurs 8am-5pm, Fri-Sat 8am-8pm, Off Season: Mon-Sun 9am-5pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL None AMENITIES Bars/Clubs Nearby, Health Club, Laundry, Lounge On-Site, Restaurant Nearby, Water Taxi, WiFi, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Grocery, Retail Nearby, ATM, Town Nearby, Showers, Parking, Ice, Restrooms, Pet Friendly MARINE SERVICES None

10 LIGHTHOUSE POINT MARINA 2736 Lighthouse Point East, Baltimore, Md. 21224 410-675-8888 baltimorelighthousepointmarina.com HOURS Memorial Day-Labor Day: SunThurs 8:30-6pm, Fri-Sat 8:30-7pm, Labor Day-Oct 31: Sun-Thurs 8:30am-5pm, FriSat 8:30am-6pm, Nov 1-Memorial Day: Mon-Sat 8:30am-5pm, Sun 9am-5pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL None

410.335.3553

•

AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, WiFi, Retail Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Pump-Out, Ice, Ship Store, Laundry, Parking, Security, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Bars/ Clubs Nearby, Snack Shop, Restaurant On-Site, Dry Storage, Grocery, Event Space, Floating Docks, Winter Storage, Swimming Pool, Bars/Clubs On-Site, ATM, Fitness Center, Medical Facilities Nearby, Disability Access, Water Taxi, Hot Tub, Deli, Dry Cleaning, Satellite TV, Bank Nearby MARINE SERVICES Dry Storage, Winter Storage

11 CLINTON STREET BOATEL 1800 Clinton Street, Baltimore, Md. 21224 410-861-4188 • clintonstreetboatel.com HOURS Mon-Sun (Daily) 9am-4pm DOCKAGE Annual storage FUEL None AMENITIES Travel Lift, Dry Storage, Hull, Engine, Propeller, Haul-outs MARINE SERVICES Winter Boat Storage and Repair, Travel Lift, Dry Storage

12 INNER HARBOR MARINA 400 Key Highway, Baltimore, Md. 21230 410-837-5339 • baltimoreinnerharbormarina.com HOURS Memorial Day-Labor Day: Sun-Thurs

BowleysMarina.com

sponsored by 8am-5pm, Fri-Sat 8am-6pm, May: Sun-Thurs 9am-4pm, Fri-Sat 9am-5pm, Off Season: 9am-4pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Gas, Diesel AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, WiFi, Retail Nearby, Pump-Out, Restaurant Nearby, Ice, Laundry, Parking, Gas, Security, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Diesel, Lounge On-Site, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Restaurant On-Site, Floating Docks, Bars/Clubs On-Site, Provisions, Hardware, Cable TV, ATM, Medical Facilities Nearby, Post Office within 1 Mile, Fitness Center, Disability Access, Lockers, Water Taxi, Bathhouse, Swimming Pool MARINE SERVICES Hardware

14 BALTIMORE YACHT BASIN 2600 Insulator Drive, Baltimore, Md. 21230 410-539-8895 • baltimoreyachtbasin.com HOURS Mon-Tues 8am-4pm, Wed-Thurs Closed, Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 11am-7pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL None AMENITIES Bars/Clubs Nearby, Lounge On-Site, Parking, Picnic Area, Pump-Out, Restaurant On-Site, Restaurant Nearby, WiFi, Retail Nearby, Pet Friendly, Showers, Restrooms, Post Office within 1 Mile, Bars/Clubs On-Site, Medical Facilities Nearby, Bathhouse, Town Nearby, Security, Tiki Bar MARINE SERVICES None

15 MARYLAND YACHT CLUB

13 PORT COVINGTON MARINA 321 East Cromwell Street, Baltimore, Md. 21230 410-406-7954 • portcovingtonmarina.com HOURS Wed-Sun 8am-4pm DOCKAGE Transient FUEL None AMENITIES Bathhouse, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Parking, Picnic Area, Pump-Out, Restaurant Nearby, WiFi, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Town Nearby, Retail Nearby, Medical Facilities Nearby, Restrooms, Post Office within 1 Mile MARINE SERVICES None

1500 Fairview Beach Road, Pasadena, Md. 21122 410-255-4444 • mdyc.org HOURS Mon-Sun (Daily) 8am-4pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Gas, Diesel AMENITIES Bars/Clubs Nearby, Fuel, Laundry, Lounge On-Site, Parking, Picnic Area, Swimming Pool, Pump-Out, Restaurant On-Site, WiFi, Pet Friendly, Restrooms, Showers, Gas, Diesel, Medical Facilities Nearby, Beaches, Ice MARINE SERVICES Electric, Water, Diesel, Gasoline

16 HAVEN HARBOUR MARINA 20880 Rock Hall Avenue, Rock Hall, Md. 21661 410-778-6697 • havenharbour.com HOURS Open 7 days a week, 8a-5p (May-October). Mon-Fri (Oct-April) DOCKAGE 200 floating and fixed slips between both marinas FUEL Diesel, Gasoline, pump-out AMENITIES Two swimming pools; on-site Passages Bar & Grill; customer lounge; complimentary kayaks, paddelboards and bicycles; fuel dock and pump-out; fully-stocked marine store; ice and goods; private bathrooms and showers; coin-operated laundry; Wi-Fi; petfriendly; event space; security; children’s play area; picnic pavilion; courtesy car and access to local transportation; beach area; storage lockers; on-site sailing charters. MARINE SERVICES Full-service yacht repairs and installation including A/C and refrigeration, bottom maintenance, brightwork and restoration, carpentry, electronics, mechanical, paint and fiberglass, rigging and sails, full-line Yamaha sales and service and more; 50 MT travelift; towing; drop-in and haul-out service up to 110,000 lbs.; year-round dry and wet storage.

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Transient Slips with Monthly, Daily & Hourly Rates Annual Slips Fully-stocked Marine Store Beer & Wine And of course...the friendliest pier staff in town!

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HAVEN HARBOUR MARINA 20880 Rock Hall Ave Rock Hall, Maryland 410.778.6697

HAVEN HARBOUR SOUTH 21144 Green Lane Rock Hall, Maryland 410.778.6697

Top-Notch Service is Our Specialty We believe in creating the ultimate experience for our guests. It’s what we do, and it’s what our dedicated team of in-house staff provides to each and every customer. Come see for yourself, or learn more at HAVENHARBOUR.COM.

sponsored by 17 OSPREY POINT MARINA 20786 Rock Hall Ave. Rock Hall, Md. 21661 410-639-2194 • ospreypoint.com HOURS Mon-Sun- 9am-5pm DOCKAGE Floating docks FUEL None AMENITIES Floating Dock, Pool on site, Pool Bar and Grill on the Weekends, 18 Inn Rooms, Restaurant on site ( Wednesday-Sunday) Grills, Picnic tables, Paddleboard, bikes and Kayaks, Air conditioning, Bathhouse, WiFi MARINE SERVICES None

18 GRATITUDE MARINA 5924 Lawton Ave, Rock Hall Md. 21661 410-639-7011 • gmarina.com HOURS Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat-Sun Closed DOCKAGE Fixed piers and lift slips FUEL Gas, Diesel AMENITIES Full Service Marina, air conditioning Bathhouse, WIFI, Picnic tables, bikes and gas dock MARINE SERVICES Mechanical carpentry, teak work, paint, fiberglass, gel coat, rigging, life lines

19 HAVEN HARBOUR SOUTH

On Scenic Frog Mortar Creek

Visit us. Talk to our Residents and find out why over 500 boaters call us home! MARINA SERVICES

Storage for over 200 trailered boats, launching ramps Clean bathhouse & laundry facilities • Winter storage program Popular Sunset Cove Waterfront Restaurant & Beach Bar 360 Slips for up to 55’ boats • Ground level rack service “Do-it-yourself” friendly marina • Free pump-out station Webcam • Security cameras • Complimentary Wi-Fi Experienced, professional and helpful staff Grated facility with ample parking Relaxing park & pavilions with firepits and playground for social gatherings

