| Thanks, in memory of a friend: Twenty years ago we met Mike and Karen Murphy, with their three daughters, on Pennywhistle, a twenty-seven foot Tartan yawl. We had floated into Leland harbor with no power and Mike caught us at the dock. He was a physics teacher, loud, funny, and kind. Over the years, his family met us on Mackinac Island and all over the North Channel in Ontario. In l993, they took a year’s cruise, round trip to the Bahamas. They boat schooled their daughters with special attention to Social Studies and Civics during two weeks in Washington D.C. We were inspired by Mike’s gutsy, creative approach to sailing adventure and by Karen’s organizational magic aboard Pennywhistle. Their example was the impetus for our first cruise to the Bahamas in 2008. Mike battled cancer for many years. He died in late December 2018. While we are on board, every belly laugh will remind us Mike and his gift of friendship. |
So, onward we sail! St. Michaels was a satisfying stop on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Our San Domingo Creek anchorage provided spectacular sunsets and views of elegant old estates. We enjoyed sunrise greetings from watermen as they passed on the way to checking crab pots. The dinghy ride to town was less than ten minutes. We happily spent nearly a full day wandering the exhibits of the Chesapeake Maritime Museum.
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| Choptank thistle with Monarch |
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| San Domingo Creek Buzzard |
Oxford was the next stop, into the Choptank River, the Tred Avon River, and to an anchorage in Town Creek. We spent four days polishing what we call The Oxford State of Mind. We were enamored with that village on our first visit, 2008, and found that not one bit of its charm has been lost. There were a few shops, a small grocery, a tiny library with books but no place to sit, and several good restaurants. The Hinckley and Cutts & Case yacht yards were filled with boats that looked like works of art. We biked (Dietrich pedaled at least 50 miles) and walked the countryside and village for hours every day. Sidewalks were bumpy brick, the architecture was mostly Eastern Shore cottage style with bits of fancy trim and huge, elaborately furnished screened porches. It was quiet! Every now and then we encountered a dog walking its friendly owner, an opportunity to chat about traditions and history of the area. Dinner at Pope’s Tavern was a treat… crab sautéed with butter and lime, wrapped in crepes, fresh, salty bread with roasted garlic and oil… It was hard to leave but we managed to have a lively sail south to Solomon’s Island.
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| Oxford brickage |
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| The Rosenfeld's Photo Boat "Foto" @ Cutts and Case Boatyard |
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| Oxford Wildlife |
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| Oxford Holly |
Tangier Island, Virginia is our home tonight, rich with memories of our stop here ten years ago. Milton Parks, a retired waterman, is 88 now, still tending his little marina. Tiny crab shacks are on stilts, sitting in quirky lines just off shore. Watermen tend their tanks (filled with blue crabs about to peel out of the shells they have out grown and become delectable soft shell crabs) round the clock. The shacks are made more comfortable with couches, and food. This is an island populated by people who have lived here for generations spanning centuries, who have been watermen, working on the boats and the tanks, since they were kids. The local speech pattern is unique, initially hard to understand. Islanders are quick to strike up a conversation, though, so we are getting used to its charm.
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| US Navy Target Ship American Mariner, former WW2 Liberty Ship. The surrounding waters are littered with the remains of gunnery practice and bombing runs, mostly just out of sight beneath the waves |
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| Parks Marina on Tangier Island |
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| One of many Tangier Island cemeteries |
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| Tangier salt marsh |
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| Tangier Island beach at south end |
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| Tangier Island harbor |
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| Route to Tangier beach |
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| Tangier Island at sunset |
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Tangier Island crab shacks
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| Waterman on the move |
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| Tangier Island harbor |
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| Parks Marina at high tide on a shrinking island |
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| Tangier Island harbor at sunset |
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| Counting Oysters |
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| Harold Pruitt, a waterman |
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| Kim "Socks" Parks, a waterman |
4 comments:
How neat that Milton is still there tending his marina. We got weathered in there for days and were out of sight, below a couple of days baking bread, etc. When we emerged, Milton had been on his way to check on us, fearing we might be dead. We really enjoyed our time on that island - so glad you were able to revisit it. I guess you ‘got the mud of Tangier between your toes.’
Hi ! It's Sunday morning and we are thinking of you and looking forward to our road trip to Annapolis this Weds. Sorry we missed you as you passed through! We are enjoying following your route, and making notes for our future. I remember the Choptank River from the book Chesapeake - looks beautiful.
Wondering where you guys are today, and how far south you will go before Nov. 1 ? Our insurance prohibits us from going south of Norfolk until the end of hurricane season.
Fair winds, Lisa and Fred
Love the post! We will follow in your footsteps and use your insight as guidance as we head south. We are currently spending time on Kent Island and plan to do some overnight anchorages in the Chesapeake - St Michaels, Oxford, Cambridge. Eventually we will head further south. Keep the posts coming! Sue and Pete
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