TUESDAY JUNE 29TH

Left Cape Charles early and slogged our way 62 miles up the Chesapeake Bay to Crisfield Maryland. Two-foot waves that we took on the beam so we rocked back and forth all day. Nothing dramatic, but it did get old.

We are now in our 15th state. Here is red marker 6, with Maryland on the left and Virginia on the right. Guess the cormorants are the welcoming committee.

As we came in to the harbor of Crisfield, we noticed this lone chimney out on an island. Turns out, it is all that remains of a fish fertilizer factory that burned back in 1932. Bet that stunk! The factory would process Menhaden fish, which are very oily. The oil was then used in the making of paint, varnish and cosmetics. The remains were then made into chicken food and fertilizer.

It’s still very hot, but there is the promise of cooler weather starting tomorrow! Hope, hope, hope!









We walked around the town a bit and stopped at the local museum. They had nice displays on the history of the town. This is the main street of the town. At one time everything you see in this photo was salt marsh. The oyster harvest and processing was so huge that this entire area is covered with the shells of the oysters. At some points it is ten feet deep with shells. Oyster shells were also processed into lime for farm fields. No controls over the harvesting quantities along, with two diseases have drastically cut the oyster harvest.

We now understand the adage of don’t eat oysters in the months without “r’s”. During the spring and summer the oysters are breeding and get skinny, stringy and watery. During the fall and winter, they get nice and plump again. Now we know. Looking forward to Septembe”r”!

Waterfowl has also been dramatically decreased from over hunting. Ross is standing underneath a punt gun. Not quite a cannon, but like a giant shotgun. It could fire over a pound of shot at a time and kill over 50 waterfowl at a time resting on the water. It was mounted on the bow of a small boat and then pushed quietly through the water within range of a flock of waterfowl. The punt gun was used mostly in the late 1800’s early 1900’s.

Google “punt guns” for Utube videos and photos if you’re interested. There’s some amazing info out there!! We’re lucky there’s any waterfowl left!