Marinalife Summer 2023

Luxury Reimagined

Walking a beach where the only footprints in the sand, are your own. Enjoying a refreshing drink from an island bar only accessible by boat. Waking up each morning with the flexibility to sail anywhere you wish. These experiences redefine luxury -- and are the hallmark of any yacht charter vacation.

This year, we invite you to discover unbridled freedom and authentic travel experiences with The Moorings. Unforgettable moments await.

Photo by miljko

Jane Thomas/Wikimedia Commons

Dear Fellow Boaters:

It’s hard to script a better Memorial Day than the one we just enjoyed, with blue skies overhead and a day on the water with friends we’ve known for decades. It all began when we walked down to the dock behind their house and got our first glimpse of a new boat tied up and ready for us to get on board.

Their recent upgrade to a 24’ Sea Ray 240 Sundeck guaranteed a smoother cruise down the Severn River and Spa Creek into Annapolis, and the promise of our virgin voyage was more intoxicating than the spirits in our coolers.

After a short jaunt to our destination, we found the harbor bustling with a gamut of watercraft from dinghies and kayaks to luxury yachts and even a pirate ship. A loon popped his head out of the water to watch ospreys feed their chicks in nests on top of channel markers. Everyone seemed to celebrate the start of warm days, and our combo of a new boat and a new season sparked dreams of summer adventures.

explore different destinations, or try a fresh attitude about time on the waves, we encourage you to venture off the beaten path. Who knows what you’ll find when you break the routine?

In this spirit, follow our new blogger Avi Rubin as he chronicles the ups and downs of researching and designing his dream boat. Or expand your horizons with overlooked gems on the Connecticut coastline, getaways on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, maritime landmarks on the Great Lakes or the untamed beauty of Alaska’s Inside Passage.

Let the Special Section on the Chesapeake Bay introduce you to lively dock-and-dines and secluded islands in the region. Washington, DC, area marinas invite you to cruise up the Potomac River, see new waterfront amenities and attractions, and test your knowledge of U.S. history in a scavenger hunt — from the comfort of your boat.

We wish you safe travels and happy boating,

This issue of Marinalife aims to inspire you to take a new tack on boating. Whether you refit or upgrade your boat, Susan

Elnicki Wade, Editor-in-Chief

Marinalife magazine, published four times a year, is focused on the cruising lifestyle. The magazine includes articles on where to cruise, new marina destinations, upcoming events, boating stories and news from the maritime industry.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Susan Elnicki Wade swade@marinalife.com

FOUNDER & PUBLISHER EMERITUS

Joy McPeters

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Alexa Zizzi

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

Liyana Ido

Claire Ruppert

CONTRIBUTORS

Bob Arrington

Carol Bareuther

James R. Barnett

Heather Burke

Lisa Carruthers

Ellen Honey

Richard Kern

Scott Miller

Teri Miller

Avi Rubin

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION Mid-Atlantic Custom Media jmann@midatlanticmedia.com

Ebony Brown, Art Director

MARINALIFE SALES sales@marinalife.com

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS info@marinalife.com

MARINALIFE, LLC 921 E. Fort Avenue, Suite 225 Baltimore, MD 21230 410-752-0505

Marina Updates

WHAT’S NEW WITH

SUMMER 2023

BY ALEXA ZIZZI

Marinalife’s 2023 Contests

Vote for your Favorite Marinas Today

Photo Contest Is Still Open, Enter ASAP!

Catch Exciting Events at Brunswick Landing

This season, experience year-round events hosted at Brunswick Landing Marina in downtown Brunswick, GA. This family-owned, full-service marina boasts slips accommodating vessels up to 240 feet, upscale amenities and Southern charm. Events include happy hour with free wine and beer (yes, you read that correctly) hosted three times per week, plus oyster roasts, yoga, game nights and catered holiday parties. The marina also encourages liveaboards without ever charging any fees! Visit brunswicklandingmarina.com

Premier Key West Resort Joins Oasis

The Annapolis-based marina management company has broadened its reach into the Florida Keys by taking over management of The Perry Hotel & Marina. The luxury resort boasts a spacious 288-slip marina, upscale amenities, on-site retail, restaurants, watersports and five-star service. For updates, go to oasismarinas.com

PORT 32 Picks up Florida Destination

The marina owner and operator PORT 32 Marinas recently acquired Lighthouse Point Marina in southeast

Where’s your go-to spot to tie up? Whether it’s a favorite hometown marina or annual vacation resort, celebrate their service with Marinalife’s highly anticipated Best Marina Contest! Send your choice of the top marinas of 2023 in two categories: Best Large Marina (over 100 slips) and Best Small Marina (under 100 slips). Submit your votes by October 2, 2023, at marinalife.com/2023bestmarinacontest

Share your photography skills with the world and submit your best summertime images with Marinalife’s 2023 photo contest. We welcome snapshots that capture blissful moments on the water from shutterbugs of all skill levels. Enter by July 21, 2023, at marinalife.com/2023photocontest

Upcoming Boat Shows

Newport International Boat Show Newport, RI

September 14-17

Trawlerfest Baltimore

Baltimore, MD

September 28-30

United States Powerboat Show

Annapolis, MD

October 5-8

United States Sailboat Show

Annapolis, MD

October 12-15

Florida. Located just off the Hillsboro Inlet, the facility offers 102 wet slips to vessels ranging from 25 to 80 feet.

Amenities include a fuel dock, live bait station and ship store, plus easy access to the ocean. See port32marinas.com

Smith Aerial

Lighthouse Point Marina

Brunswick Landing Marina

ONCE YOU VISIT OUR MARINA

SPLASH OF INSPIRATION

OWNED BY:

PRODUCED BY:

WATER TOYS & FLOATABLE FUN

Play in the pool, lake or ocean with these hot summer items

FUN WITH FLOATS

TOWABLE SUPER DOG

WOW Sports

WOW Sports produces top-of-the-line towables and fun watersport items. A top pick from Marinalife is this twoperson towable float. Kids will love the fun graphics and dog shape body built with reinforced tow system construction and can tow riders up to 340 lbs. ($149.99) wowsports.com/products/super-dog-2p-towable

MALIBU BARBIE GOLF CART POOL FLOAT

Funboy

Come on Barbie, let’s go party — in this limited edition, 50th anniversary Malibu golf cart float! The two-person float is inflatable and includes a fringe-lined removable mesh shade and dual cup holders. ($139) funboy.com

INFLATABLE PONTOON SLIDE

Rave Sports

This heavy-duty inflatable slide fits most pontoons and can hold up to 200 lbs. max weight. Made with durable vinyl

and molded footsteps, it easily attaches to the boat for waterpark-style family fun. The slide comes with a 14v high-pressure inflator/deflator that can run off the pontoon’s battery. ($699.99) ravesports.com/products/pontoon-slide

ISLAND COUCH

WOW Sports

Bring the living room to the water with this huge inflatable lounger that looks like a comfy couch. Use the secure rope holders to tether to your boat, dock or shoreline. Perfect for big parties; up to eight people can kick back on the semi-circle-shaped sofa. ($299.99) wowsports.com/products/the-wow-resort-island

GADGETS & GIZMOS

SEASCOOTER

Yamaha

Whether you love to deep-sea dive, snorkel or swim around at high speed, the Seascooter is the ultimate gadget to grab ahold of this summer. Light enough to carry in one

NAUTI SHOPPER > BY ALEXA ZIZZI

Towable Super Dog

hand, it’s easily portable, and the buoyance control chamber is designed for seawater use, making it perfect for beach dives. ($612.99)

yamahaseascooters.com

EFOIL

Foil

Crank up the speed on one of the most advanced efoils. It feels like you’re flying on water with this electric surfboard that comes in various models with various features, material design and horsepower. Try the Foil X, a lightweight board made from carbon fiber or do serious shredding on the powerful Foil R, designed for racing and performance. (Prices vary)

getfoil.com

UFO 4000 LED DRONE

Force1

Kids will be occupied for hours with this mini stunt drone. The blue and red flashing LED propeller guards light up reflecting colorful hues with pristine night visibility. The four-channel remote control allows for perfect 360-flips and lots of flying fun. ($49.99)

force1rc.com/collections/kids-drones

VELOCITY RC BOAT

Force1

Reaching up to a speed of 20+ mph, this powerful mini motorboat makes big waves in pools or lakes. Crank the controls at high-speed for racing or gliding along the water. The set includes a remote control, transmitter, charging cable, spare propeller and additional tools. Not for saltwater use. ($69.99)

force1rc.com/collections/boats

ULTIMATE SKIP BALL

Activ Life

If you’re looking for a new water party activity, this set is great for groups to play. When thrown, the floatable ball skips across the water for a fun aquatic game of catch. The set comes with two skip balls, one skip disc and a waterproof travel bag. Toss it around at a beach party or get competitive and keep score! ($15.99)

activlife.com/collections/ultimate-skip-ball

UFO 4000 LED Drone

Activ Life

Ultimate Skip Ball

Courtesy of Force1RC

Velocity Boat Courtesy of Force1RC

NAVIGATE TO A GREAT CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Exciting, well paying jobs available in the boating industry

For more information on career and scholarship opportunities visit: www.MassBoatingCareers.com

Industry growth through Collaboration, Communication & Education Mass Boating Careers is owned and operated by the Massachusetts Marine Trades Educational Trust.

FIND OUT WHY

GRAND HAVEN

Is Called Coast Guard City, USA

BY CLAIRE RUPPERT

About 34 miles west of Grand Rapids, MI, where the Grand River meets Lake Michigan, lies the charming Grand Haven. Its boardwalk stretches along the harbor and Grand River for 2.5 miles, passing the Musical Fountain. Downtown follows Washington Street between the fountain and Central Park. Lined with quaint eateries, the strip is home to retail outlets, pubs and amazing antique shops.

The best way to see the town is on the hop-on-hop-off trolleys that stop at local gems like Norm’s Ice Cream, Burzurk Brewing, Book Cellar and Morning Star Café. If you’re looking for family fun while in town, check out the mini golf course and a splash pad that’s sure to entertain children. The escape room and train that ride along an historic railway offer entertainment for all ages.

The town is very walkable, and the wider area boasts more than 100 miles of biking paths. Sand dunes provide hiking trails for visitors who want to experience the landscape’s natural beauty. On the other side of Mulligan’s Hollow and Duncan Woods, the beach offers hiking, a playground, skatepark and pickleball courts. The beaches on Lake Michigan are more secluded, but the activity options abound. Rentals and lessons are available for tubing, kitesurfing, water skiing, kayaking and surfing. Scuba diving off the shore of Grand Haven reveals subaquatic walls and even a shipwreck.

Dennis Sparks

Grand Haven State Park in Lake Michigan

The biggest draw to Grand Haven happens every summer in late July. What started as an exclusive Coast Guard picnic in 1924 has turned into a multi-day event for residents, visitors and members of the Guard. Every summer, Grand Haven hosts the Coast Guard Festival to honor Americans who served in the armed forces. Every year sees a massive turnout for the carnival rides, parades, car show, fireworks, craft fair and water ski show. The community showed its appreciation by naming Grand Haven Coast Guard City, USA in 1998. ml

WHERE TO DOCK

Grand Haven Municipal Marina

616-847- 3478

With 57 slips at the edge of town, Grand Haven Municipal Marina offers you access to Lake Michigan, Grand River and Spring Lake while providing pump out, restrooms, electricity, water and showers.

Safe Harbor Grand Isle

616-842-9330

This all-inclusive marina with convenient slips includes cable TV hookups, laundry, a basketball court and gated access to vessels from 20 to 140 feet.

WHERE TO DINE

The Paisley Pig Gastropub

616-607-7563

This gastropub partners with local farms to bring in seasonal, high-quality ingredients. Its extensive menu covers seafood, comfort food and barbecue alongside local brews.

The Unicorn Tavern

616-414-7057

Described as a fun drinking spot and family-friendly dining experience, this Belgian-inspired, family-owned tavern offers classic dishes from mushroom poutine and croquettes to schnitzel and Moroccan stew, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options.

The Toasted Pickle

616-414-7990

This creative sandwich shop in downtown Grand Haven updates its menu weekly with new recipes, gourmet ingredients, fresh salads and unique specials.

Grand Haven Beach State Park

Anthony Popiel

Pixlr

Pixlr

ROD ‘N’ REEL MARINA

BY SUSAN ELNICKI WADE

“THE MONACO OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND” is what developers envisioned in the mid-1800s when they drew up plans for Chesapeake Beach. Only 49 miles southeast of Washington, DC, and 54 miles from Baltimore seemed like a perfect place to build a resort and casino for high-end day-trippers. Fortunately, the area did not live up to that hype, but instead it’s become a fantastic getaway destination for boaters, anglers and families.

Located on the Chesapeake Bay’s western shore, life in this charming town evolves around the water, and Rod ‘N’ Reel Marina is the hub of all the action. With 268 slips (three lift slips included) and four lots dedicated to land storage, the marina accommodates motorboats, sailboats and fishing charter vessels up to 60’ and 23-foot beams. A new tackle shop with big walk-in coolers, tackle, bait and snacks is a handy stop for provisions. The 65’ long Miss Lizzy, the largest headboat in the mid-Chesapeake, is ready to take you out for bottom fishing, private charters, and dolphin or sunset cruises.

The marina is part of a lovely resort complex with amenities that seem unlimited: two restaurants and a dock café,

two swimming pools (indoor and rooftop), a sauna, gaming room (gambling became legal here in 2008), business center, 24-hour security, band shell for concerts and more. Fish-cleaning stations are a good sign that charter excursions and fishing tournaments are very popular here. Visitors can also rent kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and mini catamarans.

The walk to the waterpark is so short that you can wear flipflops, and after lathering up with sunscreen, the kids can play all day on water slides, a sprinkler lagoon, lap pool and lazy river. If your crew prefers sand and waves, go one mile up the shoreline to North Beach to enjoy a boardwalk, shops, pubs, snack shacks and all the attractions of a sweet beach town. For a unique beach experience, drive 27 miles south to Calvert Cliffs State Park, where huge cliffs that were formed 10 to 20 million years ago have eroded and now display prehistoric species including whales, rays and birds. Spend hours digging in the sand for fossils and shark teeth.

When all these activities work up an appetite, next to the marina are several excellent dining options. The 1936 Bar & Grill offers good seafood dishes indoors and outdoors, and the new CBQ restaurant replaces the beloved Smokey Joe’s Grill by serving pulled pork, smoked chicken, ribs and brisket. Cuisine at other eateries around town include Mexican, Chinese and Italian, but your best bet is eating what the local watermen are catching. ml

1936 Bar and Grill

Rod ‘N’ Reel

Rod ‘N’ Reel

Connecticut’s Eastern Shoreline

A SPLENDID DESTINATION FOR BOATERS, EXPLORERS & BIRD WATCHERS

BY LISA CARRUTHERS

After living full time aboard TAPESTRY, our Kadey Krogen trawler, for well over six years, we’ve become dirt dwellers again. We returned to New England to resume seasonal cruising where the opportunities are varied and beautiful, the climate is temperate, and harbors are within easy reach. Eastern Connecticut is a part of this area, and where we’ll take a mini cruise in this article.

Starting Point: Old Saybrook, CT

We start our cruise in Old Saybrook, at the mouth of the Connecticut River. Whether you dock at Saybrook Point or pick up a mooring in North Cove, there are wonderful inlets and rivers to kayak, row or dinghy around on both the Old Saybrook and Old Lyme shores. The birds here are varied, many making this area their permanent or seasonal home.

At Saybrook Point, just north of Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, a town park lies on the river offering a great place

to fish and picnic. If you’ve just transited from the south or north, Old Saybrook offers good provisioning options and availability of marine services. In addition, you’ll find many restaurants, shops and the Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center.

Stop 1: Essex, CT

Estimated Mileage: 5 NM

Essex is an historic and charming little town situated upriver, an excellent choice if the seas are up on Long Island Sound. Dock space and moorings are both available from the yacht club and marinas. As you head north on the Connecticut River past the Rt. 95 bridge, Calves Island will be on your right. This island is a bird heaven where you can even spot bald eagles. Every fall, around 400,000 tree swallows congregate here from all over New England to feast on insects in the reeds for a few weeks before starting their migration to Cozumel, Mexico. It is an amazing sight and draws many to anchor or kayak over from Old Lyme for the sunset ballet. Swallows fly in every night. Right before the sun sets, they disappear up and then dive down into the reeds in a tornadic display.

The village is comprised of many delightful shops, art galleries and restaurant choices along Main Street, where The Connecticut River Museum is also located.

Stop 2: Fishers Island, NY

Estimated Mileage: 24 NM

At the eastern most point of Long Island Sound lays Fishers Island, which is actually part of Southold, in Suffolk County, NY. The designation is only political as the island’s ties are with Connecticut. For example, the only ferry service from the island goes to New London, CT, the high school sports teams play only Connecticut teams, many

island kids attend school in Connecticut, trash from the island goes to Connecticut, and the residents harken mostly from old New England gentry.

West Harbor offers some moorings for rent inside the breakwater and anchoring is good outside. Dinghies are allowed to be left by the yacht club. Most of the island’s eastern end is gated and composed of old mansions owned by the DuPonts, Rockefellers and other old-money families, as well as a prestigious golf course and the Fishers Island Club. The western end provides interesting rural roads where you’ll find a vegetable stand and Toppers, the island’s ice cream parlor, along with a hardware store and small grocery.

Old Saybrook

Stop 3: Mystic, CT

Estimated Mileage: 5 NM

Located on the Mystic River, Mystic is a village in the towns of Groton and Stonington. Shipbuilding was a significant endeavor, with more than 600 ships built here in the late 1700s. Mystic Seaport depicts that era and has docks available for transients. Anchorage for a few boats is also just north of the seaport. Docking at the Mystic Seaport Museum is a real treat. Not only are the exhibits educational and fun, but while docked you enjoy access to the grounds even when the museum is closed. It’s magical, especially for kids.

Farther downriver, a bascule bridge crosses the road in the hamlet of Mystic. Many marina choices are nearby, allowing dinghy and kayak access to town and the museum. The town offers a wide variety of excellent restaurants as well as an art museum, local history and old New England architecture. If you’re heading upriver and have a hankering for seafood, Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough is on the western shore of the lower end of the river and has transient dockage. Just keep an eye on your plate as the seagulls get hungry, too!

Mystic

Stonington

Stop 4: Stonington, CT

Estimated Mileage: 3 NM

Stonington was voted one of the “Top 10 Prettiest Coastal Towns in New England” by Yankee Magazine. Get a mooring or dock space from Dodson Boatyard, and you’ll be right in the heart of the Borough. The harbor is mostly protected by a breakwater from the fetch across Fishers Island Sound where it joins Block Island Sound.

After a short launch ride to shore, you’ll see eclectic shops, beaches for swimming and sunbathing, The Lighthouse Museum for exploring the area’s maritime and agricultural history, and many restaurants offering fresh, seaside dining. A walk to the point of the peninsula offers panoramic views of New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as a rosy sunset.

Stop 5: Watch Hill, RI

Estimated Mileage: 3 NM

Full disclosure, Watch Hill is actually a village in Westerly, RI. It is included here, because it is accessed by water from Fishers Island Sound. The entrance to the harbor is a long and narrow one east of the Stonington Borough peninsula. It is protected from Block Island Sound by Napatree Point, a 1.5-mile-long sand spit extending west of the Watch Hill business district. Napatree is the southernmost and westernmost point of mainland Rhode Island and is a wildlife preserve and popular beach.

Watch Hill, or Napatree as it’s often referred to by boaters, provides a large harbor area where many raft up for a summer weekend. A word of caution, it is open to the southwest, so avoid anchoring when storms approach from that direction. A walk on the Point will offer exercise,

gorgeous views and lots of bird sightings, many spending time here while migrating.

In town is the Flying Horse Carousel, the country’s oldest suspension carousel, built in 1876. The ponies are hand carved, with leather saddles and real tails and manes. Kids love trying to catch the brass rings as they ride. St. Clair Annex offers locally made ice cream and great gelato. If you’re looking for old-fashioned luxury, a visit to the Ocean House is a must. There you’ll find a lovely old-school croquet court with a Croquet pro, a private beach with cabanas, wine tastings, and pastelcolored bikes and Mercedes vehicles for guests to explore the area in style. But even if you never leave your boat, Watch Hill is a wonderful place to visit. ml

Watch Hill

COME EXPERIENCE

CAPE MAY, the Queen of Seaside Resorts

BY CLAIRE RUPPERT

At the southernmost point of New Jersey in Delaware Bay is the idyllic seaside town of Cape May, which is centerally located near New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. About 2.5 miles of stunning shore run between the Atlantic Ocean and Beach Avenue, home to waterfront shops and restaurants. The beach is speckled with sunbathers, volleyball nets, and designated fishing and water sport areas.

