C H E S A P E A K E B AY E D I T I O N
marinalife E N H A N C I N G Y O U R YA C H T I N G L I F E S T Y L E
marinalife.com
2014
Life on THE
Bay inside
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TAKE A TROPICAL TOUR P. 14 PACK UP THE KIDS P. 18 CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVERS P. 22 NEW OYSTER CULT P. 26 CHECK OUT THE BIG BAY HUNT P. 10
& &YQFSJFODF YQFSJFODF 3FBM #PBUJOH JO 3FBM #PBUJOH JO .JEEMF 3JWFS . JEEMF 3JWFS .BSZMBOE .BSZMBOE
CONVE NTLLY LOCATED CONVENIENTLY T D LOCATE IN IN MIDDLE MID E RIVER, RIVER, Chesapeake Bay, a tributary off the Chesapeak Long Beach Bea h Marina is a 327-slip 32 wi h a beautiful view of facility with Frog Mortar Creek. Long Beach B Marina is a full service, familyoriented marina specializing in the storage, maintenance, repair and sale of powerboats. Our marina is close to the Baltimore Inner Harbor, Rock Hall and Fairlee Creek.
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Ship’s Store Boat Ramp Swimming Pool Over 300 Peaceful Boat Slips Transient Slips Avvailable Showers and Toilet Facilities Dry Dinghy Storage Pump-out Friendly Staff to Assist You! o Picnic Area Floating Drive-On Wave Runner Docks
FUEL DOCK:
SLIPS: SLIPS:
Open year round from 8am till 7pm. Open till dusk Friday-Sunday during the summer.
We offer f transient slips and annual slip rentals! Open slips range in size from 20’ to over 50’
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Offering diesel diese and gasoline
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Reasonable pricing Two diesel pumps pum Fuel dock store
Free pump-out service for slip holders. Note: stabilizer, fuel additives, two-stroke oil and engine oil is conveniently available in the fuel dock store. Please call or email us for pricing at longbeachmarina@ aol.com
Annual contracts are efffective April 1st
7 days a week
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Holding tank pump-outs are provided
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Over 300 slips
free of charge to annual slip holders Power boats to over 50’ Deep water up to 8’ Laundry service 30 and 50 Amp service available Offering fe block and cube ice Ample parking Wireless internet access
B BOAT OAT YARD YAR A D SERVICE SERVICES: S: Long Beach Marina offers full mechanical repair and maintenance, 30 Ton haulout service, prop and shaft work, hull waxing, bottom painting and other general yard work. Full winterization service is offered along with w a winter dry storage package. non-toxic antifreeze for winterizing and metal jack-stands are used to We only use non support the winter dry storage boats here at Long Beach Marina. Do-it-yourself dry storage and winter storage rates are also available upon request. Email us with any questions or to inquire about our rates at longbeachmarina@aol.com
BEACH LONG MARINA
$IFTUFS 3P PBE t .JEEMF 3J 3JWFr .BSZMBOE ww ww MPOHCFBDINBSJOBPOMJOF DPN
DISCOVER Brewer Oxford Boat Yard & Marina
Cruiser Friendly!
150+ Slips, to 100’ 110/220 V Fuel Dock Pool & Party Patio Grills & Picnic Areas Heads & Showers Laundry Facilities Experienced Service Convenient Shops & Restaurants Bicycle Rentals Cable TV FREE Wi-Fi
Formerly Oxford Boatyard & Mears Yacht Haven 402 East Strand Road • Oxford MD 21654 • 410/226-5101 • byy.com/oxford
CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION 2014
3
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SALES • SERVICE • PARTS
825 Bowleys Quarters Road Middle River, MD 21220
Yamaha 5 Star Factory Certified Technicians
www.beaconlightmarina.com email: sales@beaconlightmarina.com
marinalife.com | CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
410-335-6200
North East River MARINA
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410-287-5298
Amy@NorthEastRiverMarina.com 724 Water Street, Charlestown, Maryland
COUPON RENT A PONTOON save $25 towards your gas Not valid on holiday weekends
Expires October 1st 2014
SHADY OAKS MARINA
DISCOVER THE WEST AND RHODE RIVERS FROM
Shady Oaks Marina
2SHQ &RYHUHG 6OLSV $YDLODEOH Ã )UHH %RWWRP -RE ZLWK $QQXDO &RQWUDFW QHZ FXVWRPHUV Ã &DOO IRU 'HWDLOV Enjoy a deep water slip in a quiet West River cove. Friendly staff, superior service, and convenient by land—a great home base in the Rhode & West Rivers with easy access to the Chesapeake Bay.
30 min. East of D.C. 20 min. South of Annapolis Full Service, including Haul Out to 60 feet 7 Restaurants nearby and new grocery
846 Shady Oaks Road, West River, MD 20778 | ShadyOaksWestRiver.com | 410.867.0778 CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION 2014
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CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
CONTENTS >
26
22
18 10 THE BIG BAY HUNT Discover clues hidden at nine Chesapeake Bay waterfront restaurants and marinas
14 TAKE A TROPICAL TOUR OF THE CHESATIKI BAY Chart a Polynesian cruise ... and you don’t need a passport
18 PACK UP THE KIDS AND HEAD TO THE BAY Entertain the family all summer long with fun activities
22 A TAIL OF TWO CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVERS It all began with a shipwreck
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MARINALIFE, LLC
1414 Key Highway, 3rd Floor Baltimore, MD 21230 Tel: 410-752-0505 Fax: 866-622-9488 sales@marinalife.com PUBLISHER
Joy McPeters EDITOR
Meeghan Truelove CONTRIB UTORS
26 NEW OYSTER CULT The Bay’s favorite bivalve embarks on a comeback tour
30 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Check out some of the Bay’s sizzling summer activities
Barbara Barrett Carolyn Crouch Ellen Honey Olivia Schleicher Bill Wade Susan Elnicki Wade Judith Isaacson Burns DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
Marinalife Magazine, Chesapeake Bay Edition Vol. 1, Issue 1 is published by Marinalife, LLC,1414 Key Highway, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21230, 410-752-0505. Annual subscription price $9.99; for subscription (please add $10 for Canadian addresses and $20 for all other international addresses); renewal or change of address, call 410-752-0505. marinalife.com. Periodical Postage paid at the Baltimore, Md. post office and at additional mailing offices. ISSN # 2152-2200 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Marinalife, LLC, 1414 Key Highway, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21230
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marinalife.com | CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
Clipper City Custom Media Jeni Mann clippercitymedia.com 410-902-2302
STAY. PLAY. EXPLORE. RELAX. Chesapeake Harbour...Your Resort Marina
t 4 tennis courts and 2 swimming pools DOCK BAR NOW OPEN t 1800’ private sandy beach with 2 fishing piers t 'JUOFTT 'BDJMJUZ t 8J'J "DDFTT t $BCMF 57 BU FBDI TMJQ t 'JOF EJOJOH EPDLTJEF CBS BU 4BN T PO UIF 8BUFSGSPOU t On-site yacht management and maintenance t $PVSUFTZ TIVUUMF UP EPXOUPXO "OOBQPMJT
CHESAPEAKE HARBOUR MARINA 2030 Chesapeake Harbour Dr, Annapolis, MD
t XXX DIFTBQFBLFIBSCPVS DPN OWEN SAYS
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OPEN TUESDAY - FRI DAY 4:00pm - 10:00pm SATURDAY 11:30am - 10:00pm SUN DAY 11:30am - 8:00pm
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$ Rockfish Bites $ Crab Pretzel Fish & Chips • Louisiana Seafood Boil
