GLORY DAYS ON THE GREAT LOOP: ST MICHAELS, MD

DAY 319: FRI. JUNE 1, 2012

DEP. OXFORD 07:10 ARR. ST. MICHAELS 11:20

D. 34.6sm / 5252.6

WX: O/CAST, WARM, WIND ESE 5K-10, WAVES 1’-2’

The cruising was much better today than yesterday. We decided to cruise through Knapp Narrows rather than go the longer way around the southern tip of Tilghman Island. It was not only shorter, it was more protected, and Knapp Narrows is more scenic. I called the Tow Boat US operator before we left and she said we would have no problem getting through, just keep really close to the red side. I did, but we still touched bottom as we entered Poplar Island Narrows. Fortunately, it must have been mud or soft sand as we didn’t do any damage. The rest of the trip to St. Michaels was easy. The harbor is very pretty and is an upscale tourist mecca. The marinas here are expensive during the week and charge even more on weekends and holidays. We stayed at Higgins Boat yard for $2 per ft as it was the least expensive but also had the fewest amenities. The town has many similarities to Falmouth. It is about the same size, it is a tourist mecca. It was fired upon by the British during the War of 1812; it even has a cannonball house like Falmouth’s Nimrod house. And, just like Falmouth, about 50% of its houses are second homes. On Sat we walked the town, and went to dinner at the Crab Claw Restaurant. I expected the restaurant to sell steamed crabs for dinner, but I didn’t expect to see every table in the place piled high with them. The medium crabs are $36 per dozen and the large ones are $72 per dozen. We stuck with the crab cakes and the Alaskan Snow Crab. On Sat we did the tourist thing and went to the museum on St Mary’s Square, the historical walking tour, the Strawberry Festival, and the Chesapeake Bay maritime Museum (www.cbmm.org.). After walking all day doing the tourist routine, we went to the 5:30 mass and had to walk another 1.3 miles to church. Fortunately, one of the ushers offered us a ride back to the boat which we gratefully accepted