Plenty of beach options await on the Bay side, covering 30 miles of shoreline around the end of the peninsula. The sun rises out of the ocean revealing dolphins playing in the surf and dreamy dusks on the Bay side. For more wildlife, hop aboard whale watching tours or visit the county park and zoo. Cape May is also a popular destination for bird watchers, complete with a bird observatory.

If your ideal vacation is more along the lines of shopping and

dining, the Washington Street Mall and Carpenter’s Square Mall are a retail paradise. To showcase the local food scene for a bargain, the town holds Restaurant Weekend in the fall.

In addition to the summer beach scene, colorful Victorian buildings and prime locale, the town is steeped in a rich history. Harriet Tubman worked in Cape May for a few years in the early 1850s, saving money to free enslaved people on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. While crossing Delaware Bay, she used the light from the Cape May lighthouse as a guiding beacon for her journeys. Cape May attracted Philadelphia abolitionists who are memorialized at the Harriet Tubman Museum, Stephen Smith House and the Cape May Underground Railroad Trolley Tour.

The restoration and preservation of historic Cape May began in the 19th century, eventually earning the town the status of a National Historic District with over 600 preserved Victorian

buildings. Around the same time, the Emlen Physick Estate was built as a beautiful example of Victorian architecture, and it now accommodates scavenger hunts, ghost tours and murder mystery parties.

To feel as though you stepped back in time, visit the Historic Cold Spring Village that brings you face-to-face with some of the first Americans shortly after independence in this living history village. ml

WHERE TO DOCK

South Jersey Marina

609-884-2400

Located on the southern side of Cape May Harbor and easily accessible from the Atlantic, ICW or Delaware Bay, this full-service marina offers dockside services, upscale amenities and 75 slips with state-of-the-art floating piers. Its new restaurant, Brine, presents a brunch and dinner menu with fresh seafood, American classics and internationally inspired dishes.

Canyon Club Resort Marina

609-884-0188

Situated on the northern end of Cape May Harbor, Canyon Club is a full-service marina that offers transient dockage up to 125 feet, an award-winning service department, and sports fishing tournaments.

Cape May Marina

609-435-5757

Located right off the Delaware Canal with slips up to 75 feet, this marina offers water sport equipment rentals and is ideally located within walking distance of many Cape May restaurants.

Utsch’s Marina

609-884-2051

A family-owned and operated, full-service marina east of Cape May Canal, Utsch’s staff holds a deep knowledge of the area and offers charter and party boats, as well as amenities such as a bath house and laundry.

WHERE TO DINE

410 Bank Street

609-884-2127

Established in 1984, this BYOB restaurant blends upscale-beachy atmosphere in an 1840s carriage house with French New Orleans cuisine peppered with a Caribbean flair. Menu showstoppers include fresh seafood and mesquite-grilled steaks.

Beach Plum Farm Kitchen

609-459-0121

Visit an organic, working farm plush with herbs, vegetables, fruits, chicken and other livestock to experience dishes inspired by the changing seasons. Summer Harvest dinners are enhanced by the smokey aroma of an evening bonfire.

Tisha’s

609-884-9119

Located in Washington Street Mall, Tisha’s has prepared excellent New American cuisine for more than 30 years and offers indoor and outdoor dining spaces.

Cape May

KMP Cape May Winery New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism

The Big Trip

Cruising the Inside Passage from Seattle to Ketchikan ... and Beyond

BY RICHARD KERN

BOATERS ARE EXPLORERS BY NATURE.

A scenic cove, a stretch of uncharted water, an unfamiliar port — all part of the allure of the aquatic life. Every day offers a new perspective and a new challenge. And at the end of the day, a chance to reflect and relax.

Itching to do a little exploring? Consider this: It’s 900 NM from San Diego to Cabo, and many experienced boaters make that trip fairly often. But what about going the other direction: north from Seattle via the Inside Passage to Alaska? After all, Ketchikan is just 660 NM from Seattle, and Juneau is only another 330 NM.

Apart from generally smooth sailing and scenery that takes your breath away, you’ll experience some of the last true wilderness in the United States and Canada — glaciers, tall-growth forests, fjords, rushing rivers, snow-capped peaks, salmon as long as your arm, bears, seals, bald eagles and moose. The great outdoors, wild and unbound.

The Inside Passage is also the jumping off point to world-class sport fishing retreats like Waterfall Resort

Alaska or Steamboat Bay Fishing Club, both just a short hop from Ketchikan. In addition to an unforgettable trip of reeling in boatloads of salmon, cod, halibut and other local species, you’ll take home anywhere from 50 to 100 lbs. of freshly filleted flash-frozen fish.

Another bonus to traversing the Inside Passage is that you experience a wealth of Native culture. Visitors witness performances of traditional music and dance, as well as ancient and modern Native art. Popular items produced by indigenous craftspeople include carvings, baskets, dolls, drums,

masks, prints, and etchings, and Native festivals happen in villages year-round. Sound amazing? An Alaska trip is easier than you think, and a little harder than you might expect. But only a little. Easier because the Inside Passage is tailor-made for cruising. Think of it as the Northwest’s version of the Intracoastal Waterway. Harder because of the occasional unpredictability of nature in these parts. You might have to navigate a sudden squall, a stretch of fluky open water, a whipping wind or wild temperature swings — or maybe all

Seaplane

Jack Carter

Steamboat Fishing Club

four. But that’s what we love about exploring. And if you properly plan and prepare, you’ll have the trip of a lifetime.

Consider a few things when charting an Inside Passage itinerary.

WHEN TO GO

June through August are the peak months to head north, although May to September is also considered in-season. Allow about a month for the Seattle-Ketchikan-Seattle round-trip to do it right; a bit longer if you’re going as far as Juneau or Skagway.

A recent post on CruisersForum with a 37-foot Nordic Tug says this about the Inside Passage: “We go May through September...typically traveling some 4,000 NM. It sure can be cool and rainy some days, but it’s hard to beat for scenery, critters, and fishing/ crabbing/shrimping. It can be 80 degrees too, but not very often. Typical temps range from 50-65. Have good rainwear.”

POINTS OF INTEREST

Although a stop in Vancouver is tempting, as it’s only about 100 NM north of Seattle. Save it for the return trip. Moving north through the Strait of Georgia, Vancouver Island is on your port side. It’s the largest and most populous island along the west coast of the Americas at nearly 300 miles long. Dozens of parks and nature preserves dot the eastern shore.

In Comox visit the Comox Air Force Museum on the site of a WWII-era Air Force base. A string of marinas from Campbell River (opposite the Discovery Islands; worth checking out) to Port Hardy offer a full array of services and amenities.

Just north of Calvert and Hecate Islands is the Hakai Lúxvbálís Conservancy Area, British Columbia’s largest marine park, offering scenic coastline with heavily forested hills, 3,000-foot peaks, lagoons, sandy beaches and spits, coves and channels, all ideal for fishing, scuba diving, kayaking and hiking.

Home to the Heiltsuk First Nation, Bella Bella is located on Campbell Island, about 100 NM north of Port Hardy. It has a bank, large general store, police station and the only hospital and pharmacy on the Central Coast. Head around to the east side of Denny Island and up the Dean Channel to Eucott Bay Hot Springs near Ocean Falls. Among the largest on the coast, these hot springs are popular with

boaters, as Eucott Bay offers good anchorage and shelter for small craft.

Just north of Bella Bella lies Fiordland Conservancy, a 350,000-square-mile preserve that’s home to glacial fjords, waterfalls, inlets, bays and islands. The scenery is breathtaking. Boaters and kayakers see bears, wolves and deer along the craggy shoreline.

Unfortunately, landing sites are

Alaska Native totem poles at Totem Heritage Center

Photo courtesy of Ketchikan Visitors Bureau and Clark Mischler

Jack Carter

scarce due to the area’s topography, with crashing estuaries hugging the base of steep ice-capped mountains in many places. Mussel Inlet and Kynoch Inlet are large enough to provide scenic shelter. The nearest roadaccessible community, Bella Coola, is about 60 miles southeast, and supplies are available at the Kitasoo Band Store in the village of Klemtu on Swindle Island, where the Spirit Bear Lodge provides “refined waterfront accommodations.”

Prince Rupert (pop. 12,000) is located on Karen Island, just north of the mouth of the Skeena River. The city sits along the island’s northwestern shore, fronting on Prince Rupert Harbour. The port is the deepest ice-free natural harbor in North America and the third-deepest natural harbor in the world. Cow Bay Marina offers 51 slips for boats up to 100 feet, as well as power service, fresh water, showers, laundry facilities and Wi-Fi. Waterfront shops and cafes are near the marina, and Prince Rupert boasts inns, guesthouses, hotels, bars, restaurants, supermarkets and a public library.

The Museum of Northern British

Columbia showcases the region’s natural and cultural heritage, while the North Pacific Cannery traces the city’s salmon-canning history. Other attractions include the First Nations Carving Shed, Kwinitsa Station Railway Museum, Totem Park and Sunken Gardens.

From Prince Rupert, you must navigate one more stretch of exposed water at Dixon Entrance before heading up and into Ketchikan, which occupies about four square miles of land hugging the western edge of Revillagigedo Island. Expect no big chain hotels or fast-food franchises, but lots of jewelry stores, souvenir shops (catering to the cruise ship crowd), and bars and restaurants.

Head over to Creek Street and ride the funicular up the hillside to Cape Fox Lodge to get a true overview of the place. Like most Alaska cities, Ketchikan retains a frontier vibe. It’s a fascinating mix of people passing through on their way to somewhere else with blue-collar residents who entertain them, outfit them and get them where they’re going: shopkeepers, service workers, tour operators, pilots, etc.

NORTH FROM KETCHIKAN

Misty Fjords National Monument is just east of Ketchikan, and the 100-mile-long Behm Canal cuts through the middle of it, separating Revillagigedo Island from the mainland and offering spectacular scenery in Rudyerd Bay, Punchbowl Cove and Walker Cove. “Dramatic waterfalls plunge into the saltwater through narrow clefts, or course over great rounded granite shoulders, fed by lakes, streams and 150+ inches of annual rainfall,” notes The Travel Alaska website.

Wrangell is about 150 miles south of Juneau on the northern tip of Wrangell Island. Founded by Russians in the early 1800s, it’s one of the oldest non-Native settlements in Alaska. The oldest Catholic church in Alaska, St. Rose of Lima, was established at Wrangell in 1879. A top destination for birdwatchers, it’s home to the largest concentration of bald eagles on the Inside Passage.

Petersburg was incorporated in 1910, attracting Scandinavian immigrants and resulting in the town’s nickname, “Little Norway.” The Sons of Norway Hall was built on one of the

Ketchikan

Steve Barker/pixabay.com

piers in 1912 and still stands. Every year, the town marks The Little Norway Festival, held on the third weekend in May.

Venturing farther north, Tracy Arm is about 75 miles up the Inside Passage from Petersburg off Holkham Bay, adjacent to Stephens Passage. The 27-mile-long fjord offers a magnificent setting of icebergs and glaciers, and is a favorite cruise ship destination. Wildlife is plentiful, and in summer you spot whales, eagles, seals and bears.

Alaska’s capital, Juneau, has a population of 30,000+, but that figure swells between May and September, with a daily influx of thousands of cruise ship passengers. Interestingly, no roads connect the city to the rest of the state or to North America; all goods coming in or out go by ship and plane.

Despite its relative isolation, Juneau hosts several festivals, including the Alaska Folk Festival in April, Juneau Jazz & Classics Festival in May, and the Alaska Native cultural festival that’s held every other year in June. South Franklin Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, is a bustle of historic sites, shops, bars and restaurants.

St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church was built in 1894 by newly baptized Orthodox Natives and Siberian gold miners.

RESEARCH & RESOURCES

Located about 12 miles from downtown Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier is a popular attraction. Part of the Tongass National Forest, the 5,815-acre Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area extends from the Juneau Icefield to Mendenhall Lake, with views of glaciers drawing tourists and boaters. The Mendenhall is just one of 38 major glaciers that flow from the Juneau Icefield.

Skagway is at the northernmost point of the Inside Passage at the far end of Lynn Canal. Another favorite cruise ship stop, its historic district of about 100 buildings tells the story of the city’s past as a gold-mining boomtown. Skagway and the nearby valley of Dyea were the starting point for about 40,000 people who headed into the Yukon primarily by way of the Chilkoot Trail during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. It’s also home to the popular White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad, which operates in the summer when the town entertains thousands of visitors a day. ml

Marinas and moorings are scattered up and down the Inside Passage, making it relatively easy to rest, restock and refuel. Posts on CruisersForum note that boats with a 200-300 NM range, fuel-wise, will have flexibility to handle any route or weather changes. “I don’t think there’s anywhere much more than 140 NM from a fuel stop,” says one, “[and] many are a lot closer together than that.”

Ahoybc.com website is also a great resource. Click on the “For the Skipper” tab to find weather and chart purchases, tips, and links to info on reporting to Canadian customs, fishing regulations and other pertinent data.

Canada Border Services Agency’s website has a section under its “Plan Your Trip Across the Border” tab entitled “Reporting Requirements for Private Boaters” that provides details.

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/AlaskasInsidePassage

For preliminary research, the Cruisingnw.com website recommends reading: “The Waggoner Cruising Guide, updated yearly, is an invaluable resource for the Inside Passage as far north as Ketchikan. Other good titles: The Exploring Series by Don Douglass and Réanne Hemingway-Douglass, Dreamspeaker Guides, and Ports and Passes.”

Waterfall Resort Alaska

Waterfall Resort Alaska

You Gotta See It to Believe It

Smart tips for keeping your boat safe & sound

BY SCOTT MILLER

After spending time on a lot of boats over the past three years as an apprentice surveyor and buyer representative, I’ve seen a fair share of things I couldn’t believe owners do or don’t do for upgrades, additions and preventive maintenance for their boats. You wouldn’t believe the shortcuts or modifications boaters make in the name of saving a few bucks. In most cases, shortcuts don’t work long term, resulting in risky situations or increased costs down the road when a professional must come fix them the right way.

Many boaters want to avoid large expenses and long stays in the boatyard, but eventually when the boat goes up for sale and needs a pre-purchase survey or an insurance survey, all things come to light and could cost the owner a big part of the sale to make repairs correctly.

Fire Safety

Unfortunately, life-saving safety equipment is often an afterthought until it’s too late. Proper training and gear are easily accessible online with simple checklists and free inspections provided by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. So, the next time you go to your boat, take time to evaluate safety gear and its proper functioning.

Regrettably, the time of a pre-purchase survey is when boaters find out their flares are expired, or the battery is long overdue for replacement in their Emergency PositionIndicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). Even more boats have expired fixed fire suppression systems and fire extinguishers

or recalled Kidde extinguishers that need to be replaced. These systems should be checked for expiration dates and/or proper size and type and should be certified and inspected annually.

On a recent survey, when inspecting the engine room, I found two large Halon bottles that were part of the original fire suppression system. The bottles were large and heavy and almost impossible to get out from behind the engine, so they were decommissioned. Because the cost of an entire new system (Halon is no longer available), the owner decided to forgo the fire suppression system.

While I understand the costs associated with a new system could run between $5,000 and $10,000 dollars, when you consider the risks, it is not a place to cut corners. Adding

a small Class ABC fire extinguisher bottle outside the engine room door is not a suitable replacement. When a fixe fire suppression system is activated by temperature or manual release, it is important to have it also shut off engines, generators and exhaust fans to ensure the agent can work and not foul the air intake of the engines.

Electrical System

According to BoatUS data, electrical problems are one of the leading causes of boat fires. Electrical issues can occur from chaffed wires caused by vibration and improperly secured wiring, corrosion or loose connections. Electrical work performed by an owner who lacks expertise or on boats built prior to the current American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) standards puts the boater and the vessel at risk. During a recent pre-purchase survey, we were trying to power up the pumps for the heads and one would not power up. When the pumps were inspected, we found a lot of corrosion, chafed wires and both the positive and negative terminals exposed and not protected against metallic objects that may fall in the bilge. More than one issue could have easily been addressed by the owner, but they were out of sight, out of mind until the head didn’t work.

The report noted the wires were not secured properly, the terminals (positive) were not protected with any insulation barrier in case of accidental shorting, the wires were also chaffed, and insulation was worn and exposing bare wires. If you discover questionable operation of AC or DC components on your boat, it’s a good idea to get a marine electrician involved to help troubleshoot.

Securing wires properly and installing insulated covers over the terminals will provide protection in cases where wires can chafe or come in contact with something that can short out unprotected terminals.

Corrosion

I recently surveyed two boats of the same vintage just a day apart. Maybe I wouldn’t have noticed that the first boat had an owner with a different philosophy regarding corrosion control than the second boat owner if I hadn’t surveyed them one day apart. As I went through the engine room on the first boat, a 1979 trawler, the owner continually told me how well he maintains his engines. I didn’t agree with him based on the amount of corrosion and leaks all through the engine room.

On the next day, I surveyed another 1979 trawler, and as I was going through the engine room, I asked the owner how he maintained his engines and kept everything so clean. He had built in a weekly schedule to look for leaks and corrosion and makes daily visits to the engine room to ensure everything was operating properly. That made all the difference.

The examples used in this article are not necessarily for boat owners to fix on their own, but a capable owner certainly could. The main point is to call out maintenance items that are ignored and deferred until the boat is up for sale or needs an insurance survey. Smart boaters take care of their investment regularly and not only want a safe and better operating vessel, but also like to get maximum resale when they put the vessel on the market. ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/BoatSurveyorFinds

Electrical the wrong way

Electrical the right way

Corrosion out of control Corrosion control the right way

WILDWOOD, NJ VS OCEAN CITY, MD

“THE SHORE” OR “THE OCEAN,” WHICH EAST COAST BEACH TOWN IS BETTER?

BY ALEXA ZIZZI

WILDWOOD, NJ

BEACH & BOARDWALK

The historic 2.5-mile boardwalk boasts over 100 rides and attractions spanning three piers. Kids love the family-owned Morey’s Piers at Marnier’s Landing, Surfside Pier and Adventure Pier, plus two aquaparks, Ocean Oasis Water Park & Beach Club and Raging Waters. Wildwood’s beaches are the largest in New Jersey stretching 500 yards from the boardwalk to the ocean. Fortunately, a beach taxi is available to cart you to relaxation!

OCEAN CITY, MD

Located on a barrier island that lies between the Chesapeake Bay on the west and Atlantic Ocean on the east, this vacation town offers the best of both worlds. The boardwalk’s historic wooden planks stretch about three miles from the Ocean City Inlet to 32nd Street beach and is lined with rides, arcades, shops, bars and restaurants. The briny smell of Thrasher’s fries instantly hits your senses as you stroll the inlet at Jolly Roger’s at the Pier. For more entertainment and two fun putt-putt golf courses, visit Jolly Roger’s second location at 30th Street bayside.

WATERFRONT BARS & RESTAURANTS

On the oceanside, Seaport Pier hosts a live music venue and family-friendly bar and grill overlooking the 22nd Street beach that features a tiki bar with fruity drinks. For top dock and dines, cruise lakeside to Boathouse Restaurant & Marina Deck or visit the south end at the foot of the Cape May-Wildwood Crest bridge to feast on seafood at Two Mile Crab House at Two Mile Landing Marina. On the other end in West Wildwood, sample fresh ceviche and tacos at The Dock.

Choose between sipping cocktails on the lively boardwalk overlooking Atlantic waves or a calm dock and dine boater’s haven on the bayside. In West OC near the bridge into town, tie up at Hoopers Crabhouse & Sneaky Pete’s. Dock uptown at Seacrets main party hub for frozen drinks and dancing at multiple live music stages. For an escape off the beaten path, cruise to Harpoon Hanna’s in Fenwick just minutes across the Maryland-Delaware line.