MARYLAND DISCOUNT MARINE SUPPLY

Over 20,000 items in as little as a day Expert advice • Aggressively discounted items for power & sail • Complete do-it-yourself store BOAT SERVICES

Hull & deck repairs & refinishing • Bottom work Electrical & water systems • Running & standing rigging • Furling systems • Parts and Service Dealer for Yanmar, Universal, Westerbeke and Beta

410.335.8722 3501 Red Rose Farm Rd. Middle River, MD 21220 www.MarylandMarina.net • info@MarylandMarina.net A few short miles from White Marsh shopping and dining

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2021

21144 Green Lane, Rock Hall, Md. 21661 410-778-6697 • havenharbour.com HOURS Open 7 days a week, 8a-5p (May-October). Mon-Fri (Oct-April) DOCKAGE 150 floating and fixed slips between both marinas FUEL None AMENITIES Swimming pool; customer lounge areas; complimentary kayaks, paddelboards and bicycles; fully-stocked marine store; ice and goods; private bathrooms and showers; coin-operated laundry; Wi-Fi; pet-friendly; event space; security; children’s play areas; picnic pavilion; courtesy car and access to local transportation; beach; lockers; on-site sailing charters. MARINE SERVICES Full-service yacht repairs and installation including A/C and refrigeration, bottom maintenance, brightwork and restoration, carpentry, electronics, mechanical, paint and fiberglass, rigging and sails; full-line Yamaha sales and service; 35 MT travelift; towing; drop-in and haul-out service up to 70,000 lbs.; year-round dry and wet storage.

20 PINEY NARROWS YACHT HAVEN 500 Piney Narrows Road, Chester, Md. 21619 410-643-6600 • pineynarrowsyachthaven.com HOURS 8:30 am-6:30 pm DOCKAGE $2/ft. per night, $10 electric FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Private Heads keyed separate for each dock, Pool, Clubhouse, Ship’s Store, Gated Entry, Picnic Areas MARINE SERVICES Travel Lift, Repair & Maintenance next door

sponsored by

Find Marinas & Rent Boat Slips Online Three great locations in Oxford, Maryland to service all your boating needs. oxford, md All the comforts of a full-service marina plus repairs, repowers and refits.

BACHELOR POINT · 410.226.5592 JACK’S POINT · 410.226.5105 TOWN CREEK · 410.226.0213

Floating docks to 100 ft. at Jack's Pt. & Bachelor Pt.

Boat Building H Restoration H Repairs Slip Rentals H Haul-Outs H Dry Storage

Year-round and transient slips

Campbell’s Yacht Sales

Dealer • Repairs • Service

Certified Cummins Dealer

campbellsboatyards.com ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

BRAND GUIDELINES

Full-Service Yacht Brokerage

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For info. contact PJ at campbellsyachtsales.com

July/August 2021

USE BOOK20 AT CHECKOUT FOR $20 OFF YOU NEXT BOOKING! ONLY VALID WHEN BOOKING THRU THE APP

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ANNUAL SLIP HOLDERS RECEIVE 10% DISCOUNT ON • FUEL PURCHASES • DINING AT HEMINGWAY’S ** CALL FOR DETAILS**

SAVINGS FOR 1ST TIME ANNUAL CUSTOMERS BRAND NEW 30’ DOCKS FLOATING DOCKS | 25-70 TON TRAVEL LIFTS FUEL DOCK & PUMP OUT | FULL SERVICE YARD FITNESS CENTER & SAUNA | WIFI HEMINGWAY’S RESTAURANT & TIKI BAR This is an introductory offer and is only available to first time BBM slip holders

DEALER

410.643.3162

357 PIER ONE ROAD STEVENSVILLE, MD 21666

WWW.BAYBRIDGEMARINA.COM

chesapeakebaymagazine.com/boating

sponsored by

MIDDLE BAY Full service marina with covered & open slips available now. • Gas, diesel, pumpout • Pool • Nettle-free beach • 50 channel cable TV • Ship’s store • Slipholder fuel discounts • 50T lift • Full service and parts • Wi-Fi • Mechanics on duty 6 days • A/C heads & laundry • Picnic peninsula • Water taxi service to moorings

21 BAY BRIDGE MARINA 357 Pier One Road Stevensville, Md. 21666 410-643-3162 • baybridgemarina.com HOURS Summer: Mon-Thurs: 8am-6pm, Fri-Sun: 8am-8pm DOCAGE Seasonal, monthly & transient slips with floating docks FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Pump out at fuel dock (complimentary during business hours) or mobile pump-out on weekdays, free Wi-Fi, private restrooms, laundry facilities, fitness room, outdoor pool, Hemingway’s Restaurant, scenic promenade, pet friendly, grill and picnic areas MARINE SERVICES Full service yacht yard featuring 25 & 70 ton travel lifts, complete winterizing program, annual storage (wet or dry), bottom sand blasting, bottom painting, haul & launch, preventative maintenance

410-885-2706 Contact us about slip ownership opportunities

1026 Town Point Road • Chesapeake City, MD 21915 www.bbyh.com • e-mail: info@bbyh.com

Kent Narrows Front Door to the Eastern Shore

22 ANNAPOLIS CITY MARINA

• OWN YOUR OWN BOAT SLIP • COVERED & OPEN 30 - 62FT • ANNUAL AND SEASONAL LEASES • EASY/QUICK BAY ACCESS • FUEL DOCK • PUMP OUT • GATED FOR SECURITY • POOL • CLUB HOUSE • LAUNDRY • WI-FI • TRANSIENTS WELCOME 500 Piney Narrows Road, Chester, MD LAT: 38 97.38 LON: 076 24.83 CALL 410-643-6600 FOR MORE DETAILS WWW. PINEYNARROWSYACHTHAVEN.COM

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2021

410 Severn Ave, Annapolis, Md. 21403 410-268-0660 • annapoliscitymarina.com HOURS Mon-Thurs: 9am-6pm, Fri-Sun: 9am-7pm DOCKAGE Open slips, all with finger piers. annual and transient dockage FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Enjoy the liveliness of Annapolis and the tranquility of Eastport. Friendly, knowledgeable staff stands by to assist wherever you may need a hand. Amenities include water and electric at each slip and free wireless internet. Fully stocked store on-site with beer, wine, block and cube ice, Starbucks coffee, snacks, ice cream and more. Clean bath houses, laundry facilities, grill & picnic area, and covered, gated parking.

MARINE SERVICES Full service fuel dock with boating supplies

23 ANNAPOLIS TOWN DOCK 110 Compromise Street, Annapolis, Md. 21403 410-216-0347 • annapolistowndock.com HOURS In Season: Mon-Fri 3pm-7pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm, Winter: Mon-Sun 10am-3pm DOCKAGE Transient & monthly FUEL Available nearby AMENITIES Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, Retail Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Parking, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Bars/Clubs Nearby, ATM, Golf Course Nearby, Post Office within 1 Mile, Medical Facilities Nearby, Water Taxi, Paddleboard/Kayak Rental MARINE SERVICES None

24 THE MARINA AT NAUTILUS POINT 655 Americana Drive, Annapolis, Md. 21403 443-926-1303 • themarinaatnautiluspoint.com HOURS Mon-Sun (Daily) 9am-5pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL None AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Parking, Bars/ Clubs Nearby, Security, WiFi, Medical Facilities Nearby, Picnic Area, Pump-Out, Grills, Laundry, Grocery, Lounge On-Site, Swimming Pool, Event Space, Post Office within 1 Mile, Fitness Center, Water Taxi, Bank Nearby, Paddleboard/Kayak Rental, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Charters On-Site MARINE SERVICES None

25 CHESAPEAKE YACHT CLUB 4943 Hine Drive, Shady Side, Md. 20764 410-867-1500 • chesapeakeyachtclub.org HOURS Mon: 9am-5pm, Tues-Wed: 9am-4pm,

sponsored by AMENITIES Pool, jacuzzi spa and kiddie pool, picnic areas with gas & charcoal grills, playground, outdoor fitness area, eco-trail, dog park, beach style gas firepit, dockside restaurant and sports bar, 4-hour vending lounge, pool bar (seasonal), complimentary slipholder events, outdoor movie nights, free Wi-Fi internet service, marine seminars, laundry rooms (coin operated), dinghy rack storage and storage lockers, dockside pump-outs & mobile pump-out boat, weekly e-newsletter, 3 customer lounges, conference room and event space. MARINE SERVICES Marine contractors on-site, year-round land storage, West Marine store on-site, private security, frost-free water and electric every 50’.