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10% OFF When You Mention This Ad
f 2 South Main Street, North East, MD 21901 • 443-877-6361
www.essexboatsales.com
(410) 686-3435 email: essexboats@aol.com
1755 Hilltop Ave. Baltimore, MD CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION 2014
7
EDITOR’S LOG
>
Welcome from Marinalife, Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Marinalife Chesapeake Bay Edition! The Marinalife team is excited to bring you this unique publication geared to everything boating in the Bay. Marinalife has been based in Baltimore for more than 14 years and has been serving a nationwide group of boaters through the Marinalife website and quarterly magazine. The Chesapeake Bay Edition is a tribute to our roots in this region and to the many loyal Marinalife members who boat in the Bay. This edition is filled with Chesapeake Bay stories from the best tiki bars and crab decks to kid-friendly destinations. Do not miss Marinalife’s 1st Big Bay Hunt in partnership with Susan and Bill Wade (authors of Crab Decks and Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay). Go to marinalife.com/treasurehunt to register and learn more about the participating businesses that will help you solve the hidden mystery! Don’t forget to visit the Marinalife website (marinalife.com) for all of your boating needs from marina information and
reservations to fuel locations and pricing. Also, check out the many discounts and specials on dockage and fuel that are exclusively offered to Marinalife Cruising Club Members. The Marinalife team is committed to make your boating experience as easy as possible with the many resources and tools available through the Chesapeake Bay Edition, the Marinalife website and concierge desk. We would love to hear your feedback and what you would like to see in the next issue of the Chesapeake Bay Edition. Thank you for reading the inaugural issue of the Marinalife Chesapeake Bay Edition.
JOY McPETERS
President/CEO Marinalife
CHECK OUT THE HUNDREDS OF DISCOUNTS ON dockage and fuel in the Chesapeake Bay area available to Cruising Club members. Visit: marinalife.com/discounts to view all discounts.
JOIN THE MARINALIFE CRUISING CLUB expiration date
Joe Boater
The Marinalife Cruising Club offers you yo access to discounts and exclusive offers, marina reservations, Sea Tow off Gold Card Membership, boat show Go tickets and more! ti
1 y 7/3 Join b ve up to ecei and r off. Use 10% code promo
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10-20-2014
To view all membership benefits visit: marinalife.com/memberbenefits /m berb ef
Select your membership option below: REGISTERED MEMBER
TOWING
$49.99 per year
1 free issue of Marinalife Magazine
$199.99 per year
Free In Partnership with Active Interest Media.
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Marinalife LLC 1414 Key Highway, 3rd Floor Baltimore MD 21230 Or Fax to 866-622-9488. You can also sign-up online: marinalife.com/join
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marinalife.com | CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
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THE BIG BAY HUNT SPONSORS
at Anchor Bay East Marina
A LITTLE PIECE OF KEY WEST IN DUNDALK, MARYLAND 8500 Co Cove ve Rd., Dundalk, MD $ PVSUOFZ!IBSEZBDIU DPN t $PVSUOFZ!IBSEZBDIU DPN t
TIKI BAR “where the locals go‌ for Sunsets on the Kent Narrowsâ€? 3015 Kent Narrows Way South Grasonville, Maryland 21638 410-827-6523 www.thebigowl.com
The Point Crab House & Grill
410-544-5448 700 Mill Creek Rd., Arnold, MD
At Bill’s Yacht Basin Miller’s Island
ROW BOAT
WILLIE’S DOCK BAR
Your Gateway to the Chesapeake
Why go to the beach when you can come to the Island?
Floating Docks with
Finger r 0QFO GPS MVODI EJOOFS ĉVSTEBZ 4VOEBZ
Piers r -JWF &OUFSUBJONFOU r $POWFOJFOU CZ MBOE PS TFB r 1BDLBHF (PPET *DF BOE NPSF HIGH & DRY STORAGE r
NOW ENCLOSED DECK & FULL KITCHEN! 9033 Cuckold Point Rd, Miller’s Island
410-477-5137
FAMILY OWNED FOR OVER 64 YEARS
www.havenharbour.com
Restaurant Bridges Restaurant 321 Wells Wells Cove Co ove Rd., d., Grasonville, Grra asonville, MD 321
410-827-0282 410-827-0282 Bridgesrestaurant.net Bridgesrestaurant.net
48"/ $3&&, t 30$, )"-- t .% t CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION 2014
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A secret diary... mysterious clues… a summer adventure is waiting for you!
S
TEP BACK IN TIME TO THE Chesapeake Bay of the early 19th century, when young Matthew Clement Henry left his family’s sleepy tobacco farm in Southern Maryland to seek his fortune in Baltimore. The bustle of city life suited Matthew, but news of unrest around the Bay troubled him. British ships were plundering towns and farms along the shore, causing heartache for his family back home. After a raucous night of cavorting with sailors and cursing the King in a Fells Point tavern, he signed on with the Navy. And so his adventures began. Matthew sailed around the Chesapeake Bay and chronicled his voyages in a diary. Cryptic notes on the pages of his diary revealed Matthew had a secret quest that was linked to his patriotic duty. One ill-fated night, a storm blew across the Bay and sank Matthew Clement Henry’s ship. There were no survivors. A trunk carrying his diary washed ashore and was stored in the attic of a home on the Eastern Shore. Centuries later, his diary
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marinalife.com | CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
was discovered and handed over to the Chesapeake Maritime Historical Society. As historians read the brittle pages of Henry’s diary, they marvel at their good fortune to see a snapshot of Bay life in the 1800s. But the strange notes in the diary have stumped them. What was Henry searching for? Using his diary as a guide, naval archaeologists retraced Henry’s journey and created a list of ports he visited. Experts investigated each location, but the mystery remains unsolved.
Join the Hunt. Solve the Mystery. Matthew Clement Henry was looking for something. Marinalife and Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay invite you to join the Big Bay Hunt to unravel the mystery and figure out what he wanted to find. Here’s how it works: The Big Bay Hunt map shows Chesapeake Bay locations mentioned in Matthew’s diary. You must visit each of the modern-day locations, but you don’t have to go to them in any particular order. At each location, find the Big Bay
Hunt clue and solve the diabolical puzzle. The solution to eight of the nine clues is a single word. Enter each one-word solution in the KEY and then combine the eight words for the final solution—something M.C. Henry was seeking. A clearly marked Bonus Clue is also included, but the solution is not a single word. Warning: This one’s tough. Enter this solution in the KEY as an added bonus to help Matthew Clement Henry you solve the mystery. The Big Bay Hunt lasts from May 23 to Sept. 1. Once you unravel the mystery, email your final solution to hunt@marinalife.com. Winners will receive prizes at the end of the summer. Visit marinalife.com/treasurehunt to register now. It’s free, and it’s going to be fun! Good luck!
