Chesapeake – Maryland and Virginia September 25-27, 2018
Report #6
As mentioned in the last blog, Chesapeake Bay captured my attention when I read Michener’s book “Chesapeake” about 30 years ago. His remarkable descriptions were captivating; the multiple waterways, the history of the discoveries of this region; Maryland’s founding and subsequent history; the wildlife and lush foliage …. He described that when the Canada Geese flew over the area there were so many that the sky turned dark. Clearly, I did not expect to see that particular phenomena, however, the existence of that much water and all the foliage and environment called to us.
Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center
Upon crossing the Bay Bridge at the northern end of the Chesapeake, we headed to the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center … of course. This picture shows the road driving to the center … and when we got there, we discovered that this was low tide.
We grabbed our trekking poles and headed into the peninsular forest and enjoyed the humidity (certainly) and the peaty, marshy tracks.
After a couple hours, it dawned on us that if that road was low tide coming in, we might be in trouble getting out. It was a little intimidating .... compare it to the first picture coming in.
This is the road not a river; Dan was not ecstatic driving it; but we made it. In this picture, you will see what it was like; the water was about 6 to 8 inches deep.
St Michaels
Settled in the late 1700’s this little village retains much of the charm of colonial times, with large brick churches and restored homes, and modest artist shops. It was a busy ship-building center in the early 1800s. It is a little touristy but no fast food places or tacky gift shops. A little walk around found us at Awful Arthur’s restaurant and we had the best French Dip sandwich and Fish and Chips.
Moreover, we found a lion.
Two states claim the waterways of the Chesapeake ... Maryland and Virginia. As we drove down the eastern side of the Bay, we ventured into Virginia.
Interesting side note: settled by Catholics fleeing the persecution of papists by England … Maryland named their state for the mother of Jesus. And to counterbalance that ... English colonists identified Virginia for their virgin queen Elizabeth I.
A side note: Another guide we are using to discover this part of the country is “National Geographic’s Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways”. The third guide is the AAA tour books and maps.
Assateague Island
Lined with barrier islands the eastern coast of the country offers with their own charm. This one called to us from the all three guides we were following. Camping right on the beach, we found ourselves arriving after dark, and were not sure which way was which. After we were settled, we looked out the window and discovered the moon rising. The sky overcast, the first picture captured the moon on the horizon just before it disappeared up into the clouds. The second picture taken the next morning at sunrise revealed the beach and the mysterious shapes seen in the first picture. A walk up there completed the display with the Atlantic Ocean! Hi Dan.
We stayed three days and hiked, biked, and visited with the wild horses, their friends the egrets, the ocean and a mushroom growing in the sand. That particular item revealed exactly how humid it all is.
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Bay Bridge-Tunnel
Not to be confused with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, this series of engineering marvels rivaled out pleasure of the first bridge. It is a series of bridge-tunnel-bridge-tunnel-bridge that spanned and dove into the Virginia end of the southern bay where it flows into the ocean. Each of the two tunnels is a little over a mile long and the entire distance is 17.6 miles plunging and leaping across the water.
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