Thurs: 9am-7pm, Fri-Sat: 9am-9pm, Sun: 9am-7pm DOCAGE Transient FUEL Diesel, Gasoline, Pump-out AMENITIES Clubhouse, outdoor bar, Pool ( Pool Hours: Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Mon. 12-7 p.m.; Thu. 12-7 p.m.; Fri. 12-7 p.m.) The club has well-manicured lawns and a stone fireplace for socializing. There is a ramp for launching boats and dedicated floating docks for jet skis and dinghies MARINE SERVICES None

26 HARBOUR COVE MARINA 5910 Vacation Lane, Deale, Md. 20751 301-261 9500 • harbourcove.com HOURS Daily: 9am-5pm DOCKAGE Power Boats 30 feet or less FUEL Gasoline AMENITIES Boatel, covered racks, lift slips wet slips, land storage, pool house, clubhouse, mechanic shop and exceptional bathrooms. MARINE SERVICES In-and-out service, detailing, bottom painting, power-washing, shrink-wrapping, gasoline, pumpout and exceptional family level customer service

29 HERRINGTON HARBOUR SOUTH 7149 Lake Shore Drive North Beach, Md. 20714 301-855-5000 • herringtonharbour.com HOURS Marina Office Daily: 9am-5pm DOCKAGE In season: Sunday - Thursday $2.25/foot, Friday and Saturday $3.25/foot. Off season: $2.25/foot (25% discount with Boat US membership). FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Private beach, Olympic-size pool, kiddie pool, complimentary Wi-Fi, cable TV, restaurant, deck bar, market & deli, playground, complimentary kayaks and paddleboards, beach/ lawn games, gardens with picnic areas, event spaces, propane grills, fitness center, sauna, tennis, pickleball, basketball, laundry, bathhouses, ATM, lodging, ice, pet-friendly. MARINE SERVICES Located at Herrington Harbour North (3 nautical miles)

27 ROCKHOLD CREEK MARINA 453 Deale Road, Deale, Md. 20751 410-867-7919 galahadmarine.com/rockhold-creek-marina HOURS Mon-Sun (Daily) 9am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Annual FUEL None AMENITIES Salon/Spa, Showers, Laundry, Security, Shuttle, Picnic Area, Service/ Maintenance, Travel Lift, Restrooms, Ship Store, Water Sport Rental MARINE SERVICES 35 and 50 ton travel lift, Forklift Haul out, Hang/Set and Launch, Trailer Load or Unload, Gas and Diesel Mechanics, Inboard, Outboard and I/O Repairs, Complete Repowers, Fiberglass Repairs, Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing and Toilet Repairs, Electronic Sales & Installations, Pressure Washing Bottoms, Bottom scraping and barnacle removal, Bottom painting, Interior and Exterior Detailing, Hull Waxing, Topside Waxing, Oil Changes, Winterization and more

28 HERRINGTON HARBOUR NORTH

30 KNAPP’S NARROWS MARINA & INN PO Box 277 Tilghman, Md. 21671 410-886-2720 • knappsnarrowsmarina.com HOURS Daily: 8-6 DOCKAGE Fixed/Floating/25 slips/ $2.00/foot electric $7.00 per 30 amp $14.00 per 50 amp FUEL Gasoline; Diesel AMENITIES Private baths, laundry, Back Creek room, Marker Five restaurant MARINE SERVICES Full service boatyard, 35-ton Travelift

31 CAMPBELL’S BOATYARD AT JACK’S POINT

MARINA RESORT & YACHT CENTER

389 Deale Rd, Tracey’s Landing, Md. 20779 410-867-4343 • herringtonharbour.com/north HOURS Daily: 9am-5pm DOCKAGE Overnight, Weekly, Monthly, Annually FUEL Available nearby

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2021

106 Richardson Street, Oxford, Md. 21654 410-226-5105 • campbellsboatyards.com HOURS Daily: 7:30am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Fixed and floating docks up to 120 feet, transient slips—$2.00/foot/night FUEL Nope. AMENITIES Restrooms, laundry, meeting room,

picnic area, complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary bicycles. MARINE SERVICES Boat repair, maintenance and repowers, slip rentals, haul-outs and dry storage.

32 CAMPBELL’S TOWN CREEK BOATYARD 109 Myrtle Avenue, Oxford, Md. 21654 410-226-0213 • campbellsboatyards.com HOURS Daily: 7:30am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Fixed Dockage up to 50 feet/transient dockage $2.00/foot/night Fuel Nope. AMENITIES Restrooms, laundry, complimentary Wi-Fi, complimentary bicycles MARINE SERVICES Dry storage.

33 CAMPBELL’S BACHELOR

POINT YACHT COMPANY

26106A Bachelor Harbor Drive, Oxford, Md. 21654 410-226-5592 • campbellsboatyards.com HOURS Daily: 7:30am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Fixed dockage up to 100 feet/ transient slips— $2.00/foot/night FUEL Nope. AMENITIES Restrooms/laundry/complimentary Wi-Fi/complimentary bicycles/swimming pool MARINE SERVICES Slip rentals, indoor dry storage, land storage, refits, repairs, paint, varnish, yacht sales.

34 CAMBRIDGE YACHT BASIN 2 Yacht Club Drive, Cambridge, Md. 21613 410-228-4031 • cambridgeyachtbasin.com HOURS High Season (May-Oct): 9am-6pm, Low Season (Nov-Apr): 9am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, WiFi, Retail Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Ice, Laundry, Parking, Gas, Hotel/ Lodging Nearby, Diesel, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Fuel, Post Office within 1 Mile, Bathhouse MARINE SERVICES None

35 YACHT MAINTENANCE COMPANY 101 Hayward St, Cambridge, Md. 21613 410-228-8878 • yachtmaintenanceco.com HOURS Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm DOCKAGE Annual and transient slips on fixed docks to 120 feet. FUEL Next door. AMENITIES 30-, 50-, and 100-amp electricity, pump-out, Wi-Fi, several restaurants within walking distance. MARINE SERVICES 60-ton Travelift,

Relax Relax & & Enjoy Enjoy

Lovely waterviews and gorgeous sunsets in a quiet marina setting,waterviews just minutes from the best fishinginand cruising Lovely and gorgeous sunsets a quiet marina the Chesapeake Bay has offer. setting, just minutes fromtothe best fishing and cruising the Chesapeake Bay has to offer.

800-322-5181 • www.KNAPPSNARROWSMARINA.com 800-322-5181 • www.KNAPPSNARROWSMARINA.com

KNAPP’S KNAPP’S NARROWS NARROWS DREDGED DREDGED

TRANSIENT GROUPS WELCOME TRANSIENT GROUPS WELCOME

HERRINGTON HARBOUR SOUTH 7149 Lake Shore Drive North Beach, MD 301.855.5000

HERRINGTON HARBOUR NORTH 389 Deale Road Tracey’s Landing, MD 410.867.4343

Beltway to Bliss in 20 Minutes Discover it all at Herringtonharbour.com

sponsored by 200-ton railway; welding, carpentry, electronics, engine maintenance and refits, rigging, painting, fiberglass repair, detailing and shrink-wrapping.