Find Clues at Big Bay Hunt Locations These Chesapeake restaurants have partnered with Marinalife and Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay to share secret clues for the hunt. See the map for their exact location.
THE EARTH
WATER
marinalife ABERDEEN
1. Little Havana
HAVRE DE GRACE
EDGEWOOD
1325 Key Highway Baltimore, MD 21230 Lat. N 39º 16' 29", Long. W 76º 36' 11" DOCK BMC at Harborview Patapsco River
p.m.
2. Hard Yacht Café
8500 Cove Road Dundalk, MD 21222 Lat. N 39º 15' 4", Long. W 76º 29' 20" DOCK Anchor Bay East Marina Back River
3. Rowboat Willie’s Dock Bar
9033 Cuckold Point Road Sparrows Point, MD 21219 Lat. N 39º 14' 2", Long. W 76º 24' 6" DOCK Bill’s Yacht Basin Back River
BALTIMORE
1 2
DUNDALK SPARROWS POINT
3
PASADENA
4. Cheshire Crab Restaurant
1701 Poplar Ridge Road Pasadena, MD 21122 Lat. N 39º 7' 38", Long. W 76º 28' 24" DOCK Pleasure Cove Marina Bodkin Creek
CHESTERTOWN
4
6
ROCK HALL
5
CENTERVILLE
ANNAPOLIS
GRASONVILLE
7
8
5. The Point Crab House & Grill
700 Mill Creek Road Arnold, MD 21012 Lat. N 39º 4' 4", Long. W 76º 30' 42" DOCK Ferry Point Marina Magothy River
ST. MICHAELS
6. Passages Bar & Grill
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20880 Rock Hall Ave. Rock Hall, MD 21661 Lat. N 39º 8' 24", Long. W 76º 14' 59" DOCK Haven Harbour Marina Swan Creek
7. The Big Owl Tiki Bar
3015 Kent Narrows Way South Grasonville, MD 21638 Lat. N 38º 58' 8", Long. W 76º 14' 44" DOCK Mears Point Marina Kent Narrows
8. Bridges Restaurant
321 Wells Cove Road Grasonville, MD 21638 Lat. N 38º 57' 57", Long. W 76º 14' 35" DOCK Bridges on Kent Narrows Kent Narrows
9. St. Michaels Crab & Steak House
KEY Combine the eight words for the final solution ... at last!
305 Mulberry St. St. Michaels, MD 21663 Lat. N 38º 47' 6", Long. W 76º 13' 15" DOCK St. Michaels Marina Miles River
FINAL SOLUTION: EMAIL YOUR ANSWERS TO
hunt@marinalife.com
BONUS CLUE
FIRE
CREATED BY CRAB DECKS AND TIKI BARS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
THE BIG BAY HUNT SPONSORS
Henderson’s Wharf Marina Your Portal to Luxury
A Tradition of Excellence
Host your boating group with us! We like to take care of our boaters, especially those traveling in groups.
ASK ABOUT OUR SPECIAL DISCOUNT INCENTIVES FOR GROUPS 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO NBSJOB!IBSCPSNBHJD DPN PS
Annual & Seasonal Lease Specials r "OOVBM -FBTFT XJMM SFDFJWF UXP NPOUIT GSFF XJUI $PNQMJNFOUBSZ #PUUPN $MFBOJOH r 4FBTPOBM -FBTFT XJMM SFDFJWF POF NPOUI GSFF
Baltimore’s Best Value In The Heart Of Fells Point
Experience
Ask about our prime, private slips with exclusive benefits.
888.915.8878 Dockmaster’s Office: 410.732.1049 1001 Fell Street Baltimore, MD 21231 www.HendersonsWharfMarina.com
Visit the St. Michaels Crab and Steak House today for a premiere waterfront dining experience inside or out. Fresh ingredients, made-to-order meals, friendly staff, fabulous cocktails and historic ambiance are just a few of the reasons why we’re a local favorite.
St. Michaels Crab & Steak House 305 Mulberry Street, St. Michaels, MD 21663 (410) 745-3737 located at the St. Michaels Marina
www.StMichaelsCrabHouse.com
Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay Maryland Edition
Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay Explore the Bay with travel books that deliver you to bustling dock bars, cold beer, hot crabs and tropical lounges. Discover must-have info for boaters: ‡ 'RFNDJH ‡ /DWLWXGH ORQJLWXGH ‡ %RG\ RI ZDWHU DQG PRUH
“I can’t wait to visit all 200.� – Annie Versery
www.crabdecksandtikibars.com 12
marinalife.com | CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
Dock, De-stress, Divulge ...the word’s out about our 5-star hospitality & amenities!
t 4JUVBUFE JO UIF DFOUFS PG 4U .JDIBFMT SFTUBVSBOUT TIPQT t 'JSTU DMBTT BNFOJUJFT XJUI B QPPM LJET MPWF OP iSFTPSU GFFTw t $BCMF 57 BU FWFSZ TMJQ XJUI '"45 GSFF XJm t .PSF UIBO BEFRVBUF QPXFS TVQQPSUJOH "NQ "NQ "NQ TFSWJDFT t &SJD T $SBC )PVTF 5PXO %PDL 3FTUBVSBOU BOE 'PYZ T BMM PO QSFNJTFT t %PDL QFSTPOOFM TFDPOE UP OPOF t $POTJTUFOU TUBS SBUJOH XJUI "DUJWF$BQUBJO t 5XP TUBUF PG UIF BSU QVNQ PVU TUBUJPOT UIBU BMXBZT XPSL t 1BZ XJUI DIFDL PS DBTI BOE HFU UIF SFHJPO T CFTU GVFM t "OE BCPWF BMM DVTUPNFS TFSWJDF UIBU TUSJWFT UP NBLF ZPVS WJTJU UIF CFTU FYQFSJFODF ZPV MM IBWF PO UIF #BZ Unanimously voted the Number One transient resort marina on the Bay
®
P.O. Box 398 t 305 Mulberry St. t St. Michaels, MD 21663
Reservations: 410-745-2400 www.stmichaelsmarina.com
Woody’s 21 Years CRAB HOUSE
Est. 1993
Good Food & Great Customers
STILL CRABBY
After All These Years!
Woody’s Crab House, providing the finest Chesapeake Bay seafood in a casual dining atmosphere. We specialize in steamed crabs and our authentic Maryland crab cakes, made from jumbo lump crab meat.
