Weekends on the Water 2021 by Chesapeake Bay Magazine

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Weekends on the Water 2021

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Volume 51

Number 4

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 DIRECTOR 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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CIRCULATION

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CONTENTS

Destinations

WEEKENDS ON THE WATER 2021—Volume 51 Number 4

10 Baltimore

Three waterfront neighborhoods that put the charm in Charm City.

10 Baltimore BALTIMORE 10

24 Kent Narrows

A wee bit of land with a lot of boating, dining, and entertainment.

40 Cambridge

24 Kent Narrows 40 Cambridge

ANNAPOLIS WASHINGTON D.C.

54 Onancock

64 Irvington/Kilmarnock

An Eastern Shore town with deep historical roots and a sunny present.

80 Yorktown

54 Onancock

Find out why artists love this Eastern Shore of Virginia getaway.

64 Irvington/Kilmarnock

Classic inns and new favorites at the tip of the Northen Neck.

80 Yorktown

The Brits aren’t the only ones to surrender to this lovely, history-rich Virginia town.

VA VA 64

DELTAVILLE CAPE CHARLES

Column

88 On Boats: Tiara 48 LS ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

80 NORFOLK

On the Cover

Schooner Alliance in Yorktown. Photo by Betty Burton

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

Annapolis Redefined

Resilient to the core, Annapolis has been redefining itself for nearly 400 years. This Navy town has a track record of rolling with the punches and emerging ever new. But don’t take our word for it. We invite you to hop in the car and drive to a place where life’s simple pleasures abound. Treat yourself to an afternoon of sailing or cruising the Chesapeake Bay. Dine and shop al fresco along centuries-old brick-lined streets. Bike or hike our miles of trails. Discover best kept secrets on a ghost or history tour before calling it a day at a historic inn or hotel. Discover Annapolis redefined.

P L A N YO U R S TAY AT V I S I TA N N A P O L I S . O R G

to get breaking news & updates, photos, articles & events. Follow us on ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

WELCOME

Weekends on the Water 2021 A Destination for Every Boat

ere we are with our third Weekends on the Water. Welcome back! Or just plain welcome, if this is your first time with us. We feel pretty sure you’ll find some great ideas and a lot of useful information here, whether you are a small-boat cruiser, big-boat cruiser, or paddle enthusiast. For those of you who have joined us for the first two editions, you’ll feel right at home with the format: six destinations, each divided into categories like How to get Jody Argo Schroath there, Where to stay, What to do, and so forth. It’s a mix of CBM Cruising Editor straightforward information, such as channels and boat ramps, and some of our own recommendations, including restaurants and things to do that don’t make the usual lists. After all, Chesapeake Bay Magazine has been sharing information about the Bay for 50 years now, and our editors have a lifetime of experience to share. What do we have in store for you this year? We are particularly pleased, because we believe we’ve put together a collection of destinations that will suit everyone’s boating style and location. Yorktown, for example, with its history, restaurants, and waterfront, is within easy reach for everyone in the southern Bay and a cruising goal for everyone else. For those farther up the Bay, the great port city of Baltimore serves something of the same purpose. It’s within easy reach, and it has so many attractions that we imagine it would be possible to go nearly every weekend and still not see everything, from Fort McHenry to the National Aquarium, the Inner Harbor to Canton. In addition, both of them make great family destinations. And in between? Cruisers all over the Bay will understand our choices of Onancock and Cambridge. They are magical destinations and worth the time it takes to get there. And the food is great, too. Small boaters, we have not forgotten you for a moment. In this issue you’ll find a destination tailor-made for you. Kent Narrows is a mile-long (almost) waterway of fun, from dock bars and great restaurants to water trails, walking trails, and fishing. And it’s easily accessible from many Western Shore ports. Finally, we have a special treat. We’re going to introduce you to the beauty, quiet, history, and good food of the lower Northern Neck of Virginia, centering on Irvington and Kilmarnock but including a winery/cidery tour, part of which you can even do by boat. If you live in the urban centers of Annapolis/Baltimore or Norfolk/ Portsmouth, you will be especially enchanted by this destination. It’s a place just as essential to understanding the Chesapeake as Yorktown and Baltimore. There it is. Read and enjoy! If you have any questions or comments, please let us know. We love hearing from you (editor@chesapeakebaymagazine.com). One more note: If you missed our first two Weekends on the Water, we recommend you contact us to get copies. There you’ll find more destinations—such as Annapolis, Rock Hall, Solomons, Deltaville, Hampton, Cape Charles, and Havre de Grace—and more ideas for enriching your Weekends on the Water. h W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

baltimore A maritime hat trick: Inner Harbor, Fells Point, and Canton , WHY YOU LL WANT TO GO Are you in love with history? Do you crave big-city nightlife? Is good food your go-to activity? Looking for activities that the kids will love? Well, then, of course Baltimore is the place for you. You will find all of these in any one of the Baltimore waterfront neighborhoods we’re focusing on here, but you’ll also find that each has its own special personality. At the Inner Harbor, for example, you’ll find yourself in the very center of things, with a battery of historic ships to tour, the National Aquarium to visit, and restaurants and shops galore. Shoot, you can even walk over to an Orioles game at Camden Yards. Who wouldn’t want to go there? And if you come by boat, you can stay in any of several very nice marinas and not even have to worry about finding a place to park. On the other hand, a visit to Fells Point will introduce you to one of the oldest and most charming—as well as lively—parts of the city. Here you can wander historic cobblestone streets and spend the day drifting in and out of shops, while stopping frequently to refresh yourself at some of Baltimore’s best (and oldest) bars and restaurants. And what about Canton? The waterfront and nearby O’Donnell Square combine to create Baltimore’s trendiest neighborhood with a feel all its own. And if you come by boat, you’ll find the marinas to make it all easy. When you spot the Natty Boh sign, you’ll know you are there.

10 10

W WEEEEKKEEN ND DSS O ON N TTH HEE WAT WATEERR

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

B A LT I M O R E

HOW TO GET THERE

By boat If you are coming by boat—and that’s an excellent way to come—you simply cruise up (or down) the Bay to the Patapsco River. About 10 miles upriver, you’ll see Fort McHenry to starboard and the entrance to the Northwest Harbor. Put Fort McHenry to port. A mile in, you’ll pass the Canton neighborhood. Three miles in and you will be in the Inner Harbor. You may want to go ahead and cruise all the way into the Inner Harbor basin before you go to your marina, just to get a feel for what’s where. Finding your chosen marina is entirely straightforward since all of them are directly on this branch. We’ll talk about which ones are where in a moment.

By car

Your best plan is to put your destination into your favorite map app and go from there. You’ll find quite a few parking garages, especially in the Fells Point area, that are only a short walk to the waterfront. From there you can walk or  Fort McHenry take a water taxi wherever you want to go. If you are towing your boat, you will find a good launch site in Canton at the Canton Waterfront Park. This is also a stop for the water taxis for further exploration. If you do launch here, remember there is a six-knot speed limit throughout the Northwest Harbor. It’s a great way to see the Inner Harbor as well as Fells Point and Canton. You can also launch paddle craft here to explore these well-protected waters.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND There are enough things in Baltimore to keep anyone busy for years, but we’re going to concentrate on the waterfront (naturally) and the immediately adjacent neighborhoods. This includes impressive Fort McHenry, located at the approach to the Inner Harbor, and then moves along to sections including the Inner Harbor and adjacent Harbor East; the Belgian block streets of maritime Fells Point; and the waterfront section of Canton. Along the way, we’ll hit the high spots, including activities for the whole family, and we’ll mention just a few of the dozens of restaurants all jammed into this seven-mile stretch of water. Once you choose a marina, hotel, or parking garage, you’ll be able to walk to the sights you want to see in the immediate area. If the distance is too far to walk, the best way to get around is to hop on a water taxi. During the week, you can use the free commuter water taxi to go from one spot to another. On the weekends, you can use the loop water taxi for a modest charge. You can buy by the trip, by the day, or by the month for yourself and your party. For a map, schedule, and pricing, check out the website baltimorewatertaxi.com. We’ll begin our trek with Fort McHenry, at the entrance of Northwest Harbor Inlet, and work our way clockwise upstream into the Inner Harbor and then around past Harbor East to Fells Point and finally to Canton. This way you can get an idea

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

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West Conway Street

12 11

19 10

8 Pier 5 Hilton Hotel

Aliceanna Street

26 3

18 28

Lancaster Avenue

Dock Street

Point Stre

Key Highway

711 Eastern Avenue

9 Four Seasons Baltimore

19 West Shore Park 401 Light Street

20 Harborplace

201 E. Pratt Street

21 Historic Ships of Baltimore 301 E. Pratt Street

200 International Drive

Point

Stree

10 Marriott

22 Baltimore World Trade

11 Hilton Garden Inn

23 National Aquarium

12 Homewood Suites

24 Port Discovery

Waterfront Hotel 700 Aliceanna Street

Warren Avenue

Riverside

East Hamburg Street

William Street

East Churchill Street

Battery Avenue

East Montgomery Street

Covington Street

West Hughes Street

Willis Str eet

West Lee Street

Baltimore Hotel 300 Light Street

Fleet Street

South Dallas Street

South Caroline Street

South Exeter Street

e Stre

East Conway Street

Eastern Avenue

South Eden Street

South Central Avenue

ent sid Pre

7 Hyatt Regency

t tree hS Jig et th H Stre Sou arle em Alb

Charles Street

6 17

East Pratt Street

FT MCHENRY TO HARBOR EAST

South Gay Street

South Street

Light Street

West Pratt Street

Commerce Street

S o u t h Ca lve r t S t r e e t

Lombard Street

Center 401 E. Pratt Street

Avenue

East Cross

Street

13 14

625 S. President Street

ACCOMMODATIONS 1 HarborView Marina

Baltimore 625 S. President Street

500 Harbor View Drive

2 Baltimore Dockmaster Finger Piers 401 Light Street

3 Inner Harbor Marina 400 Key Highway

4 Baltimore City Docks 400a Key Highway

5 Royal Sonesta Harbor Court 550 Light Street

6 Sheraton Inner Harbor 300 S. Charles Street

501 E. Pratt Street 35 Market Place

25 Baltimore Phoenix Shot Tower 801 E. Fayette Street

POINTS OF INTEREST 13 Fort McHenry 14 Baltimore Museum of Industry 1415 Key Highway

15 Baltimore Immigration Museum 1308 Beason Street

16 Federal Hill Park 17 Camden Yards

26 Harbor East DINING 27 Little Havana

1325 Key Highway

28 Rusty Scupper

402 Key Highway

29 Ouzo Bay

1000 Lancaster Street

18 Maryland Science Center 30 The Bygone 601 Light Street

200 International Drive

JUSTIN TSUCALAS

of where things are in relation to each other, so you can plan your trip more easily. And you’ll be able to see what marinas and hotels are closest at hand. Of course, we’ll also point out all the water-taxi stops along the way so you can get easily from one location to another. All set? Let’s begin.

Fort McHenry to Federal Hill U.S.S. Constellation

WHERE TO STAY

Harborview Marina & Yacht Club This is the first marina along our route. It features a boater’s lounge, restaurants nearby, and floating docks. The popular Little Havana restaurant is located nearby and the Rusty Scupper on the Inner Harbor is a short walk away. There are many more restaurants in the nearby Federal Hill area.

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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B A LT I M O R E

WHAT TO DO

Relive the Battle of Baltimore at Fort McHenry This national park is certainly one of the highlights of a trip to Baltimore. You’ll remember, of course, that this fort was under siege by the British during the War of 1812. The British had already burned Washington D.C. and this battle was meant to be a kind of final blow. Francis Scott Key observed the bombardment from a ship out in the river and afterward wrote a poem expressing his joy that the fort had held. Later, the poem was set to the tune of an old ballad and became our National Anthem. The best way to visit Fort McHenry is by water taxi, though you can drive in as well.

Explore The Baltimore Museum of Industry The next fun thing to do on our route is to visit the Baltimore Museum of Industry, which is located just past Locust Point near Tide Point, which conveniently has a water-taxi stop. Here you can get a fascinating look at how some of Baltimore’s most important early industries worked. There’s an oyster cannery from the 1860s, a 1920s garment loft, and a 1930s print shop, for example. There are plenty of hands-on activities for kids as well. Trust us, it’s fun!

Discover immigrant history at Locust Point

 Baltimore Museum of Industry

 Federal Hill Park

JUSTIN TSUCALAS

The Baltimore Immigration Museum is housed in the circa-1904 Immigrant House, owned by the Locust Point Community United Church of Christ. During the 1800s and early 1900s, more than a million immigrants entered the country here in Baltimore, and the House provided lodging for people from 1904 to 1915. Exhibits tell the story from the past through the 1960s. It’s open weekends in season, and other times by appointment.

Stroll Federal Hill Park Take an invigorating stroll over to Federal Hill Park and climb up to the top for a great view. Nearby you’ll find restaurants and a farmer’s market in season. The Hill was used as a lookout by the military during wartime and by merchants awaiting trading ships in peacetime. Beneath the hill are a series of tunnels and walkways where beer was once stored by local breweries. ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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Inner Harbor and Harbor East WHERE TO STAY

Inner Harbor Marina Managed by Oasis, Inner Harbor Marina is located on the south side of the Inner Harbor itself. It is also home to the perennially popular Rusty Scupper Restaurant. Like Harborview earlier, it has floating docks, though maneuvering room is a little tight. It also has fuel and a water-taxi dock. From here you can walk to just about everything in the Inner Harbor, as well as nearby Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home to the Orioles.

Baltimore City Docks and Dockmaster at Inner Harbor

 Inner Harbor Marina

Here’s another choice for Inner Harbor dockage. The city has three long piers to accommodate either single megayachts or several cruising-sized boats. Power and water are available. There may also be some room against the bulkhead. The outside of several of the piers is used by tour boats. Dockage is first-come, firstserved. Dock fee will be collected by the dockmaster.

Harbor East Marina We suppose that if you were to pick one location, central to practically everything from the Inner Harbor ships and museums to Little Italy’s myriad restaurants and Fells Point’s nightlife and historic charm, it would have to be Harbor East. We consider a slip at Harbor East Marina to offer the best of both worlds. Harbor East Marina, managed by Oasis, has nice wood floating docks with full-length finger piers—a luxury in itself! The marina has all the usual amenities and a great view. Bonus: Harbor East is a water-taxi stop.

Inner Harbor Hotels

 Chessie boats

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

JUSTIN TSUCALAS

Within walking distance of the Inner Harbor you’ll find a number of big hotels, including the Royal Sonesta Harbour Court, Sheraton Inner Harbor, and Hyatt Regency Baltimore Hotel. This trio is all located on the east side of the Inner Harbor, near or on Light Street. On the opposite side, Pier 5 Hotel Baltimore, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, is located, fittingly enough, on Pier 5, right next to the Aquarium.

 Camden Yards

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B A LT I M O R E

Harbor East Hotels East yet of Pier 5 you’ll find one of the city’s top waterfront stays, The Four Seasons Baltimore, and Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, basically next door. Also nearby, though not waterfront, are the Hilton Garden Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor and Homewood Suites by Hilton Baltimore.

WHAT TO DO

Delve into the Maryland Science Center Everything science and more. Exhibits. Fun and educational activities for the children. Crazy experiments. Field trips. IMAX theater for everyone. And the planetarium. There are plenty of nearby parking garages, and it’s a water-taxi stop.

Cruise the harbor You can choose from one of several Baltimore Harbor cruises available from companies like City Cruises and Watermark Cruises. It’s a great and relaxing way to see the sights, even if you came by water in the first place.

MARK MOODY / MARK MOODY / SEAN LO

 National Aquarium

Cheer the Os at Camden Yards Walk or Uber over to Camden Yards for an Orioles game; just take Conway Street to Camden Street. No game? You can still take a tour.

Cool off at West Shore Park The kids will love the splash pad at West Shore Park off the Waterfront Promenade.

Say thanks to Harborplace This is where the famous Inner Harbor renaissance got started. But now, 40 years in, after changing shopping habits and the pandemic, Harborplace is a shadow of its former self, with only a couple of shops and a handful of chain restaurants. Tip your hat as you walk by, because without Harborplace, nearly everything else we’re going to visit in the Inner Harbor might not have happened.