36 GENERATION III MARINA 205 Cedar Street, Cambridge, Md. 21613 410-228-2520 HOURS Mon-Fri: 7:30am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Annual slips $1 per foot, 12 feet MLW FUEL Nearby. AMENITIES Electricity, restroom with showers, pump-out, restaurants within walking distance. MARINE SERVICES 50-ton Travelift, full-services including complete refits, repower, carpentry, rigging, Awlgrip painting, stainless steel and aluminum fabrication, fiberglass and gelcoat repair.

37 HYATT REGENCY CHESAPEAKE

BAY RIVER MARSH MARINA

100 Heron Boulevard, Cambridge, Md. 21613 410-901-1234 hyatt.com HOURS Store: 9am-5pm, Fuel Dock: 9am-4pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Bathhouse, Fuel, Grocery, Health Club, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Laundry, Lockers, Lounge On-Site, Parking, Picnic Area, Swimming

Pool, Provisions, Pump-Out, Restaurant On-Site, Restaurant Nearby, Snack Shop, Tennis, Tiki Bar, WiFI, Restrooms, Salon/Spa, Golf Course Nearby, Town Nearby, Bars/Clubs On-Site MARINE SERVICES None

38 CALVERT MARINA, LLC 14485 Dowell Rd, Solomons, Md. 20688 410-326-4251 • calvertmarina.com HOURS Daily: 8am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Over 400 Open Slips, Covered Slips, and Floating Docks available FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Three bath houses with 24 hour access, on site laundry facilities, seasonal in ground swimming pool, seasonal cafe’, fuel dock, pumpout station, on site full service boat yard, Wi-Fi available for transients on our floating docks, and 70+ acres to enjoy at your leisure. MARINE SERVICES Full service boat yard on site

Calve alvert al vert Marina vert arina SOLOMONS, MD

ALFRESCO MARINA Means having dozens of picnic tables, over 40 acres of open space for dogs, kids and fun, walking paths, plentiful parking, large pool and deck, outdoor dining, a beach, lots of room to breathe and enjoy nature and view wildlife.

MAINTENANCE COMPANY

The facilities of a shipyard. The low cost of a neighborhood boatyard. The quality craftsmanship of a custom builder.

We also have several 35’ COVERED SLIPS as well as ﬂoating TRANSIENT SLIPS.

With deep water access in Cambridge our full time professional staff is poised to handle every aspect of boat building, repair and maintenance.

GIVE US A CALL AND FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HELP YOU! 410-326-4251

CALVERTMARINA . COM

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2021

Cambridge, MD

410-228-8878 • www.yachtmaintenanceco.com

SUMMER SEASON STARTING FROM $22950/MONTH 6 MONTH BOATHOUSE CONTRACT FOR APRIL 1ST - OCTOBER 31ST FEE IS DETERMINED BY LOA X $1275/MONTH

oasismarinas.com

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Along the

POTOMAC 39 THE WHARF MARINA

41 NATIONAL HARBOR

600 Water Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20024 202-595-5165 • wharfdcmarina.com HOURS Marina: Mon-Sun 8am-5pm Hourly Pier: Mon-Sun 8am-10pm, Dec 15-Apr 1: Hourly Pier Closed DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL None AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Pet Friendly, Town Nearby, Parking, Security, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Event Space, Provisions, Paddleboard/Kayak Rental, Post Office within 1 Mile, Transportation, ATM, Medical Facilities Nearby, Boat Rental, Newsletter, Salon/ Spa, Rental Cars, Water Taxi, Bank Nearby, Disability Access, Snack Shop, Floating Docks, Deli, Grocery, Bikes, Ship Store, Golf Course Nearby, Hotel/Lodging On-Site, Liveaboard MARINE SERVICES None

168 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, Md. 20745 301-749-1582 • nationalharbor.com/nhmarina HOURS Sun-Thurs 10am-7pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Town Nearby, WiFi, Retail Nearby, Restaurant Nearby, Ice, PumpOut, Laundry, Parking, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Security, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Snack Shop, Grocery, Fuel, Post Office within 1 Mile, Medical Facilities Nearby, Provisions, Cable TV, Transportation, ATM, Golf Course Nearby, Dry Cleaning, Floating Docks, Water Taxi, Gas, Diesel MARINE SERVICES None

42 BELMONT BAY HARBOR

40 THE YARDS MARINA 10 Water Street SE, Washington D.C., 20003 202-484-0309 • yardsmarina.com HOURS Mon,Wed,Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri-Sun 1pm-8pm, Tues Appointment Only DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL None AMENITIES Bikes, Bars/Clubs Nearby, Grocery, Health Club, Hotel/Lodging Nearby, Pump-Out, Parking, Picnic Area, Rental Cars, Restaurant Nearby, Bathhouse, Showers, Restrooms, WiFi MARINE SERVICES None

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2020

570 Harbor Side Street Woodbridge, Va. 22191 703-490-5088 • belmontbayharbor.com HOURS Tuesday-Sunday 9am-5pm (Closed Monday) DOCKAGE Transient and annual dockage rates for 158 deep-water slips ranging from 30’ to 50’ FUEL Diesel, Gasoline, VelvTectTM Premium AMENITIES picturesque and protected harbor in an upscale residential community with quick access to the Potomac. Customers enjoy floating Ipe docks, key-card entry, 30/50 amp electric, modern bathrooms and showers, laundry, Wi-Fi, ice, and pumpout. Diesel and ValvTect™ premium gas is available at the fuel dock. The Occoquan Bay

National Wildlife Refuge is nearby, offering hiking trails and bird-watching. MARINE SERVICES Diesel and Gas with ValvTect™ Premium Fuel Additive, pump-out, fresh water, and electric. No mechanical services.

43 GOOSE BAY MARINA AND CAMPGROUND 9365 Goose Bay Lane, Welcome, Md. 20693 301-932-0885 • goosebaymarina.com HOURS Winter Hours (Dec-Mar): Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 9am-2pm, Sun Closed, Summer Hours (Apr-Nov): Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm, Fri-Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 8am-4pm DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Restrooms, Showers, Boat Service, Pump-Out, Ship Store, Diesel, Gas, Travel Lift, Swimming Pool, Fuel, Bathhouse, Campground, Picnic Area, Ice, Dry Storage, Floating Docks, Grocery, Pet Friendly, Security, Parking, Launch Ramp, Provisions, Playground, Newsletter MARINE SERVICES Crane Services, Metalwork Fabrication, Electronic Sales & Installation, Prop & Shaft Work, Fiberglass & Gelcoat Repair, Mast & Rigging, Engine Service & Diagnostics, Electrical, Warranty & Insurance Claims, Engine Financing, Diesel Mechanic, Seasonal Commissioning, WInterizing & Shrink Wrap, Dry Storage, Launch Ramp, Travel Lift

44 HOPE SPRINGS MARINA 4 Hope Springs Lane, Stafford, Va. 22554 540-659-1128 • hopespringsmarina.com

All boaters can dock at The Wharf to explore our vibrant neighborhood. Experience our world-class restaurants, bars, shops, music venues, and the Municipal Fish market - all within walking distance of the monuments, museums, and other Washington, D.C. landmarks.

FOR DOCKING INFORMATION, VISIT WHARFDCMARINA.COM

National Harbor Marina on the Potomac River Where you can experience premier restaurants, shopping, and nightlife, visit the Nation’s Capital, and play at the impressive MGM National Harbor Casino!