XJOF t $3 domestic draGUT t $3 rail drinks
$
Free Buffet 4:00pm - 6:30 t Available in the bar only
29 S. Main Street, North East, MD (410) 287-3541
:\UKH` ;O\YZKH` HT WT ‹ -YPKH` :H[\YKH` HT WT
www.woodyscrabhouse.com
Our world famous crabcakes can be ordered online at www.woodyscrabhouse.com for delivery right to your door the very next day. CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION 2014
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Crimson sunsets above sandy beaches …rum drinks made with fresh-squeezed juices …reggae music lulling you into a laid-back state of bliss.
Is this the Caribbean? NOPE. It’s the tiki side of the Chesapeake Bay.
Take a Tropical TOUR By SUSAN ELNICKI WADE Author, Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay crabdecksandtikibars.com
of the
ChesaTikiBay AS YOU CRUISE AROUND MARYLAND and Virginia, be on the lookout for swaying palm trees. With rolling farmlands for a backdrop, they look like happy misfits determined to inject tropical spirit into the landscape. Whimsical Polynesian décor set amid steamed crabs and traditional nautical gear has become a Bay trademark. Grinning tiki masks get nailed to walls beside portraits of ship captains, and pictures of hula gals dance next to Natty Boh beer signs. Local tiki bar owners make annual treks to Florida to buy their palm trees. The harsh Chesapeake winters inevitable kill off the trees each year, so bar owners head south every spring to stock up on new trees. A Kent Island restaurateur says he loads 12foot tropical plants into his pickup truck 14
marinalife.com
for a white-knuckle drive back to the Bay and avoids low bridges. AMERICA GOES COCONUTS OVER TIKI What’s behind the area’s tiki craze? And when did folks start going to such lengths to blend Polynesia with traditional maritime? Well, in the middle of the Great Depression, a traveler named Ernest Gantt opened an island-inspired restaurant called Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood, Calif. Flaming torches, bamboo furniture, and carved masks from his journeys caught people’s attention, and his potent rum drinks became the talk of the town. The place was such a hit that it spawned 16 more locations during the 1940s. Before long other restaurateurs, perhaps most notably Trader Vic, caught tiki fever, and spread the island groove all over the
country with Mai Tais, Zombie cocktails, and pu pu platters. American soldiers returning home from World War II in the Pacific ate it up. Housewives held backyard luaus and dressed their husbands in boldly patterned Hawaiian shirts. When Hollywood got on board, things went into overdrive. Movies such as “Jaguar God” and “South Pacific” gave the masses a glimpse of island life. Girls went wild for Elvis in “Blue Hawaii.” By the time “Gilligan’s Island” hit television, tiki-mania
had shifted into high gear. By the late 1960s Polynesian pop culture started to decline. American youth turned their focus to the jungles of Vietnam, protesting the war and rejecting the frivolity of their parents’ generation. American Tiki went into hibernation. But not for long. A new generation in the 1980s, in love with all things retro, scoured yard sales and vintage shops for hula dolls, tiki mugs and Hawaiian shirts. Suddenly tiki was back, and the rage eventually made its
The Tiki King being escorted on a bamboo throne at the Tiki Bar at Solomons Island.
Carvings by California tiki artist Boski Hrnjak are featured at Chesapeake Inn’s outdoor tropical lounge.
Tiki Bar at Solomons Island, MD.
CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION 2014
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Top
20
Tiki Bars on th e Chesa peake Shore s
When you’re ready to dig your toes into the sand and raise an Orange Crush to toast the Gods of Tiki, head for these Polynesian enclaves on the Bay: 1
Vera’s White Sands Beach Club Restaurant verasbeachclub.com
2
Tiki Bar at Solomons Island tikibarsolomons.com
3
9
16
Big Owl Tiki Bar thebigowl.com
Red Eye’s Dock Bar redeyedockbar.com Marcoritaville Tiki Bar & American Grille marcoritavillestmichaels.com
10
17
Dirty Dave’s Tiki Bar at Kentmorr Restaurant kentmorr.com
4
11
18
5
12
19
6
13
7
14
Tiki Barge in Baltimore tikibargebmore.com Coconut Joe’s Hawaiian Bar & Grill coconutjoesusa.com Sunset Cove sunsetcovemd.com
way to the Chesapeake. From Virginia Beach to Baltimore and beyond, palm trees and bamboo curtains sprouted up along the shoreline. Restaurant owners strung colorful lights around their waterfront decks, turned up the volume on Buffett and Marley tunes and taught bartenders how to make classic cocktails. Tiki had found its place among the oyster boats and crab shacks. SAY ALOHA TO PINEAPPLES & LUAUS In fact, tiki around the Chesapeake Bay has its own illustrious career. In the 1940s, a woman named Vera Williams left her small town in Montana for the bright lights of Hollywood. She never found cinematic fame, but she married Effus “Doc” Freeman, the movie stars’ ophthalmologist. The couple explored the world aboard Doc’s yacht, visiting exotic ports of call from India to Indonesia. In 1953, they decided to make Calvert County their home and settled on a rustic 800-acre property with a deepwater marina overlooking St. Leonard Creek. They unpacked crates stuffed with mementos from their journeys and opened a beach club showcasing Polynesian art. Celebrities from around the globe came to this tropical kingdom where Vera held court. marinalife.com | CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
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Calypso Bay Boatyard Bar & Grill cbonthebay.com
Gilligan’s Pier gilliganspier.com Jellyfish Joel’s Beach Bar mearsgreatoaklanding.com
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8
Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion roysrestaurant.com
Woody’s Rum Bar woodysrumbar.com
Chesapeake Inn Restaurant martuscelliandsons.com/ci
Mango’s Bar & Grill mangosonthebay.com
Dockside Restaurant & Blue Heron Pub docksiderestaurantand blueheronpub.com
Jetty Restaurant & Dock Bar jettydockbar.com Snappers Waterfront Café snapperswaterfront cafe.com
In 2006, when Vera reached her 90s, she relinquished her tiki throne and sold the restaurant to neighbors who have upheld her traditions. A tall granite Poseidon statue and a huge Easter Island head stand guard on a hill above the marina. The inside of the restaurant is full of portraits of Vera in tropical regalia, exquisite carved masks, and leopard-skin stools. Vera’s White Sands Beach Club remains the must-see spot for vintage tiki fans. Not far from Vera’s is another tropical Chesapeake stronghold: the Tiki Bar at Solomons Island. Built in 1980, the island-inspired, thatch-roofed watering hole boasts carvings by California tiki artist Boski Hrnjak. Beach chairs are painted Key West green, blue and orange. Every day feels like a holiday and more than 20,000 revelers converge to help launch the summer season each April. Festivities begin when the Tiki King and Queen— the bar owners—arrive clad in Hawaiian garb,
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Tim’s Rivershore Retaurant & Crab House timsrivershore.com
crowns and leis on a floating barge. Steel drum bands play island music, and the crowds dance and drink into the wee hours. The Bay’s urban areas have also started showing their South Seas spirit. The Tiki Barge in Baltimore is heralded as a remarkable newcomer. This two-story vessel of island merriment floats at the end of a pier in the Inner Harbor. It offers a 360-degree view of the city skyline and the Domino Sugar factory—and features a swimming pool for washing off the stress of a long day at the office. Explained a waitress, “When people see pirate flags flapping in the breeze and they can gaze at the water through a line of palms, they feel like they’ve been whisked into a world of tropical pleasure.” ml FROM LEFT: The Tiki Barge is located at BMC at Harborview and is a favorite stop in the Inner Harbor. The outdoor deck at Tim’s II at Fairview Beach in King George, Va., is a popular destination.