HISTORY & CULTURE

Lenni-Lenape Indians dwelled along The Wildwoods before the first-recorded European settlers arrived in the 1600s. On the north end, whalers and fishermen frequented the Hereford Inlet through the 17th and 18th centuries. The first boardwalk measured only 150 yards until it was extended in 1904 and eventually expanded into the 70,000 planks it holds today. Explore the arts scene with seasonal events at the Wildwoods Convention Center Oceanfront Arena or visit The Doo Wop Experience to travel back in time to Wildwood’s 1950s and ‘60s heydays.

Algonquian tribes occupied these beaches before Europeans arrived in the 1500s, and colonists moved from Virginia to settle in what is now nicknamed “OCMD.” The town remained a sleepy fishing village until the first hotel was built in 1875 — The Atlantic Hotel — which still stands today. Though OCMD is just over 60 miles south of Wildwood, slang is the notable cultural difference between the regions. People who frequent Jersey beaches refer to it as “the shore,” whereas those who natively vacation in Maryland say, “the ocean.” Or if you’re from Baltimore, you say: “Goin’ downy ocean, hon!”

VIRGINIA’S EASTERN SHORE

A boater’s paradise with so much to explore

BY TERI MILLER

NESTLED BETWEEN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND ATLANTIC OCEAN, the 70-mile stretch of the southern Eastern Shore is a welcoming mix of quiet towns, unique histories and unspoiled beaches. If you’re looking for weekend getaway or day trip ideas, it’s hard to beat the charm and allure of the coastal towns of Crisfield, Onancock and Cape Charles.

Crisfield

Maryland’s maritime history runs deep in Crisfield, and it is deeply connected to Virginia’s waterfront communities. Once known as the “Seafood Capital of the World,” much of the town’s land was created from the massive accumulation of oyster shells. With more than 500 deep-water slips, a protected harbor and ample amenities, Somers Cove Marina is the best place to tie up whether you are staying the day or a few nights.

Like many small coastal towns, Crisfield has struggled to maintain an active retail presence, but they more than make up for this by hosting various annual events that celebrate the boisterous blue crab and seafood industry. Crisfield’s largest event is the annual National Hard Crab Derby, held every Labor Day since 1947. Event highlights include a parade, boat docking and crab picking competitions and The Crab Bowl, which turns Somers Cove Marina into a fairground with rides, concerts, vendor stands and fireworks.

When you visit, be sure to stop by the J. Millard Tawes Museum and discover the rich seafood heritage. Crisfield serves as one of the departure points for visiting Tangier and Smith Islands. You can find ferry transport leaving directly from Somers Cove Marina or in town. Tangier and Smith Islands are fading gems of Chesapeake Bay’s rich history and worth every effort to visit.

Will Parson-Chesapeake Bay Program/Flickr

Crisfield

Don Amadeo/Flickr

Tangier & Smith Islands

Tangier Island lies 12 miles off the western coast of the Eastern Shore. Residents of this small remote island have been working the Chesapeake waters for generations. Their historical ancestry is apparent in the unique dialect spoken on the island. Many of the around 500 residents speak a form of English not heard of anywhere else in the world. This working watermen’s island is home to an unspoiled fishing village with quaint narrow streets and a few places to eat. Unearth their treasured history with a stop at the town’s museum.

Smith Island is a three-by-five-mile island chain and home to around 200 full-time residents. Ewell is the largest of the island chain and where tourist boats deliver visitors. You will find three restaurants and a visitor center in the Ewell community, as well as golf cart rentals to make island exploration easier. Like Tangier Island, the Smith Island way of life is tied to the Bay, and watermen continue to harvest seafood, mostly crabs, clams and oysters.

A Maryland favorite, the Smith Island cake, originated here. Long ago, local ladies perfected a recipe that packs 10 thin layers of cake and icing into a three-inch-tall confectionary treat. You can find Smith Island cakes throughout the Eastern Shore, but savoring a slice while visiting the island is iconic.

Onancock

Centrally located on the Bay side of the Eastern Shore, Onancock is an inviting small town that was founded in 1680. Its rare deep-water access made it a perfect port, with steamboats traveling between Baltimore and Norfolk and stopping in the waterfront community for supplies and rest.

Today, the town continues to be a place to find rest. Onancock Creek is heavily used by barges and boats, helping to keep the shoaling at bay and creating an easy

Crisfield water tower

Susan Elnicki Wade

Smith Island cake with strawberries

Jane Thomas/Wikimedia Commons

Onancock

entry and anchorage for boaters. As you meander up Onancock Creek, time seems to slow down. Drop anchor in one of the available basins for priceless views or make your way to Onancock Wharf & Marina, which is small and can get busy, so reservations are a good idea.

Onancock is easily walkable and bike friendly. Adjacent to the town wharf is the Hopkins & Bro. Store, an historic landmark housing an exhibit and restaurant, Mallards at the Wharf. Stop by for a bit of history and a great meal with a view. As you venture into town, you find quiet streets lined with beautifully maintained Victorian homes and tastefully restored buildings with antique stores, boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.

Beyond the first glimpse of the town, be sure to venture a little farther and visit Ker Place on Market Street and Historic Onancock School. Ker Place is a lovely, restored mansion and curated museum. It’s a great place to learn about Eastern Shore

history, and the grounds are vibrant and inviting mid-summer. Halls and classrooms of the Historic Onancock School, which once bustled with students, today serve as work studios and event venues for artists and musicians. It’s free and open to the public.

Cape Charles

Located at the southern end of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Cape Charles began as a coastal railroad town. In 1884, a railroad connected Virginia’s Eastern Shore to Norfolk, with ferries for passengers and railcars docking at Cape Charles. In 1885, construction began for a planned community on a gridwork of streets laid out on a parcel of 136 acres. Many of those original structures are still visible in the town, which has grown to become a thriving coastal community.

Three marinas serve Cape Charles: The Oyster Farm Marina at Kings Creek, Town Harbor and the Cape Charles Yacht

Ker Place in Onancock

Cape Charles

Crab cake in Crisfield

Joel Bradshaw/Wikimedia Commons

Onancock wharf sign

Center. Oyster Farm Marina is at the North end of town and follows the Cherrystone Inlet into Kings Creek. The entrance can get shallow, so mind your charts or call the marina for local knowledge. The marina has beautifully maintained floating docks, a pool and on-site restaurants, The Oyster Farm and C-Pier.

Closer to the town proper, just off the mouth of the Chesapeake, an 18-footdeep channel into the harbor provides easy access and docking at the Cape Charles Town Harbor and Cape Charles Yacht Center marinas. The Cape Charles Town Harbor marina offers a mix of floating and fixed docks within walking distance of town. Cape Charles Yacht Center is just across the harbor with well-kept floating docks and a courtesy car or golf cart for guests. While the town is walkable and bike friendly, to get the most out of your visit, renting a golf cart from one of the two local providers is recommended.

Mason Avenue, the town’s main street, will greet you with plenty of coastal shops and several eateries. Grab a dozen oysters and a hand-crafted cocktail at the local distillery, sip hard cider at the cidery or relax on the deck of the Shanty as you enjoy the dockside menu. If you have a sweet tooth, Cape Charles has you covered with three ice cream shops, an old-time candy store and bakeries.

A short half-mile stroll will take you to the Cape Charles Museum & Welcome Center; just head for the water tower painted to look like a lighthouse. A bit farther, but still reachable by foot, bike or golf cart, is the Cape Charles Brewery. They offer a great selection of craft beers and some of the best food around. Make your way to the far end of Mason Avenue to discover Cape Charles’ best kept secret — a mile-long white, sandy beach (that’s very wide when the tide is out) and a fishing pier (no license necessary). The wide beach, shallow water shelf and nearby

Cape Charles sunset

willgar64/Flickr

Susan Elnicki Wade

Joel Abroad/Flickr

David Broad/Wikimedia Commons

parking make this beach perfect for those seeking easy access, reduced crowds, calm water and stunning views.

When visiting Cape Charles, take time for a day anchorage just down the bay and explore the ghost ships at Kiptopeke State Park. During WWII, when steel was scarce, 24 experimental concrete ships were commissioned for transport usage. In 1948, nine of these decommissioned vessels were brought to the lower Eastern Shore and intentionally sunk to provide a breakwater for what was then an active ferry terminal.

Today these relics continue to provide

a buffer from powerful waves and are now an established wildlife habitat. These behemoth structures rise above the water and flocks of pelicans frolic, fly and feed all around this unique nesting area. The ships are prime fishing spots but maintain a 50-foot distance to avoid hazardous situations. If you have a shallow draft boat, join locals at a day anchorage just south of the ships.

Formerly known as Jackspot, nearby Sunset Beach Bar & Grill has a tiki bar vibe, music, a sandy beach and shaded seating. There is no dock, so boaters roll up into the shallows, drop anchor and wade

ashore. The water leading up to the beach is lined with a series of small sandbars that run parallel to the beach, so be mindful of depths and tide changes.

The nooks and crannies of our beloved Chesapeake Bay never cease to amaze me. The excitement of discovering, or rediscovering, hidden gems like these coastal towns is part of what makes the Bay’s Eastern Shore a boater’s delight. ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/VirginiaEasternShore

Sunset Beach Bar & Grill

If you have a shallow draft boat, join locals at a day anchorage just south of the ships

Grab a dozen oysters and a hand-crafted cocktail at the local distillery

Susan Elnicki Wade

Susan Elnicki Wade

The Quest for Empty Nest

THE JOYS AND OBSTACLES OF BUYING A NEW BOAT

BY AVI RUBIN

I’ve never subscribed to the “two happiest days in a boat owner’s life” mantra, at least not the part about selling. Parting with boats has never been easy for me. But getting a new boat, well, I can’t think of anything more exciting that doesn’t involve a major family event.

Planning for the next boat began about five years ago when my wife Ann and I realized that we’d soon be empty nesters, and I was reaching retirement age for my

On Sababa with friends and family

Avi Rubin

Sababa

Benny Rubin

job as a professor at Johns Hopkins. The original idea was to take a sabbatical and spend a year doing the Great Loop. I completely obsessed about it and attended every boat show seminar related to that voyage, read every article and book on the subject, and interviewed former Loopers.

I won’t say that shopping for a Loop boat wasn’t fun. As my friend Matt says, “Boat shopping is almost as fun as boating.” At the time, we had a 60-foot Prestige Fly named Sababa that was fun for our family of three kids and a dog but was inadequate for the Loop in every possible way. Our air draft was 25 feet, well over the 19’ 6” dictated by the lowest fixed bridge on the Loop. Our range was around 200 miles, well below what’s

needed, and our two 30-gallon holding tanks, well, I’ll spare you the gory details, but they were not made for a lengthy voyage.

So, it was time to find a new boat.

Boat shows are infinitely more exciting when you are actually buying. However, because our goal was to do the Great Loop, we kept running into constraints, mostly related to size. We wanted a big boat, around 70 feet, because we planned to live somewhere warm on the boat several months out of the year. The only boat I found that met all our criteria was the Fleming 65.

Apparently, several Flemings successfully cruised the Great Loop. But we faced two problems. First and

foremost, Ann does not like the Flemings’ interior decor, and we both find it a bit narrow on the beam for a boat this size. The second problem was no late models were available for sale, and a new build was estimated at three years.

An Epiphany and a New Plan

One day, after my regular two hours of looking at boat listings online, I had an epiphany. Instead of fitting the new boat to the trip we want to take (a massive undertaking, not to mention expense), let’s get our perfect boat and then figure out our trips.

Ann was on board before I could get the words out. Suddenly, we had clarity! We could check all our boxes! A large,

Empty Nest almost done

Empty Nest early progress

Photos Avi Rubin

Flybridge not on yet

indoor flybridge, country kitchen instead of lower helm, twin 1200 HP engines, oversized fuel tanks, zero speed stabilizers, dining room big enough for a poker game, dual 24” Garmin displays at the helm, twin generators for redundancy, fuel polishing system, line cutters, bow and stern thrusters, FLIR infrared night vision system, Starlink satellite receiver, Bonine boat status system, 1,500 mile range at 10 knots, capability to do 20 knots, and on and on. Ann had some things she wanted as well, but I don’t remember them (just kidding).

Our new plan took shape for May 2024 through April 2025. We’d travel north from our Annapolis home with summer stops in Cape May, Manhattan, Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Boston, Maine, Halifax and any place along the way that we want to explore. Then, we’d head south in the winter to the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and

Barbados. The Great Loop adventure will have to wait.

After many hours of research, including several boat shows, we narrowed the list to four boat brands that would meet our dream requirements, namely Fleming, Marlow, Outer Reef and Hampton Endurance. These manufacturers have models around 70 feet LOA with many features we required and some that are just nice to have. We would have been happy with any of them.

When we converged on our four choices for the next boat, another major change occurred in our lives (beside a new global pandemic that turned the world upside down). Our youngest kids, the twins, graduated high school and were heading to college. So, Ann and I immediately sold our house and moved to our dream waterfront home in Annapolis. (We debated whether to share the new address with our children, and eventually decided to.)

The new Annapolis house has a 300-foot-long pier, but we encountered other challenges. We had just below five feet of MLLW at the end of the dock. Also, there was no spot for a new 70’ boat, because boat lifts were in the way.

We would have to dredge and reconfigure the dock, and I was warned that in Annapolis, the permits alone can take over a year. I interviewed several companies that build docks and finally came up with a workable plan and signed a contract. We’d move one of the boat lifts, replace a bunch of pilings and dredge down a couple of feet. On the day of the house closing, we filed the paperwork for the permits. They took 14 months to issue.

Down to four boat models, our search went into overdrive. We visited the Fleming dealership, Burr Yachts near Annapolis and spent most of the day on the 58 and the 65. At the Miami boat show, we spent over an hour with the Marlow Explorer and toured brokerage

Laundry

Photos by Avi Rubin

Engine room

Empty Nest mid-build

Marlows that were nice. Ann did not love the shiny wood interior, and neither of us liked the two-year wait for a new build.

We saw a fantastic looking Outer Reef at a boat show, and we even went to Ft. Myers when a one-year-old Outer Reef 72 came on the market. That one was close, but we didn’t like the closed floor plan. A deal breaker.

One day, a late model Hampton Endurance 720 came online in Seattle. It seemed perfect – checked all the boxes on paper. We flew to see it and were getting excited until we asked to see the maintenance records and discovered the boat hadn’t been used in over a year. Another deal breaker. Dang!

While in Seattle, we saw a couple of other Endurance boats and become increasingly enamored with that model.

Then, our broker told us about an Endurance 658L already in build at the factory in Shanghai, China. It could still be fully customized and would only take a year to finish. It had a length overall of 71’ and a beam of 19’2” with a draft of 5’3.” The boat cruises at 10 knots but can do 20 in a pinch with twin 1200 HP Man engines. We decided to go for it!

Negotiating the purchase of a new yacht was daunting. We had dozens of features to choose from, many standard items and seemingly unlimited options. I sat down with the brokers and came up with the full, exhaustive feature list before discussing cost. This way I’d know what I was getting for a particular price.

After dreaming about and planning

this purchase for so long, I already had an idea of what I wanted down to the kinds of helm chairs, floor plan layout and electronics brand. With the list finalized, which included everything I could possibly want or imagine, they gave us a quote.

I tried to negotiate and found that they were much more willing to throw in a couple of extra features than to move on the price. However, I spoke with a friend who happens to be a lawyer specializing in maritime law, and he told me it is perfectly legal to flag the boat overseas and not pay import tariffs. Above a certain price point, that’s pretty much what everyone does.

When I proposed this to the boat sellers, they reduced the price down to the

Drone shot of new finished dock in Annapolis

Photos by Avi Rubin

End of dock after construction

number I was looking for, and by that evening we had a final contract. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the moment that I signed. It was February 24, 2022. One of the happiest days in this boat owner’s life.

We spent the next six months picking out fabrics, tiles, furniture, electronics, window treatments, etc. It was like building a house. Samples arrived in the mail, and decisions were needed quickly. I decided to forego satellite TV in favor of Starlink Internet and streaming and then worked with electronics specialists to design the boat’s wiring plan. I needed to get this right, because it’s a lot easier to pre-wire than to add things later when the walls are closed.

Luckily for me and Ann, every major choice was important to one of us but not the other. I was fine with whatever

furniture Ann wanted in the salon, and she was not interested in the brand and size of chart plotter at the helm. So, it worked out perfectly. We also agreed on a name, Empty Nest, and named our dinghy Nestling.

On February 27, 2023, almost a year to the day from the signed contract, our new boat was placed on a barge in Shanghai, China, taken to port, and loaded onto the container ship, APL Danube, headed for Miami. I tracked the progress on marinetraffic.com every day (okay, several times a day) and watched as the ship passed by Japan, entered the Panama Canal, then stopped in Houston, Mobile,

and finally at the Port of Miami on April 6.

To follow Avi Rubin’s adventures with his new boat, go to his Marinalife blog at marinalife.com/articles/retired-afloat-avisboating-blog ml

Empty Nest’s first ride in the U.S.A.

Avi Rubin

Dan Bacot

Dinghy Nestling

The adventure of a lifetime

America’s Great Loop

100+ Locks • 5,250+ Miles... ... all aboard your own boat!

Ready to start your own adventure?

Join our group of likeminded boaters exploring the 6,000mile waterway known as the Great Loop. There is no more unique way to explore the U.S. and Canada than from the water! Whether you’re brand new to the idea of the Great Loop, actively planning your trip, or ready to drop the dock lines and head out, we offer something for you! Visit us at www.greatloop.org or call 877-GR8-LOOP

Membership in America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association includes:

• Access to hundreds of harbor hosts to assist you with local knowledge around the route

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• Webinars exclusively for members

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• Monthly digital magazines and newsletters

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A New View of WASHINGTON, DC

Come See What’s Happening along the Potomac River

BY SUSAN ELNICKI WADE

A wave of change has hit the District of Columbia over the past few decades. Some transitions were gradual; others left long-time residents amazed by the unexpected growth in the metro area. Of all the communities that continue to evolve, the Potomac River waterfront keeps morphing in the blink of an eye.

Boaters see it. Navigating the stretch from the Chesapeake Bay to Washington used to be a long haul, ending with only a few places to dock and then venturing up into the city’s interior to experience monuments and cultural amenities. Now, a trip up the Potomac rewards visitors with a dazzling array of restaurants, shops, sports arenas, music venues, cultural centers, and green spaces — all within walking distance of where you tie up your boat.

This riverside renaissance has sparked a new excitement about the nation’s capital. From National Harbor to Georgetown Waterfront, the stretch of 20 miles along the Potomac River has become a top boating destination where visitors watch fireworks sparkle the sky around the Washington monument, fish for bass in the waters near George Washington’s home and bring a little luck to the hometown baseball team. To experience it all with ease, take your boat or the water taxi to these riverside neighborhoods and join the District’s summertime fun.

NATIONAL HARBOR

The 350 acres where National Harbor now stands was once farm fields and marshlands, until 1984 when the Peterson Companies began developing the property into a world-class boating destination 10 miles south of DC. The marina and a plethora of restaurants and boutique shops started attracting visitors, followed by Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center Tanger Outlets and MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino. To get a clear picture of the area’s expansive growth, take a ride on the 180-foot-tall Capital Wheel. Down below you’ll see children riding horses and aquatic critters as they swirl around on the Carousel, as well as American flags flapping in the breeze at Spirit Park. Don’t be alarmed if you notice a giant’s head, arms and legs emerging from the beach. It’s a massive statue called “The Awakening” and the largest installation among scores of artwork on the grounds that includes life-like replicas of famous figures from Henry Ford and Louis Armstrong to Rosie the Riveter and soldiers from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. National Harbor bustles year-round, but it really shines in spring and summer. Along with its own Cherry Blossom celebration, it also hosts festivals that showcase jazz music, Chesapeake seafood, and craft beer and wine. Families flock to movie nights on the big outdoor screen and enjoy the Salute the Sunset concert series that features military bands. nationalharbor.com

Capital Wheel at National Harbor

THE YARDS

As you cruise up the Potomac toward DC, head northeast when you reach the Anacostia River, and after you pass under Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, you arrive at The Yards. During the 18th and 19th centuries, industry dominated the deep-water port with shipbuilding, maritime trades, a sugar refinery, brewery and more.

