St. Michaels

We spent most of the day in St. Michaels which was once a shipbuilding center and today is a major tourism destination.  The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is the premier museum on maritime life on the Chesapeake.  The Bay’s history is showcased in nine buildings each dedicated to some aspect of life on the Bay such as boatbuilding, fishing, oystering, crabbing, hunting and transportation.  The restored Hooper Strait Lighthouse and numerous historic boats enhance one’s understanding of what life on the Bay was like in the past.  We spent half our day at the museum and still have much more to learn from the exhibits.  a replica of a shallop used by John Smith in his explorations of the Chesapeake Bay was in the water.  Smith explored the Bay beginning in 1607.

http://cbmm.org/

Enroute to St. Michaels we visited the “Old Wye Episcopal Church” which was built in 1721 and retains much of its original appearance to include its “box” pews, hanging side pulpit and gallery with the original Royal Arms which were not removed during or after the American Revolution.

The famous racing cutter, “Elf” built in 1888 was at dock.  This vessel has won many big regattas on the Chesapeake and is still actively racing today.  She is impeccably maintained and a beauty to behold.  http://cbmm.org/news/may-16-brings-5th-annual-elf-classic-yacht-race-to-chesapeake-bay/

Dwayne learned to sail and first raced as skipper on an early one design boat called a Penguin.  Surprisingly, the first Penguin ever built is on display at the museum.  Philip Rhodes designed this racing dinghy in 1938 and for many years it was the most popular racing dinghy in the country.

Another interesting vessel was a skiff carrying a “punt gun” used in the commercial hunting of geese or ducks.  The large gun was loaded with shot and the hunter would sneak up on the flock resting on the water.  A well-aimed blast from this gun would result in a haul of 12 geese or 30 ducks.  This practice was against the law; however, that did not end this form of hunting as there was a ready market for the fresh fowl in Baltimore.