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The James River in Virginia gives tubers plenty of open water.
Pack up the Kids and Head to the Bay
Adventures for Everyone — from Toddlers to Teens By SUSAN ELNICKI WADE
Author, Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay crabdecksandtikibars.com
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When you’re tired of untangling fishing lines or listening to all the bickering, take your little boaters to destinations where they can hunt for sharks’ teeth, climb to the top of historic lighthouses, discover remote islands or visit a world-class aquarium.
M
Y HUSBAND’S CHILDHOOD playground was the Chesapeake Bay. His father was a Washington, D.C. firefighter who hadn’t planned to be a boater until his wife entered a jingle-writing contest at a car dealership and won a cabin cruiser. They docked at Kent Narrows back when Red Eye’s was a general store and the paint was still drying on the Bay Bridge. After work on Fridays, they tossed the children, some bathing suits, and a bag of groceries in the car and headed off on a Chesapeake adventure. My husband Bill spent endless summer days exploring secret coves, catching crabs and swimming until his fingers looked like prunes. At the end of the weekend, the family would return home with bushels of crabs, calling friends to come over for a feast on a picnic table covered with old newspapers, the aroma of Old Bay filling the air. Fast forward a generation, and my husband and I have our turn at introducing our children to the bay. At home in Washington, our boys learned to navigate the subway with urban finesse, but we also wanted our city kids to experience life on the Chesapeake. We dipped their little toes in the Susquehanna headwaters and taught them how to hook a rockfish and outmaneuver crabs with string and a net. My boys are now teens and several inches taller than I, but the Bay remains our family's sanctuary. Here are some of the special places we’ve taken our children since they were toddling around in diapers.
Every Beach Promises a New Experience Even though the bay measures only 200 miles from top to bottom, its 11,684 miles of shoreline offer a near-endless landscape of secret coves, creeks and beaches. The waves are far gentler than those in the Atlantic Ocean a few hours away, and you don’t need to worry about undertows. Trips to the Bay are all about returning to simple pleasures and nature, and the Upper Eastern Shore is idyllic for parents with young children. It’s less crowded than other parts of the bay and full of mellow farmlands that make a beautiful backdrop. Don't miss the dramatic view of the hill overlooking Betterton Beach. Fed by the freshwater Sassafras River, Betterton also attracts very few jellyfish. The marinas in this neck of the woods are known for family-friendly amenities. Rolph’s Wharf, one of our favorites, is five acres of rustic fun surrounded by cornfields along the Chester River. Its full-service marina has reasonably priced transient slips and a swimming pool. On the beach is The Sandbar, an outdoor pub and snack bar fashioned from an old boat plopped on land. Guests lean their elbows on the boat’s gunwales while a bartender hands out cold Cokes for kids and Coronas for dads. Another fantastic spot is Mears Great Oak Landing, a 350-slip resort marina with a full-service fuel dock, restaurant, pool, and 28-room lodge. Play a round of golf or sip frozen piña coladas at Jellyfish Joel’s Beach
Bar while the children are busy with the Kids Club activities such as scavenger hunts. Sandy Point is a popular destination on the west side of the Bay. The beach can get a bit crowded, but it’s a splendid spot for picnics and has a front row seat for watching boats cruise under the Bay Bridge. Five miles south on the east side of the bridge is Kentmorr Restaurant, which has excellent food plus a beach with hammocks and swings for the kids. Amid the palm trees and stunning sunsets, you’ll find Dirty Dave’s Tiki Bar serving cool cocktails. Kentmorr is home base for a group of charter captains, and it moved to the top of our favorite spots after an ill-fated charter fishing trip we took out of there. An unexpected storm blew up, forcing us to abandon our angling. The captain promised to take us out again for free, and six months later, when striped bass were running again, the captain kept his word. The boys caught their limit and learned a valuable lesson about the integrity of Bay watermen. A glorious beach destination called Sunset Grille is located on the southern tip of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Getting to this distant paradise is half the fun. If you
FROM LEFT: Even spotting crabs and jellyfish on a friend’s dock near Leonardtown is an adventure; don’t pass up Passages Bar & Grill at Haven Harbour Marina in Rock Hall; a relaxing day on the water keeps everybody happy.
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come down from the north, you travel past quaint towns along the Delmarva Peninsula. If you take the southern route, you can marvel at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, a 23-mile wonder of modern engineering so spectacular that even the most jaded teens put away their cell phones to take a look. When children enter the dinosaur-loving stage, parents can plan a weekend beach getaway in southern Maryland to Calvert Cliffs State Park, a 24-mile stretch of rugged shoreline that formed 10 million to 20 million years ago when the area was covered by a shallow sea. Erosion-carved cliffs display the remains of about 600 species from the Miocene Era—sharks, whales, rays, seabirds the size of aircraft. Young fossil hunters can dig up ancient shark teeth and shells. When
Erosion-carved cliffs display the remains of about 600 species from the Miocene Era— sharks, whales rays, seabirds the size of aircraft.
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they’re ready to pack away the shovel and sieve for the day, head south to Camp Merryelande at St. George Island, a half hour away. Pitch a tent on the beach while the kids romp freely among the playground, mini-golf course, fishing pier, volleyball courts and fire pits for roasting smores.
The Past and Present Blur into a Timeless Bliss From the 1880s to the 1940s, the Chesapeake Bay was dotted with elaborate Victorian amusement parks in places like Tolchester and Betterton. Thousands would cross the bay daily on steamboats to visit these resorts, but by the end of World War II, the parks had fallen into ruin. The sole survivor from this era is Chesapeake Beach, built in the 1890s. Few of the original attractions remain, but today the site is home to a water park, a lazy river, good restaurants and a resort hotel. Other enticing throwbacks to the past deliver high-seas entertainment. Tall ships that recall the magnificent schooners of the 1700s—such as Sultana and Pride of Baltimore II—are sailing the bay this summer and offering tours. The 32 remaining 19thcentury lighthouses in the area provide a unique way to explore the Bay. And kids can indulge their swashbuckler fantasies aboard "pirate" ships out of Annapolis, Virginia Beach, Yorktown and Baltimore.