Climb aboard the Historic Ships of Baltimore Docked at the piers and usually open to visitors lie four historic ships and one of the Bay’s earliest lighthouses. The star of the collection is the U.S.S. Constellation, the last sailing ship of war built that saw active military service. And she saw a lot of it, spanning 100 years from 1854 to 1955. Also at the Inner Harbor piers you’ll find the submarine U.S.S. Torsk, which served from 1944 to 1968; the Treasury-Class Coast Guard cutter U.S.C.G. Cutter 37, in use from 1935 to 1986; and the lightship

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Chesapeake, built in 1930. On Pier 5, you’ll spot the distinctive red Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, a screw-pile design built in 1855. You can check which ships are open for tours at historicships.org.

Take in the views from the Baltimore World Trade Center At 30 stories, this is the tallest regular pentagonal shaped-building in the world. It is also headquarters to the Port of Baltimore. Ride to the top for a far-reaching view of Baltimore and the Patapsco River at the Top of the World Observation Level.

Dive into the National Aquarium This is one of the most visited sights in Baltimore, and frankly, it’s just spectacular. Approximately 800 different species are represented in its many exhibit tanks. You’ll find it located on Pier 5.

Get hands on at Port Discovery This mecca for the very young (and very active) is two blocks up Market Place across E. Pratt Street. It’s located inside the old fish market building. Inside are three floors and 80,000 square feet of nonstop fun and activities. The Sky Climber. The Wonder Widgets. Play gas station. Weaving Wall. Crazy!

Peer up at the Old Baltimore Shot Tower You can’t miss this big red tower looming over, and if you get a chance, take a look.

Relax & Enjoy

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

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TRANSIENT GROUPS WELCOME

B A LT I M O R E

Also known as the Phoenix Shot Tower, it was built in 1825 and for a few years was the tallest structure in the United States. Shot was made by pouring melted lead from the top through a sieve. The little balls formed as the lead cooled on the way down and landed in giant vats of water at the bottom. Baltimore once had four shot towers, and this is the last remaining.

WHERE TO EAT It’s impossible to go hungry in Baltimore. The Inner Harbor and Harbor East have too many restaurants to count, but we’ll name two of our favorites, both in Harbor East: seafood-centric Ouzo Bay and the Bygone, high atop the Four Seasons Baltimore.

JUSTIN TSUCALAS

Fells Point WHAT YOU’LL FIND It’s time to get into Fells Point proper. To get there, walk up Thames Street to Broadway, or take the water taxi to the bottom of Broadway Pier.

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B A LT I M O R E

Willis St

reet

Thames Street

FELLS POINT

1 Admiral Fell Inn 888 S. Broadway

2 Henderson’s Wharf Inn & Marina 1001 Fell Street

3 Crescent Marina 951 Fells Street

POINTS OF INTEREST 4 Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park

6 One-Eyed Mikes

10 Dog Watch Tavern

7 The Admiral’s Cup

11 Duck Duck Goose

8 Bertha’s Mussels

12 Captain James

708 Bond Street S. 1647 Thames Street

DINING 5 Horse You Came

In On Saloon 1626 Thames Street

734 S. Broadway

9 Broadway Market

1640 Aliceanna Street

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sto

ACCOMMODATIONS

Street

South Montford Street

Point

Ave

Street

South Patterson Park

Point

South Collington Street

South Castle Street

South Chester Street

1 5

South Washington Street

Lancaster Street

10 11

South Wolfe Street

Dock Street

South Ann Street

Aliceanna Street

South Surham Street

Bond Street

South Carolina Street

South Spring Street

South Eden Street

South Central Avenue

South Exeter Street

t tree nt S side

Pre

Fleet Street

South Chapel Street

South Broadway

Eastern Avenue

South Madeira Street

Bank Street

709 S. Broadway 814 Broadway

Seafood Palace 2127 Boston Street

13 Thames Street

Oyster House 1728 Thames Street

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B A LT I M O R E Fells Point is one of the oldest parts of Baltimore. It started as its own town in 1730, but joined up with Baltimore in 1797. It prospered as a shipbuilding center, producing war ships and privateers for the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. The privateers were built using the design of the famously fast Baltimore Clippers. Later, Fells Point continued to prosper with the canning of oysters and produce. It was also fortunate that it escaped the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, leaving a great many of its 17th- and 18th-century homes to survive today. That makes the biggest attraction in Fells Point the neighborhood itself.

WHERE TO STAY

Henderson’s Wharf Inn & Marina A few blocks beyond Broadway on Thames Street you’ll find Henderson’s Wharf, which is both a marina and an inn. The marina offers floating docks and amenities such as cable-TV. The inn offers views of the harbor or the Fells Point neighborhood.

Crescent Marina The two docks just beyond Henderson’s Wharf belong to Crescent Marina. Unlike most marinas in the area, Crescent has fixed docks, though the two-foot tidal range doesn’t make this much of an issue. What Crescent lacks in amenities, it makes up for with its quiet and convenient location. It’s a short walk to all the excitement that Fells Point has to offer.

B A LT I M O R E

Admiral Fell Inn This charming 80-room hotel began life in 1900 as a church-run rescue lodging for down-and-out sailors. It is now a boutique hotel, located at the corner of Thames and Broadway, and thus right in the middle of Fells Point. This is also where you’ll find Duck Duck Goose, which I’ll mention later.

WHAT TO DO

JUSTIN TSUCALAS

Walk, wander and pub hop Revel in the old cobblestone streets (as long as you are not wearing high heels!), take a deep breath, and tackle block after block of shops, restaurants, and bars, each one more intriguing than the last. The Horse You Came In On Saloon, for example, operates in a building that has housed a tavern since the 18th century. But it doesn’t stop there. “The Horse” was also maybe-possibly-conceivably-butprobably-not where Edgar Allen Poe took his last drink before dying under mysterious circumstances several days later at Washington Medical College. Want to make it more of a pub crawl? You have a plethora to choose from. Try One-Eyed Mike’s, a gastropub set in an historic tavern, or Bertha’s Mussels, which has been serving steamed bivalves since 1972. How about the DogWatch Tavern, which has pub fare alongside pool, Skee-Ball and pinball? Or Duck Duck Goose for French-inspired plates and creative cocktails?

B A LT I M O R E

Discover Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park From Harbor East, walk along either Aliceanna or Lancaster Street to Caroline Street, then south. At the end you’ll find Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park, a Living Classrooms Foundation classroom and national heritage site. The park honors both Isaac Myers, a leader in the African American community and one of the founders in 1866 of the Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company, and renowned American political leader, thinker, and writer Frederick Douglass. Douglass, who was born in Easton, Md., lived and worked for a number of years in Baltimore before escaping north to freedom. The site delves into Black maritime history, and when you arrive, it’s very likely you’ll find some interesting boat pulled up for repair or restoration. The water taxi also stops here.

WHERE TO EAT Again, there are choices galore for a great meal. Captain James Seafood Palace is a Fells Point sight you cannot possibly overlook, because it’s a restaurant in the shape of an ocean-going commercial vessel—definitely the only one in Baltimore. This popular waterfront crabhouse has its own water-taxi stop and you can get crabs, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Thames Street Oyster House has a fantastic raw bar, and regional dishes showcasing Kent Island rockfish, Block Island scallops, Maine lobster, and more.

Your Chesapeake Bay Boating Connection for 50+ Years For more than 50 years, Tri-State Marine has been the hallmark of leading boat dealers in the area — proudly serving the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland communities. We oﬀer expert boat, motor and electronics sales and marine services for only the industry’s best brands, including Grady-White, Parker Oﬀshore, Sea Pro, Yamaha Outboards, Garmin Marine Electronics, Fusion Marine Audio and EZ Loader Trailers. We also place particular pride in having one of the largest indoor boat showrooms in the United States, where you can often find more than 30 boats on display year-round. Through perseverance and an unmatched dedication to customer service, Tri-State Marine today is emblematic of its early days where hard-work and ‘doing the right thing’ was how successful companies were built. We pride ourselves on your satisfaction and we have many accolades, achievements and testimonials that demonstrate where we place our priority. Whether you’re looking for a new boat or pre-owned boat, marine services of any kind, parts, accessories or supplies, a boat slip or storage, bait and tackle or spot to get you into the water and fueled-up for the day, Tri-State Marine is your Chesapeake Bay destination for all of your boating experience needs. You can find us in nearby Deale, Maryland — only a short ride from Washington, D.C. Baltimore, Annapolis, Severna Park, Kent Island and Northern Virginia. Explore, dream, discover – happy boating.

Owner & CEO

TRI-STATE MARINE D e a l e ,

M a r y l a n d

N 38° 47’ 21” W 76° 32’ 57”

www.tristatemarine.com

B A LT I M O R E

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POINTS OF INTEREST

7 Looney’s Pub

2900 O’Donnell Street

8 El Bufalo Tequila Bar & Kitchen 2921 O’Donnell Street

9 Café Dear Leon

2929 O’Donnell Street

10 Mama’s on the Half Shell 2901 O’Donnell Street

Hudson Street

Dillon Street

O’ Donnell Street

Elliott Street

Toone Street

11 2

2780 Lighthouse Point E

3 O’Donnell Square

Fait Avenue

7 6 12 3 10 8 13 9

South Kresson Street

South Haven Avenue

South Kenwood Avenue

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South Highland Avenue

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2 Lighthouse Point Marina South East Avenue

Aliceanna Street

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South Lakewood Avenue

South Luzerne Avenue

South Montford Street

South Elwood Avenue

South Chester Street

South Wolfe Street

North Broadway

South Ann Street

South Washington Street

Eastern Avenue

2501 Boston Street

South Linwood Avenue

East Pratt Street

Gough Street

1 Anchorage Marina

South Patterson Park Avenue

East Lombard Street

ACCOMMODATIONS

4 American Can Company

11 Bo Brooks

5 Canton Waterfront Park

12 Speakeasy Saloon

2400 Boston Street 3001 Boston Street

2780 Lighthouse Point E. 2840 O’Donnell Street

13 Himalayan Spice

DINING

2823 O’Donnell Street

6 Claddagh Pub

2918 O’Donnell Street

Canton If you consider Chester Street as the western border between Fells Point and Canton, then the Captain James ship-shaped restaurant straddles the border between the two. And having passed that, we enter our third and final Baltimore waterfront neighborhood, Canton. This is an ideal place to end the day, possibly with an ice-cold beer on O’Donnell Square at Claddagh Pub or Mama’s on the Half Shell or Speakeasy Saloon or, well ... you get the idea. There’s plenty to choose from. If you have a little bit of energy left, we recommend a late-afternoon stroll through O’Donnell’s neighboring streets. Here you’ll find largely early 20th-century homes and rowhouses, with classic Baltimore features like scrubbed marble steps and painted screens.

JUSTIN TSUCALAS

WHERE TO STAY

Anchorage Marina This is the first of Canton’s two large marinas, and, like most of the Baltimore Harbor’s marinas, it has floating docks and full-length finger W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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B A LT I M O R E

IN STOCK IN ANNAPOLIS

piers. The anchorage is easy to navigate and convenient to just about everything in Canton, including a Safeway market and West Marine store.

Lighthouse Point Marina Canton’s second large marina is Lighthouse Point. This one, like many marinas in this part of Baltimore, is managed by Oasis Marinas. Lighthouse has a whopping 500 slips on gated, floating, concrete piers. It is also close to the West Marine, Safeway, and hardware store.

AND AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY

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WHAT TO DO

Canton Waterfront Park We are going to end our tour along the Baltimore waterfront here at Canton Waterfront Park, a lovely bit of greenery that includes Baltimore’s Korean War Memorial. It also includes the West Harbor’s only boat ramp and its final water-taxi stop. Fittingly, it also has a lovely view of Fort McHenry, which is where we started our journey.

WHERE TO EAT As night falls, choose a restaurant on O’Donnell Street or perhaps in the converted Can Company on Boston Street. The Can Company was once home to Norton Tin Can and Plate and then American Can Company, the largest can makers in the country, and once employed 800 workers. If you want to eat on the waterfront, settle into a chair at Bo Brooks, a Canton landmark since 1964. You’ll find Bo Brooks Restaurant and Tiki Bar (and Bo Brooks beer, wine, and liquor store, for that matter) and other restaurants at and around the Lighthouse Point complex next to Lighthouse Point Marina. Happy weekend! ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

410.263.9288 | intrinsicyacht.com

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Learn it then Live Classroom and hands-on training Join the club and use the boats Power & Sail

410 . 280 . 8692

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kent narrows Dock, dine, party, fish, paddle, repeat. , WHY YOU LL WANT TO GO

ANN LEVELLE

verybody knows that Kent Narrows is where the Chesapeake Bay goes to party. Its shoreline, less than a mile from top to bottom, is a virtual dock-and-dine Valhalla. From Red Eye’s Dock Bar on the Chester River side to The Jetty on the Eastern Bay side, Kent Narrows Strait echoes with the sounds of live music and clink of mango mojito glasses. Boats cruise the Narrows to see and be seen like some kind of 1960s drive-in diner. Yet, as delightful as all that is, there’s more. Amidst the crab dip and fried pickles there is serious cuisine to be had as well. And everywhere there are crabs and oysters, fresh from local waters—for this is also the domain of the watermen who work out of the Narrows, harvesting the bounty as they have for generations. There are great places to put in a kayak or SUP to explore the local streams, or you can climb on a bicycle to follow the Cross Island Trail. So read on. Then pick out one of the Narrows’ marinas for a slip, circle a few restaurants and dock bars, and load up the gear and the kids for a weekend at Kent Narrows.

 Bridges

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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KENT NARROWS

WHAT YOU’LL FIND

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Kent Narrows Strait, as the Coast Guard calls it, is the swift-moving water cut that makes an island out of Kent Island by separating it from the rest of Queen Anne’s County. More importantly, it connects the Chester River to the north with Eastern Bay to the south. When the English colonists first settled in the area, displacing the Matapeake Indians, the Narrows was quite shallow and bordered by marshland. It was known as the “Wading Place”—people, horses, and goods simply waded across. In the early 1800s, a dirt causeway was built to keep people and goods dry. This ended any hope of boat navigation until 50 years later when it was removed. Now the Wading Place is spanned by two bridges: the 75-foot-high U.S. 50/301 bridge and the 18-foot-high Kent Narrows Bascule Bridge. With navigation came seafood packing houses, which lined the shores now occupied by dock bars and restaurants. On the eastern side of the Narrows, you’ll find two marinas that accommodate transients as well as nine dock bars and restaurants, most with dockage of their own. The western side, on the other hand, is comparatively quiet, with one good-sized marina, a new boatel, and a watermen’s boat basin. At the top of the

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13 Maryland Watermen’s

12 11

428 Kent Narrows Way N

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15 The Big Owl Tiki Bar

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9 16

3015 Kent Narrows Way S.

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16 The Jetty

Oyster Cove Drive

201 Wells Cove Road

17 Harris Crab House

433 Kent Narrows Way N. Dessert First (Harris)

18 Fisherman’s Inn

Restaurant 3116 Main Street

ACCOMMODATIONS 1 Piney Narrows

Yacht Haven 500 Piney Narrows Road

2 Safe Harbor Narrows Point 428 Kent Narrows Way N.

3 Watermen’s Boat Basin 4 Wells Cove Marina

120 Channel Marker Way

5 Lippincott Marine 3420 Main Street

6 Kent Narrows Boatel

100 Piney Narrows Road

7 Holiday Inn Express

Annapolis East-Kent Island 1020 Kent Narrows Road

8 Best Western

Kent Narrows Inn 3101 Main Street

9 Hilton Garden Inn Kent Island 3206 Main Street

19 Fisherman’s Crab Deck

3032 Kent Narrows Way S.

20 The Narrows Restaurant POINTS OF INTEREST 10 Kent Narrows Boat Ramp 11 Chesapeake Heritage & Visitor Center 425 Piney Narrows Road

3023 Kent Narrows Way S.

21 Bridges Restaurant

321 Wells Cove Road

22 Annie’s Paramount Steak & Seafood House 500 Kent Narrows Way N.

12 Ferry Point Park

425 Piney Narrows Road

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W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

KENT NARROWS western side, you’ll find Ferry Point Nature Park, with trails and a welcome center. At the bottom of the eastern side, you’ll find historic Wells Cove, home of most of the Narrows’ head boats. Now that you’ve got the lay of the land, let’s talk about a very important subject here: navigation.

