Feature Stories

Feature Stories
Chesapeake Bay Culture
All in Good Time In Whitehaven, Md., on the Wicomico River, making a good life is not a forgotten art. [8.10 issue]
Annapolis User's Guide: Diversions and Attractions You may not recognize it during the boat shows, but this is Annapolis at its busy best--and it's your oyster.
Annapolis User's Guide: On the Waterfront
Annapolis User's Guide: Restaurants
Bay Lady In the early 1930s, a sailboat brought a young couple to St. Michaels. So began a love affair with the region that sparked the Chesapeake's first museum dedicated to the Bay. [7.04 issue]
Best of the Bay 2009
Best of the Bay 2010
Best of the Bay 2011
Birds of a Feather The annual Duck Drop in Havre de Grace, Md., turned out to be harmless enough. But the idea of dropping a duck . . . well, this author simply had to investigate. [1.06 issue]
Critical Areas Maryland's law regulating development around the Bay garners criticism from all quarters. [2.08 issue]
Deltaville On Exhibit Most boaters know Deltaville, Va., for its sheer "boatiness"--good location, easy in and out, a bazillion marinas. But a visit to the maritime museum shows you where the town's heart is. [11.11 issue]
Going with the Grain Creating model kits of historic Bay boats keeps Tom Willey's heart on the water and his feet in wood shavings. [10.05 issue]
Iron Chef: Battle Chesapeake! Our resident food-obsessed boater, managing editor Ann Levelle, makes the rounds to the cook-off competitions around the Bay--and gives us all the details on four of the Bay's biggest (and tastiest) cook-offs. [4.10 issue]
Let There Be Pirates! The roar of cannon! The panic of invasion! What could be more glorious than Pirates and Wenches Fantasy Weekend in Rock Hall? Aargh! [7.11 issue]
Mr. Boh's Neighborhood Under the watchful eye of a winking Baltimore icon, Canton is a flourishing, revitalized neighborhood with a long history, full and happy present, and bright future in the land of pleasant living. [9.10 issue]
Nobody Doesn't Like St. Mikes Whether you've been there once or a dozen times, St. Michaels is the kind of place you just keep going back to. Why? Because you never have the same visit twice. [2.11 issue]
Of Time & Tide When an unusually low tide revealed a treasure trove of empty bottles, the neighborhood kids saw cash on the barrelhead. [3.04 issue]
Phased Protection In its two-decade rollout of laws protecting the Bay's edges, Virginia puts the onus on designated Tidewater towns and counties. [4.08 issue]
Pick 'Em Like the Pros Nobody liberates the lump meat faster than a professional crab picker. Want to see how they do it? . . . Want to see it again? [6.05 issue]
Reporting for Duty Dad was an Eastern Shore poultry man; mom was a reporter for the Sun. Is it any wonder Tom Horton ended up writing about Bay country? [1.08 issue]
Rock Hall's Red Glare A spectacular high-tech fireworks display is only the jumping off point to Rock Hall's big-time, small-town Independence Day celebration that includes an uber-fireworks display, an old school parade and a day to honor its watermen. [7.10 issue]
The Creeks Around the Corner Just down the river from Baltimore, the neighborhoods of Rock, Stoney and Nabbs creeks are longtime boating playgrounds. [12.11 issue]
The Great Used Boat Stuff Throw-Down Can the Chesapeake Bay compete with Florida, home of the all-you-can-eat nautical flea market buffet? [12.07 issue]
The Watermen's Jamboree Once a year, in midwinter, watermen from up and down the East Coast get together to talk fishing, form alliances and have fun--not necessarily in that order. [12.07 issue]
What Lies Beneath Manmade structures from modern to ancient, vast to humble, lie under the surface of the Bay. [10.07 issue]

