Finally -- The Chesapeake We've Been Looking For

August 14 – 19, 2012

A thumbnail of where we've been and
where we are going.

The weather has made a huge improvement – instead of temperatures hovering around 100 degrees we are enjoying mid to high 80’s.  The humidity is still high, but we love having the windows open, a fresh breeze, no air conditioning and no generator.


Bon Voyage  arrives in Oxford with us right behind.

Traveling with Bonnie and Jon has been even better than we expected.  We travel at the same pace.  The day’s activities start about 10:00.  If we are moving the boats, we try to be at our destination by 3:00. Turns out -- Bonnie loves to cook, is really good at it and their boat is stocked like a supermarket!  Dinner with them was wonderful:  grilled smoked pork chops, risotto with exotic mushrooms and grilled zucchini with corn and red peppers.  Wednesday we had lunch on their boat, which was equally amazing.  I’m not sure how I will reciprocate.  It may take a week of planning and several days of prepping. 

Tuesday took us an easy 39 miles to Oxford, MD, which was founded in 1666.  This quiet little town was the home of Robert Morris, Jr., known as the financier of the American Revolution.  We took the dingy into town and walked around enjoying the picturesque neighborhoods.  

Wednesday, was an even shorter travel day – 15 miles to St Michaels.  This little town was a crowd pleaser.  Talbot Street is lined on both sides with cute shops and restaurants.  The afternoon was spent walking down one side of the street, popping in and out of the shops.  As we were heading back to our dingy, the sky darkened and the weather report predicted a big storm.  We ducked into Ava’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar.  What a stroke of good luck -- delicious salads and wood fired gourmet pizzas.  When we finished our meals, the rain was just a drizzle.  We walked back to the dingy past street after street of authentic old homes and beautiful gardens.  

Waiting for the drizzle to stop

The bay that we anchored in was so perfect we decided to stay another night.  That gave us an opportunity to go back into town and visit the shops on the other side of the street on Thursday morning.  Before we knew it, it was lunch time.  Rather than chance a mediocre meal we opted to go back to Ava’s.  Mussels for the ladies and ravioli for the men; left all of us raving about another good meal.  That afternoon, Jon and Bonnie took their kayaks for a ride around the bay while Brian and I explored in the dingy.   

St Michaels is known as ‘the town that fooled the British’ during the War of 1812.  The British began shelling the town on August 10, 1813.  The residents hung lanterns in the tops of trees to fool the Redcoats into shooting too high. 

Friday morning we planned to head in the direction of Chestertown leaving around 11:00.  Bon Voyage, Jon and Bonnie’s boat, would not start.  Brian took an extra battery and some parts over.  Several hours later they had it purring.  Turns out, what we lack in food supplies we make up for in spare parts and tools.   

At 7:30 we pulled into a beautiful bay on the Wye River and dropped the anchor.  The sky looked stormy, but so many storms had missed us, we didn't give it much thought.  When dinner was over, the lightning began.  What a display Mother Nature provided....It was spectacular!  Then, as we were turning out the lights to go to bed; the wind and rain began.  Wow!!!  The boat turned and twisted on its anchor rode with rain pouring down.  It was quite the ride!  Jon has a wind turbine that measured gusts of 45 knots.  The boats got a great rinse down, the anchors held tight and we all got a good night's sleep.  Can't ask for more than that.  Those are the nights that we are really glad we have an anchor alarm.  If the anchor drags and we move more than a specified distance an alarm will ring.

Trotline -- Another method of crabbing
A long line baited every few feet with eel or
chicken is anchored at both ends.  A perpendicular
board is attached to the boat to hold the line out of the
water.  The boat moves slowly along the line.  As the line
comes near the surface the waterman nets the crabs that
that are feeding on the bait.  The line can be up to a mile long.
When he gets to the end, he runs it again. 

Saturday morning we pulled our anchor and set off at dawn with the watermen.  We wanted to get to Chesterton as early as possible to take advantage of their farmers' market. 






    
About 20 miles north on the Chester River -- one of the most scenic areas we have discovered, was Chestertown.  We missed the farmers' market, but enjoyed walking around town, eating a scrumptious lunch (at the Lemon Leaf) and, of course, shopping.  Like Cambridge and St Michaels, Chestertown has brick sidewalks and plenty of beautifully restored homes.   Our friends, Didi and Peter, had recommended the Blue Heron Cafe and said it had the best crab cakes in the universe (or something like that).  We had a great meal there and have to agree some of the best crab cakes ever.   

Every town in this part of the world has some kind of historical claim -- as you've noticed.  Chesterton was named one of Maryland's original six points of entry when it was an English colony.  It was founded in 1706 and quickly became a thriving shipping center.  It is second only to Annapolis in the number of existing 18th century homes.  

Sunday morning we picked up Bonnie and Jon and took them to breakfast at the local bakery.   Another remarkable meal in this tiny town.   It is their 35th wedding anniversary so we are parting ways for a day or two so they can have a romantic interlude.  We will meet up again in Georgetown.  Brian is already missing his ongoing commentary with boating buddy, Jon.      



Isn't this the picture of love!

We worked our way back down the Chester River and north to Rock Hall.  Once again we had to check out a crab cake restaurant that was recommended -- Waterman's Crab House.  And, once again, really good crab cakes.  There are so many variations on this delicacy that it is hard to say which one is the best.  Guess I'll have to keep testing.  We're staying at a marina tonight to fill the water tanks.  The Chesapeake's bottom is mud.  When we anchor out -- as we have the past five nights -- our anchor and chain get totally encrusted in this very thick sticky mud.  As the anchor is pulled up, we have to rinse the mud off the chain links and the anchor.  If we didn't, the anchor locker, that holds the chain, would get really stinky.  The anchor locker is located behind the wall in our bedroom.   Not a good place for funky stinky stuff!  Until today, we have had to use our fresh water to wash the anchor chain.  This morning Brian installed a wash down pump to bring salt/lake water on the boat for washing the exterior.  What does this long explanation mean --  we won't be using our fresh water for outside maintenance and can now  anchor out for many more days with plenty of water for long showers!  

Rock Hall is noted for it's fabulous sunsets and views of Baltimore's night lights.  We saw neither because of the cloudy skies.  Still a good stop.  

              

Gotta smile – we’re lovin the ride!