Decades of industrial waste and neglect took a toll on the waterway, so in 2004 when Forest City Washington, Inc. took over the 42-acre strip of land, it agreed to help clean up the river and shoreline. By the time The Yards development opened in 2010, an environmental resurrection was well underway.

The results of this urban renewal are astonishing. The Anacostia River is on the mend, and community growth along the waterfront is flourishing with new restaurants, pubs and retail stores, as well as a brewery, winery, dog park, gardens, and colorful Dancing Fountains with a splash pool for cooling down during the summer heat.

Boaters can dock at the marina and walk to the National’s baseball stadium or see DC United play soccer at Audi Field. The nearby Metro stop takes visitors all around the city, and 12 miles of the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail are open for hikers, joggers, bicyclists, outdoor enthusiasts and dog walkers. The Ballpark Boathouse rents kayaks and canoes, while festivals and concerts showcase the diversity of local cuisine, culture and music. Thanks to Sea Suite Cruises, a tiki pontoon barge adds a touch of tropical fun to waterfront travel. theyardsdc.com

Greg Hadley

Nationals Park

Mike Myers

Greg Hadley

Waterfront park

THE WHARF

When you head south out of the Anacostia River, head starboard after the National War College to cruise up Washington Channel. The island that lies between the Channel and Potomac River was built with rocks and debris dredged from the river in the late 1800s to drain swamp waters. Today it’s home to East Potomac Park with a golf course, playground, bike trails, tennis center and picnic areas. For the past few decades, it’s offered the perfect vantage point for watching the Southwest Waterfront’s dramatic transformation.

What many consider the stunning centerpiece of the waterfront dates back to the late 1700s when Fort McNair was erected to protect the capital’s southern ports. By 1805, the Fish Market was packing ice around Chesapeake delicacies such as crabs, oysters and fish. It is America’s oldest seafood marketplace and a favorite spot for provisions. By the late 1950s, the neighborhood fell upon hard times, and the city began plans for development.

In 2014, Hoffman-Madison broke ground on the first phase of the revitalization, and phase two wrapped up in 2022, extending the riverside development to a mile long. Now, tall modern buildings with walls of windows guarantee a spectacular view of the four piers and channel. With 60 eateries ranging from casual cafes and an Irish pub to an oyster bar and Mediterranean cuisine, dining options seem unlimited. Three

entertainment venues — The Anthem (6,000-capacity), the more intimate Pearl Street Warehouse and Union Stage — host A-list and local performers. The atmosphere is lively year-round, even in winter when the Wharf sets up an ice-skating rink and kids toast smores in a firepit.

The 400-slip marina also got a makeover with new amenities such as fuel pumps, a dock shop with snacks and a swanky new boater’s lounge with Gordon Ramsay’s latest high-end restaurant on the top floor. The new Oasis Boat Club allows you to get out on the water if you didn’t come by boat.

NEW CLUB BRINGS EASY BOATING TO THE NATION’S CAPITAL

If you’re eager to explore the Potomac River and DC’s fabulous attractions, then join a new boating community at the waterfront. Launched in May 2023 by Oasis Marinas, the members-only Oasis Boat Club has a fleet of high-quality center console, dual console and pontoon boats tied up at The Wharf Marina.

These vessels are ready to accommodate any occasion from an afternoon family cruise to a fishing expedition with friends. All you need is a valid boating license to get out on the water from April 1 to October 31.

Stay tuned as this boating club grows. This summer, Oasis plans to launch a second location in Baltimore out of Lighthouse Point Marina for trips around the Inner Harbor, Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay. For details, visit theoasisboatclub.com

Photo courtesty of The Wharf

The Wharf fireworks

GEORGETOWN WATERFRONT

Exiting the Washington Channel to cruise north up the Potomac River brings boaters to Georgetown Waterfront, a 10-acre spread of revitalized land between the historic Watergate complex and Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge. In Colonial times, the shore was lined with wharfs and warehouses, creating one of America’s busiest tobacco ports.

After the Civil War, the river began to silt up and couldn’t accommodate large seafaring ships, so Georgetown turned into an industrial area housing businesses from an ice company to a construction materials manufacturer. By the mid-1900s, most of the factories moved away or shuttered, and by the 1970s, abandoned industrial buildings were torn down, leaving the riverside as a dumping ground and parking lot where the city stored garbage trucks and a mountain of salt.

Before long, urban revitalization efforts kicked in, giving the waterfront a fresh new look and purpose. Today, lovely commercial and residential buildings stand along the shore, offering a scenic view of Rosslyn, Virginia’s skyline, historic landmarks and the graceful arches of the bridges. Boaters pull up along the promenade to dine at a dozen restaurants or lounge around firepits sipping cocktails at outdoor bars.

The 10-acre park presents urban green space where you can lay down a blanket for a picnic, watch rowing races on the river or let your dog growl at ducks at the water’s edge. Amenities include a stone labyrinth, areas for music events and festivals, and landscaping that showcases the blooms of the season. At the other end of the development, Thompson Boat Center rents kayaks, canoes and small outboards for visitors who want an active water experience. Overall, the entire development now bustles with an energetic vibe. ml

Georgetown Waterfront

JOIN THE PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGE CONTEST!

Now that you know about the Potomac River’s amazing waterfront neighborhoods, Marinalife invites you to explore the local history by joining this summer’s Presidential Challenge Contest.

As you cruise from National Harbor to DC’s Georgetown waterfront, you’ll encounter 7 landmarks that are named after United States presidents and are visible from your boat. Can you find all of them? As a bonus, also locate the landmark that’s named for a U.S. First Lady. To enter the contest, here’s what to do:

• When you locate each landmark, take a selfie of you and your crew at the location and note the U.S. president’s name.

• After you find all 7 landmarks, go to marinalife.com/PresidentialChallenge to submit your answers and location, the photographer’s credit, and your contact info, email and phone.

• Send your submissions to Marinalife by Monday, August 14, 2023.

• If you can’t visit Washington this summer, play along virtually with a map and submit your findings as an e-contestant without photos.

Winners will be announced in the 2023 fall issue of Marinalife, our monthly newsletter and website. Prizes will be announced soon. Good luck! We hope you enjoy the presidential scavenger hunt.

Georgetown Waterfront Park

Georgetown Waterfront

Susan Elnicki Wade

Thompson Boat Center

Washington Nationals Presidential Mascots

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Cruising from Green Bay to Marinette

BY ELLEN HONEY

THE SHORELINE NEAR GREEN BAY is scattered with small towns with big personalities, spectacular scenery and multiple opportunities to enjoy fish boils, supper clubs, and incomparable local cheeses. Wisconsin’s first settlement hums with contagious energy, much of it generated by the fan-owned Packers football team, but Green Bay’s trendy restaurants, vibrant art galleries and bustling breweries give the city a year-round fun vibe.

Lively street art adorns the visitor-friendly downtown districts straddling the Fox River. Must stops are LoCo WisCo, a local retail collective of artists and producers crazy about Wisconsin, the Packers Pro Shop and any place that serves cheese curds, a local delicacy.

Curds are breaded or beer-battered white cheddar, deep fried and served with buttermilk ranch. For traditional style, check out no-frills Al’s Hamburgers, an old-school 1930s eatery. Copper State Brewing Co. pairs one of its beers and beer-battered cheese curds with a homemade Bloody Mary aioli.

Also noteworthy: Paper has been an important regional industry. Northern Paper Company offered the first splinter-free toilet paper in 1935 earning Green Bay the tag, “Toilet Paper Capital of the World.” The city is also known for its comprehensive National Railroad Museum with more than 70 pieces of rolling stock, plus numerous displays of artifacts.

Day 1: Egg Harbor

Green Bay to Egg Harbor — 44 NM

Heading northeast, the rugged shoreline of Door County ambles up the starboard side. Tucked among the vineyards, farms and fruit orchards are charming communities such as Egg Harbor. A launch ramp and 500 feet of sandy beach are part of its recently remodeled waterfront.

Start your day at Buttercups Coffee located in the Main Street Shops, a collection of boutiques in a park-like setting. Or head for the links and grab lunch on the patio overlooking the ninth green at Stone Hedge Golf & Pub

Explore the area on a narrated tour aboard the Door County Trolley or nibble and sup the afternoon away on your own. You’ll find artisanal and farmstead champion cheeses at Wisconsin Cheese Masters store. Soak up a brew or cider next to a cozy firepit in One Barrel Brewing ’s enormous beer garden and pair it with a classic pie from Pizza Bros on site Sample a small batch spirit crafted from the ground up with local organic grains and honey at Hatch Distilling Co.

Prefer grapes over hops? Create a flight from Harbor Ridge Winery ’s full spectrum of exceptional wines in their welcoming log cabin tasting room and wine shop.

For dinner, The Fireside Restaurant is a classic supper club with a Cajun attitude serving Big Easy Jambalaya alongside Door County’s original chicken and waffles

Where to Dock: Egg Harbor Marina

West Harbor Frykman Studio

Dan Eggert, Destination Door County

Day 2: Washington Island

Egg Harbor to Washington Island — 26 NM

Cruising into the once treacherous strait linking Lake Michigan and Green Bay, known as “Death’s Door,” many of the over 240 known shipwrecks lie in water so shallow they’re visible from a boat. Deeper vessels make for an exciting snorkeling adventure.

Before hopping aboard the Cherry Train for a narrated tour of Washington Island ’s folklore and legends, grab some great coffee (honey and brown sugar

cinnamon latte) and homemade baked goods at WIS-CO. Must-see destinations nearby include the Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm & Shop where acres of purple lavender are turned into charming products, and the Art & Nature Center that features local artists’ paintings, jewelry and pottery.

Early settlers were primarily Scandinavian, especially Icelandic, and the island is home to one of the oldest Icelandic communities in the United States. Traditional Scandinavian fish boils — whitefish boiled in a metal kettle over an open fire — is a leading tourist

attraction. The Koyen Collection that includes K.K. Fiske Restaurant, Granary Saloon and Coop Hangout boasts “the only fresh caught, boneless, skinless fish boil in Door County.”

Take in a bit of Prohibition history and a shot of bitters at Nelsen’s Hall Bitter ’s Pub, the largest purveyor of Angostura Bitters in the world selling more than 10,000 shots annually.

Where to Dock: Shipyard

Island Marina

Day 3: Marinette

Washington Island to Marinette — 33 NM

The town is named after the daughter of an Indian chief who ran a trading post and was dubbed the name Queen Marinette. During the lumbering boom

Washington Island

Dan Eggert, Destination Door County

Cheese curds from Albatross Drive-In

of the late 1800s, the city became a major lumber port and processing area. Isaac Stephenson, a lumberman who once owned the world ’s largest sawmill, and Queen Marinette each have statues on the Historic Riverside Avenue Walking Tour that includes historic homes dating back to 1885.

Stephenson Island, a small park in the Menominee River, is accessible via footbridge. Birdwatchers can walk from Red Arrow Park to Seagull Bar State

Natural Area, a critical habitat for piping plovers and migratory birds. The lagoon is shallow for a long way making it easy to anchor out, then wade or dinghy to land.

Food options are wide ranging. For homemade pizza, head for The Brothers Three. Blue Bike Burrito offers a smorgasbord of Southwestern favorites.

Rail House Restaurant & Brewpub boasts award-winning microbrews on tap and a popular Friday fish fry in the beer garden. Go retro at 1940s Mickey-Lu Bar-B-Q,

with a diner with jukebox and red and chrome barstools.

Last chance for one of Wisconsin’s famous supper club dinners is at Marinette River’s Edge Supper Club. Dock at the property ’s pier overlooking the Menominee River.

Where to Dock: Nestegg Marine ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/GreenBayToMarinette

Friday fish fry

Marinette train bridge

Bruce Schwierske /Flickr Edgar Anderson

Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm

K.K Fiske

A TALE OF TWO SEASONINGS

BY JAMES R. BARNETT

Summer is crab eating time in the Chesapeake region, and nowhere is this more celebrated than in Maryland. I hang out with several friends from Baltimore, so trust me when I tell you that few things excite a Marylander more than tearing into a bushel of steamed, red-shelled beauties encrusted with an aromatic seasoning — especially when accompanied by cold beer and an

Orioles baseball game. A distinct and unique mouthfeel occurs when sweet crab meat collides with the zesty burnt orange coating of spice that gets all over your fingers, clothing, ears of corn, beer bottles and just about anything else in the vicinity. Yes, it’s messy,

Except it wasn’t always that way. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the oyster was king of the Chesapeake. Crabs were abundant and cheap. Cooks used the meat for crab cakes or in creamy dishes such as crab bisque, deviled crab and crab imperial. Eating a steamed hard crab was considered a bit common, something that was fine over on the Eastern Shore but not in the big city. This all started to change around 1915 when refrigeration and transportation improved, and seafood purveyors began shipping hard crabs to city retail markets.

Fast forward to World War II. As fate would have it, two entrepreneurs – a German refugee and a Chesapeake waterman – left their homes and came to Baltimore looking for a new start. Through hard work and perseverance, the products they created helped elevate the reputation and demand for what we know today as Maryland-style steamed crabs. Although their names might not be familiar to most people today, their crab seasonings certainly are.

Old Bay Seasoning

Gustav Brunn was a successful Jewish German sausage spice maker by trade. In 1938, the Nazis destroyed his business, arrested him and sent him to the Buchenwald concentration camp. After his lawyer bribed the Gestapo to free him, the Brunn family escaped Germany and sailed for Baltimore where they had relatives among the city’s large German population. They arrived with little, but Gustav did bring along his hand-crank spice grinder. He initially found work with McCormick & Company, then the world’s largest spice company. The job didn’t last long, so with help from Baltimore’s Jewish community and a contact in New York, Brunn opened his own business, The Baltimore Spice Co., across from the city’s busy fish market.

He soon noticed what spices the fishmongers ordered and decided to create his own blend for seafood. After much experimentation, Brunn landed on an unusual mixture, a blend of popular spices of the day – pepper, salt, celery seed and mustard – to which he added more exotic flavors like paprika, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and others he declined to identify. After a couple of false starts, he named his seasoning “Old Bay,” taking inspiration from the Old Bay Steam Liner, which sailed the Chesapeake between Baltimore and Norfolk.

Old Bay’s popularity extends well beyond Maryland and can be found in just about every grocery store in the country

L1veb4y0udi3/Wikimedia Commons

LeeAnnWhite/iStock

Most Maryland crab houses use J.O. Seasoning and not Old Bay

The spice was a hit, and Old Bay thrived as a regional family company, often employing refugees. The McCormick Company purchased it in 1990, five years after Gustav Brunn died at the age of 92.

Today under McCormick’s brand management, the seasoning has never been more popular. You can find it on potato chips and peanuts, as well as in vodka and hot sauce. At Camden Yards, home of the Orioles baseball team, a fan favorite is a soft baked pretzel with crab dip, Monterey Jack cheese and Old Bay seasoning. Folks in Baltimore sprinkle Old Bay on fried chicken, shrimp, French fries, deviled eggs, chicken wings and even on caramel ice cream. In some bars, they’ll serve you a beer or a Bloody Mary in a glass rimmed with the seasoning. I’ve even seen a t-shirt proclaiming, “I put Old Bay on my Old Bay.”

Old Bay’s popularity, however, extends well beyond Maryland and can be found in just about every grocery store in the country. In fact, one might say Old Bay is America’s favorite spice mix – unless you work for the competition.

J.O. No. 1 Brand Seafood Seasoning

James Ozzle Strigle was born and raised on the slowly sinking and constantly eroding Tangier Island on Virginia’s side of the Chesapeake Bay. The island was settled first by Native Americans and then by Cornish fishermen and farmers in the late 17th century. The Strigle family worked the water for a living, as most of the island’s residents did and still do today. Over the years, each island family developed its own blend of spices for cooking the crabs, fish and oysters they caught.

In 1945, James (known as J.O.) and his wife Dorothy (aka Dot) moved to Baltimore to try their hand in the spice business. As a waterman, J.O. had

J.O. Seasoning and corn

grew. His seasoning blend was

especially sought out by crab houses and restaurants.

The company eventually outgrew its Baltimore venue, so the Strigles moved it south into Baltimore County where it remains today, a business run by third and fourth generation family members Don and Ginger Ports and their three children Bethany, Tyler and Brittany. In addition to its signature crab spice, J.O. today produces several alternative crab seasonings, a steak rub, shrimp batter, crab mallets and stainless-steel steamer pots.

Unlike Old Bay, you won’t find J.O. in grocery stores. Staying true to its roots, J.O. sells directly to crab houses and restaurants. In fact, J.O. customizes special blends for small independent crab houses up and down the East Coast. Consumers can buy it at the company outlet and in select Maryland tourist shops and hardware stores.

Like Old Bay, J.O. seasoning includes salt, black pepper, red pepper, mustard and celery seed. The rest of the ingredients are kept secret. But here’s the big secret: Most Maryland crab houses use J.O. seasoning and not Old Bay. It’s primarily because J.O.’s salt flakes and spices are a tad larger and adhere better to the crabs during the cooking process, thereby providing more of the intense briny flavor that crab consumers crave.

So, if you happen to find yourself behind a big messy pile of steamed crabs this summer, feel free to lick your fingers and raise a beer — or whatever libation you prefer — in honor of Brunn and Strigle. Their unique origin stories and the iconic seasonings are as American as apple pie and certainly worth our recognition. And if you’re feeling adventuresome, go ahead and sprinkle a little bit on your apple pie. It’s kind of tasty. ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/OldBay-JOSeasonings

seasoning by hand in porcelain basins

Eliyahu Parypa

NORTHPORT’S Coastal Charm

BY BOB ARRINGTON | PHOTOS BY DORI ARRINGTON

The picturesque village of Northport, NY, is located on the northern shore of Long Island and is home to a quaint downtown district, historic landmarks and stunning natural beauty. Downtown is the heart of the village, bustling with shops, restaurants and cafes along Main Street, as well as blocks of well-preserved 19th century storefronts. The street is lined with trees and benches, creating a welcoming atmosphere that invites visitors to take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the ambiance.

One of the most iconic downtown buildings is the John W. Engeman Theater Northport, which first opened its doors in 1922. This historic landmark, with its charming Art Deco façade and classic interior, is rare for a small village. Yet the theater continues to show first-run movies and is a beloved fixture in the community.

Many of Main Street’s art galleries showcase local artists’

work and feature paintings, sculptures and other artwork that give visitors a glimpse into the area’s creative talent.

Main Street ends at Bayview Avenue with a panoramic view of Northport Harbor. From spring to fall, locals and visitors picnic and stroll along the harbor quay in the shade of Northport and Cow Harbor Parks.

Boating is an important part of life here, with a wellprotected harbor and mooring field. Seymour’s Boatyard maintains permanent moorings for local boats and many transient moorings for visiting yachts.

The surrounding area is full of natural beauty, including several parks and beaches. One of the most popular, Crab Meadow Beach, presents stunning views of Long Island Sound. The park features a beach, playground and picnic area, making it a perfect family destination.

Northport is also known for its community spirit and strong

sense of history. The village hosts several events that celebrate its maritime heritage, such as Cow Harbor Day Festival. Across the harbor from downtown is the Vanderbilt Museum. This local treasure is housed in the magnificent mansion that was once the summer home of William Vanderbilt, a prominent member of the famous family. Built in the early 1900s, it features a stunning collection of art, artifacts and natural history specimens.

The museum’s popular marine exhibit features 20,000+ sea creatures including fish, turtles and sharks, and a 30,000-gallon aquarium with a variety of marine life. Several historic boats are also showcased, including Vanderbilt’s yacht, The Eagle, which is docked in the harbor adjacent to the museum. The museum’s planetarium features a state-of-the-art projector that simulates the night sky and offers presentations that explore astronomy and space science. ml

WHERE TO DOCK

Britannia Yachting Center

631-261-5600

Conveniently located at the southern end of Northport Harbor, the quiet, well-protected 310-slip marina is the ideal seasonal destination for transient slips. Just a five-minute walk to historic Northport Village, Britannia boasts 17 acres of recreational activities and first-class amenities in a relaxing atmosphere.

Northport Yacht Club

631-261-7633

This historic private club makes transient moorings available to reciprocal club members on the harbor. The clubhouse is known for superb meals with a stunning harbor view.

Seymour’s Boatyard

631-261-6574

Once a thriving shipyard with carpenters, iron workers and craftsmen, Seymour’s has transformed over the years into one of the most beloved family-owned yards on Long Island. Celebrating its 100th year in 2023, Seymour’s serves local clientele and visiting yachtsmen, while providing outstanding service.