Chesapeake Bay History
Cruises Mainly in the Past In 1909, the Barrie Brothers published a book on their Bay cruises. one hundred years later, it's still the best you can find. [11.09 issue]
Cruises Mainly in the Past Part II At the turn of the last century, yachting brothers Robert and George Barrie, scions of a wealthy Philadelphia publishing family, were among the first to sing the praises of the Chesapeake Bay in print. One hundred years later, their tune is as beguiling as ever--and, you'll find, quite familiar. [12.09/1.10 issue]
Deltaville On Exhibit Most boaters know Deltaville, Va., for its sheer "boatiness"--good location, easy in and out, a bazillion marinas. But a visit to the maritime museum shows you where the town's heart is. [11.11 issue]
Forgotten Fortresses Lost to obsolescence, obscurity and overgrowth, promontories along the lower Patapsco once had serious firepower: state-of-the-art homeland security of over a century ago.
Good Men Down The 1977 sinking of the Claud W. Somers left six men dead and an island community puzzling over what happened and why. [3.05 issue]
It's a Bird, It's a Plane . . . It's a Flying Boat! The Chesapeake region has launched its share of watercraft, generally with little fanfare. But when these babies slid down the ramp, they made a splash felt around the world. [11.04 issue]
Jamestown's Big Bang Jamestown's 400th anniversary gives birth to a universe of activities across the Bay. [5.07 issue]
On the Brink Virginia's New Point Comfort Lighthouse has endured two centuries' worth of war and weather, but how much longer can it fend off the Bay itself? [11.03 issue]
Shifting Sands A new museum on Virginia's Eastern Shore tells the story of people who tried to tame the wild barrier islands. They never did. [12.04 issue]
Splash! These volunteers willingly jump into the notoriously goopy waters of the Bay . . . all in the name of marine archaeology. [2.10 issue]
Tales of the Lost Ark In the waning days of the Age of Sail, many watermen were true nomads, building their own floating homes and following fisheries around the Bay. [8.08 issue]
The Captain's Trail Part II In this installment of our report on the proposed Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail, we trace Smith's second voyage of the summer of 1608. [11.06 issue]
The Captain's Trail, Part I As Congress considers approving the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail, the nation's first maritime historic trail, we recount, in two parts, the good Captain's very busy summer of 1608. [10.06 issue]

Chesapeake Bay History

Cruises Mainly in the Past
In 1909, the Barrie Brothers published a book on their Bay cruises. one hundred years later, it's still the best you can find. [11.09 issue]

Cruises Mainly in the Past Part II
At the turn of the last century, yachting brothers Robert and George Barrie, scions of a wealthy Philadelphia publishing family, were among the first to sing the praises of the Chesapeake Bay in print. One hundred years later, their tune is as beguiling as ever--and, you'll find, quite familiar. [12.09/1.10 issue]

Deltaville On Exhibit
Most boaters know Deltaville, Va., for its sheer "boatiness"--good location, easy in and out, a bazillion marinas. But a visit to the maritime museum shows you where the town's heart is. [11.11 issue]

Forgotten Fortresses
Lost to obsolescence, obscurity and overgrowth, promontories along the lower Patapsco once had serious firepower: state-of-the-art homeland security of over a century ago.

Good Men Down
The 1977 sinking of the Claud W. Somers left six men dead and an island community puzzling over what happened and why. [3.05 issue]

It's a Bird, It's a Plane . . . It's a Flying Boat!
The Chesapeake region has launched its share of watercraft, generally with little fanfare. But when these babies slid down the ramp, they made a splash felt around the world. [11.04 issue]

Jamestown's Big Bang
Jamestown's 400th anniversary gives birth to a universe of activities across the Bay. [5.07 issue]

On the Brink
Virginia's New Point Comfort Lighthouse has endured two centuries' worth of war and weather, but how much longer can it fend off the Bay itself? [11.03 issue]

Shifting Sands
A new museum on Virginia's Eastern Shore tells the story of people who tried to tame the wild barrier islands. They never did. [12.04 issue]

Splash!
These volunteers willingly jump into the notoriously goopy waters of the Bay . . . all in the name of marine archaeology. [2.10 issue]

Tales of the Lost Ark
In the waning days of the Age of Sail, many watermen were true nomads, building their own floating homes and following fisheries around the Bay. [8.08 issue]

The Captain's Trail Part II
In this installment of our report on the proposed Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail, we trace Smith's second voyage of the summer of 1608. [11.06 issue]

The Captain's Trail, Part I
As Congress considers approving the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail, the nation's first maritime historic trail, we recount, in two parts, the good Captain's very busy summer of 1608. [10.06 issue]