NAT I ONA

T ISTR T D IC

38° 47' 3.264'' N / 77° 1' 1.092'' W

nationalharbor.com/about/marina/

ATERFRO

168 National Plaza Oxon Hill, MD 20745

HARBOR W

301-749-1582

Amenities

• State-of-the-art floating docks • Fuel dock and pumpout station • WiFi • Security • Daily dockage • Boater’s Lounge • Water taxi

sponsored by

HOURS April - May: 10am-6pm; Memorial Day - Labor Day: Sun-Thurs: 9am- 6pm, Fri-Sat: 9am-7pm; September - October: 10am-5pm; November - March: 10am-5pm (Closed Sat. & Sun.) DOCKAGE Slips FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Bath, diesel, fitness center, fuel, gas, grocery, health club, laundry, lounge on-site, parking, picnic area, provisions, pump-out, ship

store, showers, snack shop, swimming pool, ValvTect®, Wi-Fi MARINE SERVICES Boat service, dry storage, launch ramp, oil recycling, towing, winter storage

45 COAN RIVER MARINA 3170 Lake Road, Lottsburg, Va. 22511 804-529-6767 • coanrivermarina.com HOURS Daily: 8am - 5pm DOCKAGE Transient, Annual, Seasonal

FUEL Diesel, Gasoline, Non-ethanol, 89-octane AMENITIES Laundry, clean bathrooms, land storage, 7-10 feet MLW, free Wi-Fi, electric and water at each slip MARINE SERVICES 25-ton lift, boat ramp, pump-out, DYI welcome or use our technicians

LOWER BAY 46 YANKEE POINT MARINA 1303 Oak Hill Road, Lancaster, Va. 22503 804-462-7018 • yankeepointmarina.com HOURS 8-4:30 M-F, 9-4:30 Sat, 10-4:00 Sunday DOCKAGE Transient & annual FUEL Gasoline and diesel AMENITIES Non-Ethanol gas, 101 wet slips 180 dry slips, 30 & 50 V, Salt Water Pool, Snack Bar, Slip Holder’s Lounge, Picnic area, 2 gas grills, free parking, Ship’s Store, Full Service Boatyard, friendly helpful Staff, Pet friendly, great tasting water free, free WiFi, free pump out with slip, two rental deck boats, three rental Sunfish, two rental stand-up paddle boards, dinghy dock and storage, boat ramp.

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

MARINE SERVICES:: 40 Ton travel lift, 65 foot paint barn specializing in Awl Grip paint application, full wood working services including custom furniture grade cabinet construction, wooden boat repairs, varnish and Awl wood application, boat plumbing and electrical services, Yanmar Gold dealer, repowering, Garmin electronics dealer, bottom prep and painting

47 STINGRAY POINT MARINA

July/August 2020

19167 General Puller Hwy Deltaville, Va. 23043 804-776-7272 • stingraypointmarina.com HOURS No specific hours DOCKAGE Annual slips only

FUEL Available nearby AMENITIES Swimming pool, three bath houses, pump out, laundry, dock boxes, WiFi, gas grills, ice, playground, picnic tables, bicycles. Replica of the Stingray Point Lighthouse. MARINE SERVICES Dockage: Protected harbor, with 200 sailboat slips, 10 covered power-boat slips. Fixed docks, with depth of seven feet. LOA max is 50 feet. Annual Slips only. Marine boat yards nearby on Broad Creek.

48 CHESAPEAKE YACHT SALES &

DELTAVILLE YACHTING CENTER

18355 General Puller Hwy, Deltaville, Va. 23043 804-776-9898 • dycboat.com

• ANNUAL & SEASONAL SLIPS AVAILABLE

Come visit our little slice of

Heaven

• Winter Dry Storage and Painting with Awl Grip in our 65’ Barn • Full-service and DIY boatyard, 40-ton TraveLift • Slips available, 30/50 amp and 9’ MLW • Yanmar & Garmin dealer • Ethanol-free, 87-octane gas & diesel • Ship store, laundry, clean showers • Saltwater pool, captains lounge • No boat tax in Lancaster County!

YA N K E E P OIN TMARIN A.COM • 804-462-7018 • 1303 OAK HILL RD., LANCASTER, VA

sponsored by HOURS Mon-Fri: 8am-4:30pm, Sat 9am-4:30pm DOCKAGE Slips / Boatel / Yard Storage FUEL Gasoline AMENITIES Private pool & clubhouse. complimentary Wi-Fi & cable TV. Well-stocked ship’s store w/marine parts & snacks. Boater’s Boutique w/clothing, jewelry, decor etc. Clean, air conditioned bathrooms w/showers. Fax/mail services. Landscaped peaceful setting. Gravel boatyard w/do-it yourself allowed. Non-ethanol gasoline. Pump-out stations. Waterfront picnic area w/grills. Lodging, restaurants, gift shops, groceries, churches, doctors, library nearby; courtesy vehicle. Charming staff. MARINE SERVICES ABYC certified & factory trained. Diesel & gas engine repower & repair. Generator installation & repair. Refrigeration / AC installation & repair. Rigging swagging, inspections & repair. Aluminum & Stainless fabrication. 50 ton travel lift; 2 forklifts; 75’ manlift; & hydraulic trailer. Boatyard w/ seasonal & long-term storage. Yacht refinishing & painting. 65’ enclosed double service bays. Boat detailing and bottom paint. Sails & canvas refits. Electronics installation & repair.

49 NORVIEW MARINA

In the beautiful Northern Neck of Virginia near the convergence of the Coan River, the Potomac River, and Chesapeake Bay

C AN

18691 General Puller Highway, Deltaville, Va. 23043 833-425-2423 galahadmarine.com/norview-marina HOURS Daily: 8am - 5pm DOCKAGE Transient, Annual, Seasonal FUEL Diesel, Gasoline, Non-ethanol, 89-octane AMENITIES Laundry, clean bathrooms, land storage, 7-10’ MLW, free Wi-Fi, electric and water at each slip MARINE SERVICES 25-ton lift, boat ramp, pump-out, DYI welcome or use our technicians

50 FISHING BAY MARINA

Slips with Electric & Water

25-ton Travel Lift

On-Land Storage

7’ MLW

Non-ethanol Gas & Diesel

DIY or Full Service Yard

Boat Ramp

Easy Bay Access

3170 Lake Road, Lottsburg, VA 22511 (804) 529-6767 CoanRiverMarina .com

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2020

519 Deagles Rd, Deltaville, Va. 23043 804-776-6800 • fishingbay.com HOURS 8am - 5pm, 7 days per week DOCKAGE Transient, Seasonal, Annual FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Pool, Laundry, Courtesy Car, Bikes MARINE SERVICES FullService available nearby

51 RIVERWALK LANDING PIERS 425 Water St., Yorktown Va. 23692 757-890-3370 visityorktown.org/276/On-the-Water HOURS April 1 - October 31 (7 days per week) Sunday - Thursday - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday & Saturday - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. DOCKAGE Transient

DOWNTOWNHAMPTON.COM • #DOWNTOWNHAMPTONVA • 757.727.1271

sponsored by FUEL Available nearby AMENITIES Free WiFi, Private Restrooms Private Showers, Ice, Ship Store, Security, Meeting Facilities, Pet Friendly Transportation, ATM/ Bank, Restaurant, Shopping, Hotel, Beach MARINE SERVICES Water, Power, and Pump-Out

52 BLUEWATER YACHTING CENTER

BEST OF THE BAY WINNER • Covered & Open Slips, Enclosed Boatel, Full Service ABYC Boatyard, Ship’s Store & Boaters’ Boutique • Private Pool, Captains’ Lounge, Fish Cleaning Station, Clean Bathrooms, Picnic Area • Catalina Yachts, Mainship, True North Albin & Carolina Classic Specialists

DELTAVILLE YACHTING CENTER

18355 General Puller Hwy, Deltaville, VA ❘ 804-776-9898 ❘ www.dycboat.com ❘ info@dycboat.com

Stingray Point Marina Chesapeake Bay’s Premier Marina in Deltaville,Virginia

15 Marina Road, Hampton, Va. 23669 757-723-6774 • bluewateryachtcenter.com HOURS 7am - 7pm, 7 days per week DOCKAGE $2/ft/day, $10/ft/month FUEL Diesel, Gasoline AMENITIES Swimming Pool & Guest Area, Group Pavilion, Picnic & Grill Area, High Speed WiFi, Laundry, Deluxe Showers, Floating Docks, High Speed Fuel Pumps & Bunkering, Taxi Service, Service Yard, Haulout Basin & Travelift, Ship’s Store, Surfrider Restaurant & Bar MARINE SERVICES Full Paint (Bottom & Topcoats), Custom Fabrication & Paradepts, General Maintenance & Hauling, Mechanical & Electrical, Mezzanine Refits, Polishing & Detailing, Welding & Fabrication, Teak & Cabinetry, Stabilization, Running Gear Repair, Full Rigging