HOW TO GET THERE

By boat

JAY FLEMMING

Let’s face it: Kent Narrows is a destination practically custom-made for smaller, shallower-draft boats. Not that Kent Narrows is out of the question for larger cruising boats, especially those that don’t draft more than five feet—it’s entirely doable. But it is the quick in-and-out nature of the dock-and-dine experience that is the star here. So, naturally, this is where smaller, more maneuverable vessels shine. Also, Kent Narrows Strait’s channel can be an added challenge for less maneuverable boats, especially those with an air draft of 18 feet or more. Because, you see, there is the bridge and its quick current, and the bridge only opens on the hour and half-hour. As many of us cruisers know, it’s hard to hold place in a busy, narrow channel in a strong current. And that doesn’t even count the wind. So for those larger, taller boats, a good option would be to choose a marina (or dock bar) on one side or other of the Kent Narrows bascule bridge (known officially as the Watermen’s Memorial Bridge) so you don’t need to bother with going through it at all. Now let’s talk about the approaches to Kent Narrows. For those of you arriving from the south—say, anything from Annapolis on down—Kent Narrows is 13 miles inside Eastern Bay, measured from its entrance buoy, green “1K”. From the north—say, anything from Baltimore north—the Narrows is six miles south of Love Point Light at the entrance to the Chester River. The channel north and south of the Narrows is dredged fairly regularly, but tends to shoal in just as regularly, particularly on the Chester River side. As a consequence, the markers get moved fairly often to keep up with the shifting channel. So trust your eyes rather than your chartplotter. Here’s one more important thing to keep in mind: The navigation markers reverse after you come under the bridge. Just think of the Kent Narrows as “home.” Coming into Kent Narrows off the Chester River on the North Channel, red will be to your right until you reach the bridge. After the bridge, red will be on your left because you are leaving “home.” Alternatively, if you are approaching the Narrows from Eastern Bay, on the South Channel, red will be on your right up to the bridge and then will be on your left. Got it? Don’t forget.

By car Navigation in this case is considerably easier. From the Western Shore, take U.S. 50/301 across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and across Kent Island to exits 41 or 42. Either one will do, but 41 will give you easier access to the west side of Kent Narrows and 42 the east. You can always just cross the Watermen’s Bridge on

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An Eastern Shore landmark since 1930 serving the area’s best seafood including award winning crab cakes, fish, oysters, scallops, shrimp, and clams as well as steaks and slow roasted prime rib. The menu also offers homemade soups, specialty salads, appetizers, sandwiches, light fare, gluten free items and daily Chef Specials.

fishermansinn.com | 410.827.8807

3116 Main Street | Grasonville, MD • Premier Waterfront Hotel • Free WIFI • Complimentary Breakfast • 24/7 Gallery Market • Starbucks® Coffee Bar • 24/7 Fitness Center • Indoor Pool • Boat Slips for Docking • 6,000+ sq. ft. Event Space for Weddings & Corporate Events

hyattplacekentnarrows.com | 443.446.6000

OPEN MID-APRIL THRU OCTOBER

3028 Kent Narrows Way S. | Grasonville, MD

The steamed crabs you’ll find spicy and fat, the drinks cool, and the sunsets spectacular. All the fresh fish, shrimp, scallops and clams from our market are steamed, grilled or fried and served in a relaxed but exciting tropical atmosphere; open on all sides right at the water’s edge. Try a fresh squeezed Orange Crush, Margarita or Pina Colada at our waterfront bar.

crabdeck.com | 410.827.6666

3032 Kent Narrows Way S. | Grasonville, MD

KENT NARROWS Rte. 18 if you end up on the wrong side. Use Piney Narrows Road off 18 to get to the Chesapeake Heritage & Visitor’s Center and Ferry Point Park as well as the Cross Island Trail. If you are bringing your boat, you’ll find a convenient place to launch at Kent Narrows Boat Ramp just northwest of the bridges. You can launch your paddle craft at several nearby locations, which we’ll get to a little farther on. If you decide to paddle through the Narrows, (which we don’t encourage), remember to allow for the current—about one-and-a-half knots at max flood and ebb, and stronger through the bridges—and the busy boat traffic.

WHERE TO STAY 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

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

Marinas If you are visiting Kent Narrows by cruising boat and are looking for a marina, you have a very nice selection. Here’s the way they are divided, with pros and cons thrown in for good measure. North of the bridges, you have two good choices, both with fuel docks. Piney Narrows Yacht Haven occupies a basin cut into the west side. The advantage to this one is that it’s pretty quiet, since all of the restaurants and dock bars are on the east side, and most of them south of the bridge. In addition, it is right next door to the Visitor Center and the entrance to Ferry Point Park, with its trails, woods, and marshes. To reach the restaurants and dock bars, you can either

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600 Quiet Waters Park Rd. 7314 Edgewood Rd. / 410.919.9402 W W W. C A P I TA L S U P. C O M ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

arris Seafood opened its doors in 1947 on the Kent Narrows Waterway in the Chesapeake Bay, and it’s been an Eastern Shore tradition ever since. Today, Harris Crab House the only remaining oyster house operating year-round in Maryland, and remains in the Harris family. We buy our seafood from approximately 350 local watermen and employ over 140 locals who are committed to bringing the very best Maryland seafood straight from the dock to your table.

410.827.9500 harriscrabhouse.com 433 Kent Narrow Way North, Grasonville, MD

 Big Owl

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

dinghy across or use the Cross Island Trail on foot or with a bicycle. Safe Harbor Narrows Point (formerly Mears) lies on the east side. It has plenty of slips and plenty to keep you occupied. In addition to its own basin, it has the well-known Red Eye’s Dock Bar, as well as Annie’s Paramount Steak & Seafood House. And it’s next door to the famous Harris Crab House. That’s enough to keep you busy for a good while. The drawback is that if you want to explore Ferry Point Park, you’ll have to walk, bicycle, or dinghy over—which is not a big drawback at all, really. On the south side of the Narrows, you have even more choices. Watermen’s Boat Basin is on the west side of the Narrows, and they have a few slips available to non-watermen. On the east side of the Narrows, Wells Cove Marina has some transient slips, and is convenient to the Jetty Dock Bar as well as Bridges Restaurant and even Fisherman’s Inn and Crab Deck. Just a few steps farther, you’ll find The Narrows Restaurant and Big Owl Tiki Bar. Wells Cove has a depth of about five feet inside and can accommodate boats up to about 46 feet. Wells Cove is also home to most of the Narrows head boats, so if that’s in your plans you’ll be in the right place. Beyond Wells Cove and Oyster Cove developments, you’ll find our final marina, Lippincott Marine, one of the oldest marine facilities in the Narrows area. One of the major advantages of Lippincott, particularly for larger and deeper-draft boats, is that its entrance channel avoids the Narrows South Channel altogether. And it can take boats up to 72 feet.

HAVEN HARBOUR SOUTH 21144 Green Lane Rock Hall, Maryland 410.778.6697

The Area’s Largest Yamaha Service Center The marine stores at Haven Harbour Marina and Haven Harbour South in Rock Hall, Maryland are one-stop shops for all your Yamaha service needs. Learn more at HAVENHARBOUR.COM/Yamaha.

Full-line service and parts

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Kent Narrows

On the Water

Visit our website for direct links to: • Full Service Marinas and Fuel Docks • Dock and Dine Restaurants • Waterfront Accommodations • Musical Entertainment • Charter Fishing • Event Venues • Scenic Trails • ....and Fresh Seafood!

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KENT NARROWS If you need boatwork done while you’re here, you’ll find facilities at Lippincott, as well as at Harrison Boatyard on Wells Cove Road, and at Kent Narrows Yacht Yard next to Piney Narrows. If you are just dropping in for a few hours, life is easy. You’ll find that nearly all of the Kent Narrows bars and restaurants can accommodate your boat. And some of them, like The Narrows Restaurant, have power and water available for overnight stays at a very reasonable price, if you also have reservations to dine. While we’re on the subject of small boats, we should mention again the Narrows’ newest boat facility, Kent Narrows Boatel and Ship’s Store. This rack’emstack’em facility is next to Piney Narrows Yacht Haven on the northwest side. Here you can have your boat stored on an inside rack until you want to use it. Then you just hit the Boatel app on your phone to have it dropped in the water so it’s there when you arrive. Magic.

If you’d like to tote your boat in and stay in the comfort of a hotel, Kent Narrows has three hotel choices. Northeast of the bridge, you’ll find Holiday Inn Express Annapolis East-Kent Island, which has an outdoor pool and deck overlooking the wetlands. Southeast of the bridge, you’ll find Best Western Kent Narrows Inn and the more upscale, waterfront Hilton Garden Inn Kent Island. Coming spring 2022 is a new Hyatt Place hotel, located on the waterfront next to the Fisherman’s restaurants and seafood sales buildings.

 Holiday Inn Express Annapolis East-Kent

NOAH FRAHM

Hotels

Island

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KENT NARROWS

WHAT TO DO

Visit the dock bars and restaurants, of course This is what Kent Narrows is famous for, so why ignore it? Red Eye’s, Big Owl, The Jetty—the names are practically legendary. Come by boat. Come by car. Enjoy the ambiance or vibe or whatever adjective suits your particular generation. Soak up the view. You’ll also find plenty of music to suit your taste. We’ll get back to restaurants in a few minutes, but we’ll just say here that they are many, varied and delicious. Annie’s, Harris, The Narrows, Bridges, and Fisherman’s. Casual or elegant casual, trendy casual or historic casual—you’ll find that all of those options are here.

Go fishing or sightseeing by boat Fish from your own boat, charter a captain, or show up at Wells Cove Marina to board a head boat. Arrive on your boat or launch from Kent Narrows Boat Ramp. Charters and cruises are available from Fisherman’s Crab Deck. You can also arrange with Spittin’ Feathers Outfitters at Harris Crab House for a crabbing cruise. Whichever way you choose, you’re going to be only minutes away from world-class fishing grounds. Alternatively, get up early and watch the watermen leave from Watermen’s Boat Basin, southwest of the bridges.

Take a hike With all this docking and dining, you are going to want some exercise. Here are a couple of ways to prepare for that next tower of crab. The Watermen’s Way Heritage Trail begins on the northwest side of the Narrows at the Chesapeake Heritage & Visitors Center (where you can also pick up a copy of the Trail brochure) and goes on to eight sites in the area, including Ferry Point Nature Park and the Cross Island Trail, both of which are excursions of their own. Next comes the Watermen’s Memorial Drawbridge, aka Kent Narrows Bascule Bridge, and the Maryland Watermen’s Monument. We’re on the southeast side now so head to the Fisherman’s Inn to be awed by Betty Schulz’s collection of 400 oyster plates, a sight you may not have even known you ever wanted to see. (Believe us, you do.) We’ll let you find the rest of the tour for yourselves. Either pick up the brochure and map or visit the Kent Narrows Development Foundation’s excellent website for all things Kent Narrows at kentnarrowsmd.com. We’ve mentioned this a couple of times earlier, but a stroll through Ferry Point Nature Park’s trails and wetland waterfront will do you a world of good. You can start at the Visitor Center, which is next to Piney Narrows Marina. This is the perfect place to launch your kayaks, too. More on that below. This next outing has enough exercise involved to earn both a crab tower and a side of fried pickles. The Kent Island Cross Island Trail can be done on foot or by bicycle. You can park under the west side of the bascule bridge and pick it up there, or just walk across the bridge and begin. The 12.5-mile trail ends at Terrapin Park on the Bay, but you can hop on and off at any number of access points along the way.

Take a paddle We don’t recommend that you launch your paddle craft directly onto Kent Narrows; the strong current and heavy boat traffic make it a tricky and dangerous proposition. There are plenty of alternatives, however. Here are a few.

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KENT NARROWS South of Kent Narrows: If you have a car, follow Rt. 18 west to the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, where you can launch your kayak or SUP into the quiet waters of Prospect Bay. Then follow the Cabin Creek Water Trail along the edge of Prospect Bay to Cabin Creek. The whole route will give you about three and a half miles of paddling. You can rent a kayak at the Environmental Center as well. You’ll find another launch point at Cabin Creek Landing. To explore Eastern Bay west of the Narrows, launch at Goodhands Creek Landing. From there, a loop around Hog Island will give you a two-and-a-half-mile paddle. North of the Narrows: Launch from Jackson Creek Landing east of the Narrows and make the loop of the creek, or if you are feeling ambitious, paddle across the Narrows North Channel (carefully, of course) and head for Ferry Point Nature Park, another launch spot. From Ferry Point you will find a good paddle to the west by looping Piney Creek. This is best in light winds, however, since the wind has a long fetch down the north-south leg of the Chester River.

WHERE TO EAT All of the tiki bars and crab decks serve up food and entertainment with their cocktails, with everything from steamer buckets to full-on crab feasts. Some of them, like The Jetty Dock Bar and Restaurant, also serve a full menu of lunch and dinner. We’ve mentioned them before and approximately where they are located,

ANNAPOLIS EAST - KENT ISLAND 1020 Kent Narrows Road | Grasonville, MD

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Recently Renovated Award Winning Waterfront Hotel 410.827.4454 | holidaykentisland.com W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R 35

KENT NARROWS but in case your mind was wandering, here’s the list one more time, from north to south: Red Eye’s, Big Owl, and The Jetty. Now for a few words on some of the restaurants, which, like the dock bars, are all found on the east side of the Narrows.

Lunch and dinner

 Harris Crab House

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

Kent Island is home to a number of Eastern Shore classics: restaurants that have been there for decades and each have their own loyal following. The granddaddy of Kent Narrows dining establishments is Fisherman’s Inn Restaurant, and now also Fisherman’s Crab Deck, located south of the bridge. Fisherman’s has been serving local seafood and all the trimmings since 1930. And their popularity has not let up for a minute. We came through the Narrows on a recent June weekday, and as usual the line to get a table at both the restaurant and next-door Crab Deck stretched into the parking lot. (Here’s a tip: You can get in line online at their website, fishermansinn.com.) We’ve already mentioned one of the two extra-cool things about Fisherman’s in our discussion of the Watermen’s Heritage Trail: the 400-strong oyster plate collection amassed by Betty Schultz, daughter of the restaurant’s founders. The second extra-cool thing is the restaurant’s suspended railway, with 280 feet of track and two tunnels that allow the “G” scale trains to pass through both dining rooms. The locomotives and rolling stock were put together by Sonny Schulz and operate all day, every day. Cool, right? Let’s eat. To start we are often tempted by the Shellfish Steampot, which consists of

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KENT NARROWS littleneck clams, mussels, and shrimp in a white wine-garlic broth with plenty of herbs. But what we most often actually order are the crab balls, because, well, we just can’t resist good crab balls, and these come with a very nice remoulade sauce. And then, though we know this is heresy to purists, we go for fried Bay oysters and whatever sides we can pretend are the healthiest. And we tell ourselves we will wake up in the morning and do the entire Cross Island Trail on foot. Harris Crab House and Seafood Restaurant, north of the bridge, was the natural progression from W.H. Harris Seafood, which during the 1940s was one of about a dozen oyster-shucking operations on Kent Narrows. Five generations later, Harris Crab House remains in the same family, as does the processing plant—the last one still operating year-round. What to eat? Take it as a given that 90 percent of the time, we opt for crabcakes or steamed crabs. If we manage to skip the crab, we go for the Pail of Cherrystones, a whopping three dozen steamed Chesapeake middleneck clams. Then we finish with a simple filet of broiled local rockfish, in season. Oh yes, we finish with either a slice of Smith Island cake or one of Dessert First’s remarkable, er, desserts. (Dessert First, by the way, is onsite in the pavilion.) But mostly we go for crabs. Or oysters! The Narrows Restaurant has been around since the 1980s, but it feels modern and new. And it certainly serves all the Bay classics, but often with a twist. Take the appetizer mini crabcakes, for example, which are served with a whole-grain Dijon mustard sauce that pretty much puts them in a separate category of goodness. Or their fried oyster Caesar salad—classic, but different. For lunch, though, we love the fried green tomato sandwich, which is spread with a garlic aioli. We’ll leave the

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dinner choice to you, but we have to recommend the Mousse in a Bag dessert. Intrigued? It’s chocolate mousse nestled inside a semichocolate bag sort of thing, with raspberry sauce to lend the whole thing tang. This one is worth two Cross Island trips. When Bridges Restaurant opened a few years ago, word spread quickly that “You really must go!” So, of course, we did. And then we told a few more people. Aside from the delightful and inventive menu, we liked that we could cruise over from Annapolis, take a slip, plug into the power poles for air conditioning, and then relax, returning to the boat for a peaceful night’s sleep. (All for a mere $25.) Like everywhere else, though, docking for a few hours to dine is free. When the weather is 90 degrees’ worth of hot, we open our meal with the watermelon salad, served with balsamic vinaigrette and loaded with feta and mint. And have you ever had a crab pesto pizza? It makes a great lunch! For dinner, Bridges does a particularly fine shrimp and grits, though if softshell crabs are available, we look no further. Well, okay, maybe the scallops and risotto... But what if you want oyster stew or cream of crab soup to start and maybe meatloaf or pot roast for dinner? Or a rib-eye or Porterhouse steak, seared just right, say medium rare? Then you’ll want to go to Annie’s Paramount Steak & Seafood House at Safe Harbor Narrows Point Marina. You’ll also find wings, sandwiches of every kind, and of course, crab—crab balls, crab egg rolls, crab dip, and crabcakes, to name just a few.

