Chesapeake Chase Day 39: Smith Crew to Smith Island

July 20, 2022: The Smith Crew

Our new crew was aboard, and we put them to work!

Our destination today was Smith Island, a short voyage across the bay from Crisfield.  Who knew we had our own island?  The woman who checked us into the marina yesterday gave each of us a complementary piece of Smith Island cake.  At the time I didn’t appreciate the significance of the cake: it is the official state dessert of Maryland. But first, we needed to do the grocery shopping.

Following breakfast, we went up to the office to borrow four bikes for the trip to the grocery store.  We had backpacks and canvas bags with us.  The marina bikes had tiny baskets, so we would have to load our backpacks.  There were also two adult tricycles.  Debbie opted to ride one.  The basket on it was large. 

Off we rode–with a stop at the marina machine shop to have air put in the tires.  Once we were out on the main road, there was an actual bike lane painted on the road.  This was a huge relief for me! 

Shopping was quick and efficient with four people working as a team and we managed to pack all the groceries in the backpacks and extra bags.  I have never ridden a bike carrying a full backpack–this was a first for me.

By 10:30 AM we were underway.  Having extra crew helps the chores go faster.  It was a beautiful day on the bay. 

Smith Island

We read a little about Smith Island before arriving.  There are three island communities on Smith Island – Tylerton, Rhodes Point, and Ewell.  It’s the last inhabited island in Maryland which is only accessible by boat.  Population is less than 300.  It is slowly eroding away due to tidal currents and sea level rise.  It is famous for Smith Island cake which is anywhere from 8 to 15 thin layers of cake and frosting.  There is some tourism, but it is home to watermen who make a living from oystering and crabbing. 

It was a pleasant trip across the bay with no issues until we began following the channel into the island.  The water got much shallower the closer we got, but since several watermen passed us in their boats, we kept going.  We were moving very slowly and cautiously as Fred was determined to find the deeper water. When the depth sounder registered 1.9 feet, we knew we were in trouble. 

The difference between me running aground and Captain Fred running aground is how gently he did it compared to my very abrupt method.  Did we panic?  Not really.  Though we needed another 1.5 feet of water, the mud was soft, and the tide was low and would soon start to rise–but we really didn’t want to wait. Fred continued to work at getting us back into deeper water. 

About this time a waterman in his boat heading out to tend to his traps realized our situation and slowed right down.  He could have laughed and called us fools, but he stopped.  He couldn’t get to us, but said the tide was about to turn, and if we were still stuck when he returned in about an hour, he would help us, and he also told us the deeper water was immediately adjacent to the markers. 

Fred kept trying different strategies while the crew stood at the bow.  I have mentioned several times on this trip Fred’s expertise at meeting the challenge.  He did it again!  He got us free, and we moved closer to the marker.  We hugged the markers in the remaining channel and arrived safely at the marina. 

3 Knots Marina is really a marina in process.  There are docks but no water, electric or the usual bath house.  The new owners are in the process of rebuilding a marina that had been shut down for several years.  They were very welcoming and helpful tying us up.   The woman also mentioned to us that the tide was lower than usual.  We knew ahead that the marina was not in operation, but for $20 we could stay at their dock and experience life on a small island in the Chesapeake Bay [as long as we were willing to tie up in a construction zone].

Not long after we arrived, the ferry bringing lots of tourists also arrived.  They embarked from the ferry directly into the Bayside Restaurant which no doubt made their money from the tourists.  They had until 4:00 PM to tour the island.  We soon found out that most everything on the island shuts down at 4:00 PM–when the ferry leaves.

We wanted to try crabcakes, especially since we knew that crabs here were caught fresh every day.  The wife of the marina couple suggested we try the place where the locals ate.  Harborside was a combination grocery store, restaurant, and operated the ferry.  Fred and I are not shellfish lovers, but the crabcakes were yummy and, as I expected, were all crab instead of a little crab mixed with filler.  The meal was simple but satisfying.

We left Harborside to walk around the island.  The two places we wanted to visit were the cultural center/museum and the Smith Island Bakery.  In the museum, we watched a video of life on Smith Island.  Island living on a small island is very different from living on the mainland.  It’s slower paced and the necessities and frills are whatever you have the patience to wait for to come by boat, or you do without. That also makes the cost of everything more expensive.  The people on this island work hard and live simply.   

There are very few cars or trucks and lots of golf carts.  They could teach the rest of us how to “go with the flow.” One of the golf cart drivers recognized us and congratulated us for getting unstuck–he was the waterman who tried to help us when we were aground.

Smith Island Bakery

We left the museum to find the famous Smith Island Bakery.    We didn’t have to walk far or search long.  Jess and Debbie bought a piece to share, and Fred and I bought one.  There was no wow factor for us.  They were fine but too sweet.  The island experience though was for me a wow.  It was worth making the trip.

The evening ended with the sunset and a game of Skip Bo.  Another day of adventure and another one on the way tomorrow.

Captain’s Comments:

There were numerous things that impressed me about Smith Island. The inhabitants cherishing and preserving a simple life on the island. The (relatively) young couple who purchased an old, out of business marina, personally rebuilding it to bring it back to life. The waterman who offered to help, and then paid enough attention to recognize and greet us in a completely different context as we walked through town (OK–I did have my hat on). A town where everything closes at 4:00 PM, except the local BYOB (it’s in a dry county) gathering spot, where the locals enjoy community each night while watching the sunset.

In a century or so, this island will be gone, lost to erosion and sea level rise. I’m glad we visited now.

I’m also glad to report that we packed one more bottle of rum.