Chesapeake Bay Nature
A Fish Called Menhaden More than a year after the ASMFC's decision to limit industrial-strength menhaden harvesting, the issue remains adrift in Virginia's political tides. [10.06 issue]
A Summer Guest Elusive and endangered, some of the Bay's most mysterious visitors are the thousands of sea turtles that arrive each spring. [4.07 issue]
Bugged Out Midges and chiggers and flies, oh my! Under way or at anchor, it's a buggy world out there on the Bay. [8.07 issue]
Cash Crop An oyster company tries a new approach to bringing back the Bay's beleaguered bivalves. [10.08 issue]
Chesapeakeology 101 Wherein the author takes us on a field trip full of sciencey stuff and a pinch of magical thinking. [10.09 issue]
Crossing Kent A visit to Kent Island doesn't have to mean loud boats and rowdy parties on the Narrows. In fact, staying there can be fairly quiet and civilized if you spend your days riding the island's serene bike trails, sipping scotch on the dock at Kent Manor Inn, and exploring historic Stevensville. [9.11 issue]
Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't (Part 1)
Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't (Part 2)
Enter the Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis moves north to the Bay, choosing tiny Holland Island as its nesting ground. [7.10 issue]
Fearless Fishing Forecast 2010
Flatland An exploratory journey on the upper Bay—from Garrett Island to the Susquehanna Flats and Havre de Grace.
Go, Terps! A long-term study is finding fewer diamondbacks where they've always been. But give them a fighting chance, and . . . [3.09 issue]
Limulus Lately Harvest caps appear to be doing the trick for Limulus polyphemus, aka the horseshoe crab, prized by shorebirds for its nutritious eggs and by humans for its unique and valuable blue blood. [2.08 issue]
Show Me Money The Chesapeake Bay Commission has put a price tag on restoring the Bay: $18.7 billion. Assuming we spend it on the right things, it'll be worth every penny. [7.03 issue]
Stalking the Wild Persimmon With apologies to Euell Gibbons . . . the Chesapeake is home to many more native edibles than just crabs and oysters. And some are as close as a walk on the beach.
State of Our Bay: Pfiesteria Revisited Research at last provides a potential answer to the elusive secret of why this little critter could be so deadly to fish, but only sometimes. After ten years of study, educated guesswork and arcane controversy, researchers are close to solving the central. [10.07 issue]
State of Our Bay: Return of the Giant More and more these days, Atlantic sturgeon are showing up in Bay fishermen's nets. Scientists haven't dared to believe this behemoth, thought to have vanished from the Bay long ago, could be staging a comeback. [10.07 issue]
The Osprey Fix For our resident osprey junky, bird blogs and round-the-clock webcams have been a way of life. Now she takes it up another notch: a hands-on osprey banding expedition on Jug Bay. [5.06 issue]

Chesapeake Bay Nature

A Fish Called Menhaden
More than a year after the ASMFC's decision to limit industrial-strength menhaden harvesting, the issue remains adrift in Virginia's political tides. [10.06 issue]

A Summer Guest
Elusive and endangered, some of the Bay's most mysterious visitors are the thousands of sea turtles that arrive each spring. [4.07 issue]

Bugged Out
Midges and chiggers and flies, oh my! Under way or at anchor, it's a buggy world out there on the Bay. [8.07 issue]

Cash Crop
An oyster company tries a new approach to bringing back the Bay's beleaguered bivalves. [10.08 issue]

Chesapeakeology 101
Wherein the author takes us on a field trip full of sciencey stuff and a pinch of magical thinking. [10.09 issue]

Crossing Kent
A visit to Kent Island doesn't have to mean loud boats and rowdy parties on the Narrows. In fact, staying there can be fairly quiet and civilized if you spend your days riding the island's serene bike trails, sipping scotch on the dock at Kent Manor Inn, and exploring historic Stevensville. [9.11 issue]

Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't (Part 1)

Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't (Part 2)

Enter the Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis moves north to the Bay, choosing tiny Holland Island as its nesting ground. [7.10 issue]

Fearless Fishing Forecast 2010

Flatland
An exploratory journey on the upper Bay—from Garrett Island to the Susquehanna Flats and Havre de Grace.

Go, Terps!
A long-term study is finding fewer diamondbacks where they've always been. But give them a fighting chance, and . . . [3.09 issue]

Limulus Lately
Harvest caps appear to be doing the trick for Limulus polyphemus, aka the horseshoe crab, prized by shorebirds for its nutritious eggs and by humans for its unique and valuable blue blood. [2.08 issue]

Show Me Money
The Chesapeake Bay Commission has put a price tag on restoring the Bay: $18.7 billion. Assuming we spend it on the right things, it'll be worth every penny. [7.03 issue]

Stalking the Wild Persimmon
With apologies to Euell Gibbons . . . the Chesapeake is home to many more native edibles than just crabs and oysters. And some are as close as a walk on the beach.

