Cape Charles, Va

When we left Norfolk, VA to driving to Orono, ME, we passed by Cape Charles, VA in about 30 minutes. This same trip at 7 mph in SUMMERTIME on the Chesapeake Bay took 5 hours! Cape Charles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore is a waterman’s village. It’s located at the upper end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel on the lowest point of the DelMarVa Peninsula. Layed out in a rectangle, the entire town is about 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks deep. We took a T-head on the town dock between the U.S. Coast Guard Station and the ever popular Shanty Restaurant. At 5 am on Monday morning we were awakened by soft whispering sounds passing by our trawler... the watermen heading out in their sleek, long, low deadrise-style workboats to pull their crab traps. The Cape Charles Town Dock was one block from Main Street business district. Numerous gift shops and art galleries, more eateries, a fishermen’ supply store... all anchored by the expansive old-time hardware store half-way down. To get Wally to be eager to walk very far, he needs to know that there is an ice cream store or a coffee shop along the way. No disappontment here! After strolling past 100 year old homes, we emerged into a development, fancy and pastel-colored, called Bay Creek Marina and Resort. The locals refer to it as Jelly Bean Village. We enjoyed our 2-day visit, departing with a full tank of deisel fuel at $2.20 per gallon.