History Minus the Books and Boredom Whenever I use the word “history” while pitching weekend getaways, my boys freeze in rebellion over an extracurricular educational experience. I've learned to avoid this kiss of death by using phrases such as “cool fort with
FROM LEFT: The Chesapeake is docked on Pier 3 next to the National Aquarium in Baltimore; a family friend is ” locked up” in the stockade at historic St. Mary’s City; Fort McHenry is a history-lover’s paradise.
canons” or “soldiers shooting guns.” Everyone visiting the bay this summer should stop at Fort McHenry, the starshaped military complex that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the Stars Spangled Banner during the Battle of Baltimore in 1814. The park rangers who lead walking tours are full of lively stories about the fort sure to capture kids’ attentions. Two places in Southern Maryland hold especially fond memories for our family. St. Clements Island, a 40-acre island only accessible by boat or ferry, is where Maryland’s first Catholic settlers arrived in 1634. Pack a picnic and climb to the top of Blackistone Lighthouse, then swim in the cool waters of the nearby cove. In St. Mary’s City, the first capital of Maryland, our teen sons put down their new iPhones and chose to play with 17th-century toys instead. We looked out across the field to see them wobble around on wood stilts, chase friends with barrel hoops, and lock each other in stockades. Many regard the Colonial Triangle— Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown— as the crown jewel of Chesapeake Bay historic sites. Step back in time to become citizens of the American Revolution and meet the shopkeepers, politicians, slaves and trades people of the 1700s.
Indoor Destinations to Spark the Imagination Even the best-laid plans can be torn asunder by a rainy day, but you can salvage a washed-out getaway if you know where to discover indoor fun. Chesapeake museums have never let us down, offering everything from a duck decoy museum to a science exhibit about germs and bacteria. Whether your children are in strollers or size 11 soccer shoes, you can find activities to engage them. It’s impossible to cover all of Baltimore's Inner Harbor attractions in a day, but the Maryland Science Center, National Aquarium, Port Discovery Children’s Museum, and USS Constellation are all excellent options. We always seem to come back to the aquarium. When the boys were toddlers, we ran
them between the fish tanks, through the misty rainforest, and down to the sharks and rays on the lower level. Years later, after returning from a snorkeling trip to Mexico, we rushed to the aquarium to identify fish species that had swum past us in southern waters. Two smaller museums in the region can create family memories that you’ll cherish for years. The Chesapeake Maritime Museum in St. Michaels is the place to go to experience life as a waterman on the bay, with hands-on interactive exhibits of a working boat yard, waterman’s shanty, crab pier, and restored 1879 lighthouse. Annmarie Sculpture Garden, located near Solomons Island, blends contemporary statues and works of art
Fun Stopping Points on the Bay
into the lush forest of Southern Maryland. This summer’s exhibit on fairy houses and gnome homes is sure to be a big hit with young visitors. Nauticus, a maritime museum at the mouth of the bay in Norfolk, Va., will make any seafaring child’s dreams come true. Exhibits let kids navigate a tugboat, climb inside an underwater submersible with a 9-foot long robotic arm, and witness the destructive power of a tsunami. Best of all, they can climb aboard the famous Battleship Wisconsin, one of the largest battleships built by the Navy during World War II. m l
For more information on the specific regions you plan to visit, consult the state or county tourism bureaus. Also, check local newspapers for festivals, fairs, Fourth of July fireworks and fishing tournaments. n Chesapeake Beach Water Park, chesapeakebeachwaterpark.com n Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake (Annapolis), chesapeakepirates.com n Yorktown Pirate Boat Tour, sailyorktown.com/piratecruises.html n Schooner Sultana Project, sultanaprojects.org n Chesapeake Bay Lighthouses, cblights.com
The Seabreeze Restaurant in Mechanicsville, Md., is a can’t-miss destination.
BEACHES & OUTDOOR FUN n Betterton Beach, kentcounty.com/betterton n Rolph’s Wharf Marina & River Inn, rolphswharf.com n Mears Great Oak Landing, mearsgreatoaklanding.com n Sandy Point State Park, dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/ southern/sandypoint.asp n Kentmorr Restaurant & Dirty Dave’s Tiki Bar, kentmorr.com
n Sunset Grille, sunsetbeach resortva.com/grille/ n Kiptopeke State Park, dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks /kiptopeke.shtml n Calvert Cliffs State Park, dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/ southern/calvertcliffs.asp n Camp Merryelande at St. George Island, campmd.co n Elk Neck State Park, dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/ central/elkneck.asp
HISTORIC SITES Maryland n Fort McHenry n Point Lookout, St. Clements Island & Potomac River Museum n St. Mary’s City Virginia n Colonial Williamsburg n Fort Monroe & Old Point Comfort n Jamestown Settlement n Yorktown Battlefield
n National Aquarium n Port Discovery Children’s Museum n U.S.S. Constellation and Historic Ships
Annapolis n Annapolis Maritime Museum n Chesapeake Children’s Museum n Historic Annapolis Museum Solomons Island and Southern Maryland n Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Art Center n Calvert Marine Museum Eastern Shore n Chesapeake Maritime Museum n Delmarva Discovery Center
MUSEUMS:
Virginia n Nauticus n Steamboat Era Museum n Virginia Air & Space Center n Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center n Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum
Hands-on and Interactive Baltimore Inner Harbor n Maryland Science Center
TOURISM WEB SITES Visit Maryland, visitmaryland.org
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Cosmo Condin & NewOrleansOnline.com
WHAT DOES A CREW OF DRUNKEN SAILORS, PUNT GUNS AND TEDDY ROOSEVELT HAVE IN COMMON? THEY ALL PLAYED A PART IN THE STORY OF MARYLAND’S OFFICIAL STATE DOG: the Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
ACHESAPEAKE TAIL BAYOFRETRIEVERS TWO By SUSAN ELNICKI WADE Author, Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay crabdecksandtikibars.com
T
wo nervous puppies quivered as their crates were tossed around the cargo area and an angry storm rocked the ship that carried them along the Atlantic coastline. The crew, who had been sipping ample amounts of grog before the gale hit, scrambled to keep the vessel afloat amid relentless waves and wind. The year was 1807, and the English trading ship wound up wrecking off the coast of Maryland. The American ship Canton, heading to Baltimore after the storm, came
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upon the sinking vessel and pulled the tipsy crew and precious cargo from the carnage. George Law, part of the Canton’s crew, carried the puppies to safety, and after he had gotten them warm and dry, he purchased them for a guinea each from the British ship’s captain. The dogs appeared to be Newfoundlands or St. John’s water dogs. Law named the red-coated male Sailor and the jet-black female Canton. He later noted that Sailor’s coat “was short and smooth, but uncommonly thick, and more like a coarse fur than hair … His eyes were very peculiar: they were so light as to have almost an unnatural appearance.” Unbeknown to him, he was among the first to document the unique features of today’s Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Life on the seas wasn’t conducive to
Dignitaries, politicians, military officers, professional athletes, and wealthy sportsmen from around the world clamored to see these dogs strut their stuff. raising young pups, so Law found homes for the pair. Sailor was presented to John Mercer on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and Canton was a thank-you gift to Dr. James Stuart in Maryland’s Sparrows Point for having taken care of the injured crew from the wrecked ship. Even though Sailor and Canton lived on different sides of the Bay, they shared traits that made them perfect for Chesapeake life in the 1800s. Both dogs were intelligent
Prized for his hunting skills, the Chesapeake Bay retriever even had an admirer in General George Armstrong Custer.
retrievers and had an uncanny love for jumping into the water, whether it was mild or freezing cold. Their thick, oily coats insulated them from icy temperatures, and they never ran out of steam during a hunt. In the 1800s, massive flocks of waterfowl blanketed the Bay’s waters and grasslands. To take advantage of this plentiful resource, Maryland and Virginia hunters developed punt guns: cannon-like shotguns with such strong recoil that hunters had to mount them on flat-bottom boats. After loading punt guns with a pound of shot, hunters would fire and kill up to 50 birds in one blast. And who do you think brought back the lion’s share of the quarry after a kill? The retrievers.