State of Our Bay: Pfiesteria Revisited
Research at last provides a potential answer to the elusive secret of why this little critter could be so deadly to fish, but only sometimes. After ten years of study, educated guesswork and arcane controversy, researchers are close to solving the central. [10.07 issue]

State of Our Bay: Return of the Giant
More and more these days, Atlantic sturgeon are showing up in Bay fishermen's nets. Scientists haven't dared to believe this behemoth, thought to have vanished from the Bay long ago, could be staging a comeback. [10.07 issue]

The Osprey Fix
For our resident osprey junky, bird blogs and round-the-clock webcams have been a way of life. Now she takes it up another notch: a hands-on osprey banding expedition on Jug Bay. [5.06 issue]

Chesapeake Bay History
A Pocketful of Miracles A week's cruise on the Patuxent River produces enough good memories to tuck into your pocket for rainy days to come. [9.09 issue]
Above and Beyond There's alot of Rappahannock beyond Tappahannock. A trailer, a Whaler and a thermos of hot coffee is all our resident naturalist needs to explore the twists and turns of the upper Rapp. [3.11 issue]
All Aboard the Winding River Way up the curvy and quiet Nansemond River lies downtown Suffolk, Va., which comes with a small town feel, great restaurants, museums, a new marina and a grandkid-friendly festival extraordinaire. [12.10 issue]
Aye Aye Skipper Season One in the life of a new ship's dog. [05.08 issue]
Beating The Inner Bimbo When Clint brought Escort, a 42-foot Kadey-Krogen trawler, home one day, I knew it was way too big a boat for me to handle. [3.03 issue]
Becoming Cape Charles With spanking new docks on the harborfront and a can-do attitude, Cape Charles, Va., takes a big step toward prime time. [8.11 issue]
Bella Luna After 10 years and countless memories, Full Moon and her owner celebrate their anniversary with a new engine and a whole new set of stories in the making. [10.05 issue]
By Boat & Bike to Easton It's all the way up the Tred Avon River, but if you're okay in five feet of water and don't mind a one-mile walk or bike ride, the jolly old town of Easton can be your oyster. [Feb 2010 issue]
Byzantium Bound We were sailing to Byzantium, no country for old women, and we thought we'd find it somewhere on Eastern Bay, between Tilghman Point and Poplar Island. [3.11 issue]
Byzantium Bound We were sailing to Byzantium, no country for old women, and we thought we'd find it somewhere on Eastern Bay, between Tilghman Point and Poplar Island.
Captain Knievel A Potomac River cruise gets interesting (and scary) for a couple of newlyweds when a nearby boat attempts an idiotic feat. [12.07 issue]
Cross Traffic As many as 8,000 ships, tugs and barges transit the C&D Canal annually, and every move they make is carefully watched by a handful of dispatchers charged with keeping the traffic moving. [5.04 issue]
Deck boats, Buyboats - What a Show! With a growing community of devoted owners, and a crackerjack chronicler, these low-slung workboats are forming into a fleet. [8.05 issue]
Dragons on the Potomac A tradition dating back more than two millennia leads to an up-to-date competitive sport as well as a festive event for spectators arriving by land or water. [3.06 issue]
Fast Cat Fever The West River Catamaran Racing Association has been "raising hull" in Galesville, Md., for twenty years, attracting new sailors to crazy-fast catamaran racing. [1.09 issue]
Flatland An exploratory journey on the upper Bay—from Garrett Island to the Susquehanna Flats and Havre de Grace.
Fleet Week Four peaceful creeks and one lovely old Virginia town--a Fleets Bay package deal. [02.10 issue]
Full Speed Ahead Four peaceful creeks and one lovely old Virginia town--a Fleets Bay package deal. [02.10 issue]
He Dreams of the Ocean Donald Lawson wants to be the first African-American to finish an around-the-world single-handed race. [12.10 issue]
Island Times Three Potomac islands plus two good friends make one great summer cruise. [4.10 issue]
It Does A Body Good Visiting Mobjack Bay's B&Bs by boat means sleeping in the lap of luxury while wading knee-deep through Virginia history.
Join the Club On the rise for a decade, club boating has arrived in earnest on the Bay. [5.10 issue]