WHERE TO DINE

Skippers

631-261-3589

At its prime waterfront location, Skippers has served Northport for 40+ years under family ownership. Expect outstanding food in a wonderful atmosphere that upholds the heritage of local shipbuilders and whalers. Patrons enjoy wall-size murals and a relaxed ambience of soft lighting.

Tim’s Shipwreck Diner

631-754-1797

This classic diner is open for breakfast and lunch. Its simple interior design with a touch of nostalgia harkens to days gone by. The prices are reasonable, and the portions generous. Good food is served in a friendly atmosphere at the heart of Northport.

Copenhagen Bakery

631-754-3256

Whether you come for the hearty potato soup, lobster rolls or overstuffed sandwiches, you will return for the tasty biscuits, apple pie and fruitcake at this favorite Northport café. Enjoy your meal with freshly made cider and follow it with coffee, tea or espresso. A short walk from the water, the café exudes a pleasant atmosphere inside and alfresco.

NEW ENGLAND AMUSEMENT PARKS

Fulfill summer dreams with thrill rides & boardwalk fries on the waterfront

BY CAROL BAREUTHER

Amusement and aquatic parks, with everything from death-defying rides to water slides, are synonymous with summer fun. Boaters love them. In fact, 57% of Americans said they enjoy these thrill-seeker playlands, according to a YouGov survey conducted in 2022. What’s more, this majority spanned the ages, with over half to two-thirds of Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers giving a thumbs up to amusement parks, including both women and men almost equally.

To take cruising plans up a notch this summer and add turf to the surf, visit these waterfront entertainment places in New England where families play from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Palace Playland

Old Orchard Beach, ME

Make this beachfront amusement park in New England the first pick on your list. Not only is the location right — in a quaint resort town 20 miles south of Portland near a handful of marinas — but admission is free with only a charge for rides and games. “Our 70-foot Sea Viper rollercoaster is a must-ride attraction. It offers a bird’s eye view of the seven miles of sandy beach, the pier at Old Orchard Beach, and the small barrier islands. We also have Thursday night fireworks that can be viewed best from our 60-foot gondola ride called Electra Wheel,” says Meagan Achenbach, vice president of Palace Playland Associates. The five-acre entertainment complex features other rides from a carousel with hand-painted horses to the spinning top Dizzy Dragon and the Orient Express rollercoaster that looks like a giant Chinese dragon. Maine’s largest arcade is here too, with 200+ vintage to video games. palaceplayland.com

Where to Dock: Marston’s Marina

York’s

Wild

Kingdom

York, ME

Talk to the animals, walk to the rides and chalk it all up to a great day at this 60-acre family-oriented combo zoo and amusement center, the only one of its kind in the state. Located less than a mile inland from Short Sands Beach in York on the southern tip of Maine, this adventure land is also a 10-mile drive north of Portsmouth, NH. “Feeding the birds is something special,” says Samantha Sauls, general manager, who adds it’s her daughter’s favorite activity. “Our expanded parakeet exhibit is where guests can feed a flock of birds. To do this, they purchase a stick with food on it and enter an enclosure full of 300+ birds. The parakeets are especially friendly and quickly land on guests and the foodfilled sticks. It’s fun to see the birds fly to and fro, and it’s an amazing photo opportunity.” African lions, two-toes sloths and zebras are among the zoo critters. A Ferris wheel, bumper cars, mini golf and more are here, too. yorkswildkingdom.com

Where to Dock: York Harbor

Water Country Portsmouth, NH

New England’s largest water park, only three miles from Portsmouth Marina, doubles the fun this summer with a new water slide experience. The Hyperlight reimagines two of the ground’s most intense tube-style water slides with iSlide technology. This means immersive dual action for riders, as one side of the loop is filled with bright lights and dynamic sounds and the other cruises through a rainbow-colored star field. The Dragon’s Den drops into a mist-shrouded dragon abyss, and the Plunge & Racing Rapids, a combined one-sixth mile of rides and slides, received a repaint re-do as part of the 40th-anniversary summer. “We recommend visiting on the weekdays for smaller crowds and shorter wait times,” says Lynsey Winters, communications director for the operator, Palace Entertainment. “If you are interested in renting a tube for the day or a locker, we recommend arriving close to opening time to grab everything you need for a fun-filled day.” watercountry.com

Where to Dock: Marina at Harbour Place

Feeding the birds is something special … and it’s an amazing photo opportunity.

York’s Wild Kingdom

Paragon Carousel Hull, MA

Take a spin on one of America’s last remaining grand carousels, set between Nantasket Beach and Steamboat Wharf Marina on this peninsula at the southern end of Boston Harbor. “All you need is a $3 ticket to hop on,” invites Jon Ericksen, executive director of the Friends of the Paragon Carousel, which keeps the 1928-era merrygo-round in operation. “Four rows of 66 hand-carved, hand-painted wooden horses continue to delight riders of all ages. The two Roman Chariots, each ‘pulled’ by a team of two horses, further distinguish the Paragon Carousel from the original Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousels. Seeing it all going with the Wurlitzer band playing, the doors to the building open and the lights lit feels like déjà vu to the early 20th century.” Grabbing an ice cream cone at the creamery next-door and taking in the ocean views is icing on the cake. paragoncarousel.com

Where to Dock: Safe Harbor Sunset Bay

Courtesy Friends of the Paragon Carousel

Water Country Hyperlight Black Hole

Cape Codder Water Park Cape Cod, MA

Three and a half miles north of Hyannis Port is this 30,000-square-foot, indoor-outdoor, year-round aqua center located at the samenamed resort and spa. Action-packed fun includes rides where you can get wet on two 160-foot ‘Stars and Stripes’ high-speed water slides; a 50- and 80-foot waterslide that winds through a pirate ship replica; a 300-foot ‘stormy’ river with rapids, waterfalls, and a spouting humpback whale; and a kiddie pool called Pirate Bay, with water cannons, small water slides, and a dumping bucket. Adults enjoy the large whirlpool and sauna. “The wave pool, with its two-foot waves, is a big draw,” says Gianni Saltalamacchia, the resort’s director of sales and marketing. The water park is free to guests, and day passes are available for non-guests. capecodderresort.com

Where to Dock: Hyannis Marina

Water Wizz East Wareham, MA

Best known as the film location for two blockbuster movies, Adam Sandler’s Grown Ups and The Way Way Back with Steve Carell, this is the largest water park in Southeastern New England. It’s five miles from Buzzard’s Bay, and over a half dozen marinas make traveling from sea to shore a breeze. “The most wow aspect here varies with age,” tells Kyleigh Barao, marketing manager. “Little kids love our Captain Kid’s Island, with little slides and a water bucket that pours down every five minutes. Pirates Plunge is a fan favorite for how daring it can be, and slides like The Canal and Thunder Falls are popular, because you can ride together with a friend in a double tube. Parents and grandparents relish relaxing in our lazy river or catching waves in our wave pool.” Add fuel to the fun with a treat from the pizza shop, fried dough truck or ice cream stand. waterwizz.com

Where to Dock: Safe Harbor Onset Bay

Photos courtesy of Water Wizz

Adventureland Family Fun Park

Narragansett, RI

Marinas in Wakefield are a little over a mile away from this old-school family-fun playland. It’s known for a Victorian era-styled carousel with horses, a tiger and sea dragon; 18-hole mini golf course built in a nautical-themed landscape complete with bridges, tunnels and interactive holes; Bumper Boats with a built-in water squirter; and Go-Karts race-ready on a figure eight track. “Our Go Karts are loved by tweens and teens to adults,” says Melissa Kells Burdick, general manager, and vice president. A new addition is Bankshot Basketball, like mini golf but with a basket. “Busy beach days are not so busy park days when there are fewer crowds,” Burdick adds. adventurelandri.com

Where to Dock: Point Judith Marina

Action Amusements Waterslide & Kiddie Land

New London, CT

Nostalgia is the delightful vibe at this complex of rides situated four miles south of the town center in Ocean Beach Park. Owner Jeff Mullen lovingly and annually maintains the 40-year-old waterslide, one of only two left in the country, a vintage Ferris wheel, 1960s-era roller coaster, and a dozen-plus other rides, some of which were originally built in Coney Island. You also find a lazy river and wave pool, as well as a food court and souvenir shop. “It’s a labor of love,” says Mullen, who adds that local media reports on the complex’s opening each year are the sure sign summer has arrived. facebook.com/Actionamusemenrsridesandslides

Where to Dock: Thamesport Marina ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/NEAmusementParks

Action Amusement arcade

Action Amusement waterslides

Bumper cars

Photo courtesy of Action Amusements Waterslide & Kiddie Land

Adventureland Family Fun Park

What brought you to Moody Gardens?

I grew up just outside Galveston and always had a love for the water. I enjoyed visiting Moody Gardens over the years — so much that I ended up working there!

If you could spend a day on the water with anyone in the world, who would it be?

Jean Lafitte, a pirate who wreaked havoc in Galveston with a colony of privateers and smugglers in the 1800s. With the history of Galveston Bay and his time sailing the local waters, I’m sure he would have a story or two to tell.

Name your top three favorite boating songs on your summer playlist.

“Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys, “Toes” by Zac Brown Band and “In the Summertime” by Mungo Jerry.

Eric Edwards

Guest Services Manager Moody Gardens Marina, Galveston, TX

What is your favorite part of the day at the marina?

The sun shining, the wind blowing in your hair, and the sound of people laughing and having a good time.

What are the top attractions you recommend to first-time visitors? Moody Gardens’ on-site, one-of-a-kind attractions! Our Aquarium Pyramid, Rainforest Pyramid and Discovery Museum are open year-round. Guests may purchase discounted tickets at the hotel during their stay.

What is the nicest compliment a boater said about your marina?

I love to hear guests say that we have great transportation, outstanding amenities and easy booking.

Describe yourself in three words. Hard worker, dedicated, entertaining.

Describe the perfect meal. What would you eat and where would you be?

There’s nothing like a fresh meal from the catch of the day straight off the boat, so I’d say a beautiful red snapper and fresh shrimp at a restaurant with great waterfront views.

What is the one thing everyone should do or see at your marina?

There’s so much to see and do! Our marina guests have access to Palm Beach Waterpark, as well as hotel amenities. Visitors must dine at Shearn’s Seafood and Prime Steaks restaurant on the nineth floor of Moody Gardens Hotel to see panoramic views of Galveston.

Delicious Dining & DINGHY ADVENTURES

A tale of crabs and bayside memories

BY ALEXA ZIZZI

I RECENTLY VISITED A WATERFRONT restaurant with a serious craving for crab dip. In fact, every summer when I hit a bar for appetizers or sit on a dockside patio where people crack open crabs, I recall childhood days of feasting on fresh-caught crabs.

My mind also drifts back to a time when a routine crabbing excursion went south for the worst. My childhood best friend’s family owned a beach house in the Swann Keys waterfront community just off Fenwick Island in Selbyville, DE, that I frequented almost every weekend during high school summers. Docked out back of the house was a pontoon boat for family cruising, as well as an Army-green dinghy for the kids to take out.

We often cruised around the waterways with her parents for classic “cage crabbing,” which requires dropping bait-filled cages in the water and quickly reeling in crabs as they climbed into the trap. It’s a fast-paced task that takes some power, but we had it down to a science and enjoyed every moment. Her family often hosted huge crab feasts to steam our fresh catch for dinner afterward.

A SPONTANEOUS EXPEDITION

One summer day, we ventured out to hunt for crabs. Three of us set forth on the dinghy from Dirickson Creek that pours into Little Assawoman Bay. I steered the boat while my best friend and another girlfriend manned the crab pots.

As we approached the ideal spot a few nautical miles from the neighborhood, we began our mission. As I lowered the speed, we slowly approached our target and dropped the pots into the water. As just enough crabs filled the cage, we used all our strength to reel in as quickly as possible. All you could hear was yelling. “Go, go, go!” — “Pull, pull, pull!” And then, success! With all our might, we yanked up a heavy cage full of Maryland blue crabs and dropped the snapping crustaceans onboard into a bucket.

Just as we began to pull off with our catch, I must admit I wasn’t doing my best job as dinghy captain, and I must’ve been distracted — most likely from the pandemonium we caused onboard. I somehow let the dinghy get a little too close to shore where waterfront houses lined up along a pier, and just like that — the dinghy was stuck.

I remember hearing my friend’s mother in my head as she always told us the Number One Rule: “Don’t get too close to the shoreline; you’ll get stuck if it’s too shallow!” Yet of course, we did, and the next thing you know, we heard sounds of puttering. Panicking, we instantly started arguing, because why not boost the level of chaos at this point? With live catch onboard, this was no time for foolery.

I continued to crank it as the boat went nowhere. My other crewmate and I made a drastic leap of faith into water that was shallow enough to push the boat out while my best friend jumped behind the wheel.

With adrenaline pumping at a hulk level, we

Crab feast

The kids on the beach in north Ocean City, MD, near Fenwick Island

slid around on sandbanks, got mangled in debris, and got a few scrapes here and there, but we gave it our all to push that bad boy out. Grunting, panting and using all our might, we went from handling crab pots and yelling “Pull, pull, pull!” to yelling “Push, push, push!” while manhandling a 15-foot dinghy. I also think a few crabs managed to escape and scatter — probably looking up and laughing at us. We’re lucky they didn’t come back with vengeance.

Alas, two teenage blondes in bikinis managed to get the boat back afloat while the captain steered clear. Once again — a victory! As we cheered and tried to leave, we had one major issue… the dinghy still wouldn’t start. Jumbled with debris and all jacked up, the motor stalled.

Quick… think, think… what do we do!? Do we wave another boat down for help? Do we dive in and swim to shore? Terrified that we demolished the outboard motor, we lifted it up out of the water. By some sudden miracle, we remembered that

Community near Fenwick Island

Ms. Sue and the girls at the beach house

her family always kept paddles stowed on the dinghy (which we never used). Ah, finally one good idea for the day, and it actually required listening to parents! Lucky for us, we were close enough to paddle our way back to shore, even though we anticipated the immense amount of parental trouble we faced upon our return.

But what can I say? Kids will be kids, and we must live and learn. Every summer, I think back on this memory and laugh, and I toast my best friend’s mother, Ms. Sue, who taught me boat safety and how to cook some of the best crab dishes I’ve ever known. ml

In honor of our crabbing days and our parents’ need for a cocktail (or two) after a stressful day of dinghy kids and dilemmas on the water, here’s a crab dip and Bloody Mary recipe inspired by this moment in time.

BALTIMORE BLOODY MARY

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces Old Bay Vodka

4 ounces Finest Call Premium

Bloody Mary Mix or homemade

1.5 ounces lime juice

¾ teaspoon Old Bay Hot Sauce

Lemon and lime wedge

Sliced celery

INSTRUCTIONS

For an Old Bay rim, fill a small plate with lime juice and another plate with Old Bay seasoning. Swirl your glass rim into the lime juice, then swirl it into the seasoning. Squeeze a lime wedge into the bottom of a tall Collins glass. Fill with ice and the other ingredients. Use a shaker to blend and shake ingredients and pour into a glass. Garnish with lemon and lime wedges and celery sticks.

CRABTOWNE CRAB DIP

Adapted from Flavor of the Chesapeake Bay Cookbook by Whitney Schmidt

INGREDIENTS

½ cup chopped chives

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon capers, minced and drained

Dry white wine

1 tablespoon horseradish

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon rind, minced

Tabasco sauce

Salt to taste

Black pepper

1 pound crab meat

Bread crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/DiningAndDinghies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix chives with cream cheese, mayonnaise, capers, wine, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon rind, Tabasco sauce and seasonings. Fold in crab meat. Transfer to 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly.

vladans/Getty Images

Pro

LauriPatterson/iStockphoto

dklaughman/Flickr

More than just a place to tie your boat.

Borden Light Marina is a family owned and operated, full-service marina located at the headwaters of Narragansett Bay in Fall River, MA, with easy access to many popular ports of call including Newport, Block Island, Cuttyhunk and the islands beyond.

Borden Light Marina, is 55 minutes south of Boston and 20 minutes east of Providence. Cruise, fish, and swim in the safe, sheltered waters of Narragansett Bay. Come for a couple of days and enjoy the local attractions, or the many events hosted at Borden Light Marina. Within walking distance of The Tipsy Seagull, Pier 52, Dockside Café, The Tipsy Toboggan, Canned Heat, Stumpy’s Hatchet House, and more, Borden Light Marina and its surrounding properties comprise several acres along Fall River’s rapidly growing waterfront.

BORDEN LIGHT MARINA

BY ALEXA ZIZZI

NESTLED

AT THE BASE of

Narragansett Bay, Borden Light Marina is one of the only family-owned and operated large marinas in New England. Surrounded by historic ports and more than 140 miles of deep-water cruising, the location is a quick escape from Boston and Providence, Newport and Bristol and just 16 miles to the open ocean. The spacious facility boasts 310 wet slips accommodating vessels from 24-64 ft., 275 land storage spots and 50 amp electrical service with deep-water draft.

The marina recently upgraded 2,000 linear feet of floating docks and added a new 35-ton marine travel lift. Boaters love the amenities including fuel, a fitness center, pool, playground and fire pit, plus five grilling stations with patios for summer BBQ fun. Two cozy clubhouses with TVs, a coffee shop and three restaurants are all available on-site.

Enjoy live music and sip cocktails on one of the only floating bars in New England at The Tipsy Seagull, feast on local cuisine at The Tipsy Toboggan gastropub, or dress in

your best for fine dining at Pier 52, which also hosts a lovely private event venue.

Fall River, MA, is rich in maritime history with plenty of waterside attractions. Borden Light Marina lies within the Fall River Waterfront Cultural District and is in walking distance to Battleship Cove, the nation’s largest WWII vessel collection with naval ships, submarines, aircraft and a maritime museum. Catch a show at the Narrows Center for the Arts national concert venue or stop for authentic Portuguese cuisine along Columbia Street.

Also, within walking distance, check out the Fall River Historical Society Museum & Library to learn about the mysterious Lizzie Borden case, one of the nation’s most notorious unsolved murders from the 1800s that made the Borden name famous.

Take a short stroll along a boardwalk that connects the marina to the main waterfront area at Veterans Memorial Bicentennial Park to view the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Wall and Iwo Jima replica. Don’t miss the

town’s seasonal events such as the Day of Portugal in June, Fabric Arts Festival in May and Holy Ghost Festival in August.

Throughout the summer, the marina community hosts events ranging from Cigar Night, Soup Night, fundraisers and a Fourth of July “light your boat” contest to the popular Charity Poker Run. Borden Light also has big plans to build 100 more marina slips, add on-site retail and open a year-round upscale Mexican restaurant.

“I think what sets us apart is that we’re family-owned, we’re always on-site, we have an unbelievable staff that cares, and on top of it all, we have an incredible boating community that contributes to us annually,” says Borden Light Marina owner Michael Lund.

“These annual events and our wonderful staff have been the genesis of life-lasting relationships,” adds Lund. ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/BordenLightMarina

Safety Onboard Starts with the Captain

BY SCOTT MILLER

As summer gets cranking, so does the number of boaters on the water. Unfortunately, it also brings more accidents to the waterways, and many of those are preventable when captains take time to prepare their boat, crew and guests.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a sharp rise in new boaters fueled by COVID social distancing and a desire for outdoor recreation. As our coastal and inland waterways welcome a 31% uptick in new boat owners, this increase is positive for the industry, but it has contributed to a 26% rise in accidents.

While not all accidents are due to inexperienced boaters, everyone can do a lot more to ensure a safe boating environment for ourselves and others. With a new season upon us, now is the time to put in place a plan that you can execute for a safe boating season.

Over the past year, I’ve observed safety gear on many boats in perfect condition, but never taken out of the package or unwrapped to use. I’ve also seen Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) that were never registered or armed, and flares and extinguishers that have long since expired. If your boat has all the appropriate safety gear, but no one knows where it is or how to use it, then you are not adequately prepared.

To work toward a more safety-conscious boating community, every boater, new or experienced, can take three steps to make a significant difference in lowering the number of accidents and deaths caused by operator error or unpreparedness.

