After 2 weeks of crisscrossing the Chesapeake Bay of Virginia, we have moved up into Maryland. Our visit on Tangier Island put us in the northernmost community on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Nearby Smith Island is in Maryland. Somer’s Cove, Crisfield, MD’s town harbor, was our next port of call. As we made our way to the marina office, we were delighted to discover that another Looper boat had preceeded us. Little did we suspect the drama that had played out to get that boat to Crisfield. Suffice it to say, it involved serious infection discovered on an island, a helicopter ride to mainland hospital, surgery, intravenous antibiotics, and finally piloting the boat, with dog and volunteer captain aboard, to a coastal town with rehab facilities. Lots of willingness on the part of strangers...who soon became new best friends... played a big part in this still developing saga. A story like this renews your faith in human-kind on land and sea.
Our first day in Crisfield was sunny with a light breeze, quite a treat after days of dreary skies and drizzle. At 5:23, with almost no warning, a straight-line wind clocked at 72 mph tore into our marina. The dock crew flew into action, helping us double our lines and making Summertime more secure. In the midst of the gale a 60 ft boat came looking for a “harbor of refuge” and found a crew able to dock them. The storm continued through the night with winds in the 30-40 mph range. That was our first encounter with the wrath of Mother Nature. Weather has been and will continue to be the piece that drives the show during this Great Loop Experience.
I’ve been yearning to come to Crisfield, MD for 30 years... eversince reading Cynthia Voigt’s “Homecoming” and “Dicey’s Song” with my 8th Graders. A part-time Deer Isle resident, Cynthia came to our classroom and talked with us about the Tillerman family and their life in Crisfield. We’ve spent 3 days roaming the downtown and outskirts of today’s Crisfield, but I have to admit that I don’t think Cynthia would recognize her old stomping grounds now. I couldn’t find even one loblolly pine!
Crisfield had a long history of being the center of a boisterous oystering and crabbing industries. It’s still a watermen’s town, but on a much quieter scale. New condos built on the oyster shell foundation of the once thriving ice plant tower over the one story structures that house the packing plant operated by MeThompkins Crab Company. We took the “self-directed tour” of the shedding sheds. In shallow trays being flushed with water, blue crabs lose their shells. These soft-shelled crabs are then gathered up and shipped world-wide to be served up crisp and intact.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources operates the town’s Somer’s Cove Marina. The spacious harbor offers 450 slips and a centrally located fuel dock. Watermen refuel their boats throughout the day as they pull their crab pots in the Pokamoke and Tangiers Sound.
A mallard drake and two hens made the most amazing crossing of Crisfield’s Main Street. Tripping along on the marked crosswalk, they paused half-way across, allowing the on-coming traffic to come to a complete stop. Giving a slight nod to the first car in line, they briskly proceeded to the safety of the sidewalk. Then, and only then, did the cars and work trucks resume their forward motion. It was one of those “goosebump moments” for us.
Created By Darcy Campbell May 2016