Sailor, Canton, and their offspring were bred with Irish water spaniels, English otter hounds, coon dogs, bloodhounds and other local canines to beef up their scent abilities and hunting skills. In 1885 the American Kennel Club recognized the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, making it one of the first breeds created in America.The dogs also grew hugely popular as a hunter’s best friend. The Carroll Island Gun Club on the Gunpowder River north of Baltimore became a late 19th-century hub for showcasing the Chesapeake Retrievers’ prowess and talents. Dignitaries, politicians, military officers, professional athletes and wealthy sportsmen from around the world clamored to see these dogs strut their stuff.
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A Chesapeake Bay Retriever stands ready.
Soon everybody wanted a Chessie. General George Armstrong Custer was so attached to his Chesapeake Retrievers that he took them into battle with him. Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th president and an avid sportsman, was especially fond of the breed. His Chesapeake Retriever was named Sailor Boy and was rumored to be a descendent of Custer’s dogs. Roosevelt affectionately noted that Sailor Boy “had a masterful temperament and a strong sense of both dignity and duty. He would never let the other dogs fight, and he himself never fought unless circumstances imperatively demanded it.” Chesapeake Bay Retrievers gained international fame outside the hunting arena in 1926, thanks to a Baltimore gal named Lillian Cannon, who tried to become the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Cannon trained with her trusted retriever Champion Chesacroft Drake. She failed in her endeavor, but her retriever won the hearts of fans on both sidesof the Atlantic. In 1964, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was named the official state dog of Maryland. It’s still regarded as one of the world’s best hunting breeds. When you see them at the helm of a waterman’s boat or playing gently with families, remember that the outstanding breed started as two castaway pups more than 200 years ago. ml
Lillian Cannon, a Baltimorean who attempted to swim across the English Channel, owned and trained her retriever, Champion Chesacroft Drake.
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New Oyster Cult A Bivalve Resurrection That’s Music to Everyone’s Ears By SUSAN ELNICKI WADE Author, Crab Decks & Tiki Bars of the Chesapeake Bay crabdecksandtikibars.com
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CHESAPEAKE BAY OYSTERS were once the divas of the world’s seafood stage. But global demand nearly decimated the Bay’s oysters, so they’ve been playing second fiddle to New England and West Coast bivalves. Now they’re back on top again, ready to reclaim their place as world-class oysters. In 1929, Cole Porter wrote a song called “The Tale of the Oyster” about a social climbing bivalve who lounged on a silver platter among fashion queens and millionaires. The tune fit the flamboyant Gatsby era, when champagne flowed at highsociety affairs and Chesapeake oysters were the rage. The savory delicacy was slurped down at unimaginable rates, and watermen scoured every corner of the Bay to keep up with the world’s voracious appetite. The supply seemed inexhaustible, but within 50 years of the release of Porter’s song, over-harvesting, disease, and pollution had annihilated the Chesapeake's oyster beds. In the mid-1800s, the bay cranked out 20 million bushels of oysters each year. By the late 1980s, the annual total catch plummeted to about 20,000 bushels. What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger In the 1990s, government agencies, businesses, politicians and watermen banded together to save the Bay. The Oyster Recover Partnership returned 1,200 tons of recycled shells to the Bay to create bivalve homes, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation planted 150 million oysters along the Bay’s shores. In turn the oysters, which filter about 50 gallons of water per day, helped clean up the mess people had made of their habitat—that’s like drinking a keg of beer daily to make your neighborhood a better place to live. Slowly but surely, the Bay and its oyster population have come back. Virginia aqua farmers sold 31 million oysters in 2013— that’s 10 times the 3.1 million sold in 2006. And the forecast for 2014 is even brighter,
In the 1800s and early 1900s, the Bay’s oyster supply, seemed inexhaustible, as demonstrated by these vintage ads from the Golden Age of Chesapeake oysters.
with 51 million oysters expected to hit the market. For centuries, watermen worked the Bay’s bottom until it was nearly tapped out, but new aquaculture techniques offer sustainable solutions. Today’s farmed oysters, grown inside protective cages, taste as delicious as wild oysters, and aquafarmers can now create oysters yearround, breaking the old rule of only eating oysters in months that contain the letter R. But despite cleaner waters and ecofriendly production methods, the Bay's aquafarmers ran into snags when they first
started bringing their wares to market. Chesapeake oysters had a tarnished image of being nearly extinct or carrying disease. To squelch consumers’ concerns, oyster farmers embarked on an East Coast tour to showcase the new and improved Chesapeake oyster and to the highlight the strict health- and food-safety standards they had adopted.
Shake, Rattle and Roll Nobody bellies up to a bar and asks for “a beer.” You name the specific brand you
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...a night of? nib bling on Skinny Dipper, Forbidden, or Pleasure House oysters could tempt you to shake your groove thing, though you might need want. Likewise, to make the most of these recently returned, scrumptious bivalves, it helps to know what you’re asking for. The Bay is home to one native oyster species, Crassostrea virginica, so the region’s bivalves often get lumped into one group, and many people think they all taste the same. But Chesapeake oysters come in a medley of flavors, from Maryland’s buttery Choptank Sweets to Virginia’s salty Chincoteagues. To counter this misconception, many aquafarmers are turning to catchy marketing to separate their oysters from others in the bay. Similar to that of craft beers, the witty oyster branding is intended to create memorable identities and build market loyalty. Some brand names play off oysters’ legendary aphrodisiac powers—a night of nibbling on Skinny Dipper, Forbidden or Pleasure House oysters could tempt you to shake your groove thing, though you might need a dozen Sweet Jesus oysters later for some morning-after redemption. Geographic names that reference an animal are another favorite theme. Virginia offers a menagerie of oysters such as Dragon Creek, Eagle Flats, Parrot Island and Stingrays. The faithful might be attracted to Chapel Creek, Church Point or Holy Grail oysters. And how could anyone resist a cool plate of Fat N’ Happy oysters?