Courtesy of Sea Tow

Take certified boater safety classes

In-person and online courses are available and take as little as four to six hours. More than 40 states now require this training before getting out on the water, and all 50 states have classes where boaters can sign up and take the courses for free or ask for a small donation to help cover the costs.

These courses are recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), according to the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and Transport Canada. While the degree of boat-handling knowledge is not always determinable following an accident, reports show in 77% of deaths that occurred on boats, it was confirmed the operator did not receive boat safety instruction. The data suggests safety training does make a difference.

Not just for new boaters, safety courses are also a good refresher for experienced boaters. Rules of navigation, required safety gear, etiquette and best boating practices are covered. Those seeking more in-depth training can take additional classes. These specialized courses can last one to two weeks and provide instruction in fighting fires, cold water survival and life raft boarding, to name a few.

Get to know the safety equipment

Whether you are the captain or a guest aboard someone else’s boat, you should be familiar with the safety gear, its uses and location. While the captain is responsible for the wellbeing of his guests and other boaters, each person onboard should pay attention, know how to operate safety gear and where it’s located. It only takes a few minutes for the boat owner/captain to show everyone where the life vests are located and how to properly adjust and wear one.

Sadly, according to U.S. Coast Guard data where the cause of death was known, 75% of fatal boat accident victims were the result of drowning. Of those drowning victims, 86% were not wearing a life jacket. Factors such as speed, operator distractions or inexperience can cause a sudden accident that ejects people out of the boat and renders them unconscious. Life jackets save lives and should always be worn when the boat is underway. If you don’t have life jackets for everyone onboard, borrow them for free in all sizes from the nationwide Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program. Find a location near you at boatingsafety.com/map

Pay attention at the helm

USCG accident data points to operator inattention as the leading cause of non-fatal accidents. Yes, boating is a fun, recreational activity, but boat operators should not neglect their responsibilities. It is important to protect boat handlers’ ability to focus on safe boat operation when out on the water for the day.

Not surprisingly, alcohol intoxication is a leading factor in fatal boat accidents. Just like getting behind the wheel of a car, driving a boat while intoxicated is illegal. Captains can still enjoy their time, but they must remain capable of managing the vessel and stay aware of weather or water conditions, as well as other vessels in the waterway. It’s easy to lose track of consumption when the weather is warm, so determine your limit and have a plan.

Let’s all be safe this summer and have a great time on the water. Safe boating is the responsibility of the captain, and he/she sets the tone for guests and others onboard. ml

SAFETY CLASSES offer critical skills and education for all levels of boating experience. This training is instrumental to safe boating and can even help reduce insurance costs in many cases. Here are a few that Marinalife recommends:

U.S. Coast Guard auxiliary boating courses provide instruction to boaters at all levels, from the fundamental to the advanced. (cgaux.org)

BoatUS offers free safety courses that are recognized in most states and by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. (boatus.org/free)

Chapman School of Seamanship also offers basic to advanced courses for boaters and can also be used for certifications if needed. (chapman.org/p/249/training-programs)

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/2023SummerBoaterSafety

BY ALEXA ZIZZI

AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST freshwater ecosystems spanning more than 750 miles, the Great Lakes holds a deep history of maritime stories along United States and Canadian waterways.

These stories tell tales of war heroes such as U.S. naval officer Oliver Hazard Perry who defeated the British squadron in the War of 1812’s Battle of Lake Erie. Or they chronicle one of the most mysterious tales in shipwreck history — the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald — where 29 men vanished on Lake Superior in 1975 without a cause ever discovered.

From larger-than-life battleships that sunk enemy fleets to archives and artifacts tucked within historic walls, the five Great Lakes are home to tons of educational sites. Attend events and lectures, browse collections, take virtual tours, or stand at the helm of a glorious vessel that played a critical role in history at the following museums.

LAKE SUPERIOR

Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center

Duluth, MN

This visitor’s center sits across from Bayfront Festival Park and Duluth Entertainment Convention Center’s waterside festival grounds. Check out displays through the multi-level museum and free public programs throughout the year.

lsmma.com

Where to Dock: Lakehead Boat Basin

Photo by Charles Christ, courtesy of the Erie Maritime Museum/Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission

Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center at Canal Park in Duluth, MN Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

SS Meteor Whaleback Ship Museum

Superior, WI

Witness the last remaining above-water whaleback ship in the world along these Wisconsin waterways. After sailing its final journey in 1972, the SS Meteor is permanently berthed on Barker’s Island where guests can tour the ship’s pilot house and learn about its Twin Ports shipbuilding history. superiorpublicmuseums.org/ss-meteor

Where to Dock: Barker’s Island Marina

Bayfield Maritime Museum

Bayfield, WI

Along Lake Superior’s southwest shoreline, 22 islands make up the Apostles archipelago. Take a deep dive into the region’s history and experience this waterfront museum’s events, boatbuilding projects and the annual Blessing of the Fleet Concert. bayfieldmaritimemuseum.org

Where to Dock: Apostle Islands Marina

Marquette Maritime Museum

Marquette, MI

Tour the stunning Marquette Harbor Lighthouse built in 1853 and discover maritime exhibits that await inside this museum’s historic stone walls. Paranormal Lighthouse lecture series and free children’s workshops are offered throughout the year. mqtmaritimemuseum.com

Where to Dock: Presque Isle State Harbor

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

Paradise, MI

Home of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald’s bell, learn about the notorious shipwreck mystery at this fascinating site. In conjunction with the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, the team continuously finds new discoveries and frequents underwater research with a 47-foot survey vessel, R.V. David Boyd, capable of diving to 1,400 feet. shipwreckmuseum.com

Where to Dock: Whitefish Point State Dock

LAKE MICHIGAN

Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Manitowoc, WI

Tour World War II submarines, explore shipwreck artifacts, view photographs and historic vessels, and learn all about Wisconsin’s maritime history at this location. Popular festivities include the week-long SubFest and 4th of July events. wisconsinmaritime.org

Where to Dock: Manitowoc Marina

SS Meteor

Courtesy of Port of Ludington Maritime Museum

Port of Ludington Maritime Museum Porthole to the Past

Port of Ludington Maritime Museum

Ludington, MI

The port’s former U.S. Coast Guard Station transformed into a charming museum showcasing local maritime industries that shaped the Lake Michigan region. Ludington’s iconic North Pier Light and historic SS Badger car ferry are among the top sites to see. ludingtonmaritimemuseum.org

Where to Dock: Ludington Municipal Marina

USS Silversides

Submarine Museum

Muskegon, MI

Docked along the Muskegon Lake Channel, take a tour of two World War II vessels: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter McLane and USS Silversides submarine. Learn about war stories within the site’s twostory museum and check out seasonal events including lectures, ceremonies, festivals and plays. silversidesmuseum.org

Where to Dock: Safe Harbor Great Lakes

Michigan Maritime Museum

South Haven, MI

This museum boasts a selection of vessels from a huge fleet for guests to explore the local waters. Embark on an adventure sail on the 1810 replica top sail sloop, Friends Good Will take a journey on the electric-powered replica river launch, Lindy Lou, or a enjoy lake cruise on the 1929 Chris-Craft Cadet, Merry Time. Purchase a ticket to cruise the South Haven shores and get free museum admission with your ride! michiganmaritimemuseum.org

Where to Dock: South Haven Municipal Marina North

Chicago Maritime Museum

Chicago, IL

Take a chronological cruise through maritime history on the River Level on the Bridgeport Art Center. Immerse yourself in exhibits such as the Ralph and Rita French Canoe Collection and history of the Great Lakes frigates and French fur traders. chicagomaritimemuseum.org

Where to Dock: Chicago Harbors

LAKE HURON

Great Lakes Lore

Maritime Museum

Rogers City, MI

This unique location shares more than artifacts — it honors memories of local legends from Native American traders and 21st century captains to Coast Guard lighthouse keepers and lifesaving station employees. The museum offers its own Great Lakes Maritime Hall of Fame collection that’s worth viewing. gllmm.com

Where to Dock: Rogers City Yacht Harbor

Merry Time, Michigan Maritime Museum

Michigan Maritime Museum

Courtesy of Michigan Maritime Museum

Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center

Alpena, MI

This center explores the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and offers many educational sites and activities. Visit the seasonal shipwreck site moorings, kayak, snorkel or take a glass bottom boat tour. thunderbay.noaa.gov/visit/great-lakesmaritime-heritage-center.html

Where to Dock: Alpena Marina

Huron Lightship Museum

Port Huron, MI

Serving for more than 50 years, the Huron Lightship was the last operating lightship on the Great Lakes, retiring in 1970. She is now a National Historic Landmark open to public tours. phmuseum.org/huron-light-ship-museum

Where to Dock: Bridge Harbour Marina

Great Lakes Maritime Center

Port Huron, MI

This lovely waterside facility celebrates Great Lakes history with educational opportunities. Check out speaker programs, video presentations and visit the small museum inside this maritime center. achesonventures.com/maritime-center

Where to Dock: Bridge Harbour Marina

LAKE ERIE National Museum of the Great Lakes Toledo, OH

Discover a full scope of Great Lakes history at this national museum. Tour two museum ships: the 617-foot Col. James M. Schoonmaker and the historic tug Ohio. The website also provides extensive online exhibits and virtual tour options. nmgl.org

Where to Dock: Safe Harbor

Toledo Beach

Maritime Museum of Sandusky

Sandusky, OH

Learn about Sandusky Bay history throughout the campus and explore sites including the Howman Boathouse and Motor & Engine Room. Attend lectures, board Lyman boats or see what’s working in the boat-building school. sanduskymaritime.org

Where to Dock: Oasis Marinas at Battery Park

Steamship William G. Mather Museum at the Great Lakes Science Center

Cleveland, OH

Built in 1925, this 618-foot historic freighter is now a popular Cleveland landmark that allows guests to experience the golden era of steamships. The Great Lakes Science Center offers multiple exhibits to explore. greatscience.com/explore/exhibits/william-gmather-steamship

Where to Dock: Oasis Marinas at North Coast Harbor

Erie Maritime Museum

Erie, PA

In the heart of the Historic Bayfront District, this museum is the homeport of the U.S. Brig Niagara, a replica of Oliver Hazard Perry’s relief flagship during the Battle of Lake Erie. Observe maritime art, shipbuilding tools and artifacts, and enjoy fresh baked goods and sandwiches from Thelma’s Tasty Temptations on-site, plus concessions in the lobby.

eriemaritimemuseum.org

Where to Dock: Perry’s Landing Marina

Port Burwell Marine Museum & Historic Lighthouse

Port Burwell, ON, Canada

Across the Canadian border on Lake Erie’s north shore, discover the region’s shipbuilding history and climb the 55-step lighthouse for a picturesque view of the port. bayham.on.ca/pages/museums

Where to Dock: North Erie Marina

Photo courtesy of National Museum of the Great Lakes

Fresnel lighthouse lens at the National Museum of the Great Lakes

LAKE ONTARIO

HMCS Haida

National Historic Site

Hamilton, ON, Canada

Tour the massive HMCS Haida warship, flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy. Known as Canada’s “fightingest ship,” Haida sank more surface tonnage than any

other ship during World War II. This tribal-class destroyer later joined the Trainbusters Club during the Korean War where ships were required to destroy an enemy locomotive. HMCS Haida destroyed 2.5 trains. parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/on/haida

Where to Dock: Harbour West Marina

Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada

This museum explores the region’s rich history and maritime heritage along this Lake Ontario town. Exhibits feature important collections honoring the local indigenous people. notlmuseum.ca

Where to Dock: Port Dalhousie Pier Marina

H. Lee White Maritime Museum

Oswego, NY

Guests can comb through over 4,000 artifacts, images and documents at this location nestled in the Historic Maritime

District. The museum offers cruises to tour the Oswego West Pierhead Lighthouse just offshore at the west arrowhead breakwater. hlwmm.org

Where to Dock: Oswego Marina

Marine Museum of the Great Lakes

Kingston, ON, Canada

This nautical museum ventures through Lake Ontario maritime history with various ship models, artifacts and paintings. Take a guided tour of the Kingston Dry Dock to learn about the area’s social and economic heritage. Also check out the SS Keewatin steamliner. marmuseum.ca

Where to Dock: Confederation Basin Marina or Kingston Marina ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/GLMaritimeMuseums

HMCS Haida

HMCS Haida

When the Adventure ENDS

The sad yet troubling existence of abandoned or derelict boats

BY TERI MILLER

WE HAVE ALL SEEN ABANDONED BOATS.

We shake our heads in dismay at the irresponsibility or wince as we consider the loss someone else encountered, while we diligently navigate our own vessels to avoid them or the hazard they perhaps encountered. Almost all coastal and inland waterways harbor the remains of boats that were victims of catastrophic weather, grounding events, the passage of time or negligent ownership.

Abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) are increasingly problematic in our nation’s waterways. Marine wreckage can take years to degrade, leaching fuel, toxic chemicals and debris into the surrounding ecosystem and creating navigational hazards. While the myriad of concerns about ADVs are easy to recognize, the solution to reducing their existence is complex.

Some circumstances, such as hurricanes, result in substantial increases in submerged or damaged vessels at anchor, moorings or groundings on shore. According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), last year’s Hurricane Ian left more than 700 derelict boats in its wake.

While a robust surge in the boat market has been great for the industry, the sheer number of

boat owners means we can expect a record number of vessels aging out of their productive years. Boats that are at their end of life, whether due to time or neglect, are potentially at risk of becoming ADVs. Owners of boats, that are no longer used or cared for, may find walking away an easier option than properly disposing of the vessel.

Removing ADVs can be costly and complicated. Boat removal can cost $10,000 or more, depending on the size, location and whether it is afloat or submerged. If the vessel is actively leaking fuel, oil or chemicals, that cost increases for remediation.

In addition to the technical and financial resources required for removal, local laws concerning these vessels can vary. In some states, the authority to remove vessels is divided among several agencies, leaving some structures waiting to be assigned to an agency.

Virginia resident Mike Provost found this to be true in his state when he tried to locate the proper authority to deal with an abandoned boat he frequently saw when visiting a park off Lynnhaven River. He took matters into his own hands and created a GoFundMe page to cover the removal cost, and eventually started the nonprofit Vessel Disposal and Reuse Foundation to continue providing removal services in the area.

While the complexity of the ADV situation may be daunting, many states are seriously addressing this maritime crisis. New regulations, funding and initiatives are being stood up in response to the increase in ADVs.

One example is the work being done in Florida, where its 2022-2023 budget allocated $8.2 million toward derelict boat removal along with $11.7 million from federal funding. The FWC lead a prevention effort by establishing a Vessel Turn-In Program, which provides a pathway for owners to remove at-risk vessels before they become derelict.

Once a boat sinks, the cost and effort for removal increases considerably. Many states currently work with local authorities to identify vessels at risk of dereliction or abandonment, and offer programs and grants to support removal and disposal efforts.

Salvaged vessels deposited in local landfills are quickly becoming an environmental crisis as landfill space is limited and decomposition is slow. For many years, yachts and pleasure craft were designed and built without considering disposal requirements at the end of life.

Fiberglass, the primary material for boat hulls since the 1950s, is resistant to

decomposition and difficult to recycle. Increasing environmental awareness propelled the effort to identify a sustainable disposal method and provide a solution to prevent the cumulating waste. The Rhode Island Marine Trades Association Foundation (RIMTAF) is leading the way in the United States with a successful pilot project that repurposed end-of-life fiberglass hulls into a resource for cement manufacturers.

IF YOU ENCOUNTER

an abandoned or derelict vessel and believe it’s a potential hazard to navigation or leaking oil or other hazardous materials, contact your local authorities or a state emergency response or environmental health agency. You can also notify the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.

As part of its Marine Debris Program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is partnering with RIMTAF to expand the pilot project and coordinate with other states and localities looking to recycle discarded vessel hulls. As part of this effort, RIMTA also developed an End-of-Life Vessel Material Management Guide to address the most relevant questions and concerns shared by vessel owners, marine businesses and waste managers. Several states are now engaged at various stages in establishing recycling programs.

Help Clear the Waterways

Boat owners can help rid our waterways of ADVs and the hazards they impose.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program created an ADV information hub on its website. This hub is a central source of information regarding abandoned and derelict vessels. It explains how each coastal state handles abandoned and derelict vessels and brings together information to create a user-friendly resource. You can access information on local legislation, policies, funding and programs to address the problem, as well as links to relevant publications, case studies and legal reviews. The hub also allows boaters to report ADVs in their area. ml

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/AbandonedBoats

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A Chesapeake Summer

Chesapeake Bay Boating Bliss Bay Boating Bliss

Our premier slips, conveniently situated on the prime cruising grounds of the Chesapeake Bay, offer you access to a wide array of amenities, services and experiences. Book your 2023 dockage today at HAVENHARBOUR.COM.

Calendar of Events CHESAPEAKE BAY

BY ALEXA ZIZZI

beautiful waterways and deep-rooted maritime heritage. What better way to spend a summer on the Bay than celebrating at festivities that pay homage to the area’s cultural and nautical traditions. Hosted in lovely waterfront towns from Maryland to Virginia, the following list will make you want to get outdoors this summer and catch musical, watersports and educational events, themed festivals, and more.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

Tides & Tunes

Annapolis, MD

Now – August

In the Eastport neighborhood across Spa Creek Bridge, the Annapolis Maritime Museum hosts free waterfront concerts on select Thursdays throughout the summer. Food and spirits are available from vendors on-site, so bring your lawn chair or blanket and cozy up to some tunes.

Where to Dock: Eastport Yacht Center

The Chesapeake region is known for fresh seafood,

Annapolis Maritime Museum

Tides & Tunes

First Thursdays Festivals

Baltimore, MD

Now – September

On the first Thursday of the month, Canton Waterfront Park is packed with live music performances and vendors serving everything from crab cakes to crushes. Overlooking the city’s historic port, you can lay out on the lawn or dock your boat alongside the stages.

Where to Dock: Lighthouse Point

Marina

Ocean View Beach Park Summer Concert Series

Norfolk, VA

Now – September

This beachfront park hosts Friday night parties with live music and familyfriendly activities such as Backyard BBQs and the Reggae on the Bay festival in July. To catch swingin’ big band music, head over to the Gazebo at Ocean View Park on Sundays through September.

Where to Dock: Morningstar Marinas at Little Creek

JULY

Potomac Jazz & Seafood Festival

Leonardtown & Coltons Point, MD

July 7-10

This festival of music and regional foods kicks off with a free concert at the Leonardtown Square on Friday in conjunction with the Leonardtown Summer Music Festival. Then on Saturday, enjoy the main event at St. Clement’s Island Museum, as well as weekend-long jazz entertainment. A two-hour jazz cruise on Breton Bay is also an option all three days.

Where to Dock: Combs Creek Marina or Coltons Point Marina

Sharkfest at the Calvert

Marine Museum

Solomons, MD

July 8

If you’re a shark week fan, you’ll love the Calvert Marine Museum’s family friendly Sharkfest. Guests can spend the day learning about these fascinating creatures, making sharkthemed crafts, examining prehistoric evidence and even viewing sharks up close at the Corbin Nature Pavilion.

Where to Dock: Safe Harbor Zahnisers

Plein Air Art Festival

Easton, MD

July 14-23

Entering its 19th year, this Eastern Shore festival is the largest and most prestigious plein air painting competition in the United States. Painters and artists are selected by a juror and travel to Talbot County to compete and showcase works of art.

Where to Dock: Easton Point Marina

97th Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim

Chincoteague Island, VA

July 22-28

You may be familiar with the wild horses that roam Assateague and Chincoteague Islands, but do you know these ponies also take an annual summer swim? The pony swim became famous from Marguerite Henry’s 1947

novel, Misty of Chincoteague, and now spectators from all over the world attend. Festivities begin with the Southern Herd Roundup, then conclude the following Friday when the ponies swim back to Assateague.

Where to Dock: Snug Harbor Marina & Resort

AUGUST

Chesapeake Bay Balloon Festival

Bel Air, MD

August 4-6

This festival showcases creative displays of hot air balloons ranging from cartoon characters to colorful artwork. This year’s balloons feature a giant Looney Tunes Tasmanian devil, Wicked the musical, Maryland flag designs and more. Check out the daily sunrise ascension when balloonists work together to safely soar in unison. Arrive early and kick back for a breathtaking view.