Kayak Karma's Gonna Get You In which our favorite fisherwoman goes 'yak fishing with the experts and is rewarded with Great and Profound Truths, not to put too fine a point on it. [8.09 issue]
Meneely Under Way : Jan., July, Sept. 2009
Mill Town Magic Quirky shops and restaurants, art galleries, two centuries of history and - lo and behold! - seven feet of water await the wandering boater in tiny Occoquan, Va., off the Potomac River. [11.10 issue]
Mother Potomac A family cruise from D.C. to Solomons would have been just lovely had the wind gods not intervened. [6.06 issue]
Mr Yielding's Dream What happens to a wooden-boat dream when the dreamer dies unexpectedly? In this case it lives on, in the hands of a husband-and-wife restoration team in Rock Hall.
Oldies but Woodies There's plenty of life left in these wooden thoroughbreds of the waterways, and plenty of people happy to keep them in their stable. [11.07 issue]
Return of the Bow Rider Dual-console designs are making a comeback on runabouts, classy sportfishers and high-tech catamarans alike. [4.05 issue]
Sailing with Pride It was all hands on deck—even the blistered ones—aboard the Pride of Baltimore II in last year's Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. [10.04 issue]
School of Hard Tacks Now bigger than ever on the Bay, high school sailing offers kids a stepping stone to collegiate, international and even Olympic competition. [3.10 issue]
The Bad and the Beautiful Washington’s hard-luck Anacostia River may also be the city’s ace in the hole.
The Great Chesapeake Engine-Break-In Cruise A new engine means 50 hours of powering around the Bay. But this is a sailboat, right? [Feb 2010 issue]
The Great Outward Re-Bound Two friends retrace a defining Outward Bound journey in which frigid swims, a hauntingly beautiful creek and a song about a deranged uncle created a lifelong love of sailing and the Bay. [11.08 issue]
The Immortal Atomic Four Part of the sailing vernacular since 1959, it's the little engine that could, did, and still does. [3.07 issue]
The News from Newport News It may look like nothing but big-port muscle and sinew, but don't let that throw you; there's charm aplenty, if you know where to look, in good ol' New Port Newce.
The Un-Destination Many of the reasons to visit the Lower Machodoc and Nomini Bay on the Potomac River have recently disappeared, but does that mean it's now an un-destination? We find out! [4.11 issue]
There and Back Again Nica Waters and her husband Jeremy seize the day, pack up their two children and sail down the Bay from Deltaville, Va., to the islands. Eight months and 2,000 miles later, they have a surprising new friendship and stories enough for a lifetime . . . or at least until the next time. [11.10 issue]
This Was, And Is Potomac River, Part 1 With a teenager's diary as her guide, a modern-day explorer retraces a month-long Potomac River odyssey by a dozen Sea Scouts in the summer of 1931. [1.07 issue]
This Was, And Is, Potomac River, Part 2 With a teenager's diary as her guide, a modern-day explorer retraces a 1931 Potomac River trip. [2.07 issue]
To Make a Cup of Coffee Though the winds go wild and the waters rage, just call me Miss Hospitality .[2.03 issue]
To Richmond, James Virginia's capital city was the destination, but getting there on the lovely and winding James River was of course half the fun. [5.11 issue]
To Richmond, James Virginia's capital city was the destination, but getting there on the lovely and winding James River was of course half the fun.
Veni, Vidi, Volvo They came, they sailed, they won our hearts: a photo album from the Volvo Ocean Race. [12.06 issue]
View from the Bridge The ships' pilots of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware serve as buffers between the commercial maritime traffic that feeds the region's economy and the recreational boaters who simply enjoy the Bay. [11.06 issue]
Vrrooom! Outboard Update Faster, quieter, cleaner, cheaper to run and EPA approved... What more could an outboard enthusiast ask for? [5.04 issue]
Wait for It... The best recipe for a perfect fall cruise on the Sassafras River? One part patience and one part good company! [10.10 issue]
Wanna Go Sailing? Two old friends reunite for a downwind sailing cruise on the middle Bay. What more could a girl ask for? Wind, wine, crab imperial? