Thursday, June 8, 2023 -
Our passage was a short one today. It was 16 miles from Smith Island, MD to Tangier Island, VA. We ate breakfast aboard and headed out the west side of Smith Island into the Chesapeake Bay. Very overcast day but the smoke isn't there today. Actually it's in the upper atmosphere but nothing like we had yesterday. An interesting site as we are headed south is a line of buoys defining the Maryland - Virginia border. I wonder why there are actually buoys defining instead of the normal virtual line on the charts. Maybe the waterman are disputing over which state they are fishing in. I remember hearing that disputes over the fishing grounds had ended up gunfire from boats shooting at each other. Doubt those buoys are about fishing disputes these days.

I am cruising very slowly today and just enjoying the ride and coffee. I see no other boats underway and as I'm about 4 miles from the channel entrance I see two other boats heading north and appearing to have Tangier as their destination too. Calculations are I will beat them in the channel by about 10 minutes. I also saw the ferry from mainland Virginia taking tourists to Tangier. That comforts me that they are ahed of me today instead of running me down like yesterday.

We approach Parks marina. Mr. Parks died at 90 last month and everyone is upset he is gone. Mr. Parks was born on Tangier and lived here his entire life. We find his daughter that has moved back to Tangier from Winchester, VA to help with the marina. She directs us to our slip and helps Susan with the bow while I try to get the stern secured. The slip is not friendly to Liquid Therapy and we are certainly going to have a tough time getting on and off the bow. The slip was too shallow to go stern in and getting off to the very short finger pier would make little difference. The price is right anyway. Boats under 30 feet are $30 and boats over 30 feet are $35 CASH + $5.00 for electricity. You slide your money in a box at the end of the dock. The other two boats show up while I'm getting tied. One comes into my starboard side and the other boat takes the slip next to him. After we all get lines adjusted we chat. They are from Michigan and are doing the Great Loop. They've already gone down the Mississippi - across Florida and are North bound to finish where they started later this summer. Completing the great loop is also known as crossing your wake. For some reason I've never had a desire to do the great loop.

We look to the West and it's black clouds heading toward us. The wind picks up and I check our lines. I failed to mention earlier that I actually let the anchor down to get us about 1 foot closer to the dock. The bow pulpit is only a few inches from the dock piling and the wind is of course pushing the boat towards the piling. My rolling hitch knots are doing their thing. The rolling hitch is an adjustable knot that doesn't slip under strain. But you can slide it to various lengths as lines need to be adjusted. I'm not a knot expert. But I know the few that work for me. The temperature drops to 66º fast. I move the fly bridge cushions and chairs to safety under the enclosure. The rain spits and it's cold. Back to inside the cabin and it feels safe and warm. And, knowing everything is secure I take a nap. Yes I did.

Next thing I know the storm is gone and it's time for dinner. Hummm, I'm wondering if Susan and I are going to get off the boat without hurting ourselves. I lengthen my lines ( remember my rolling hitches are adjustable ) and Susan and I safely get off the boat and off to crab cake, soft shell crabs, flounder and a piece of Smith Island cake at Lorraine's Seafood Restaurant. It was all great. And, guess what we got back on the boat too. Susan made a misstep getting into the cabin and slid her arm on the table. We all bruise so easily anymore. She doesn't look too bad and puts no ice on it. Ice never seems to help bruising anyway.

Tangier seems to have much more activity than Smith Island. Not sure what the population is. Both islands are sinking. At normal high tides many yards have water in them. And you see puddles along roads when it hasn't rained. We saw lots of crab pots. We saw lots of fixer upper houses. It seems that the young are not staying on the island and it's not a resort. Mr. Parks marina is being run reluctantly by his children who want to sell it. The marina is in bad shape and I'm not sure who will buy it. It may just get derelict and go back to nature. Seems a shame that a man ran the marina until he was 90 years old and it may become history - a thing of the past.

Today's picture is crab pots, floats, dead rise awnings rolled up on the dock.