Where to Dock: Oasis Marinas at Gunpowder Cove

50th Annual White Marlin Open

Ocean City, MD

August 7-11

Head to Ocean City this August to celebrate the 50th anniversary of what

Brian.gratwicke/Wikimedia Commons

Chincoteague Wild Pony

Watermen’s Appreciation Day at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

St. Michaels, MD

August 13

Celebrate Chesapeake heritage with a summertime crab feast on the Bay served by local watermen. Starting early in the day, enjoy live music, vendors, boat rides, a boat-docking contest and the all-time favorite, “Watermen’s Rodeo.”

Where to Dock: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

is known as the “World’s Largest and Richest Billfish Tournament.” Over a span of 49 years, the competition has awarded more than $95 million in prize money. What began in the ‘70s with just 57 boats has grown into one of the Mid-Atlantic’s top tournaments with 408 vessels last year.

Where to Dock: Harbour Island or Sunset Marina

Pirates & Wenches

Weekend

Rock Hall, MD

August 11-13

Dress in your best pirate garb, sample various rums, and join a scavenger hunt, costume contest and sea shanty singalong at this nautical festival. Rock Hall’s Main Street is lined with vendors, crafts, raffles and family activities. You can even meet a real-life mermaid at the Circus Siren Pod performance in a 1,000-gallon tank.

Where to Dock: Haven Harbour Marina Resorts

Maryland Seafood Festival

Annapolis, MD

August 19-20

On a beach next to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, this festival is held at Sandy Point State Park’s family-friendly site. Taste local craft beer and good grub from the region’s top vendors

such as Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, plus enjoy the Crab Soup Cook-Off with homemade recipes. Also check out Sandy Point’s Bay Bridge Paddle event on September 23.

Where to Dock: Sandy Point State Park

8th Annual Coastal Craft Beer Festival

Virginia Beach, VA

August 26

Neptune’s Park transforms into an oceanfront party hub with live music, food and craft beers from over 30 different breweries. Spend all day by the beach sampling 60+ regional brews, as well as various ciders, seltzers and food truck dishes.

Where to Dock: Rudee’s Inlet Station Marina

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Social Butterfly/Pixabay

Courtesy of the Pirates and Wenches Weekend Festival

Pirates and Wenches Weekend

SEPTEMBER

Skipjack Race Festival

Deal Island, MD

September 2-4

Join this town’s tradition that honors historic working vessels. Owners of the wooden boats, some over 100 years old, travel from across the Bay to showcase their love for maritime preservation. Witness the skipjacks up close on display before the race and enjoy local vendors, crafts, artwork and an antique car show.

Where to Dock: Scotts Cove Marina

Trawlerfest Baltimore

Baltimore, MD

September 28-30

Located in the vibrant Harbor East neighborhood along Baltimore Harbor, this show boasts top-of-the-line trawlers and hosts educational seminars, as well as a display of exhibitors. The area is packed with bars and restaurants ranging from takeout to fine dining.

Where to Dock: Harbor East Marina

AS AN ODE TO MARINALIFE’S HOMEPORT,

here are summer events in the Baltimore region to check out from July to September:

Pier Six Pavilion Concerts

Inner Harbor

Now – December

Women on the Water at Downtown Sailing Center

Inner Harbor/South Baltimore

First & Third Mondays from May to September

Baltimore by Baltimore

Waterfront Music & Makers Festival

Inner Harbor

July – November

Oceans Calling Festival

Ocean City, MD

September 29 – October 1

This inaugural festival is highly anticipated due to its last-minute cancellation in 2022 from forecasts of tropical storm Ian. The star-studded lineup features acts such as Alanis Morissette, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Sheryl Crow and more. Dance in the

sand or relax waterside and listen to the tunes from the beachfront stages between the boardwalk and ocean.

Where to Dock: Sunset Marina

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/2023ChesapeakeBayEvents

Canton Waterfront Park

Late July to early August

Moonrise Festival

Pimlico Race Course

August 12-13

Poe’s Magic Conference

Lord Baltimore Hotel

August 25-27

Baltimore Rhythm Festival

North Baltimore

September 9

Artscape

Station North Arts & Entertainment District

September 20-24

Alexa Zizzi

Water Lantern Festival Baltimore

Water Lantern Festival

Photo courtesy of Water Lantern Festival

Our Chesapeake Bay Virgin Voyage

An epic journey dusted with Old Bay and grand ports

ARTICLE BY HEATHER BURKE, PHOTOS BY GREG BURKE

FOR YEARS, we had longed to sail the Chesapeake. Comprised of waters from six states, this bay is the stuff of legend for boaters. It’s huge — the largest estuary in the country — with great ports and harbors and more than 11,000 miles of shore to explore.

My husband (and captain) Greg found Haven Charters out of Rock Hall, and Stargazer was to be our vessel for a September voyage. Never having sailed these waters, we thought we could easily zig zag, tacking across from the eastern shores of Rock Hall to Annapolis, then over to St. Michael’s, down to Solomons, and to Tilghman. We soon realized the magnitude of the width of the Bay was 15-20 miles across and sailing can take four hours shore to shore.

Provisioning and orientating ourselves to the 44’ Hunter sailboat in quiet Rock Hall harbor was efficient in this surprisingly humble hamlet.

Nicknamed “The Pearl of the Chesapeake,” Rock Hall is an old-school harbor town with one basic grocery market, a CVS and a few inns. From the marina, we discovered several bikeable waterfront dining options:

Waterman’s, Harbor Shack and the Inn at Osprey, a lovely historic waterfront inn where we enjoyed our last landlubber meal before embarking the next morning.

On our first day of cruising, we were immediately impressed by the sheer size and expanse of the waterway. We were also surprised at how temperate the weather was for mid-September. One moment the Chesapeake Bay is flat, calm, hot and humid, without a breath of wind, and just a few clingy gnats that descend upon your vessel. Then the wind can quickly whip up to 15-20 knots, blowing white caps up the bay, creating a 3-to-4-foot chop.

ONWARD TO ANNAPOLIS

Heading southward to our first port of Annapolis, I spotted my first screw pile lighthouse. What a cool hexagonal beacon, especially for a gal from Maine accustomed to traditional towering spires. We later learned the Chesapeake once had 42 of these beautiful, raised lights throughout the Bay, but now just four remain.

We sailed into Annapolis, the heart of the Chesapeake and America’s sailing capital (Newport, RI, claims this too, but Marylanders say Newport is not a real capital). We sailed past the breathtaking sight of the bright blue and gold sails of the Naval Academy fleet. The waterfront of this beautiful port city is filled with moorings and marinas. We soon found our tight well-protected slip at Annapolis Yacht Basin and maneuvered a successful inaugural docking in the posh Annapolis Yacht Club.

Annapolis is full of fun attractions for sailors and sea lovers, so we stayed for two nights. On our first evening, we strolled across Spa Creek Bridge to an anniversary dinner at Carrol’s Creek Café overlooking the harbor. We enjoyed our first delicious Maryland crabcakes of the trip with bubbly. That evening back on Stargazer, we were serenaded to Taps played at the Yacht Club at dusk, a salute to the end of the sailing day at this traditional yacht haven.

Our full day of exploring Annapolis started with “The Star-Spangled Banner” resonating across the harbor from the academy. After a fabulously filling breakfast at Chick & Ruth’s Deli, we walked to the Naval Academy for a scheduled tour.

The glorious Naval Academy grounds, The Chapel and Bancroft Hall, where 4,500 cadets are housed, are all magnificent. To witness the uniformed “plebes” (freshmen) on campus and the midshipmen marching to class around The Yard in an orderly fashion is awe-inspiring. They performed noon formations in front of the towering granite Bancroft Hall. These

bright selected-few are diligently training to become U.S. Navy and Marine officers, a ritual that has continued here since 1845.

Maryland’s State Capitol was next on our walk. This grand 1772 state house towering above the harbor served as the U.S. capital for nine months in 1783. Among other poignant moments, George Washington delivered his resignation here. The Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights were on display in their original formats.

Just strolling the historic streets of Annapolis amid colonial architecture of beautiful homes, inns and shops, is pastime enough. Ego Alley along the waterfront on Compromise and Dock Streets is highly entertaining, especially to watch visiting boaters tie up. Always more fun watching others dock, right?

Annapolis Capitol Dome

Craving more Maryland crab, we dined at The Boatyard in Eastport, across the Spa Creek Drawbridge. We decided their slogan “All killer, no filler” is sassy but true as we savored delicious crabmeat.

After our feast, a trip back in time walking the quiet streets of Eastport brought us to the Annapolis Maritime Museum on Back Creek. In a former 1886 oyster plant, we learned the tradition of local oystering and crabbing in the Bay where oysters are the “Pearl of the Chesapeake.”

From the late 1800s to early 1900s, the oyster harvest here was larger than any other source. These huge yields eventually depleted the oysters that are vital to the health and cleanliness of the Chesapeake. We learned that one oyster filters 50 gallons of water daily, that’s why oyster beds are called the Bay’s “white gold.” Today, oyster production is rebounding, and the water quality as a result, but oyster yield is still about 1% of what it once was. Crab yield and production is also challenged by a labor shortage as it’s hard to find workers for the tedious task of handpicking crab meat from the shell. Made me appreciate my Maryland crab-eating tour even more.

To cap off our time in the sailing capital, drinks at Davis’ Pub on the water in neighboring Eastport seemed fitting. This local dive bar by the Back Bay is famous, fun, friendly, cheap, and loaded with boaters and memorabilia.

NEXT STOP, ST. MICHAELS

Sailing out of Annapolis, I was melancholy to leave such a happening and historical place, but St. Michaels across the bay was calling. Making our way past big container ships, fishing vessels, ferries and the big wakes they created demanded our full navigational attention.

St. Michaels is a delightful harbor, on the Chesapeake’s Eastern Shore. We had reserved ahead to dock at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, where we joined as members for a discounted slip plus a tour of the boat-building facility and Hooper Strait Lighthouse.

Stretching our sea legs, we walked the tree-lined blocks admiring flowering gardens, graceful porches and charming homes from the 1700s and 1800s and headed downtown into St. Michaels. Talbot Street is the prettiest slice of Americana, with inviting boutiques (love The Preppy Redneck), restaurants, a distillery, two wineries, a brewery, car museum and the impressive St. Michaels Church.

Foxy’s Harbor Grille along the harbor was perfect for a crab and rock fish lunch, along with happy hour drink deals that added to the fun tropical vibe. A local band was slated to play on Foxy’s deck overlooking the marina.

Theo’s sign “Shorts and boat shoes welcome” persuaded us this was the place for a casually elegant dinner in town. It’s a steakhouse, but the BBQ shrimp appetizer was amazing, followed

Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons Island

by Theo’s best burger. The bar was lined with locals for happy hour; always a good indicator.

After a wonderful night sleeping aboard Stargazer, breakfast in town at Carpenter’s Street Saloon provided a yummy throwback of buttery homemade omelets and hash browns in this converted 1887 pharmacy.

OVERNIGHT IN HERRINGTON HARBOUR

Leaving St. Michaels was hard, but the promise of another port — this time the reputed party atmosphere of Herrington Harbour Marina — was next, back across the Bay to the west.

Herrington Harbour South is a narrow inlet loaded with boats and 600+ dock slips. Ours included access to a beach, resort pool with a bar and Ketch 22 restaurant. The full-service marina also offered a small market for provisions. We sat on the beach overlooking the Bay, then jumped into the pool party atmosphere. That evening, a big wedding provided music, proving that Herrington is as billed — fun and festive.

PUSHING AHEAD TO SOLOMONS

The next day, we continued south to Solomons Island. A rare wind from the north pushed us along the scenic Bay’s western shore into the Patuxent River then Back Creek, where we found Spring Cove Marina. Dockhands greeted us and tied up expertly, welcoming us to enjoy the poolside Wheelhouse bar and the ship’s store. A quick dip, refreshing showers and laundry, and then we were excited to borrow courtesy bikes to explore the island.

Calvert Marine Museum was a quick pedal from the marina. This

Solomons Island Spring Cove marina

impressive maritime exhibit and aquarium hosts the 1883 Drum Point Lighthouse, another screw pile design we eagerly climbed. It seemed apropos to lunch at The Lighthouse’s big waterfront deck. More delicious crab paired well with the local libation, a sweet but boozy Orange Crush cocktail.

We biked along the riverwalk and out to the southern tip of Solomons, stopping on our return to reserve dinner at Charles Street Brasserie. At that cozy French bistro, we shared creative tapas amid piano entertainment. Perfection.

While leaving Solomons the next day and heading back north, fighter pilots swooped overhead from Patuxent Naval Air Station, testing the latest military aircraft at Trapnell Field. Another exciting salute!

A SUNNY & STORMY ISLAND ESCAPE

Tilghman Island across the Bay to the Eastern Shore was our final stopover and a two-night stay at Knapps Narrows Marina, as my captain eyed the forecast of thunderstorms. Fortunately, Tilghman is an adorable seafaring town with happy locals on both sides of the Kent Narrows Bridge, which they claim is the “busiest drawbridge for boaters in the United States.” This was hard to fathom in such a peaceful place.

While the sun was still shining, we enjoyed the marina pool, then hopped on bikes to ride over the bridge to the Tilghman Island Country Store. It felt good to ride, so we continued passing verdant soybean fields out to Black Walnut Point and Bar

Neck Road. You actually can bike all the way to St. Michaels, Oxford and Cambridge, with more time and more promising weather. We spied “Two If by Sea” on our route and returned for dinner in the only place open on a Monday. This funky diner featured open-mic that night. Our evening was a hoot, featuring homey food and local talent.

Tilghman Day Two was as wet and wild as predicted. Over our leisure continental breakfast at the marina, we chatted with fellow boaters also staying put for the day. Good books and relaxing on Stargazer was a fine way to while time away.

Fortuitously, the skies cleared, and a double rainbow appeared in time for our much-anticipated dinner at Tilghman Island Inn. This surprisingly chic restaurant is incongruous in the otherwise bucolic town. The chef’s fabulous crab cakes and fresh fish remain a trip highlight, along with the evening sunset and rainbows after the storm.

The entire voyage, I felt fortunate that my captain had carefully planned an epic Chesapeake charter aboard Stargazer, taking random luck out of the equation. On our maiden Maryland voyage, we had feasted sufficiently on crab dusted with Old Bay, sailed and biked, and visited six fascinating ports, leaving dozens more to explore on our next Chesapeake adventure.

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/ChesapeakeSummerCruise

Knapps Narrows, Tilghman Island

CHESAPEAKE DOCK & DINES

Local seafood is the centerpiece at 10 hot waterfront spots

BY SUSAN ELNICKI WADE, AUTHOR OF CRAB DECKS & TIKI BARS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY

“An Orange Crush and Miller High Life, please!” Those are usually the first words out of my mouth when we arrive at a dock bar on the Chesapeake Bay. The Crush, which should be heralded as Maryland’s official state drink, eases me into a getaway state of mind. The ice-cold bottle of Miller tells my husband he’s living the good life on the water.

After a celebratory clink of glasses, we start eyeing up the tables around us. The waiter handed us menus, but years of hanging around Chesapeake eateries has taught us to watch what the locals eat to get the best pick of the day. They just seem to know when crabs get plumb and sweet, when rockfish and bluefish are running, and what local watermen delivered to the kitchen that morning.

Starting with a dozen just-shucked Bay oysters is always a treat, thanks to aquafarmers who can harvest them year-round. When a platter of steamed crabs and shrimp are presented at our table, we raise another glass to the delectable bounty of the Bay and dig in. This summer, if you’d like to enjoy a similar seafood feast while gazing out across the Chesapeake waters, cruise over to these new or recently revamped waterfront dock and dines.

MARYLAND DESTINATIONS

POV Restaurant Ridge

At Maryland’s southernmost point where the Chesapeake Bay greets the Potomac River awaits a getaway destination only two hours from Washington and Baltimore. On the former grounds of a 1940s fishing camp called Scheible’s is now Pier 450, a luxury hotel, restaurant, bar, retail boutique and beach. When you work up an appetite from kayaking or biking around the gorgeous waterfront, step into POV Restaurant for gourmet meals made from locally grown ingredients. Menu highlights include dishes from rockfish and Bay scallop ceviche to crab cakes and rack of lamb. pier450.com

Where to Dock: Point Lookout Marina

Stan & Joe’s Riverside

Galesville

Located on a steamboat pier where passengers, livestock and freight were dropped off from the late 1800s to the 1930s, Stan & Joe’s opened in 2018. This seaside dock bar is a boater’s dream with 26 transient slips for vessels up to 45 feet. Add a dogfriendly deck, live music on weekends and a relaxed vibe on the West River, and you’ll want to tie up here as often as possible. The seafood-heavy menu features fish tacos, crab cakes, local oysters, prime rib, chicken alfredo and burgers. stanandjoessaloon.com

Where to Dock: Stan & Joe’s Riverside Marina

The Choptank Annapolis

Annapolis

Grab a front row seat on the waterfront deck or second floor rooftop to watch the big boats cruise in and out of Ego Alley on Annapolis’s Town Dock. You can choose from six types of crushes or 20+ cold brews at this bustling restaurant that opened in 2022. The menu pays tribute to classic Maryland seafood — crab cakes, fried oysters, steamed clams and peel-and-eat shrimp — yet doesn’t overlook other local staples such as Eastern Shore fried chicken and thick steaks. Bands strumming tunes add to the festive atmosphere.

thechoptankrestaurant.com/annapolis

Where to Dock: Annapolis Town Dock

Courtesy of Atlas Restaurant Group

Choptank Annapolis

Sam & Maggie’s Dockside Grill Pasadena

Established in 2022 at Fairview Marina on the shore of Rock Creek, this new eatery caters to boaters and their four-legged crew. It’s named after two beloved family pups and has a casual atmosphere that toasts sunsets over the water. The menu focuses on classic Chesapeake fare spiced up a notch with Caribbean and Latin flavors. Shrimp and mango ceviche is a refreshing summer favorite, while meat lovers sink their teeth into smoked brisket or braised pork tacos. Be sure to save room for a spiced brownie or island bread pudding. samandmaggies.com

Where to Dock: Fairview Marina

Raw & Refined Baltimore

For an ultimate urban dock-and-dine experience, come to Raw & Refined. At this waterfront destination in Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood, you can watch boats chug around the harbor and into the marina, cool down at the swimming pool, and grab a bite to eat. While a DJ spins songs, take a seat on the large outdoor deck and peruse the eclectic menu. Starters range from fried calamari and roasted oysters to honey jerk shrimp and spiced hummus. Main plates include burgers, crab cakes and lobster rolls. Major renovations in spring 2023 added upgraded docks and a new dock bar. rawandrefinedbaltimore.com

Where to Dock: Oasis Marinas at Lighthouse Point

Stan & Joe’s Riverside dining

Bill and Max Wade picking crabs

McFaul’s Oyster & Reel

Essex

Maryland’s summer tradition of picking steamed crabs with family and friends is alive and well at McFaul’s. The essentials are all here: wooden picnic tables covered with brown paper, a busy marina, an expansive outdoor deck and the briny aroma of Old Bay drifting in the breeze. Opened in 2022 along Sue Creek, this classic seafood house showcases a raw bar with an impressive array of oysters from around the Bay and offers seafood specialties such as cream of crab soup, steamed mussels and a crab margherita pizza with fresh pesto. oysterandreel.com

Where to Dock: McFaul’s Marina

Libbey’s Coastal Kitchen

Stevensville

From Libbey’s upper deck, you gain the seagull’s view of boats sailing into the marina or cars racing east and west across the Bay Bridge. Down below, you can chillax on the patio or in a grassy area on Adirondack chairs to see the sun set over the Bay’s waters. Wherever you land, traditional Eastern Shore cuisine will fill your plate. From crab dip and fried green tomatoes to lump crab cakes, rockfish Reuben and fried chicken, this iconic eatery welcomes guests with the best of the Bay. libbeyscoastalkitchen.com

Where to Dock: Bay Bridge Marina

Blu Miles Seafood & Grill

St. Michaels

When you visit Blu Miles, take a little time to stroll around its charming hometown. Victorian homes hug the shores of the Miles River, the main street hums with quaint shops and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum unveils the region’s nautical heritage. Blu Miles is housed in one of the area’s oldest oyster-shucking buildings, and from the outdoor patio, you watch watermen cruise by as they have for centuries. The menu echoes this sense of history with timeless dishes ranging from fried oysters and soft-shell crabs to chicken Chesapeake and shrimp po’ boys. theblumilesrestaurant.com

Where to Dock: St. Michaels Marina or Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Libbey’s view of the Bay Bridge

Susan Elnicki Wade

Susan Elnicki Wade Susan Elnicki Wade

VIRGINIA DESTINATIONS

Ice House Brewery & Kitchen

Colonial Beach, VA

A building that originally was the ice plant for the town of Colonial Beach is now a new brewery with casual dining. Sip on a beer or wine while choosing appetizers such as beer cheese with spicy mustard, crab cake sliders or fried pickles. Popular entrees: lobster rolls, burgers, jerk chicken flatbreads and an array of sausages including beer-braised bratwurst in a pretzel roll topped with sauerkraut. Dogs are welcome on the patio overlooking a marina that accommodates boats up to 30 feet. Live music and year-round activities generate a lively atmosphere. icehousecb.com

Where to Dock: Ice House Marina

Stony’s Dockside Bar & Grill

Norfolk, VA

Tucked away from the huge Navy ships and urban bustle of downtown Norfolk lies a quieter boaters’ haven at Stony’s Dockside. Flanked by several marinas along Little Creek near the mouth of the Bay, this family-run restaurant brings the craftmanship and wood-working skills of nautical vessels into the décor of its dining area. Chefs integrate the nautical flare into scrumptious dishes out of local crab, oysters, flounder, clams, scallops, shrimp and mussels. Sunday brunch pulls it all together with buttermilk pancakes and seafood omelets that make an afternoon nap on the boat irresistible. stonysdockside.com

Where to Dock: Stony’s Dockside Marina

To view this article online, visit marinalife.com/ChesapeakeDockAndDines

Ice House Brewery & Kitchen

Trawlerfest

BOATSHOW • EDUCATION • RENDEZVOUS

Downtown Baltimore + Baltimore Inner Harbor Baltimore, Maryland

Boat Show September 28-30th, 2023

Boating Seminars September 26-30th, 2023

Trawlerfest presented by Passagemaker Magazine continues our 2023 swing by returning to the great state of Maryland. Browse new and used boats of all sizes from your favorite brands, dealers, brokers, and exhibitors... all in one place. Come early in the week to attend a wide variety of 25+ seminars given by experts in their respective fields.

For more information, visit us online: trawlerfest.com

Volunteers Revitalize the Chesapeake Bay

Severn River Association: Ellie, Nini and Zoe at Eaglenest

Mixing summer fun with community service leads to better boating

BY CAROL M. BAREUTHER

Your summer plans might not include spending time with a local charity, but volunteering at a maritime-minded cause can yield unexpected benefits, and the Chesapeake Bay is ripe with rewarding opportunities. Consider oyster gardening to clean the waters with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, serve as a tour guide to make history come alive aboard a 1940s-era skipjack at the Annapolis Maritime Museum, or help teens build boats at Chesapeake Wooden Boatbuilders School to nurture youth creativity and imagination.

Give-back opportunities that bolster the Chesapeake waterways range from one day to a season or year-round. Here are some great groups to get you started:

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (ACB)

Annapolis, MD

Picking up trash might not sound sexy, but it can have a huge impact on the lands and waters in the Chesapeake watershed. Started in 2002, Project Clean Stream is the regional nonprofit’s longest-standing volunteer project. Hundreds of site captains help organize thousands of volunteers to educate Chesapeake Bay lovers about trash and organize local clean-ups. “Volunteering at a local Project Clean Stream site is a great way to impact your community. These events last one to two hours, and the results are instant,” says Lauren Sauder, capacity-building projects manager. “For a season-long activity, become a Project Clean Stream site captain. As such, you can choose a clean-up site (as simple as a local shoreline), submit it to the Chesapeake Network, and the Alliance will assist you in organizing volunteers and preparing for your event. We’ll even supply you with free gloves and trash bags.” Visit chesapeakenetwork.org to register or submit a clean-up site at allianceforthebay.org

Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park (AMM) Annapolis, MD

Take visitors on a voyage to learn about and relive the days when skipjacks dredged the Chesapeake Bay for oysters. Volunteers can serve as crew or a tour guide onboard the 1940-built 75’ long Wilma Lee, one of the last vessels of this commercial sailing fleet and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its mission is to educate about the Annapolis area’s maritime heritage in a variety of hands-on and close-up ways. Another is to help maintain the wooden boats on display at the museum campus on Second Street in the old McNasby Oyster Company building overlooking the Bay and at the 12-acre campus across Back Creek at the Ellen O. Moyer Nature Park. “Our Wooden Boat Crew volunteers help us maintain the boats on display at both campuses,” says Cassie Weithman, marketing director. “To serve on the Wilma Lee, we ask people to volunteer at least two to three times per month.” An online volunteer sign-up page is on the website. In warm months, the organization hosts one-day garden and grounds workdays that are perfect for families. amaritime.org

Assateague Island National Seashore (AINS) Chincoteague, VA

Best known for its herds of wild horses (alleged descendants from a 17th century shipwrecked Spanish galleon), Assateague needs volunteers to help park rangers interpret the pristine beach environment, bays, coves and marshes on this 37-mile-long island. Examples include interpretive kayak programs, surf fishing demonstrations, and marine explorers’ programs. Volunteers can also assist weekly at the Toms Cove Visitors Center, located

on Beach Road outside of the town of Chincoteague. The center offers beach and birdlife exhibits, educational brochures and a marine aquarium with a touch tank, as well as services such as providing overnight fishing passes, campfire reservations, and a lost and found. “We interview our volunteer candidates to make sure that their skill set and interests match our needs and that we can provide a meaningful and productive experience for them. We also provide training, the length of which depends on the volunteer activities but typically takes about 40 to 80 hours spread over several

Assateague Island National Seashore

Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park lowering the Jib

weeks,” says Gretchen Knapp, supervisor of the Virginia District Division of Interpretation and Education. For a one-day volunteer opportunity, register at the Visitor Center for the annual beach cleanup on September 23. For more, download a volunteer brochure from the website. nps.gov/asis/index.htm

Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF)

Annapolis, MD

Volunteer to garden — oysters that is. Attend an oyster gardening seminar to pick up baby oysters, wire cages and know-how. Then, making sure they don’t touch the bottom, hang cages in the water at your dock or a public waterfront dock, community pier or marina that’s part of the CBF’s oyster gardening program. Check your oysters every week or two and in a year, the fully grown mollusks will be ready

to plant into the foundation’s sanctuary reefs and help create a healthier Chesapeake Bay. Seminar dates, times and location are on the website. To volunteer for a day, register online to attend one of the Virginia’s CBF’s Clean the Bay Day litter clean-ups. “In Maryland, we are always looking for volunteers for large-scale tree plantings in the spring and fall,” says Kenny Fletcher, the Virginia communications coordinator. “These plantings take place on farms near streams that flow into larger waterways such as the Potomac and Patuxent rivers that boaters may frequent. The new trees improve downstream water quality.” cbf.org

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM)

St. Michaels, MD

Help guests find their personal connection to the Chesapeake, its history, heritage and habitat, as a docent, interpreter or guest host. This might entail guiding a 90-minute walking tour around 18 waterfront acres to explore a working boatyard, see artifacts from the region’s oystering and crabbing days, and hiking to the top of the

Chesapeake Bay Foundation volunteers posing for a group photo after a Frederick County tree planting

AJ Metcalf/Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Volunteer mentors at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

1879-built Hooper Strait Lighthouse for a bird’s eye view. Or, you could narrate a river cruise on the 1920s-era buyboat, the Winnie Estelle, or talk about displays like the water bird exhibit that details the hundreds of species that migrate through the region each year. Some 300+ volunteers give time here year-round or seasonally. “For those with nautical experience and/or interest, there are opportunities for on-the-water crew supporting our historic floating fleet, as well as roles available helping its shipyard, Charity Boat Donation Program, and Rising Tide after-school program for local youth,” says Eric Detweiler, communications specialist. The museum’s volunteer application is on its website. cbmm.org

Chesapeake Wooden Boatbuilders School (CWBS)

North East, MD

If your boat rebuilding and repair skills lean to wood rather than plastic, then volunteer at this school where all the directors volunteer their time. A day’s work may include putting primer on an 18’ 1926-built Old Town Ideal canoe or the transom on a 1980s-era single-sail 15’ Marsh Cat in the process of getting glued together. The school started in 1989 as an adult education program and has since partnered with the Upper Bay Museum and Cecil College. “We also offer a one-week teen boat school annually during the last week of June,” says Allan ‘Bud’ Gillis, a past museum board member and long-time instructor. “We have six teens this year, and they build their own 16’ plywood canoes from pre-cut kits. After basic step-by-step

instructions from boat school members, the school’s volunteers and family members assist the teens with building and painting their boats. At the end of the week, we have a mass launch, and the teens then take their canoes home.” North East is 30 miles southwest of Wilmington, DE, and 50 miles northeast of Baltimore. upperbaymuseum.org/boat-school

Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRN)

Washington, DC

Get wet and help shine a spotlight on clean water, too. That’s what this nonprofit’s volunteers can do at one of the RiverPalooza events, so the public can enjoy the rivers and tributaries in the Potomac and Shenandoah watersheds via organized canoe outings, fishing excursions and kayak adventures. RioPalooza events reach out to Spanish

Potomac Riverkeeper Network trash cleanup

speakers, too. “For a season-long give back, become a water quality monitor,” invites Fritz Schneider, communications director. “The program spans from May to September, water samples are collected and analyzed from 24 locations once a week, and results are reported to the public. Info for both programs is on the network’s website. potomacriverkeepernetwork.org

Severn River Association (SRA) Annapolis, MD

Be a volunteer captain with the oldest river conservation group in the nation. “We are always happy to work with a volunteer captain who will take our staff, interns or volunteers out to designated monitoring sites to track water quality. We provide training and location information, as well as pay for four gallons of gas for a typical three-hour monitoring tour,” says Jesse Iliff, executive director. A tour like this, conducted Wednesday to Friday from spring to fall, departs from the Port Annapolis Marina to GPS-market monitoring stations. There, crews use handheld devices to measure dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity and clarity, and take visual observations of the waters’ color and weather conditions. New this year is a chance for volunteers to help photograph oyster reefs, as part of the SRA’s partnership with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Cameras will be deployed at the association’s restored oyster reefs for an hour or so each, then collected and returned to shore for analysis of the footage. SRA posts volunteer interest forms online. severnriver.org

Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Gloucester Point, VA

Put people and public-speaking skills to use by volunteering at fairs and festivals or leading campus tours at this marine research and education center, which is among the largest in America. “We participate in 17 to 20 festivals annually in Hampton Roads, Richmond, the Northern Neck and surrounding areas, reaching over 3,000 people. Volunteers help set up and take down educational displays, and tell attendees about VIMS research topics, such as sharks and marine biodiversity. These are a four-to-six-hour commitment,” explains Kristen Sharpe, assistant director of outreach and engagement. “Campus tours reach nearly 1,000 people annually from around the nation, and volunteers lead groups through active lab locations where visitors can talk to scientists. Labs cover topics like seawater research and coastal economy. Tours typically last for 1.5 to 2 hours.” Volunteer positions are posted on the website. Located across Coleman Bridge from Yorktown, VIMS also houses the graduate school in marine science for the College of William & Mary. vims.edu

Severn River Association

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

ISLAND HOPPING AROUND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY

Live like a waterman, or just enjoy the views

BY ELLEN HONEY

Atrip to the islands — the phrase itself conjures up thoughts of a getaway to serenity, fun and adventure. The Chesapeake Bay envelops a number of islands, some so anchored to the mainland, like Kent or Solomons, that we hardly think of them as islands. Others are connected by a single bridge creating a more isolated lifestyle for residents. Hart-Miller and Pleasure Islands are seasonal boating destinations. Many, like Tangier, are threatened by the slow but steady erosion of the Bay’s waves.

Island time has a different meaning for each of them … on some islands, time has stopped, or even appears to have reversed. For a few, it’s party time, and for many, time is running out. Here are the stories of eight Chesapeake islands off the shores of Maryland and Virginia. How many can you explore this summer?

Hart-Miller Island

MARYLAND ISLANDS

Hart-Miller Island

Lat/Long: 39.24 -76.36

Begun in the early 1980s as a dredge containment area filled with underwater materials from Baltimore Harbor and the region, Hart-Miller Island has reached full capacity at 1,200 acres. Located near the mouth of Middle and Back rivers, the island is only accessible by boat.

Park Ranger Robin Reed says, “It’s hard to recreate nature,” but working together, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Services and Port Authority have successfully turned the site into a viable island and protected haven supporting birds and wildlife. More than 275 bird species, some found only on Hart-Miller, call the island home.

Its western shore offers safe mooring, wading, a 3,000-foot beach, concessions, picnic area and restrooms, making it a favorite destination for weekend boaters from May 1 to Sept. 30.

Where to Dock: Hart-Miller Island State Park

Pleasure Island

Lat/Long: 39.23 -76.39

Originally developed in the late 1940s as Bay Shore Park, a very popular amusement destination for Baltimoreans with a gala casino for dancing, a five-acre midway and about seven glorious miles of lovely white sandy beach. Pleasure Island was connected to Millers Island via a wooden bridge that was destroyed in a 1964 hurricane.

Pleasure Island is now part of Hart-Miller Island State Park, which also includes Hawk Cove and offers recreational opportunities and camping. The park complex is well-known for its abundant migrating bird populations.

Where to Dock: Hart-Miller Island State Park

Taylors Island

Lat/Long: 38.46 -76.30

When the Taylor brothers took ownership of 400 island acres in 1662, they named it Taylor’s Folly. Once connected on the north to James Island and on the south to Hoopers Island by way of Meekins Neck, Taylors has lost about 1,500 acres in the last 100 years to erosion washing away most of James Island and all traces of the road to Hoopers. It’s connected to the mainland by a concrete bridge over Slaughter Creek.

During its early history, Taylors Island was an important center for farming, shipbuilding and seafood. Island shipyards built pungies, schooners, bugeyes and sloops. This, along with the lumber industry, nearly decimated the

trees on the island. Talented decoy carvers lived on the island back in the days of market hunting. An old Taylors Island working decoy is priceless.

With an abundance of waterfowl, the island is a hunter’s paradise. For those who shoot with cameras, Frank M. Ewing Robinson Neck Preserve is a gorgeous hidden gem with an undisturbed waterfowl habitat and sanctuary for bald eagles. A 1.25-mile, one-way nature trail winds through the tall pines and tidal marshes of this Nature Conservancy preserve that’s open year-round.

Where to Dock: Slaughter Creek Marina

Hoopers Island

Lat/Long: 38.29 -76.19

Just 25 miles yet worlds away from Cambridge, Hoopers Island encompasses three islands with authentic working watermen villages. Upper Hooper and Middle Hooper are connected to the mainland by high arched bridges.

Henry Hooper settled here in 1669. At various periods, islanders farmed, built ships and canned tomatoes. Hoopers Island has historically housed many of Maryland’s crab processing facilities. Today the tradition of “working on the water” continues as a hub for crab-picking operations, oyster aquaculture facilities and charter sport fishing.

Dock at Old Salty’s, a classic Bay restaurant drawing people from all over for traditional fresh seafood recipes: delectable crab cakes, soft shells and various seafood dishes, plus a bustling tiki bar. For early risers, Hoopers Island General Store (open at 5:00 a.m.) has everything from groceries to sporting supplies and a deli known for homemade cheesesteak subs, crab cakes and desserts.

Hoopers Island marshland

Matt Rath-Chesapeake Bay Program/Flickr

Deal Island

Lat/Long: 38.14 -75.94

Deal Island, Chance and Wenona, the three communities on this three-mile stretch off Tangier Sound, are inhabited by watermen, wildlife and waterfowl; and on Labor Day weekend, skipjacks.

For more than 60 years, skipjacks have traveled from around the Bay to compete and celebrate these iconic Chesapeake wooden vessels at the Deal Island Skipjack Race & Festival. Activities include a parade, fishing and boat-docking contests, music, crafts, food and skipjacks on display. On race day, yard sales line the 16-mile road from Princess Anne to the island.

Expanses of tidal marsh, frequently broken by open water, characterize most of the habitat of Deal Island’s 13,000-acre wildlife habitats that support a large concentration of herons, egrets, ibis and uncommon ducks attractive to waterfowl hunters. Deal Island Beach is known for natural sea glass that washes onto the sand. Arby’s Dockside Bar & Grill, a nearby waterside shack next to Scott’s Cove Marina, serves crabs and cold beer. Where to Dock: Scott’s Cove Marina

Crab pots on a dock

Jerry Kiesewetter jerryinocmd/Wikimedia Commons-Unsplash

Matt Rath-Chesapeake Bay Program/Flickr

Deal Island church

Hoopers Island work boats

VIRGINIA ISLANDS

Tangier Island

Lat/Long: 37.82 -75.99

In the summer of 1608 while searching for fresh water, Capt. John Smith came across a group of islands in the middle of the bay that he called the “Russell Isles.” Today, the group is known as Smith, Tangier and Watts Islands.

When settled by European farmers in the mid-1700s, the island was twice its current size and is now the last inhabited Virginia island in the Chesapeake. When the demand for seafood increased in the 1840s, the residents began harvesting the waters instead of the land. The island’s central waterway is lined with crab shanties, now the source for many coveted soft shell blue crabs.

Currently, this historic watermen’s community is holding tight to its water-oriented roots and way of life while also thriving on tourism. Guesthouses and B&Bs dot the island. Day-trippers can dock at Parks Marina, then tour the island by bicycle or golf cart and dine on seafood caught that morning at one of the seasonal restaurants.

Where to Dock: Parks Marina

Matt Rath/Chesapeake Bay Program/Flickr

Steve Droter-Chesapeake Bay Program/Flickr

Tangier Island waterman

Tangier Island crab shanties

Larry Syverson/Flickr

JIM/Pixabay

Tangier Island abandoned boat

Watts Island

Lat/Long: 37.79 -75.89

Pint-size, uninhabited Watts Island can be reached on a day trip from Tangier, which lies just a few miles west. Initially called St. Gabriell’s Island, it was renamed after landowner John Watts in 1670. Despite its diminutive size, the island has a deep, often violent past.

At one time, the island was a base for pirates who sailed out to commandeer ships, plunder shoreline plantations and steal whatever they came across.

During the American Revolution, Watts was a base for Loyalists who operated much like the pirates. The British built a fort on the island during the War of 1812, though Tangier Island was their major base. During the Civil War, Watts remained under Union Navy control, but both Union and Confederate sailors cut all the trees to fuel their steamships.

In 1800, 15 people lived on Watts Island and raised cattle on the marsh grasses. In 1833, the U.S. government purchased Little Watts Island and built a lighthouse placing the light fueled by kerosene at the top of a 48-foot-tall tower. Watts Island and Little Watts Island once covered hundreds of acres of land. Little Watts and the government-built lighthouse are now completely gone while Watts Island continues to erode into Pocomoke Sound.

Gwynn Island

Lat/Long: 37.50 -76.28

Originally part of Powhatan lands, Gwynn Island lies at the mouth of the Piankatank River and is roughly three miles long and a mile wide. About 600 residents live in bungalows with private beaches, but no public access.

According to legend, Colonial Hugh Gwynn was exploring the bay when he heard the cries of an Indian girl whose canoe had tipped over. She was Pocahontas, daughter of the Powhatan chief who gifted Gwynn the island for saving her life.

The Hole in the Wall Waterfront Grill sits at the base of the Cricket Hill bridge. Tie up to dine in or call ahead and have food delivered to your boat. Walk over to Gwynn’s Island Museum to see pottery, artifacts and a 1776 map believed to be drawn by Thomas Jefferson. A replica of the Cinmar Blade, the oldest known Paleo-human artifact found in the Americas — dating back 23,000 years — is on display.

The island is a quiet respite with songbirds, ospreys and frolicking bottleneck dolphins except during the lively Gwynn’s Island Festival in June. Graze on a variety of seafood while exploring handmade items — jewelry, wood crafts, leather, paintings and ironworks.

Where to Dock: Morningstar Marinas Gwynn’s Island

Hart-Miller

Taylors

Pleasure Island

Hoopers Tangier

Deal Watts

Gwynn

The island was a base for pirates who sailed out to commandeer ships, plunder shoreline plantations and steal whatever they came across

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