Somewhere Beyond the Sea The hot trend in today’s oyster business, according to Tim Devine, owner of Barren Island Oysters on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is “access for everyone.” Linen-table28
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Scores of floating oyster flats cover the water at the Choptank Sweets hatchery in Maryland.
cloth and crystal-glass establishments aren’t going anywhere, they’re part of the oyster lovers’ tradition, but now there are oyster bars to fit everyone’s wishes and wallets. Newcomers to the oyster scene are greeted with sample plates and tips about which kinds to try. Amid the rock stars of old-guard seafood houses in Washington, D.C., is a new oyster bar, Eat The Rich, named after a 1980s Motörhead tune. The funky, modern urban décor—dimly lit bar, exposed brick walls, wooden benches, and wire oyster cages dangling from the ceiling—and fun, hip music defy high-end traditions. Why heavy metal and oysters? Because co-owners Derek Brown and Travis Croxton love Motörhead, metal and punk rock. “It’s that simple,” says Brown. “I only fill my bars with things I love." Eat The Rich will pop a cork if you want a little bubbly with your bivalves, but innovative pairings of oysters with beer, cocktails or sherry are in high demand. Order a Natty Boh with a dozen Rappannock River oysters, an excellent choice. Flying Dog Brewery makes an oyster stout called Pearl Necklace that goes well with sweeter oysters. Brown suggests trying one of their pitchers of cocktails, such as Drink the Martini: gin, vermouth, and orange bitters. “And sherry and oysters are a magical combination,” he adds, “especially an almost salty Manzanilla sherry with the super-briny Olde Salt oysters.” In Annapolis, Factors Row also rocks the boat by serving local oysters in an easygoing environment. A chalkboard on its
18th-century brick wall heralds the day’s fresh catch from the Bay, such as Barren Island, Holy Grail and Shore Thing oysters, to name a few. Jeans and T-shirts are acceptable—the cuisine is upscale, but the atmosphere is entirely relaxed. Some restaurants are so dedicated to resurrecting local bivalves that they customorder oysters grown just for them. Ryleigh’s Oyster, a beloved seafood spot on Baltimore’s Federal Hill, partnered with the Shooting Point Oyster Company on remote Hog Island in Virginia to develop the farm-to-restaurant bivalve Avery’s Pearls. These days, thanks to the resurgence of the Chesapeake's oyster population, those buck-a-shuck oysters you eat in corner pubs are the same delicious ones served on silver trays by waiters dressed in tuxedos—they’re all delectable Chesapeake oysters grown in coves and rivers along the bay by a new wave of watermen. It’s the best-kept secret in town. But not for long. ml
Ryleigh’s Oyster in Federal Hill serves a farm-to-restaurant delicacy, Avery’s Pearls.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
DELAWARE June 19-22 Firefly Music Festival Dover Downs 1131 N. Dupont Highway, Dover fireflyfestival.com Check website for lineup and times July 12 Lewes Summer Craft Fair Lewes Historic Complex 110 Shipcarpenter St., Lewes historiclewes.org 9 a.m.-4 p.m. MARYLAND April 30-Aug. 20 Wednesday Night Sailboat Races Annapolis Harbor, Annapolis annapolisyc.com 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m. (Every Wednesday) May 29-June 1 Annapolis Greek Festival Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, Annapolis annapolisgreekfestival.org Thurs. 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat .11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. June 1-15 29th Annual Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival Mid-Shore Area & Easton chesapeakechambermusic.org Check website for times and locations June 6 Raiders & Invaders War of 1812 Weekend Washington St., Leonardtown raidersandinvaders.com Fri. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Sat. 12 p.m.-10 p.m. Sun. all day June 13-15 27th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels cbmm.org Fri. 11a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. 10a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 21 Tilghman Island Summer Seafood Festival Kronsberg Park, Tilghman Island tilghmanmd.com 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
> SUMMER 2014
June 21 Historic St. Mary's City Beer Fest St. Mary's City Museum 47418 Old State House Rd., St. Mary's City hsmcdigshistory.org/BeerFest Noon-6 p.m. July 3 Salute to Veteran’s Celebration 200 W. Walnut St, North East northeastmd.org 5 p.m. (festivities start), 9:15 p.m. (fireworks start) July 4 Solomons 4th of July 2014 Fireworks Solomons Island solomonsmaryland.com 9:15 p.m. July 4 Baltimore's Port America Chesapeake 4th of July Celebration Baltimore's Inner Harbor visitmaryland.org 4 p.m.-10 p.m. July 12 Taste of Cambridge Crab Cook-Off Festival 400 & 500 blocks of Race St. & Poplar St., Cambridge cambridgemainstreet.com 5 p.m.-10 p.m. July 19 Cecil County Food & Wine Festival North East Community Waterfront Park, North East cecilwinefest.com 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 4-8 White Marlin Open Harbour Island Marina 14th St. & Bay, Ocean City whitemarlinopen.com Mon.-Fri. 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Aug. 8-10 Havre de Grace Seafood Festival 300 Commerce St., Havre de Grace hdgseafoodfestival.org Fri. 3 p.m.-8 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 8-10 Rock Hall Pirates & Wenches Fantasy Weekend The town of Rock Hall rockhallpirates.com Check website for event calendar
30 marinalife.com | CHESAPEAKE BAY EDITION
Sept 6-7 47th Maryland Seafood Festival
Aug. 23-24 Southern Maryland Blues Festival Calvert County Fairgrounds 140 Calvert Fair Drive, Prince Frederick somdblues.org Sat. 12 p.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Aug. 29-31 National Hard Crab Derby Somers Cove Marina, Crisfield nationalhardcrabderby.com Check website for times Sept. 6-7 47th Maryland Seafood Festival Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis mdseafoodfestival.com Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 6-16 Star Spangled Spectacular Inner Harbor, Baltimore starspangled200.com Check website for times & locations VIRGINIA May 23-June 29 Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival One Busch Garden Blvd., Williamsburg buschgardens.com/va Every Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-park close May 25-Aug. 31 Big Bands on the Bay Gazebo at Ocean View Beach Park, Norfolk virginia.org 7 p.m.-9 p.m. (every Sunday) June 6-8 38th AT&T Norfolk Harborfest Town Point Park, Norfolk Fri, Sat. 12pm-11 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
June 14-15 Tall Ships at Cape Charles Festival Cape Charles Harbor, Cape Charles tallshipscapecharles.com Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. July 4 Yorktown Independence Day Celebration 425 Water St., Yorktown visityorktown.org 9 a.m.-9:15 p.m. July 12 Chalk the Walk ARTsplosion Boardwalk between 16th & 18th St., Virginia Beach beachstreetusa.com 10 a.m.-5 p.m. WASHINGTON, D.C. May 23-Sept. 26 Friday Night Live! Summer Music Series 165 Waterfront St., National Harbor nationalharbor.com 6 p.m.-9 p.m. (every Friday) June 21-22 National Capital Barbecue Battle Pennsylvania Ave, NW 9th-14th St., Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. June 24-29 D.C. Jazz Festival 10th Anniversary Capital Riverfront, 355 Water St., SE dcjazzfest.org. All day July 4 Independence Day Celebration Parade & Fireworks Constitution Ave. (start of parade), U.S. Capital West Lawn (fireworks/concert) washington.org 11:45 a.m. (parade start), 9:10 p.m. (fireworks start)
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