53 THE DOCKS AT DOWNTOWN HAMPTON 10 Settlers Landing Rd Hampton, Va. 23669 757-727-1276 • downtownhampton.com HOURS 8:30am - 5pm DOCKAGE Transient FUEL Available nearby AMENITIES Full list of amernities at downtownhampton.com/dhdp-dock-amenities MARINE SERVICES Local services at downtownhampton.com/marine-services

54 WATERSIDE MARINA 333 Waterside Dr. Norfolk, Va. 23510 757-625-3625 • watersidemarina.com HOURS Daily: 8am - 8pm DOCKAGE Transient FUEL Available nearby AMENITIES Wi-Fi, Grocery Shuttle, ice, pumpout, showers, prime location- walk to downtown shopping, attractions and restaurants MARINE SERVICES None

55 ATLANTIC YACHT BASIN

Protected harbor n 200+ open slips n 10 covered slips n Easy Bay access n 33 acre park-like setting n

Call: 804-776-7272

Swimming pool n Wifi, ice & laundry n Playground n Dog-friendly n Well-managed n

stingraypointmarina.com

located on Broad Creek in Deltaville, Virginia

N 37° 33.710 | W 076° 18.450

74 ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

19167 General Puller Hwy (Route 33)

July/August 2020

2615 Basin Road, Chesapeake, Va. 23322 757-482-2141 • atlanticyachtbasin.com HOURS Dockmaster available 24 hours DOCKAGE 1700 ft. of transient dockage, fixed dock FUEL Gasoline and diesel AMENITIES Showers, laundry, marine store MARINE SERVICES: Yacht refinishing, engine/ generator repairs, carpentry, electronics, electrical, and fiberglass, undercover storage in fresh water available.

Are you looking for a quick stop, a home base or a trusted place to get work done? How about a quiet port in the storm or a safe spot to store your boat and car? AYB is all of these things and much, much more.

AYB OFFERS • Comprehensive marine services • Dedicated craftsmen with decades of experience • All trades represented in house • Up to 110’ capacity railway plus travel lifts • Year-round covered storage • Protected, non-tidal basin • Convenient location on ICW • Dockmasters & fuel available 24/7 • Fully-stocked marine store

757-482-2141 • 800-992-2489 www.atlanticyachtbasin.com ICW at Mile 12, Great Bridge, 2615 Basin Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322 Email: info@atlanticyachtbasin.com

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Celebrating Why We Live Here Tiny Christchurch School Takes Down the Sailing Titans—p. 32Young Ospreys

Spread Their Wings

MAGAZINE MAGAZINE November 2018 June 2019

J.O. SPICE

The Crab House’s Secret Weapon

TILGHMAN TO THE STARS

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Preserving a Historic Life Finds a Way On Chesapeake Eats Swimming with Ed Farley FindKeeping Your Waterfront Easton Neighborhood the Chester River Alive Restaurant Guide the River OttersOyster Traditions Camping Paradise

BaySlow Taxidermists Your Roll Preserve Memories With Seakeeper

MAGAZINE March 2019

Turning Science Into Chesapeake Gold

The High Art of the

THE OTHER SHELLFISH

OYSTER ROAST

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Bringing Back Bay Scallops

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Made onOspreys the Bay Young Holiday Gift Guide Spread Their Wings

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A Chesapeake Bugeye’s Space Shuttle Ride

HOOPERS ISLAND OYSTER COMPANY

Eastport Oyster Boys A Mystery Beneath Score a Revolution the Chester River

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Chasing a Catch in the Open Ocean plus

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Whalertowne Comes to Annapolis

Boat Show Drops Anchor in Baltimore

Rabbit Hunting With The Pro & His Hounds

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Eastern Shoreman’s Call of the Wild

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Showing Off Wooden Chesapeake Eats Classics in Reedville Restaurant Guide

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Lightkeeper's House

PHOTOS: JEFF NICKLASON

Cove Point Light, Lusby, Md.

UNIQUe stays

[AROUND THE BAY] From a historic Georgian-era farm to a tiny house made from a steamboat, here are seven sweet stays for a unique Baycation.

By Susan Moynihan ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com 80

July/August 2021

ake Black Walnut Point Drive all the way down to the end of Tilghman Island and you’ll come to a locked gate. Beyond that gate is one of the best secrets in the Bay: Black Walnut Point Inn. While the 56-acre sanctuary around it is owned by the State of Maryland and protected as the Naval Research Laboratory and Black Walnut Point Natural Resource Management Area, the tip of the island is reserved for the inn. The Choptank River flows to east and the Bay lies to the West, and while you can see land off in the distance—and the tilted Sharps Island Light three miles to the south—it’s too far away to matter. It feels like end of the earth, in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.

ighthouses are beautiful from afar, but if you’ve ever been inside one, you know the interior is typically spartan, making a stay in one better in theory than in actuality. But a lighthouse keepers’ home—now that’s an entirely different story. Cove Point Lighthouse has guarded the shoal off Lusby, Md. since 1828, making it Maryland’s oldest continuously operating lighthouse. The lighthouse is operated remotely by the Coast Guard (there’s no civilian access, except peeking through the door), but the four-acre site is managed by the Calvert Marine Museum. Every Wednesday and Sunday in season, the gate opens for tours. After the visitors leave, lucky guests can check in for a stay in the keeper’s house, a white clapboard beauty built in 1828. The duplex-style house has been beautifully restored with modern furnishings and conveniences. Each side is a mirror of the other, with three bedrooms, two baths, a living room, full kitchen, and screened front porch. Rent one half

and close the dividing wall to separate the living areas, or bring the gang and rent the entire house. In addition to the house and grounds, you also have access to Cove Point’s private beach. It’s too rough for swimming but great for sunning or combing for fossils and sharks’ teeth; we found two within 15 minutes, along with beach glass and some beautiful spiral shells. Check-ins and check-outs are only allowed on Wednesdays and Sundays, meaning it’s a three-night stay minimum. But then you pretty much have the place to yourselves. The catch: It’s extremely popular, and already rented out for the rest of 2021. But it’s not too early to start planning for next year. Calvertmarinemuseum.com. One side from $203/night (low season) or $265/night (summer), entire house from $370/night (low) or $610/night (summer), available via airbnb.

Nature Preserve

Proprietors Bob Zuber and Tracy Staples-Wilson have run the inn for 11 years, and make delightful hosts. The main house, with sections that date to 1840 and 1860, has three bedrooms, two screened porches, a shared living room for socializing, and a kitchen where the couple makes breakfast for their guests, included every morning from March through November. Better yet are the three park-model cabins, each identical with knotty pine walls, a cozy studio-style living room and kitchenette, a separate bedroom with a king bed, and a screened porch facing the water. The grounds are lush with flower and vegetable gardens, fig trees, signature black walnut tree, and an

eight-foot-deep swimming pool that becomes a focal point in the summer. Scattered around the point are benches and hammocks, positioned to take in the views—some east-facing for sunrise and others looking west for sunset. In the cabins, the beds all face east over the Choptank. I kept my curtains open so I could wake with the sunrise, get a glimpse of the early morning watermen doing their thing offshore, then roll over and go back to sleep—the perfect vacation indulgence. Blackwalnutpointinn.com. Rooms from $120/night; cabins from $280/night. July/August 2021

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

COURTESY PHOTOS EXCET, TOP RIGHT: SUSAN MOYNIHAN

Black Walnut Point Inn, Tilghman Island, Md.

Period Pilothouses Cross Rip Campground, Deltaville, Va.

