Deltaville

From Cape Charles we headed for Deltaville on the opposite side of the Bay... a 5-hour crossing. Situated in the Middle Peninsula between the York River and the Rappahannock River, Deltaville is proud to claim to be “The Boatbuilding Capital of the Chesapeake”. Actually, what we saw was a myriad of marinas and their associated boat yards all in the refurbishing business. Deltaville’s linear downtown is spread along Route 33 for about 3 miles. We pedaled the fat-tired marina bikes 21/2 miles to the headquarters of the well-known Dozier’s Waterway Guides where we were rewarded for our efforts with a great tour of the operation. Not to be missed, the Deltaville Maritime Museum was most impressive with their Waterman’s Story. The folks there also take great pride in the family-friendly boat-building event that they sponsor year after year. Various workshops on the property show the progress volunteers have made as they replace the deteriorating planking on iconic bay boats with their distinctive deadrise construction. Down at the docks, the log-bottom buyboat F.D.Crockett, built in 1924, is a great example of what years of repair and restoration can produce. We hope to see the only other such vessel left on The Bay at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. The adjacent Holly Point Nature Park offers floral gardens along the Mill Creek that are graced with fabulous bronze and iron sculptures as well as lovely nature trails. (It’s beginning to look like we are the only Loopers criss-crossing Chesapeake Bay. The cruisers we meet seem to be following the western shore up from Norfolk.)