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cambridge A textbook example of everything best about the Bay , WHY YOU LL WANT TO GO

L PHOTOS: JILL JASUTA

et’s say you are putting together your ideal destination for a weekend getaway. You’ll want easy access by watercraft, whether it’s your own cruiser, paddle craft, or trailer boat. Cambridge easily checks that box, with its site on the Choptank River, its protected basin, and its own deep-water creek. Then, once you get there, you will want to be able to walk to practically everything, from one-of-a-kind restaurants to shops, a farmers’ market, and even special events like skipjack races. Cambridge has all of that. Then you will want this ideal location to be attractive, preferably with tree-lined streets and lovely old homes. Okay, Cambridge has all that too. What about a few museums to add perspective and context? Cambridge, of course. Finally, an ideal destination should have its heroes. You can tell a lot about a place by the people it chooses to honor. Here, Cambridge is at the top of its class. First, it honors watermen, in its murals and with its restaurants, artwork, and even the Richardson Maritime Museum. But there’s more. Harriet Tubman is also very much the hero of Cambridge. Tubman, who was born and grew up just outside the city, escaped enslavement as a young woman and then risked her life to come back and save dozens and dozens of people. Here she is honored with a museum, stunning murals, and a national historic trail that traces her life and movements in Cambridge and through the neighboring Dorchester countryside. Yes, Cambridge ticks all the boxes.

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CAMBRIDGE

9 Ruark Boatworks 103 Hayward St

10 Harriet Tubman Museum

11 J.M. Clayton Seafood

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18 Bay Country Bakery

2951 Ocean Gateway (U.S. 50)

19 Bistro Poplar

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ACCOMMODATIONS 1 Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin 2 Yacht Club Drive

2 Yacht Maintenance Company 101 Hayward Street

3 Generation III Marina 205 Cedar Street

4 River Marsh Marina at

Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina 100 Heron Boulevard

5 Albanus Phillips Inn 314 Mill Street

6 Victoria Gardens Inn 101 Oakley Street

7 Cambridge House Bed & Breakfast 112 High Street

20 RAR Brewing

504 Poplar Street

21 Ava’s Pizzeria

543 Poplar Street

22 Theo’s Steaks,

Sides & Spirits 305 High Street

23 Blue Ruin

400 Race Street

24 Canvasback Restaurant & Irish Pub 420 Race Street

25 Docovino Wine Bar & Boutique 406 Race Street

26 Water’s Edge Grill

and Michener’s Library, Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina 100 Heron Boulevard

POINTS OF INTEREST 8 Richardson

Maritime Museum 401 High Street

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What you can expect to find

WHAT YOU’LL FIND

 Ruark Boatworks, Richardson Marine Museum

Cambridge lies 13 miles up the Choptank River, just downstream of the U.S. 50 Choptank River Bridge. Also just downstream of the bridge, short but deep Cambridge Creek divides the town in two. Most of the old town, with its oldish buildings, newish restaurants, Long Wharf, as well as the municipal marina and yacht club, are located on the west side of the creek. Sailwinds Park and Visitor Center, Ruark Boatworks (part of the Richardson Maritime Museum), and plenty more businesses and restaurants can be found within a short walk to the east of the creek. The Choptank waterfront to the west is lined with fine old houses, while the main part of downtown can be found a few blocks inland. If you walk up High Street, which begins at Long Wharf, and then turn left onto Poplar Street—which a block later becomes Race Street—you will find yourself right in the center of things. Gay Street, Muir Street, Muse and Academy streets are all here, and busy with restaurants, shops, the Harriet Tubman museum, murals, pocket parks and history. To explore the east side of town, cross the Cambridge Creek by way of the Market Street Bridge, which is off Muse and Academy. To get to the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay and its marina, golf course, and restaurants, continue a mile and a half up the Choptank by boat, or by car take the exit off U.S. 50. Although Cambridge is one of the earliest English settlements on the Chesapeake, the town—like many towns everywhere—was hit by several devastating fires during its long history. In addition, the African American neighborhood around Pine Street (which was once called Groove City because it attracted top jazz artists like Duke Ellington and Count Basie) was also very nearly destroyed during  Choptank River Lighthouse civil unrest in 1967. The town as a whole took an economic nosedive in the mid-1960s when Phillips Canning Company—by far Cambridge’s biggest employer—closed and thousands of jobs were lost. But during the decades that followed, the citizens of Cambridge worked hard to bring the town back with new businesses, museums, restaurants, and all the other things that attract happy visitors. And believe us, you will be happy when you visit Cambridge!

HOW TO GET THERE

By boat If you are coming by boat, all you need to do is to cruise up the Choptank River as far as green 25, the last marker before the U.S. 50 bridge, and then either head for Cambridge’s municipal yacht basin or find the markers 1 and 2 for the entrance channel to Choptank Creek. The other, equally delightful option is to keep going under the bridge (sailboats beware, the vertical clearance is only 50 feet) and dock at the Hyatt Regency’s marina.

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CAMBRIDGE The entrance to the Choptank River is about 23 miles south of the Bay Bridge. It is then about 13 miles upriver to Cambridge. You can cut off a few miles by chancing the Knapps Narrows cut-through from the Bay to the Choptank. However, we strongly recommend that you call Knapp’s Narrows Marina first to get the latest advice on depths and route. Shoaling is a perennial problem, especially on the west side. If you are coming from the Norfolk area, you’ll find the entrance to the Choptank about 100 miles up the Bay. Either Deltaville or Crisfield would make a good stop along the way. From Deltaville, the Choptank is about 65 miles. Alternatively, Mill Creek near the Great Wicomico River would make an easy anchorage.

By car If you are coming by car, with or without a boat in tow, you will find Cambridge just off of U.S. 50. From the Baltimore area, it’s about an hour-and-a-half drive, using the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. From the Norfolk area, it’s a three-hour drive, taking the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and U.S. 13 to Salisbury, then U.S. 50 the rest of the way. There is an excellent launch area with plenty of overnight parking at the Franklin Street Boat Ramp. Here you’ll find two docks, four ramps, and even a breakwater to launch directly into the Choptank. Nearby Trenton Street Boat Ramp is much smaller but will launch you into Cambridge Creek. Neither requires a use permit. North of town, you can launch at the Gerry Boyle Park at Great Marsh boat ramp.

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WHERE TO STAY

Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin If you want to stay at a marina during your visit and be within walking distance of nearly everything in town, your best choice is to take a slip inside the breakwater at the Cambridge Yacht Basin, now managed by Oasis. The farmers market and Long Wharf events, as well as the Choptank River Lighthouse, will be a short walk along Water Street. Plentiful restaurants, shops, and museums will be a little longer walk up High Street. If the yacht basin happens to be full, you can try the Cambridge Yacht Club, which shares the basin with the city marina and usually has some slips that are open to visitors.

Cambridge Creek

 Cambridge Yacht Basin

If you like the idea of anchoring out or tying up to the town’s free dock, follow the channel into Cambridge Creek, one of the Chesapeake’s deepest and a key reason for the town’s long success as a port. On the way in, you’ll pass Yacht Maintenance Company, which can fix anything on any size boat or ocean-going yacht, and then the turning basin. Here you’ll find J.M. Clayton Company Seafood, immediately to the right, and Snappers Waterfront Cafe next door. On the adjoining wall you’ll find the free bulkhead, behind several Dorchester County office buildings. There are plenty of cleats, but you’ll need to be very careful to protect your boat from the long bolts that stick out from the bulkhead in several places. If you prefer to anchor, be

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CAMBRIDGE sure to allow plenty of room for J.M. Clayton’s crab boats and the boats coming and going from Snappers. If everything here is occupied, and you draft less than five feet, you can also try Generation III Marina, which is located at the head of the creek and sometimes has available space.

River Marsh Marina/Hyatt Regency Chesapeake If golfing, spas, tennis, swimming, five restaurants, and a bar named Michener’s Library is more your cup of tea, then the marina at the Hyatt Regency (or the Hyatt Regency itself) is for you. Frankly, we’d be tempted to treat this one as a separate destination altogether, though it’s easy enough to get to downtown Cambridge from here. By boat, simply continue under the U.S. 50 bridge (remember that 50-foot vertical clearance, though, all you sailboats and superyachts) to green 27. From there, point your bow south and you’ll see the marina’s breakwater. Here the entrance faces the downriver side. The marina has all the usual amenities, though they are a bit of a walk, and the added resort fee gives you access to everything the hotel complex has to offer—and that’s saying a lot!

B&Bs We confess that this category nearly always sends us spinning in circles. Charming up-and-coming destinations like Cambridge naturally have a significant number of charming bed-and-breakfasts to choose from—so many that we can never manage to try them all. So here are just a few that we know we like. Let us know what you discover.

CAMBRIDGE We can categorically state that the elegant Albanus Phillips Inn in the Cambridge historic district is one of our favorites. This imposing Queen Anne Victorian was owned by one of the Phillips Packing Company scions, and numbers among its past guests both Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt (three decades apart, of course). The circa 1847 Cambridge House Bed & Breakfast is nearby on High Street, not far from Long Wharf. It has six bedrooms, a lovely garden lily pond, and a hot tub. If you like delightful accommodations with a view of the Choptank River, then we’re pretty sure you’ll love Victoria Gardens Inn on Oakley Street. It’s convenient to everything, and you can wake to the unforgettable and very European scent of boxwoods in their garden.

WHAT TO DO

Explore the waterfront

 Cambridge Creek

Before we venture into town, we’re going to start our exploration of Cambridge down along the shores of the Choptank River. After all, like many towns on the Chesapeake, the water dominated the Cambridge economy for several hundred years, both as food production and as transportation. This is where you’ll find the yacht basin, with the municipal marina and Cambridge Yacht Club. And it was here at Long Wharf that tobacco, tomatoes, and yes, agonizingly, enslaved people, arrived and left the town. Cambridge, with its deep-water creek, served as the main port for the surrounding area. Today, crab boats continue to pass by Long Wharf on their way into Cambridge Creek to J.M. Clayton Seafood, where some workers pick the crabs and others steam and can them. Clayton’s crabmeat continues to be sold proudly all over the country. Here too you can wander the farmer’s market every Thursday afternoon during the growing season and catch a ride on the town’s skipjack, Nathan of Dorchester.

 Long Wharf at sunset

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Now walk out the marina dock nearest Cambridge Creek and you’ll find the Choptank River Lighthouse, built as a symbol of the town rather than as a warning of shoals. Step inside and you’ll see artifacts of the Bay’s lighthouse culture and get a good view. One quirky thing before we leave the waterfront: As you walk through adjacent Long Wharf Park, look for a  Ode To Watermen mural byMichael Rosato mysterious steel structure that looks rather like a disembodied smokestack from a small ship. Well, that’s what it is...or is supposed to be. It is, in fact, a fake smokestack from Franklin Roosevelt’s presidential yacht Potomac. The fake smokestack actually housed the elevator Roosevelt had to use to go below; he was confined to a wheelchair but didn’t want people to know because he felt that would undermine their confidence in him.

Download some things on your phone Boy, that sounds like fun, doesn’t it? No, seriously, you’ll like this. The Dorchester County Audio Tours app has cool content so you can learn as you explore.

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 Portside

Take the Cambridge walking tour, for example. Oh, we know...ho hum. Wrong! We’ve flipped through a lot of walking tours in our time, but this one is at the top of the heap. (Besides, you’ll be walking into town anyway, so you might as well get more out of it.) The two tours on the app explain why you’ll find several old buildings only slightly bigger than a Barbie playhouse along the way. And it will make you shiver as you read the fraught history of the Dorchester County Courthouse. You’ll learn where sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her husband took their meals when they briefly retired to Cambridge. And you’ll learn about Groove City, the name given to the Pine Street neighborhood where, as we mentioned, jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington came to play. Cambridge is not all cool old buildings and reflections of the past. It’s also where you’ll find some positively mind-bending murals, including the viral mural that depicts Harriet Tubman with her arm outstretched, which is on the Harriet Tubman Museum & Education Center on Race Street. The Dorchester County app has a guide that gives fascinating stories about all the murals on the Chesapeake Mural Trail. (You can save the ones not in Cambridge for other excursions.) Incidentally, inside Jimmie and Sook’s Restaurant on Poplar Street, you’ll find a wonderful mural by Eastern Shore folk artist Danny Doughty. You can find out more about Doughty in the Onancock chapter. The last download we want to mention is for the Harriet Tubman National Byway driving tour. This app allows you to aim your phone at various stops along the way, such as the Bucktown General Store, and see what it might have looked like around 1850. At other stops the app uses holograms of reenactors to tell real stories of danger and terror. It’s really quite remarkable. Search your app store for Harriet Tubman Byway.

Experience the Harriet Tubman Museum and Byway After a Hollywood movie, Oscar-nominated song, and a new national historic trail, the full story of Harriet Tubman is deservedly and finally wellknown. And Cambridge is the center for celebrating her extraordinary life. You can begin at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Education Center on Race Street and then, if you have come by car, follow the Harriet Tubman Underground Railway Byway. Use the app we mentioned above to enhance the experience. You can also download a map and the description of the route. We recommend that you begin your trip at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railway Visitor Center in nearby Church Creek.

Visit the Richardson Maritime Museum and Ruark Boatworks Come here for a celebration of the Eastern Shore’s long and colorful history of boatbuilding. You’ll see the tools used in crafting the Chesapeake’s iconic watercraft, including the skipjack, pungy, and log canoe. The museum, which is housed in an old bank building on High Street, is named for one of the area’s best known boatbuilders, “Mr. Jim” James B. Richardson. Walk to the other side of Cambridge Creek to see today’s boatwrights building and restoring traditional craft at Ruark Boatworks on Hayward Street.

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Go Shopping

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All right, now you can relax and go shopping before your brain explodes. Wander through downtown Cambridge to explore its wide variety of shops. We love the Blue Awning on Race Street and Sunnyside Shop on Poplar. Shoot, we love them all. You’ll find your own favorites here.

WHERE TO EAT You’d better plan a long stay, because there are a lot of good choices in Cambridge. As usual, we are going to pick out a few of our favorites, but the rest is up to you.

Breakfast and lunch Black Water Bakery We know we should recommend the super-healthy quinoa bowl at the excellent Black Water Bakery on Race Street, but we usually fall victim to the chorizo tacos breakfast, or maybe the Green Giant Omelet, which is all about asparagus, gouda, and bacon. If we get up too late for breakfast, we start the day there with the curry chicken wrap. It doesn’t matter what you choose, it’s good. If you have a car, head out to Bay Country Bakery & Café on U.S. 50 for their doughnuts. Oh yes!

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Lunch and dinner Jimmie and Sook’s Raw Bar & Grill Jimmie and Sook’s on Poplar Street serves absolutely local seafood, made from absolutely local recipes. It’s delicious, it’s fresh, and it’s friendly. It’s also open for lunch and dinner. But it’s also about barbecue. What? Yes, it’s a husband-and-wife thing. And, honestly, what could be better? Nothing. Don’t miss it. Bistro Poplar We love Jimmie and Sook’s, but we confess that as often as not, we save it for lunch. Our dinnertime heart, at least on the weekends, belongs to Bistro Poplar. When we sit at the table, idly tearing apart our baguette and sipping on a crisp white wine while waiting for steak frites or scallops or other freshly prepared Mediterranean-Asian inspired dishes using local ingredients and seafood, we are transported to Aix-en-Provence or Avignon. We can’t help it. It’s lovely to be in Cambridge, but it’s sometimes also lovely to imagine you are in southern France. In brief, Bistro Poplar is a wonderful restaurant, on any continent.

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Really, we’ve only scratched the surface here. And we’re not even off Poplar Street. While you’re here, don’t miss RAR Brewing. They make excellent beer (we are partial to the Nanticoke Nectar IPA) and offer a nice selection of food as well. Elsewhere, you’ll recognize Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar and Theo’s Steaks, Sides, & Spirits from St. Michaels, so you know they are good. Try Blue Ruin for cocktails

11/18/2019 10:26:53 AM

 RAR Brewing

and small plates, and Canvasback Restaurant & irish Pub for food, ambiance and darts. And you can satisfy two urges at once at Docovino Wine Bar & Boutique. Finally, we are not going to leave this list until we remind you that the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake offers a choice of restaurants for every occasion. Take the Water’s Edge Grill, where you can get a very nice breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But when we’re at the Hyatt, we gravitate to Michener’s Library for its name, yes, and its books, but most of all for its two-story, all-window view of the Choptank River. And its very fine cocktails. And its billiards. We love billiards.

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onancock A charming town from another time , WHY YOU LL WANT TO GO

or us Western Shore dwellers, the legendary little town of Onancock is a kind of a distant dream. A Shangri-La, if Shangri-La were flat, watery, and featured crabs on the menu. Here on the Western Shore, our towns tend to jostle together like spoons in the silverware drawer. Onancock, way over on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, is in a world of wild marshes and winding shallow creeks. Cruisers speak of it in hushed tones. “What a beautiful place!,” they say. “We love it!” Then they immediately turn to particulars. “The bakery has the most wonderful cream puffs!” “You must eat at Bizzotto’s. Or the Blarney Stone. Or Janet’s.” “We love the market.” “Onancock is so easy to walk around.” “Be sure to bring your bicycles.” Onancock stands alone, both metaphorically and in reality: a tiny town with more things to do and see than many small cities we know, and it’s all packaged into a few delightful blocks, at the end of a sweet, deep creek. You can arrive by boat and stay at the city marina or you can tow your boat and launch right in the middle of town. Or you can simply rent a kayak or SUP when you get here. And yes, there are several charming places to stay while you’re here.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND The Indians inhabited the area first, of course, for perhaps 10,000 years. And the town, like many places on the Chesapeake, keeps its Indian name—or the English settlers’ interpretation of it, at least. After John Smith dropped by in 1607, the English settlers arrived and, in 1680, Onancock was named one of the ports of entry for English goods and for export of American tobacco. With one of the few deep-water creeks on the lower Eastern Shore, Onancock continued as a port through the 19th century. Even today, occasional tugs push barges up and down Onancock Creek. And the town continues to thrive by attracting artists and entrepreneurs, who in turn attract residents and visitors from all over the world to delight in its jewel-box of galleries, restaurants, historical residences, and easy-going charm. The waterfront is four miles upstream from the Chesapeake Bay. The town is laid out with two east-west streets, Market and King (then Kerr) streets, which have a mix of residences and businesses. These end a good hike later at the Eastern

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4 1882 Colonial Manor Inn 84 Market Street

5 1890 Spinning Wheel B&B 31 North Street

POINTS OF INTEREST 6 Burnham Guides Paddling Adventures 2 King Street

7 Holly Cove Charters 16488 Preston Lane

8 Joyce Marie II

2 Market Street

14 Roseland Theater 48 Market Street

15 North Street Playhouse 34 Market Street

16 Ker Place

69 Market Street

17 Weichert Realtors Mason-Davis 47 Market Street

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11 Red Queen Gallery

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20 Da Vinci’s Italian Kitchen 46 King Street

21 Maurice

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22 Mallards at the Wharf 2 Market Street

23 The Blarney Stone Pub DINING 18 Corner Bakery

36 Market Street

10 North Street

24 3 Knots Taphouse 8 North Street

Shore’s main north-south highway, U.S. 13. On the waterfront end of things, you’ll find the town marina, the boat ramp, and the old Hopkins & Brothers store, which is now Mallard’s at the Wharf restaurant. Next door to that is the former ticket office for the ferry, now occupied by Burnham Guides. Walk up Market Street, and in the course of the next four blocks, you’ll come to a couple of little parks, a historic church, homes in a mix of architectures from federal to Victorian to vernacular cottage, and several blocks of businesses including galleries, restaurants, an actual working movie theater, an active playhouse, and Onancock’s famous bakery. You’ll also pass the site of the Saturday market. If you cut over on North Street, you’ll find more galleries, restaurants, an Irish pub, and a new brewery. Turn left on King Street and you’ll find the town’s favorite breakfast spot, Janet’s, and on the other side is the town’s favorite new Italian restaurant, Da Vinci’s. There’s plenty more to discover, but you get the idea.

HOW TO GET THERE

By boat This is my personal favorite way of doing it. Since I live amidst all those spoons in the drawer we mentioned earlier (which is to say, Annapolis), and because I do only about six or seven knots, I make the trip in two steps, stopping first either in Solomons on the Patuxent or Smith Creek just inside the Potomac, depending on the weather and my ambition. On the second day, I reach Onancock by midChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

ONANCOCK afternoon. It’s a pleasant, straightforward trip, as long as you watch the weather, because you’ll be crossing the Bay, which is about 20 miles wide at that point. And remember to avoid the long shoals south of both Tangier and Watts islands. For those of you in the Hampton/Portsmouth/Norfolk area, Onancock is a bit handier, a 50- to 60-mile trip up the Bay. Or try a stop in Cape Charles (see last year’s Weekends on the Water for all the details) on the first day.

By car Getting to Onancock by car will take you roughly three hours from Baltimore/ Annapolis and about two hours or so from Hampton/Norfolk. Summer weekends will probably do some damage to that driving time, of course.

WHERE TO STAY

Onancock Wharf & Marina

 The Charlotte Hotel

Like the town itself, Onancock Town Wharf and Marina is small, charming, convenient, and comfortable. And dockmaster Tanner is friendly, efficient, and helpful. During the summer, and especially on weekends, reservations are probably a good idea. Call the marina or go straight to the Dockwa app to request a slip. The marina will confirm with arrival directions. If the marina is full, or you prefer anchoring, Onancock Creek has several pleasant anchorages. The North Branch just past the marina is good, though the mud bottom is not always reliable for holding. Better yet, try the anchorage basin near the mouth of the South Branch. Also good are both of the no-wake zones behind green “29” and just behind red “26”. There is an additional anchorage off the mouth of Cedar Creek about two miles inside Onancock Creek. Be prepared to find plenty of crab pots no matter where you choose to drop anchor.

The Charlotte The hotel, which sits in the middle of downtown Onancock at 7 King Street, is a star example of a successful reconstruction. The Charlotte has eight guest rooms, a restaurant with two dining rooms, and a lovely old bar. Parking is on the street or, for those with a trailer, in the nearby municipal parking lot.

B&Bs  Inn at Onancock

Just a couple of blocks farther up King Street, you’ll find the lovely Inn at Onancock, which features five themed bedrooms, beautiful grounds, warm hospitality, and some excellent food. 1882 Colonial Manor Inn on Market Street has the longest history as a hostelry, opening in the 1930s. Over the years its reputation has only grown for good food and enchanting rooms. The 1890 Spinning Wheel B&B on North Street offers guests all the comforts of home without the work, and in my case anyway, better cooking. Like all the other lodging options, the Spinning Wheel is just a few blocks away from everything.

WHAT TO DO

Get out on the water Since water is our theme, let’s start right there. Frankly we could spend the rest of the day on this one, but we’ll limit ourselves to four options.

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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Eastern Eastern Eastern Shore Shore Shore of of of Virginia Virginia Virginia Eastern Eastern EasternShore Shore ShoreofofofVirginia Virginia Virginia Onancock Onancock Onancock Creek Creek Creek Onancock Onancock Onancock Creek Creek Creek $249,000 $249,000 $249,000 1.5 1.5 1.5 acres acres acres Onancock Onancock Onancock Creek Creek Creek $249,000 $249,000 $249,000 1.5 1.5 1.5 acres acres acres

Occohannock Occohannock Occohannock Creek Creek Creek Occohannock Occohannock Occohannock Creek Creek Creek $574,800 $574,800 $574,800 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba Occohannock Occohannock Occohannock Creek Creek Creek $574,800 $574,800 $574,800 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba

Hungars Hungars Hungars Creek Creek Creek Hungars Hungars Hungars Creek Creek Creek $492,000 $492,000 $492,000 3bd/2ba 3bd/2ba 3bd/2ba Hungars Hungars Hungars Creek Creek Creek $492,000 $492,000 $492,000 3bd/2ba 3bd/2ba 3bd/2ba

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Nancy Nancy Nancy James James James $249,000 $249,000 $249,000 1.5 1.5 1.5 acres acres acres Nancy Nancy Nancy James James James 757-710-3089 757-710-3089 757-710-3089 Nancy Nancy Nancy James James James 757-710-3089 757-710-3089 757-710-3089 757-710-3089 757-710-3089 757-710-3089

George George George Schoolfield Schoolfield Schoolfield $492,000 $492,000 $492,000 3bd/2ba 3bd/2ba 3bd/2ba George George George Schoolfield Schoolfield Schoolfield 757-710-1871 757-710-1871 757-710-1871 George George George Schoolfield Schoolfield Schoolfield 757-710-1871 757-710-1871 757-710-1871 757-710-1871 757-710-1871 757-710-1871

Tammy Tammy Tammy Mason Mason Mason $574,800 $574,800 $574,800 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba Tammy Tammy Tammy Mason Mason Mason 757-710-2295 757-710-2295 757-710-2295 Tammy Tammy Tammy Mason Mason Mason 757-710-2295 757-710-2295 757-710-2295 757-710-2295 757-710-2295 757-710-2295

Maureen Maureen Maureen Mackay Mackay Mackay Coming Coming Coming Soon! Soon! Soon! Maureen Maureen Maureen Mackay Mackay Mackay 757-709-8590 757-709-8590 757-709-8590 Maureen Maureen Maureen Mackay Mackay Mackay 757-709-8590 757-709-8590 757-709-8590 757-709-8590 757-709-8590 757-709-8590

Chesconessex Chesconessex Chesconessex Creek Creek Creek Chesconessex Chesconessex Chesconessex Creek Creek Creek $449,000 $449,000 $449,000 4bd/4.5ba 4bd/4.5ba 4bd/4.5ba Chesconessex Chesconessex Chesconessex Creek Creek Creek $449,000 $449,000 $449,000 4bd/4.5ba 4bd/4.5ba 4bd/4.5ba Susan Susan Susan Beasley Beasley Beasley $449,000 $449,000 $449,000 4bd/4.5ba 4bd/4.5ba 4bd/4.5ba Susan Susan Susan Beasley Beasley Beasley 757-710-1284 757-710-1284 757-710-1284 Susan Susan Susan Beasley Beasley Beasley 757-710-1284 757-710-1284 757-710-1284 757-710-1284 757-710-1284 757-710-1284

Jane Jane Jane Bulette Bulette Bulette $795,000 $795,000 $795,000 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba 3bd/3ba Jane Jane Jane Bulette Bulette Bulette 757-710-0319 757-710-0319 757-710-0319 Jane Jane Jane Bulette Bulette Bulette 757-710-0319 757-710-0319 757-710-0319 757-710-0319 757-710-0319 757-710-0319

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47 47 47Market Market MarketStreet Street Street 47 47 47 Market Market Market Street Street Street 47 47 47Market Market MarketStreet Street Street Onancock Onancock OnancockVA VA VA Onancock Onancock Onancock VA VA VA Onancock Onancock OnancockVA VA VA 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 757-787-1010 Licensed Licensed Licensed in in Virginia in Virginia Virginia Licensed Licensed Licensed in in Virginia inVirginia Virginia Licensed Licensed Licensed in in Virginia in Virginia Virginia

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ONANCOCK 1. Explore Onancock Creek by paddlecraft. Launch your own into this lovely creek or rent a kayak or SUP from Burnham Guides. You’ll find them down by the town wharf next to Mallard’s restaurant. Consider signing up for one of their short or day-long paddling expeditions. (You can also rent bicycles here.) 2. Launch your own trailer-boat at the town wharf boat ramp or consider a sunset or day cruise in a 24-foot Wellcraft with Holly Cove Charters. 3. Climb aboard a classic cat boat for a cruise of local waters with Onancock Sailing Adventures. 4. Hop aboard the Joyce Marie II for a trip to Tangier Island, which, along with its neighbor Smith Island, is the most singular spot on all of the Chesapeake. If you came by boat, you passed Tangier on your way in. This is the most convenient way to visit this must-see island. Hop on in the morning, spend the day on Tangier, and hop back on for the return trip that afternoon. Options for overnight stays are also available.

Visit a gallery or six You will realize early on in your visit to Onancock that there is a charm and allure to this little town that causes people to fall immediately in love with it. Artists, it seems, are particularly susceptible to this reaction. The result is that Market Street has artists’ galleries in abundance. Here’s your chance to spend a few happy hours strolling through the galleries and often chatting with the artists themselves. Not surprisingly, many have been inspired by the Eastern Shore’s watermen and the world of a working life on the water. Several of the artists were born and bred on the Shore, so their experience runs deep. Some, like Jack Richardson, are classically trained, while others, like Danny Doughty, have developed an extraordinary style all their own. On the other hand, Miguel Bizzotto creates fine art in leather and as a bonus runs his own café along with his gallery. Finally, don’t miss the Red Queen Gallery, which supports a number of local artists. After visiting those, stop for a bit of refreshment at the Blarney Stone Pub or 3 Knots Tap House, both on Market Street, and then head up Market to College Street and the Historic Onancock School galleries, which offers studio space to local artists. Call first for their hours.

Hit the Saturday market If you are in town on a Saturday during the growing season, be sure to stroll through the weekend market, where you’ll find local fruits, vegetables, flowers, and crafts. You’ll find it on your walk up Market Street (of course).

See a show or watch a movie Not only does this remarkable little town have the historic Roseland movie theater, which shows first-run movies, but it also features live theater and entertainment at the nearby North Street Playhouse. Do I need to tell where you’ll find them? Right! Isn’t this easy?

Visit historic and elegant Ker Place Let’s top off this list with a long step back in time. Set elegantly back from the road, this beautifully restored home and garden, built between 1799 and 1803, is considered, by those who know these things, the finest example of Federal Period Georgian-style architecture on the Eastern Shore. I know it’s a mouthful, but once you see it, you’ll get the gist. The house and grounds are definitely worth a tour. ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

ONANCOCK

WHERE TO EAT

Breakfast Mention Onancock to anyone on the Chesapeake and the chances are very good that the first words out of their mouth will be, “Don’t miss the Corner Bakery!” A discussion will then immediately break out—sometimes drawing a crowd of opinionated pastry eaters—whether you should go first for the doughnuts, still warm from the oven if you can get yourself there early enough, or the cream puffs, which are so light they practically drift off the plate. And we haven’t even mentioned the sweet potato biscuits. (I’m not going to tell you which ones I go for every time, because I don’t want to start a fight.) Walking up from the water, you’ll find the Corner Bakery on Market Street, just before you get to North Street. Step off the boat or out of your car in Onancock and you won’t be there 15 minutes before seven people you have never met will tell you that you must go to Janet’s Café for breakfast. Those people know what they are talking about. Known officially as Janet’s General Store Café, the only problem with eating breakfast here is finding a free table. If you miss your chance, Janet’s is open for lunch too. You’ll find it on King Street where it meets North Street.

Lunch and dinner Whew, this is going to be tough. There are so many good choices in this tiny town that I don’t believe you can go wrong. It just depends on what you’re looking for at any given time. For example, I’m not even going to talk about the new local favorite

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ONANCOCK for Italian, Da Vinci’s on King Street, only because I haven’t been there yet. (Though I hear great things about the pizza.) And I’m only going to mention Maurice, which has a first-rate reputation for dazzling and innovative food, because it’s a mile up Market Street from the marina and I always get too hungry and opt for something closer to the Wharf. In fact, that’s just where I’m going to start this quick tour. Mallards at the Wharf, which is located in the old Hopkins & Bro. Inc. mercantile store next to the marina office and boat ramp, is the only waterfront restaurant in Onancock. It is also about 25 steps from the slips, which makes it one of my favorite stops. The food is delicious and the view is delightful. Naturally, fresh local seafood gets star billing. It’s perfect after a day on the water, or just strolling through town. A few blocks uptown is everybody’s favorite Irish pub, Blarney Stone, on North Street between Market and King. A fresh Guinness paired with fish & chips or shepherd’s pie will more than take the edge off any appetite. I particularly like the corned beef & cabbage egg roll with an ice-cold local IPA. Speaking of local beers, you’ll find a wide selection on tap right next door at recent addition to the local scene, 3 Knots Taphouse. Right across the street from these, you’ll find the Charlotte Hotel, with its well-regarded and beautifully appointed dining rooms and bar. Finally, I could never show my face back in town if I didn’t mention Bizzotto’s Gallery Caffé. It’s a village institution. Here you can enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner and admire the work of owner and artist Miguel Bizzotto.

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 The Tides Inn

irvington/kilmarnock As tasty as a wild Rappahannock oyster WHY YOU’LL WANT TO GO

or this Weekends on the Water destination, we’re going to do something a little different. Instead of highlighting a single town, we’re going to highlight two. In fact, what we’re recommending is more like an area. A good part of it you can get to by boat, but some of it will require land transportation. A bicycle would be a big help, but frankly, a car would be even better this time. The area is also perfect for paddlecraft and towable boats, if you want to bring them along. Do we have you mystified? Let’s get down to details and you’ll understand. We’re talking about the extreme southern end of the Northern Neck of Virginia. This is lovely, rolling, largely uncommercialized country. Farms, woods, water. Not all that many people. Irvington has a population under 450 and Kilmarnock has a modest-sized population of 1,500. Yet within this quiet amalgam of land and water, you’ll find one of the region’s best-known resorts—The Tides Inn—and one of its best-known inn-restaurant-wineries, Hope and Glory. It also has one of the nation’s oldest and best-preserved churches, a delightful steamboat museum, wonderful restaurants, and very nice natural areas. Ready? Let’s explore.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND The Northern Neck of Virginia begins roughly where U.S. 301 crosses first the Potomac River near Colonial Beach and then the Rappahannock River at Port Royal. It ends where the land ends: Windmill Point and White Stone, at the mouth of the Rappahannock River. In between lies the coast with the Chesapeake Bay itself. It’s that southern section of the Northern Neck that is our destination. It’s a

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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ACCOMMODATIONS Marinas 1 Chesapeake Bay

Boat Basin 1686 Waverly Avenue Kilmarnock

2 The Tides Inn

480 King Carter Drive Irvington

3 Rappahannock Yachts

70 Rappahannock Road Irvington

4 Windmill Point Marina 40 Windjammer Lane White Stone

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

Hughlett Point Natural Area Preserve

9 Dameron Marsh

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17 12

4 22

13 Good Luck Cellars

1025 Goodluck Road Kilmarnock

14 Ditchley Cider Works 1571 Ditchley Road Kilmarnock

15 Steamboat Era Museum 156 King Carter Drive Irvington

16 Historic Christ Church

420 Christ Church Road Weems

17 Compass Entertainment Complex 100 Entertainment Drive Irvington

18 Ann Meekins Realtors 4507 Irvington Road Irvington

19 When Ordinary Won’t Do 12 S. Main St. Kilmarnock

20 Weekends Fashions 139 S. Main Street Kilmarnock

21 Liz Moore & Associates 276 N. Main Street Kilmarnock

22 Shultz Team Realtors

607 Rappahannock Dr., White Stone

DINING 23 Car Wash Café

481 N. Main Street Kilmarnock

24 Lee’s Restaurant 30 S. Main Street Kilmarnock

25 NN Burger

62 Irvington Road Kilmarnock

26 Front Porch Coffeehouse 139 S. Main Street Kilmarnock

27 Bluewater

Seafood & Deli 459 N. Main Street Kilmarnock

28 The Local

4337 Irvington Road Irvington

29 Dredge

4357 Irvington Road Irvington

30 The Office

4346 Irvington Road Irvington

31 Vine

77 King Carter Drive Irvington

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

IRVINGTON/KILMARNOCK

place you are going to love, in a quiet, relaxing, and yes, even luxurious way. Kilmarnock sits at the top of our destination area, its downtown nearly two miles from the nearest marina, the excellent Chesapeake Boat Basin. (We’ll get to the logistics of that later.) Once you get to town, you’ll find restaurants, shops, and some nice bed-and-breakfasts. About five miles south of Kilmarnock, you’ll find Irvington, which lies astride Carter Creek off the Rappahannock, and is home to both the Tides Inn and the Hope and Glory Inn. The Tides Inn has its own marina, and the rest of the town is walkable or bikeable. A couple of miles to the east of Irvington is tiny White Stone, and, beyond that, Windmill Point, where you’ll find Windmill Point Marina, which has one of the best views anywhere.

HOW TO GET THERE

By boat The best way to visit this area by boat is to do it in two or three stops. Think of it as a mini-cruise. First, visit Kilmarnock by heading up Indian Creek. If you are coming from the south, you’ll find Indian Creek about six miles north of Windmill Point at the mouth of the Rappahannock. Windmill Point itself is about 50 miles north of the Norfolk/Portsmouth area. That’s a good day’s cruise or two easy days with a stop in Mobjack Bay or Deltaville. If you are coming down from the north, Indian Creek is about 15 miles south of Smith Point at the mouth of the Potomac, which in turn is about 80 miles south of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. That makes an overnight stop in Solomons or thereabouts just right. In either case, the cruise up Indian Creek to Chesapeake Boat Basin is a little less than three miles. From there you can arrange for transportation into town. Or you can walk, or better yet, you can bicycle. A visit to Irvington by boat is easy since it lies up Carter Creek, 10 miles up the Rappahannock from Windmill Point. Inside, the creek immediately splits into three branches. To the left, you’ll find Carters Cove Marina, small and friendly, and to the right, Custom Yacht Service, an excellent place to have any needed work done. Straight ahead lies the main branch, and about a mile inside you’ll find the docks of the Tides Inn. If you prefer to anchor out and dinghy in, both Carter Creek and Indian Creek have very nice anchorages.

By car Kilmarnock and Irvington are about 150 miles, or three and a half hours, south of the Bay Bridge. The best route is to follow U.S. 301 south across the Potomac to S.R. 3, then south down the Northern Neck to Kilmarnock. If you continue on 3, you’ll also reach White Stone. If you leave Kilmarnock on 200, you’ll get to Irvington. Getting there from the Norfolk/Portsmouth area is shorter and easier; about 75 miles, or less than two hours. Take I-64 to U.S. 17 north to S.R. 14 at Gloucester, then 14 to S.R. 3 near James Store. Take 3 across the Rappahannock to White Stone. If you go left on S.R. 200, you’ll get to Irvington. If you stay on 200, you’ll get to Kilmarnock. Once you get there, you’ll find a generous selection of charming bed-andbreakfasts in addition to the Tides Inn and Hope and Glory. If you are towing your boat, you’ll find a ramp at Chesapeake Boat Basin near Kilmarnock and another, bigger one at Belle Isle State Park farther north up the Rappahannock.

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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WHERE TO STAY

Marinas As we mentioned above, Chesapeake Boat Basin on Indian Creek is the best choice for visiting Kilmarnock. Frankly, it’s a good choice even if you are just transiting the Bay and looking for a stopover. You’ll find some floating docks, fuel, a pool, and very nice folks. For visiting Irvington, the Tides Inn is the most convenient and most elegant choice. The Inn has everything: restaurants, a spa, golf course, water sports, and a long history. Dockage includes all Tides facilities. Other good options in the area include quiet Carter Cove Marina and Windmill Point Marina, which has floating docks, a beach, a pool, and a tiki bar. Call Windmill first for entrance navigation advice. Both Carter Creek and Indian Creek also have good anchorages, if that is your preference.

The Tides Inn This world-famous resort deserves its own category. With restaurants, golf course, spa, docks, oyster bar, and lots more, the Tides Inn is a destination all on its own. The inn opened in 1947 and has been a favorite ever since. We’ll talk about all of that later, in the Where to Eat section.  The Tides Inn

Hope and Glory Inn Yes, this tiny town has not one, but two first-class inns. Although this inn is not as old as its neighbor Tides Inn, Hope and Glory’s main building is even older. It began life in 1889 as the Chesapeake Male and Female Academy. In the 1940s it found a new purpose as the King Carter Inn, and in 1997 it was reborn as the Hope and Glory. Now, in addition to the main building, there are several cottages, a spa, and the sister Dog and Oyster Vineyard, located half a mile down the road.

Kilmarnock B&Bs

 Hope and Glory Inn

Not to be outdone, Kilmarnock offers two lovely choices. The Kilmarnock Inn on Church Street has a main house (built in 1884 as the Wilson House) and seven cottages. Its beautiful grounds include a 200-year-old pecan tree. The Back Inn Time Bed & Breakfast on Irvington Street occupies a lovely 1908 manor house, set back from the road and surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds that include 40 rose bushes.

WHAT TO DO

Get out on the water There are a lot of ways you can explore Carter Creek and its several branches, or Indian Creek, when you are visiting Kilmarnock. Launch your own paddle craft or catch a ride on one of several craft available at local inns. At Tides Inn, for example, you can rent an electric Duffy for a day, you can check out a kayak or SUP, or you

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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IRVINGTON/KILMARNOCK can sign up for the inn’s Cove Cruise. At Hope and Glory Inn, you can take a tour in True Love, the owners’ handsome Down East-style Fortier 26. Rappahannock River Charters, on the other hand, offers fishing, sunset, and exploration cruises aboard its classic deadrise, Miss Nicole. If you’ve come on your own boat, do some exploring on your own. On the Chesapeake side of the Northern Neck, you’ll find half a dozen easily navigable creeks to explore, and on the Rappahannock side, you’ll enjoy poking around the lovely Corrotoman River, right next door to Carter Creek. If you’ve towed your boat, you’ll find a ramp at Chesapeake Boat Basin and one at nearby Belle Isle State Park. (More on Belle Isle in a minute.)

Visit the Neck’s watery, marshy world Here are three ways you can get in touch with your inner naturalist. One of these will surely fit your style. 1. Hughlett Point Natural Area, very near Kilmarnock, is accessible either by car or boat. The parking is limited to only about a dozen cars to keep the number of visitors down, so you may need to opt for one of our other choices if the lot is full. If you do find space, you’ll find trails to follow. Use the PDF from the website to identify what you see.  Dameron Marsh Natural Area Hughlett lies along Dividing Creek, which is deep enough for most cruising boats, so if that’s the way you arrived, this gives you a great way to visit the preserve. You can anchor off the beach just inside the creek entrance and dinghy ashore to explore. Take extra care when you set the anchor into the sandy bottom; I once had to reset twice to get a good hold. It’s worth the trouble though. This is a lovely spot, even for an overnight, but only when the weather is settled. If it is not, Dividing Creek has very good anchorages either on Laurence Cove or on Prentice Creek near the historic Ditchley estate. This latter will also give you access to Ditchley Cider Works; more on that to come. 2. Dameron Marsh Natural Area lies a little bit farther north, as far as the south shore of Mill Creek near the Great Wicomico River. Most of the water here (except for Mill Creek, of course) is too shallow for most cruising boats, but could certainly be explored with paddle craft and towable powerboats. Generally, though, the best access to the trails is by land by way of S.R. 693, Guarding Point Road. You can launch a kayak or SUP from the beach, but you’ll need to carry it for a bit on the trail from the car. 3. Our third spot is Belle Isle State Park, which is up the Rappahannock about 15 miles from Carter Creek. Unlike the first two spots, Belle Isle on Deep Creek is a full-service park, with camping, lodging, a boat ramp, and lots of places to launch a kayak or SUP. (You can also rent one.) Some of the camping areas are best accessible from the water. Cool! The depths are much too shallow for cruising boats, though. But on the other hand, cruisers can spend a lovely lazy day or two

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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IRVINGTON/KILMARNOCK exploring Corrotoman Creek. It’s also the best way for cruisers to get a good look at our next “must see.”

Ride the Merry Point Ferry If you’ve come by car and you love ferry crossings, you’ll adore Merry Point Ferry. This tiny, old-time ferry, operated by the Virginia Department of Transportation, runs all week except Sundays and Mondays. It has one operator, so if you arrive at lunchtime, you’ll have to wait until he or she finishes a sandwich. Happily, it’s a nice place to wait. The Merry Point Ferry crosses the Western Branch of the Corrotoman River on Scenic Route 604. If you are on a boat, this is where you head to watch from the water. If you are so entranced and you want more, head north up the Neck to S.R. 644, where the Sunnybank Ferry crosses the Little Wicomico River. You can see this one by boat, too. Trust us, a cruise up the Little Wicomico is one of the Chesapeake’s great trips.

 Ditchley Cider

Take a wine (and cider) tour While we’re driving and cruising up one side and down the other of the southern Northern Neck, let’s talk about a golden opportunity for visiting three wineries and a cidery all in one trip. You can do all of these by land yacht, of course, but you can also do one winery and one cidery aboard your cruising boat, assuming you have a way to get ashore. We’ll do a quick rundown, but you can check times and driving instructions online or by phone. Most of these places, especially  The Tides Inn Ditchley, also have fascinating stories to go along with them. You’ll have a blast. Beginning in Irvington/White Stone, The Dog and Oyster Vineyard is the delightful invention of owners of the Hope and Glory Inn. Like everything else they turn their hands to, The Dog and Oyster is beautifully conceived and just as delightfully realized. And it’s good! On Good Luck Road in Kilmarnock, you’ll find Good Luck Cellars, a former sand-and-gravel mine remarkably transformed into a vineyard. Owners, experts, and family and friends all lend a hand in the project, as do their family rescue dogs, who patrol the vines, chasing off any critters who are tempted to take a bite. You can visit Jacey Vineyards, on Train Lane in Wicomico Church and on Mill Creek near the Great Wicomico River, either by car or by boat. For the latter, you can anchor on Mill Creek just off the winery and come ashore. Either way, visit on a Saturday for a tasting and a bit of tapas and pizza. Finally, change up your tastings with some of Ditchley Cider Works’ hard cider. Beautiful Ditchley was in the Lee family for generations, dating to the 1600s, before passing into the Ball family and then to Alfred I. and Jesse Ball DuPont. In 2014, Cathy Calhoun and Paul Grosklags bought the manor house, outbuildings, and 162 acres. They revived the farm, raising grass-fed beef and heritage hogs, and planted 50 varieties of apples. You can visit Ditchley either by car—it is on Rte. 607—or by cruising boat. If you come by boat, anchor on Prentice Creek off Dividing Creek and dinghy into their dock. Visitors are also invited to launch their own kayak or SUP from their beach to explore the creek.

Discover unique history and culture Don’t leave the area without visiting the Steamboat Era Museum. The kids will definitely vote for this one. Here they (and you) can explore the beautifully restored pilothouse of the Chesapeake steamboat Potomac. With 37 staterooms and 36 ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

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IRVINGTON/KILMARNOCK crewmembers she plied the water of the Chesapeake from Baltimore to Norfolk, including the Rappahannock River, for more than 40 years, from 1894 to 1936. When she was damaged, her pilothouse was trucked up the Rappahannock and used by the former owners as a summer house. The hull was used as a barge, the fate of most old steamships on the Bay. It’s an irreplaceable remnant of an important era in the history of the Chesapeake. Generations of residents depended on steamships for supplies and transportation. It’s a fascinating era with few relics to remember it by. That’s what makes this museum so fascinating. No visit to the area would be complete without a visit to the Historic Christ Church just outside Kilmarnock on Christ Church Road in Weems. Built by one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the Colonies, Robert “King” Carter, in 1735, Historic Christ Church is generally acknowledged as the finest colonial church in North America. It includes many of the original features, from the three-foot-thick brick walls to the limestone flooring and three-tier-high pulpit. The grounds are nearly as beautiful. We hate to end our list here. After all, Kilmarnock has five homes you could order from Sears; was home to Henrietta Hall Shuck, the first woman missionary to China; and has its own bagpipe band and museum of Scottish memorabilia. And you owe it to yourself to enroll in the Tides’ Oyster Academy. Check it out on their website.  Historic Christ Church, Kilmarnock

WHERE TO EAT

Kilmarnock Breakfast The Car Wash Restaurant is high on our list of places to eat. Seriously? Yup. The first time I stopped here, it was because friends and I were passing by, and it was open, and we were hungry. Maybe it’s a Northern Neck thing, we thought. After all, in nearby Callao, the favorite breakfast place shares its building with a tire store. Well, this place turned out to be in a whole separate category of automotive-based food establishments. The Car Wash (yes, it’s also an operating car wash) serves actual fresh seafood, like their popular crabcakes and other lunch-style food, as well as good breakfasts. My favorite? Huevos Rancheros. It’s on Main Street in Kilmarnock. Can’t miss it. Front Porch Coffeehouse on Main Street opens at 7 a.m. and is an excellent option for those of us who get up with the robins.

Lunch and dinner No discussion of Kilmarnock restaurants could fail to mention the greatgranddaddy of them all, Lee’s Restaurant, on Main Street. It was the first place in Kilmarnock I ever ate and is the established after-church stop for half the local population. At 80, it’s about as historic as nearby Christ Church and has better pies. If it’s lunchtime and you find yourself on Irvington Road, then we recommend you stop at NN Burger for a burger to end all burgers and their curvy fries, or whatever they call them, on the side. NN stands for Northern Neck, of course, and there is another NN Burger upriver in Tappahannock. You can also stop in for dinner because they are open until 10 p.m. They also serve craft beer, which is never bad. Also on Main Street, you’ll find Bluewater Seafood & Deli—delicious!—and Jim Dan Dee Seafood for whatever is coming fresh off the boats.

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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Irvington You are not going to believe how many terrific restaurants you can find in a town with a population of fewer than 450 people. It’s almost as if everyone in town decided to open the best restaurant ever. Here are a bunch of them.

Breakfast Let’s begin at the beginning of the day with The Local on Irvington Road, which is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Stop in for coffee, sweets, sandwiches, and, above all, conversation, which is why it’s called The Local. Get it?

Lunch and dinner

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Featuring fresh off the boat Oysters, Clams & Fish, grass fed beef and local organic vegetables, soups, salads and entrees, some with a Caribbean flair! Full service Bar with draft beers, IPA’s & daily cocktail specials!

HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday: 5 - 9pm

4357 Irvington Rd, Irvington, VA | (804) 438-6363 | www.dredgeirvingtonva.com 76

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

At Dredge on Irvington Road in Irvington, you’ll probably want to start with a dozen wild Rappahannock oysters or maybe a bowl of steamed Eastern Shore clams, followed by whatever the catch of the day is. Or maybe roasted Cuban pork or Jamaican jerk Cornish hen with a side of collards? You get the idea. It’s fresh, beautifully prepared, and leans in the direction of fresh local seafood and perfectly spiced island favorites. Dredge is open at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Also on Irvington Road (are there any other transportation eateries here?), you’ll find The Office Bistro, which sounds a little business-stuffy, but is actually a farm-to-table restaurant with a good wine and beverage list and some highly interesting and delicious food. An octopus salad dish occasionally appears on the menu—see, not stodgy at all—or try the cilantro salmon. The whole place has definite pizzazz. Even the outside is cool. There is a giant sculpture of a silverware place-setting and giant toothbrush pillars. (The building started life as a dentist’s office and, well, who would want to destroy giant pillar toothbrushes?) Now we’re headed to Vine on King Carter Road for wine and tapas. Vine is so charming it reminds us of those ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

IRVINGTON/KILMARNOCK

 The Tides Inn

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

wonderful roadside bistros in the southern French countryside, where you sit out on the terrace and sip a splendid wine and enjoy a plate or six of tapas in the midst of flowering shrubbery and singing birds. It makes a person happy just to think of it. In the land of pleasant living that is the Chesapeake, the Tides Inn is the King Carter. Its buildings, its command of the waterfront, its amenities pretty much tower over everything around it. And that’s despite the fact that its immediate neighbor, Hope and Glory Inn (and vineyard and cottages), is now among the finest inns in the country. But first there was The Tides Inn, opened in the late 1940s. One quick story. Back in the days when Lancaster County was dry—meaning not that it needed rain but that you couldn’t buy or sell liquor here—patrons of Tides Inn had to bring their own along with them to enjoy a cocktail. When not in use, each guest’s bottle was locked away in lovely walnut lockers, one for each guest. On Saturdays, those in need to a bottle or two would board the Tides’ exquisite 126-foot cruising yacht, Miss Ann, for a whiskey run across the Rappahannock to Urbanna, where liquor was legal. If you stay or dine at the Tides, be sure to take peek at the old lockers in the Golden Eagle Room. And this is history, too. The last time I sat down with the founders of this magazine, Dick and Dixie Goertemiller, it was for lunch in the Chesapeake Restaurant at the Tides Inn. I remember the occasion and I remember the seafood cobb salad I ordered. The restaurant was nearly full of locals back from the golf course and guests at the inn. The atmosphere was hushed, but friendly and casual. As befits a small town, many of the diners knew each other well, and almost everyone knew Dick and Dixie. It was, I thought, just as a restaurant at the Tides Inn should be. Recently, the Chesapeake Restaurant has gained a lovely terrace, overlooking Carter Creek, and making it all, well, just as it should be. The restaurant opens at 7 every morning for breakfast and closes after dinner every evening at 9. The menu is at once comfortable and thoughtful, with a strong emphasis, as you would expect, on oysters and crabs, with North Carolina trout thrown in to tempt you away. In addition to the Chesapeake, the Tides’ Fish Hawk Oyster Bar serves seafood and other good things in a more informal setting. The Tides’ wood-paneled Eagle Room, with its bourbon lockers, is an ideal way to remember the inn’s history. Finally, the Golden Eagle Grill serves patrons at the golf course. Last and very far from least is the Hope and Glory Inn’s Colonnade Restaurant. You’ll need reservations for this one, because they limit the number of diners at 20. And the menu is prix fixe so that chef Meseret Crockett is able to take the best local seafood and vegetables at that moment to make up the evening’s dinner. The dining hall menu even specifies exactly where the various dishes were sourced. In addition to the 1,300-square-foot colonnaded lobby that serves as the dining room, Hope and Glory recently added Hooky, a dining space on the terrace. The same menu is served, and again, reservations are required. The restaurant serves Friday through Monday with seating from 6 to 8 p.m. We recommend that you treat this like a popular New York City restaurant and make reservations well in advance. ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

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Make this exquiste home your private residence, a bed & breakfast, or both. 13 rooms • 5 bedrooms • 4.5 baths Basement: 5 rooms • bath • kitchen Guest Cottage: 5 rooms • 2 bedrooms Waterfront with dock on Cockrell’s Creek

Offered at $1,500,000

Sandra Hargett, MANAGING BROKER 804-436-3454, SandraHargett@LizMoore.com 276 N. Main Street I Kilmarnock, Virginia 22482 I

yorktown A long history and a very nice beach , WHY YOU LL WANT TO GO

ou already know why you’re going, right? Yorktown, scene of the last battle of the American Revolution—the one where Washington does some bobbing and weaving to fool the British. The French lend a hand with troops, some fancy naval footwork, and a bit of very good siege advice from the Comte de Rochambeau. You know how it turns out: General Cornwallis throws in the towel, the English cry “uncle,” and we get our own country. Yes, that Yorktown. The thing you may not know is that in addition to all that first-class history, Yorktown also has a great marina, a great beach, a mile-long Riverwalk, restaurants, shops, and a watermen’s museum. In addition, it’s only a few leagues (that’s Colonial-speak) away from Williamsburg and Jamestown.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND As with nearly all our Weekends on the Water destinations, practically everything we’re going to talk about in this section is within easy walking distance of your boat slip or on-land lodging. The distance from Yorktown’s Riverwalk or adjacent Water Street on the north to Ballard Street on the south border of the village is only about two long blocks, and from Yorktown Battlefield Memorial on the east to U.S. 17 and the Watermen’s Museum on the west is only about seven or eight short blocks, depending on your route. But don’t be fooled; it may be a small area, but it’s jam-packed with things to see and do. Although Yorktown was settled by the English in 1691, only about half a dozen 18th-century buildings remain. Its colorful history of two wars, plus a devastating fire and its dwindling importance as a port city, resulted in the destruction of most of its earliest buildings. But there are some fine examples left, and the town itself has managed to meld the centuries in an entirely graceful way. The take-away here is that Yorktown is both fascinating and fun, while also being easy to visit, whether 

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Schooner Alliance and Yorktown Beach Fishing Pier

W WEEEEKKEEN ND DSS O ON N TTH HEE WAT WATEERR

ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

YO R K TOWN

209 Ambler Street

6 Yorktown Cottages 217 Nelson Street

St re et St re et

Ba lla rd

Ch ur ch

St re et

13 Auntie M’s

American Cottage 330 Water Street

14 Viccellio Goldsmith

8 3

& Fine Jewelry 325 Water Street

Ba lla rd

St re et

15 Gangsta Dog

St re Zw et ey br uc ke n Ro ad

5 York River Inn Bed & Breakfast

St re et

220 Church Street

M ain

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4 Marl Inn Bed & Breakfast

309 Water Street

Sm ith

702 Main Street

12 Watermen’s Museum

Ba co n

3 Hornsby House Inn

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Re ad St re et

508 Water Street

321 Water Street

et re St er at W

2 Duke of York Hotel

11 Patriot Tours & Provisions

10 18 14 13 20 21

Ne lso n

425 Water Street

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1 Riverwalk Landing Piers

et tre sS ew th at M

Riverwalk Landing Marina

Water Street

Am ble r

10 Schooner Alliance

Ge M org ar eW tia uS as hin tre gto et nM em oria Bu lH wy ck ne rS tre et

ACCOMMODATIONS

16 Black Dog Gallery

Colonial Parkway

114 Ballard Street

POINTS OF INTEREST 7 Colonial National Historical Park 8 Yorktown Battlefield

Visitor Center 1000 Colonial Parkway

9 Yorktown Victory Monument 803 Main Street

319 Water Street

17 Gallery at York Hall 301 Main Street

DINING 18 Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters and Petite Café 11 Main Street

19 Carrot Tree Kitchens 323 Water Street

20 Larry’s Alehouse & Deli 524 Water Street

21 Water Street Grille 323 Water Street

22 Umi Sushi

327 Water Street

23 Yorktown Pub

540 Water Street

you arrive by boat and take a slip in the marina or you drive in (with or without your own boat) and stay in one of the town’s bed-and-breakfasts or at its waterfront hotel. Shops and restaurants are generally (but not all) clustered around the waterfront and Riverwalk, while the B&Bs and historic sites are sprinkled throughout.

HOW TO GET THERE

By boat Yorktown lies seven miles up the York River on its south shore, strategically located at the river’s narrowest point (half a mile wide) and opposite Gloucester Point. It is also tucked beside the modern-day George P. Coleman Bridge. While I have you, here are two interesting things about the Coleman Bridge. First, it’s the only double-span swing bridge in the United States, and the second-largest in the world after a Suez Canal bridge. Second, it’s the only bridge across the York River until after it splits into the Pamunkey and Mattaponi rivers 25 miles upstream. For boaters, Yorktown is a convenient 25-mile trip from Portsmouth/Norfolk and just around the corner from Hampton. For those in the northern Bay, it’s a lovely but significant trip down 125 miles from the Bay Bridge. For slower or less time-pressed cruisers, this means a couple of stops along the way: Solomons and then Deltaville, perhaps, though there are dozens of variations to be found. ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

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YO R K TOWN Once you’ve turned up the York, the most convenient plan is to dock at Riverwalk Marina, which is owned by the town. Be sure to call for current docking advice before you arrive because the flow can be quite brisk. If you want to anchor out, you’ll find some very pleasant anchorages across the York inside Sarah Creek. You’ll also find York River Yacht Haven there, which will provide transportation to Yorktown. There are more marinas nearby, including Wormley Creek Marina on the south shore of the York.

By car Yorktown is about three to four hours from the northern Bay and about an hour from the Norfolk area. If you want to launch your trailer boat, you’ll find a nice double ramp across the river at Gloucester Point. Riverwalk Marina has slips for smaller boats. If you’ve brought your own paddle craft, you can launch it easily from the dinghy landing at Yorktown Beach on the east side of town.

WHERE TO STAY

Riverwalk Landing Piers The town marina is clearly the most convenient. The long docks form a kind of breakwater against most of the chop, and current, in the river. And as long as the weather doesn’t kick up a storm, this is an ideal spot for visiting Yorktown— everything is just a few steps away. If you get tired while in town, just catch a ride on the free Yorktown trolley, which circulates through town regularly. The docks are secure, with a gate code on the entry and restrooms. Water at the docks is 20- to 30-feet deep, so depth is definitely not a problem. Riverwalk Landing hosts Thursday evening concerts in summer and fall; it’s delightful to sit on your boat and listen.

Duke of York Hotel

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The Duke of York has the distinction of being Yorktown’s only waterfront hotel ... and, in fact, its only hotel altogether. It’s architecturally unobtrusive and very comfortable. It’s also right next to the beach (and everything else). And it has a pool.

Riverwalk Landing Piers Dock Entrance

B&Bs Sprinkled about town you’ll find three excellent bed-and-breakfasts, and Yorktown Cottages. In our experience, you can’t go wrong with any of these. It just depends on what you are looking for. Hornsby House Inn is located on Main Street and has been a guest house for three generations. It is beautiful and elegant and looks exactly how you imagine a bed-and-breakfast in a historic village should look. Marl Inn Bed & Breakfast, a modern, colonial-style home, is located on Church Street, which makes it easy to stroll into town and down to the

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

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YO R K TOWN waterfront. Like Hornsby, it has five guest rooms. York River Inn Bed & Breakfast sits on a bluff above the river not far from the Watermen’s Museum and the rest of Yorktown. It has three elegant guest rooms. Finally, Yorktown Cottages is composed of two charming cottages, both on Ballard Street and both an easy walk from the town’s sites and waterfront.

WHAT TO DO

Immerse yourself in history ... and download the app The siege of Yorktown and subsequent surrender of Gen. Cornwallis to Gen. Washington was a pivotal period in the formation of this country. That’s why, walking the streets of Yorktown, the past is never far away. Most of the town and its immediate area are part of the Yorktown Battlefield section of the Colonial National Historical Park, which also takes in the Colonial Highway and Jamestown. East of town is Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center, where you’ll find displays and a replica of a quarter section of a British warship, as well as the adjacent battlefield. To the west you’ll find Yorktown Victory Center, which includes a recreated military encampment. In town, you can visit half a dozen sites, including the Custom House and the Moore House, where some of the pre-surrender negotiations took place. The best way to keep track of where you are and what you’re looking at is to download the Yorktown Tour Guide, available for free on your phone’s app store. The best way to get around—and get some good information along the way—is the free Yorktown shuttle.

YO R K TOWN

Take to the water



Even if your boat is tucked into Riverwalk Landing Piers, you will want to take advantage of at least some of Yorktown’s opportunities for getting out on the water. We’ll start with one of our favorites. Not every town has its own dedicated schooner, but Yorktown does. The Alliance, a 105-foot long, three-masted schooner, sails out of Yorktown from Riverwalk Landing several times a day. The morning cruise is for young pirates, the afternoon cruises sail the York, and the sunset cruise is for, you know, unwinding after a long day of sightseeing. Here’s another good way to enjoy Yorktown by water: Visit Patriot Tours & Provisions and rent a kayak or SUP. Boats generally Patriot Tours & Provisions Kayaking and Guided Segway Tour (below) launch from the beach near the Watermen’s Museum. If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground (or nearly so), Patriot Tours will rent you a Segway for a two-wheeled guided tour of Yorktown and the park areas. Finally, if you’d rather just play in the water from shore, Yorktown has a string of very nice public beaches, beginning just east of Riverwalk Landing. You can also launch your own paddle craft from here.

Visit the Watermen’s Museum Follow Riverwalk west, under the U.S. 17 overpass, and you’ll come to the Watermen’s Museum, where you’ll get a fascinating look at the traditional tools of the trade, boat models, and fishing displays. Inside, you’ll learn about the life of the Chesapeake waterman. Outside the museum, you’ll find a log canoe, engines, dredges and boatbuilding shed.

Enjoy seasonal entertainment and amusements All summer long, Yorktown offers plenty of entertainment, including free Riverwalk concerts, a big and gloriously diverse weekend market, and periodic programs where you can “Stroll with a Historian.” For these friendly academic perambulations, check with Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters, which manages the tours. For the rest, check out Yorktown’s website, visityorktown.org. And if, late in the afternoon, you believe you have fallen so deeply under historic Yorktown’s spell that you can hear a fife and drum company, you’re not dreaming. It’s just a regular day’s-end event in the life of this fascinating town.

Do a little shopping Of course, you’ll need to do a little shopping between serious historical touristing. Be sure to stop by Auntie M’s American Cottage for one-of-a-kind crafts and Viccellio Goldsmith for one-of-a-kind jewelry creations. Both are along Riverwalk. Don’t miss Yorktown Bookshop, where you’ll find used, rare, and hard-to-get books, and Gangsta Dog for all the things you didn’t know your dog needed. Look too for Black Dog Gallery, the Gallery at York Hall, and the Yorktown Arts Federation’s On

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YO R K TOWN the Hill Gallery. And of course, all of those historic visitor centers you’ll be visiting have their own gift shops as well.

Take a side trip by car Yorktown is one point in Virginia’s historic triangle. The other two points, Williamsburg and Jamestown, are only a few miles away. If you decide to visit, be sure to take the Colonial Parkway, also part of the Colonial National Historical Park. It’s one of our favorite drives. This 23-mile route was built from the 1930s to the 1950s, and while you obviously won’t feel as if you are back in the 18th century, you will get a feel for what it was like to drive many of America’s highways in the mid-20th century. The idea was to create a road between historic sites that was free of commercial development, truck traffic, and billboards.

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Sunset cruise on Schooner Alliance

WHERE TO EAT

Breakfast and brunch Traditional 7 a.m. ham ‘n’ eggs may be a scarce as hens’ teeth in Yorktown, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t greet the new day with gusto and coffee. On weekends, you can add to the menu with more choices. Here’s what we like.

Coastal Marina Sales

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W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

YO R K TOWN

Day in and day out, you can wake up at 9 a.m. in a proper Yorktown style at Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters and Petite Café, which you’ll find at the top of the hill on Main Street in the historic Cole Digges house. In addition to fresh-roasted coffee, you can fortify with scones, croissants, and an assortment of breakfast sandwiches. Not up until 10 or so? Then you can add the reliably delicious wonders of Carrot Tree Kitchens to your list of morning choices. Enjoy coffee and a couple of ham biscuits, or shoot—go straight for the carrot cake like everyone else. On the weekends you can rise with the roosters and breakfast at 7 a.m. in the former Beach Delly location on Water Street. Larry’s Alehouse & Deli moved its famous hard-lemonade business into the vacated storefront this spring, but you can get plenty of good deli and breakfast food here as well as coffee and tea. Then come back for lunch or dinner and enjoy the other, more potent goodies Larry’s has to offer. Also on the weekends, we recommend Water Street Grille, where you can sit outside overlooking the river and enjoy a sumptuous brunch. Our personal favorite? The crabcake Benedict, of course!   Decoy Museum

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Water Street Grillle

Lunch and dinner

Let’s stick with the Water Street Grille while we’re already sitting by the water. But now it’s time for lunch or dinner. So how about local oysters, colossal shrimp, PEI mussels, littleneck clams? Or stoneoven pizza? Tapas? Whole fried fish? Steak frites? We know you didn’t ask, but we always go for the house-made ceviche, and we almost never pass up the bouillabaisse, because it has everything in it. The Grille also has about 20 local beers on tap, and you don’t even need to know what day of the week it is, because it will be open. While we’re at it, let’s revisit two other favorites, Carrot Tree and Larry’s Alehouse. At Carrot Tree, we recommend a cup of the Brunswick stew paired with a few of their signature biscuits for lunch. That should leave just enough room for one of their big desserts. Carrot Tree closes at 4 p.m., though, so don’t count on it for dinner. Look to Larry’s well into the evening for its signature hard lemonades on tap, as well as local St. George brews and other area offerings. Look to Larry’s too for fresh seafood and excellent sandwiches. Now we get to talk about Umi Sushi, a Japanese-Korean restaurant that has been a Yorktown favorite for a number of years now. And there’s good reason. Umi Sushi is located right on Riverwalk and is open for lunch and dinner. After warming up with one of the sushi combos, we go directly for the bulgogi dupbap. That leaves the Yorktown Pub, which is just off the beach and is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. We go for the gonzo burger. And, of course, they have craft beer on tap too. Enjoy! ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

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4/28/15 5:05 PM

ON BOATS

The Tiara 48 LS For a Weekend on the Water by Capt. John Page Williams

Tiara 48 LS LOA: 48'4" Beam: 14'2" Hull Draft (Motors Up): 2'5" Hull Draft (with Motors Down): 3'10" Weight (dry, no engine): 25,000 lb. Max HP: 1,800

COURTESY PHOTOS

Air Draft: 9'8"/12'0"(w/ radar) Gasoline Capacity: 660 gal. Diesel Capacity: 30 gal. Water Capacity: 100 gal. Holding Tank Capacity: 50 gal. Deadrise at Transom: 21 degrees For more information, visit tiarayachts. com and Tiara’s Chesapeake dealer, North Point Yacht Sales, northpointyachtsales.com.

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hat’s the right boat for a Weekend on the Water? It depends on the circumstances: who (you, the reader, and family or friends), where (your chosen Chesapeake WOW base of operations), and when. Let’s say that a healthier 2021 environment allows you a COVID-postponed, long-weekend reunion of 12 family members. And let’s make Yorktown, Virginia your home base—easy to reach by Interstate 64 and an hour’s drive from airports in Richmond and Norfolk. (The general principles of this scenario will work for any of the other Weekends on the Water destinations, though.) Now, providing overnight accommodations afloat for 12 is a tall order. Fortunately, lodgings within short walking distance of Yorktown’s Riverwalk Landing piers include both a

comfortable hotel and appealing B&Bs, along with attractive shore dining options. There’s plenty of history to absorb in Yorktown, especially related to the Revolutionary War, but you can’t understand Yorktown’s long history without the context of the York River and the Chesapeake Bay. That’s what the boat is for—day trips with everybody all together, exploring afloat. This is, after all, a Weekend on the Water. Our recommended boat for this weekend is the 48 LS from Tiara Yachts. It has comfortable overnight accommodations for you and your significant other and maybe two more family members, but Tiara’s robust engineering team designed this boat comprehensively for all-day expeditions on the water for your whole crew, from breakfast through ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

ON DECK An assymetrical design allows for a taller port-side passageway, for boarding and cabin headspace; an aft section provides a table and seating area; The 48 LS is powered by three 600 hp Verado outboards. lunch and dinner to evenings together. What’s more, it’s plenty big enough that weather won’t hinder ambitious day trips, and fast enough to get a broad perspective on Yorktown’s place in the Chesapeake. For starters, Tiara’s team built the 48 LS around three of Mercury’s revolutionary new 600-hp V12 Verado outboards. Placing them on the transom opened up massive space aboard the boat. The engines sit close together on mounts designed in a proprietary Mercury engineering lab to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness. The installation is compact because the engines’ powerheads do not turn. Only the underwater gearcases do, and they are even more revolutionary because they carry power to dual, contra-rotating propellers through a two-speed transmission. Controls of steering, throttle, and shift are all digital, so no rigging obstructs the stern deck that wraps around these behemoths. That combination of 1,800hp turning six propellers through low gear (1.75:1) lifts the 34,000-lb. 48 LS (that’s about what it will weigh with you and your whole crew aboard) onto plane with remarkable ease, after which the transmission shifts into high (2.5:1) to take the boat up to the speeds where it likes to run (27–33 knots, 4,000–4,500 rpm). The whole process is uncannily smooth and quiet for such a large boat. The 48 LS rides smoothly on a Tiara-designed V-hull with a 21-degree running surface. Construction is formidable, designed to spread out the stresses generated by the engine’s power, the hull’s weight, the water and waves around the hull, and the ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

W E E K E N D S O N T H E WAT E R

stabilizing force of the boat’s (optional but desirable) SeaKeeper 6 gyro. This boat is going to hold together for a long time. A 9 kW Onan generator ensures that neither the gyro nor the air conditioning ever starves for power. They are stashed neatly under an electricallyoperated hatch in the cockpit (where Tiara would have mounted the engines if this were an inboard). Okay, enough engineering. Let’s get to what the 48 LS offers your family on this long weekend: four separate, adaptable social spaces, with easy flow between them, on a big, stable platform that can also carry you close to a mile-per-minute. First, a large open bow with a nearly 360-degree lounge and an electrically actuated table that can fit into a recess in the sole for space, rise to create a sunpad, or climb higher for dining. Behind the windshield, a broad Garmin glass helm, under cover and airconditioned if needed, with seating for three. Immediately aft, a full galley topside that’s covered and airconditioned but still open to helm and cockpit. Then a cockpit with facing lounges and another dining space with table. Behind the aft lounge, a synthetic teak “beach” at the transom that expands by folding down the port hullside “terrace” and sturdy fold-out 4'6" swim ladder. Go belowdecks through the companionway on the port side of the helm console and you’ll find a private, full island berth with storage underneath and hanging lockers forward. Amidships, there’s a counter with microwave and storage to port, and a full head with separate shower to starboard. Under the helm deck lies a cabin with twin bunks that can be turned into a double.

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BELOW DECK The forward berth (with head) benefits from added headroom; Twin bunks under the helm deck can be turned into a double.

Now consider how Tiara’s team designed this layout for your weekend on the water. Take that bow space, for example. They built the seats in a layout that’s comfortable for lounging, sitting, and eating. Cup holders? Certainly. Stereo control? It can create a sound zone just for the bow area. Grab handles in case the ride gets a little sporty? You bet. And speaking of sporty, they made sure that the 48 LS’s bow is shaped to deflect the heaviest of the breeze the big Mercurys create. (Don’t worry about spray. The hull’s designers and lamination crew took care of that.) The bow cockpit is a great place for folks who want to see

everything on, say, a tour up the York River to West Point on the first day of the weekend. With the primary walkway to the bow on the port side, there’s also a raised walkway to starboard with steps and grab handles that provides easy access to tall wharves and ensures headroom in the cabin below. The skipper will have an easy job on the river, with smooth Mercury Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering, digital control of throttle and shift, joystick (including an integrated bow thruster) for maneuvering, and three large Garmin touchscreens displaying not only navigation data but also functions of the boat’s systems. A Mercury Vessel View 7-inch LCD Touchscreen Display provides realtime engine data. Mercury controls also include the company’s Skyhook positioning system, digital autopilot, and Active Trim through the engines and transom-mounted Lenco trim tabs. Sliding glass doors port and starboard can close off the helm area for quiet conversation. Immediately aft of the helm is a centerline galley with solid surface countertops, a sink with hot/cold water and lid, a 120V electric grill, two 2.6 cu. ft. Vitrofrigo drawer refrigerators and 2.6 cu. ft. drawer freezer, storage compartments (with optional icemaker), 120V outlet, removable trash can, and space for a carry-aboard Yeti cooler. There’s a padded bolster around the counter for leaning forward while underway, and a fold-down bench seat facing the galley for two people who want to keep the cook company. The cockpit holds two large seating modules for a conversation space. The forward one presents ChesapeakeBayMagazine.com

SPONSORED CONTENT wraparound seating for four to six, depending on how close they want to be. Another teak table, with folding leaves, rises from the sole on two legs. Facing the lounge and the table is a nearly full-beam “Euro-chaise” with an articulating back and base. Move it forward with the back tilted aft and it seats four at the table facing the folks at the lounge for meals or conversation. This space accommodates the rest of the crowd on that long run up the York, or any other expeditions of the weekend, such as out the mouth of the York and around to the north to explore Mobjack Bay. Moving that aft lounge closer to the table increases the size of the “teak beach” even more when the boat is at anchor or on Skyhook for swimming in a pretty cove on, say, Mobjack’s North River. For the ultimate 48 LS beach experience, you can even rotate the after lounge into multiple positions up to 180 degrees to make the space fit the moment. The Euro-chaise sits atop the lazarette and lifts on electric rams for access to the SeaKeeper, generator, wiring, and plumbing. There’s lots more to see in Yorktown (see page 80), but make sure your long weekend family reunion gets plenty of water time as well. If you do, you’ll begin to understand why this waterside town has been so important to our history for so long. Base price for Tiara’s new 48 LS is $1,365,900 with its three 600-hp Mercury Verados. Figure on an additional $100,000–$125,000 for valuable options like the SeaKeeper ($75,030), Garmin radar ($8,120), and icemaker ($2,970). For more information, visit tiarayachts.com and Tiara’s Chesapeake dealer, North Point Yacht Sales, northpointyachtsales.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.

Boaters Explore & Connect with Friends on the Bay with Argo

rom hidden anchorages to new waterfront dining locations, there is always something new to discover while exploring the Chesapeake Bay. But how do you know where the best places to visit are or how to take the safest route to get there? Local boating advice is always important, and these days boaters can get a helping hand from new technology like Argo – a navigation and social boating app created by a lifelong Chesapeake Bay boater that takes local, word-of-mouth advice to the next level. Bay area boaters are finding new ways to use Argo to improve their navigation planning, discover new places or meet for a raft-up with a group of friends. Many boaters like Argo’s ability to create a safe route based on your boat’s draft. Tim, a Potomac area sailor, relies on the custom autorouting, “Running aground is always a sailor’s concern. Argo helps me avoid shallow water and gives me an extra sense of comfort.” Rick, a boater near the mouth of the bay, says Argo helps him quickly & accurately plan trips

Join the Argo community at

www.argonav.io

to multiple locations, “Autoroute will predict a distance and time much faster than I could possibly do manually.” Doug, an upper Chesapeake boater, uses Argo with a group of friends. “I find that Argo is super easy to use when leading a group of 8 boats to a weekend overnight location. It keeps everyone in a safe channel, and I am more confident having Argo as my co-captain. I can also save favorite locations and share with friends.” Bran, who hails from Annapolis, is enjoying the social features to meet up with friends on the water. “We use the Argo app as part of our journeys from tiki bar to tiki bar. I can find new places to check out or easily see where my friends are on the map to meet up with them on the bay.” Argo aims to help you Boat Better Together with easy-to-use navigation combined with an active boating community that you can turn to for navigation advice, local knowledge, destination reviews, and more.

Weekends on the Water 2021

Articles inside

Yorktown