LOWER PHOTOS: SUSAN MOYNIHAN, TOP: COURTESY

daydream of going back in time and experiencing the days when graceful steamships plied the Chesapeake. Most of these boats have been lost to time, but a tiny campground in Deltaville has turned two vintage wheelhouses into cabins perfect for a weekend of not-quite-roughing it. California transplants Catherine Bellows and Rebecca Wondergem have owned Cross Rip, set on the easternmost tip of the Deltaville peninsula, since 2016. But it was the original owner, the late Anna “Scotty” Hoye, who founded Cross Rip in 1950 and made the steamboat cabins. The Virginia Dare is built around the pilothouse of its namesake, which was operated by the Old Dominion Steamboat Line and the Old Bay Line in the early 20th century. The pilothouse has been turned into a bedroom with twin ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

July/August 2021

beds, accented by the original ship’s wheel, fuel lantern, compass box, and windows, positioned towards the water. The connecting wood-paneled living room has two more beds, a sofa, and shelves stacked with board games and vintage store finds. A galley kitchen and screened side porch round out your cozy stay. Across the way at Nan’s Place, a red pilothouse juts out from a tidy gray cottage. Preserved from a menhaden fishing boat, the wheelhouse has a built-in daybed ideal for reading, attached to a studio with kitchenette, queen bed, and bathroom. The screened-in porch and wide wooden patio overlook a narrow cove and beach, and bonus: This one is dog friendly. The campground has two other cabins and 46 tent-or-RV sites—many of them booked year after year by return guests who want to keep it a secret. After spending a lovely weekend there, I totally relate, so please don’t tell anyone else about it. Crossripcamp.com. Cabins available from $107/night via airbnb.

Dock of the Bay Sagamore Pendry, Baltimore, Md.

COURTESY PHOTOS

ost port cities have hotels overlooking the water. But for a hotel literally on the water, head to Baltimore’s Sagamore Pendry, located on historic Recreation Pier in Fells Point. The pier was built in 1914, and has had many purposes since, including as an immigrant processing station, an open-air recreation area for inner-city kids, and the fictional police HQ in Homicide: Life on the Streets. It sat empty for much of the 2000s, while multiple attempts to restore it fell apart due to the logistics and expense involved. Enter Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank and his team, who invested some $60 million in renovations and brought in luxury hotelier Montage Hotels & Resorts to run it when it opened in 2017. The 128-room hotel follows the footprint of the original pier, extending out into the harbor for epic views from all sides. Sitting on the balcony of my harbor-view room reminded me of being on a docked cruise ship, in a good way; I woke to the call of seabirds and watched tugs and workboats ply the harbor as I sipped my morning coffee. Interior design reflects Baltimore’s industrial heritage, with a slight Art Deco hint; think mahogany headboards, tufted leather sofas, and brass accents in the guestrooms, and in the striking main bar, exposed brick walls, iron beams, and a crows-nest upper gallery that hides a private dining room. In warmer months, beeline to the end of the pier, where the infinity-edge pool overlooks the Domino Sugar factory. Rec Pier Chop House, run by James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini, features dry-aged steaks and housemade pastas. (Don’t miss the standout linguine mezzanotte with squid-ink pasta and jumbo lump crab.) When you want to wander, Fells Point is at your feet, with shopping and restaurants along cobblestone streets, and a promenade that takes you to Canton Waterfront Park. Sagamorependry.com. Rooms from $399/night (winter) and $499/night (summer). July/August 2021

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Historic Farm Stay Ditchley Cider Works, Kilmarnock, Va.

COURTESY PHOTOS

oots run deep in Virginia, and few places run deeper than Ditchley Farm. The rich acreage of the Northern Neck was home to Algonquian-speaking Native Americans for centuries before Chief Powhatan made the acquaintance of Captain John Smith at Jamestown in 1607. Colonel Richard Lee arrived in 1639 as secretary to the colonial governor, and soon after acquired acreage near Dividing Creek. The Georgian-style manor house built by his great-grandson dates to 1752. In 1929, philanthropists Alfred and Jessie Ball duPont purchased and expanded the property, adding a stately caretaker’s house. After them, it passed into the hands of duPont Foundation and then was left empty. Enter Cathy Calhoun and Phil Grosklags, who purchased the 160-acre waterfront estate in 2014. Their years-long restoration has won awards for historic preservation, and today the farm is part of a conservation easement. The caretaker’s house has been turned into a cider house and tasting room, for boozy juice pressed from farm-grown apples. Across the lane, Belted Galloway cattle

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graze contentedly; elsewhere are hogs, ducks, and turkeys. A large lawn connects the two red-brick houses, creating an ideal space for events, be it cider tastings with food trucks and live music or estate buyouts for weddings and other celebrations. Guests renting the Cider House get the run of the house, including the tasting room, kitchen, and four bedrooms. The more formal Manor House is usually rented as part of a buyout for weddings. Overnight stays include a true farm-to-table breakfast, and the use of kayaks and SUPs, ideal for exploring Dividing Creek from the farm’s private sandy beach. The couple is currently restoring a third house, located on the creek with a beautiful pier, which should be available by mid-August. You’re just three miles from Kilmarnock, which makes it a great base for exploring the Northern Neck. Ditchleyciderworks.com. Cider House from $520/night via airbnb.

Modern Minimalism Getaway, Stanardsville, Va.

COURTESY PHOTOS

iny houses are all the rage, as is getting off the grid. Getaway taps into both. Founder Jon Staff was a burned-out twenty-something living in a 26-foot Airstream when he had his big idea: Build collections of tiny cabins-on-wheels that encourage stressed-out urbanites to disconnect from work and connect with nature. The first outpost opened near Boston in 2016, followed by New York City, and now Getaway operates near 15 cities across the country. The D.C. outpost, in Stanardsville, Va., has just 40 cabins on 80 acres of private land. A week before check-in, they’ll send you a reminder confirmation; then, day of, you’ll get a text with the name of your cabin and a key code for the door. Then just drive, park, let yourself in, and enjoy. Cabins range in size from 140 to 200 feet, but they have all you need: kitchenette with mini fridge and two-burner stove, a bathroom with shower, even A/C. The platform-style queen bed is placed next to a big picture window so you can enjoy your surroundings without moving, be it leafy foliage by day or starry skies at night. Outside are a picnic table, firepit with grilling gate, and two Adirondack chairs. My favorite elements are the ones that reinforce their message: a bookshelf with titles like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; a stocked campfire box with wood, for easy purchase; and the cell phone box, where you’re encouraged to stow your phone and just be where you are. (There’s a landline in each cabin in case of emergency.) Hiking trails abound nearby, Shenandoah National Park is just 10 miles away, and you’re in the heart of Virginia wine country. In a nice touch, the company plants a tree for each Getaway booked, which has resulted in over 22,000 new trees. They also have a loyalty program, encouraging repeat visits by offering a free night for every 7 stays. I’m working on it. Getaway.house. Cabins from $299-369/night. July/August 2021

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Lockhouse Lodging C&O Canal Quarters, Md. and Va.

TURNER PHOTOGRAPHY/FREDERICK MAGAZINE; C&O CANAL TRUST

he C&O Canal was in operation for more than 100 years, moving people and freight between Washington, D.C. and the coal country of Cumberland, Md. Lockkeepers, the unsung heroes of the era, lived alongside the canals, answering the call day and night to help barges navigate the lock system. In 1971, the entire 184-mile C&O Canal Towpath was designated a National Historic Park, making it a popular spot for biking and hiking. In a unique twist, seven of the original lockhouses have also been restored and are available for overnight stays, under the supervision of the C&O Trust. Located at intervals from Mile Marker 5.4 to MM 108.7, the stone residences date to the early 19th century and come in varying degrees of comfort. Three of them have full electricity, plumbing, heat and A/C, while others are bare bones: just the structure and a few basic furnishings, but no electricity or running water. All houses come with an outdoor fire pit for cooking, and period-inspired décor

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and information that tell the story of different eras of the canal. I stayed in Lockhouse 10, one of the cushy ones. It’s located near Cabin John, just off the Clara Barton Parkway, but it feels much more remote; you can’t hear any traffic (or get much cell service) in its spot along the towpath. Furnishings are simple, with steel-frame beds in the two bedrooms (one queen and three twins; bring your own linens), and wooden rockers and a dining table for four in the living room. Add in a full kitchen and extras like a clawfoot tub in the sole bathroom, two rocking chairs on the porch, and a picnic table by the fire pit, and it makes a perfect escape for history lovers who want to stroll the canal. The lockhouses sell out months in advance, but the experience is well worth the wait. Canaltrust.org. Houses from $110 to $160/night, 3-night maximum stay per house.

Movie Star Yacht Seafood , Kent Island, Md. ere at Chesapeake Bay Magazine, we’re partial to boats, so any overnight involving one is going to be good to us. But this boat stay is designed for people who love movies—specifically, the Bill Murray classic Caddyshack. The 60-foot Striker was built in 1979, and its first outing was a cameo in the film. (You know the scene, where Rodney Dangerfield destroys Ted Knight’s sailboat, coining the phrase, “You scratched my anchor.”) Seafood was eventually sold and made its way to Maryland, where charter captain Rick Schott bought it in 2017. The owner of Chesapeake Bay Sport Fishing, Captain Rick runs fishing charters on his fleet of five boats, but this yacht stays tied to the end of a dock at Queen Anne Marina. Like most things from the 1970s, the boat is dated, so if you’re thinking Kanye-style megayacht, think again. But the charm comes in its age. In the wood-paneled salon, you’ll find a cozy sofa and a TV, plus a retro Atari gaming set. With three staterooms (a master, a double, and two twins) and three bathrooms, it accommodates six people comfortably. The kitchenette has a small fridge and a microwave for heating up snacks, but there’s no actual cooking allowed; bring takeout with you or dine out at one of Kent Island’s many waterfront restaurants. Most people who book are big fans of the movie, says Schott, and he plays to the crowd with autographed photos of the film’s stars, a book of press clippings, and a Caddyshack DVD on hand.

I say skip the movie and head up top to the flybridge. The wrap-around sofa has ample seating, ideal for sipping cocktails and taking in the views of serene Prince Creek and Blue Heron Nature Preserve, a 300-acre protected area that’s home to namesake herons, eagles, and osprey. The boat may be old, but the twin Detroit Diesels work, so you can arrange for Schott to take her for a sunset spin for an additional fee.  Chesapeakebaysportfishing.com. Overnights available for $400/night via Airbnb. July/August 2021

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PHOTOS: SUSAN MOYNIHAN

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WILD CHESAPEAKE

Take a Kid Fishing

Start ’em early for a lifetime on the water—by Capt. Chris D. Dollar

t was late 2008 when, like millions of other Americans, I was digging out from under the rubble caused by the Great Recession. Most full-time outdoor writing gigs had gone the way of the dinosaur, so I called my buddy and pitched the idea of summer kayak fishing camps for kids. “It’ll never work,” Bob Carroll chortled in his frank but good-natured manner. But I wore him down, and by June I was trucking down to Virginia Beach with 12 kayaks strapped to a trailer and dozens of fishing rods sticking out of the pickup bed. It was much more work than we anticipated, but we had a blast. After several successful years of running summer kayak camps

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together, we amicably parted ways. I focused my camps on fishing, and he and his wife pivoted toward programs centered on the Bay’s ecology. Today, their “Virginia Beach Sea Camp” remains wildly popular. Although our execution remains different, our objectives are similar: to run safe and fun on-the-water camps that open kids up to incredible outdoor opportunities they may not otherwise get to experience. Take the time we paddled around Cape Henry. Our merry flotilla silently watched (from a safe and legal distance) adult dolphins herd menhaden against the beach. They were teaching their young to hunt. It was incredible to witness,

and our campers were fixated. “When kids explore Bay waters, it creates rare and awesome opportunities to see wildlife,” Carroll says. “Last summer, we saw cownose rays gracefully floating through shallow waters, brushing nimbly over the ripples in the sand and undulating like interwoven kites. We watched awestruck as they calmly faded into deeper water.”

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A Few Dos & Don’ts of Taking Kids Fishing In my many years as a coach, outdoors trip leader, and fishing guide, I’ve found young people not only want clear direction, they also respect you for providing it. You must plan accordingly, yet manage your expectations, especially when working with young tackers under six years old. For my day camps, we email parents everything they need to know well in advance of actually getting on the water: what to bring, what to wear, list of activities, camp rules, etc. This approach can apply, albeit less formally, when fishing with your kids

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NICK PEREZ/MD DNR FLICKR

During the year of COVID-19, there was an encouraging uptick in both pastimes, a welcome difference from the 1990s when experts feared the continued slide in participation would damage this outdoors industry. Most boaters and anglers are also champions for conservation and aquatic resources. Fishing license sales, excise tax on fishing equipment (rods, reels, and tackle), as well as a tax on motorboat and small engine fuel help fund fisheries conservation and management. Groups like the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and Coastal Conservation Association Maryland work with myriad partners to increase participation. For example, CCA Maryland’s Kids Corner has projects to inspire kids to become life-long stewards of our marine resources. Participants receive a free Youth Membership. Here are a few ideas to get more kids out fishing.

or family and friends’ youngsters. Our first order of business is to go over the safety rules, do it again, and then again. We put on life jackets. Buy your child his or her own PFD. And make sure it fits properly. If it chafes, binds, or is too loose, kids will try every trick in the book to weasel out of the life vest. Time management is also key. Nothing kills an outing faster than being too long. You’ll not only get cranky kids, but they may develop an aversion to fishing. Two hours tops for

first timers is plenty. Explain the day’s plan. If you’re on a boat, show the kids your helm station and electronics and explain how each works. The best way to prime the pump for future trips is to fish where your odds of catching fish are high. A first-time young angler doesn’t care whether the fish is a perch, spot, or bluegill; they’re happy as long as it bends the rod. Also, don’t overcomplicate things. Save the lures for when the child has mastered the basics. A five-foot rod with eight-pound test mono and a bobber is an ideal setup for first timers, especially when fishing on a pond, pier, or from shore. Remember, bait is your friend! Also, never fall in love with your first plan. Have a backup plan ready to go. There’s a chance you may get skunked on your first outing. I cannot recall how many times small dip nets and my 15-foot seine nets have saved the day during camp. Minnows, crabs, and other Bay critters are usually easy to catch and a hoot for youngsters. Don’t forget the snacks, drinks, and even coloring books to pass the time between bites. And for the littlest ones, bring along their favorite toy. Make it a relaxed event, perhaps with swimming or a lunch out afterward. Captain Randy Dean of Bay Hunter Charters is best known for putting his clients on fish. In his 25 years, he’s never charged clients for taking kids (12 years and younger) along. “I get the most enjoyment teaching kids, and some of them are now (as adults) my best customers,” he said. “Get kids involved from the beginning. Live-lining is great, because the kids can catch the bait (spot) and have a

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blast getting them out of the live well. And let them net fish.” Most importantly, make it fun. Remember, it’s just fishing. A longtime friend, and one of the best anglers I know, doesn’t fish with his family. Why not? “According to my family, fishing with me isn’t fun. Seems I get a little crazy on the water.” Instead, they hike, bike, and camp together. As a new father to a one-year-old daughter, I’m excited to introduce her to the sport that’s brought me so much joy. If she doesn’t dig it her first time out, no worries. We’ll just go seining or crabbing, and then eat ice cream.  Capt. Chris Dollar is a fishing guide, tackle shop owner, and all-around Chesapeake outdoorsman with more than 25 years’ experience in avoiding office work.

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July 2021

Articles inside

Wild Chesapeake: Fishing with Kids

Marina Showcase

Third Time’s the Charm

Unique Stays Around the Bay

On Boats: Boston Whaler 250 Dauntless

That’s a Wrap

Industrial Icon

Chesapeake Chef: Cobia Ceviche

Chesapeake Almanac: Bay Paddle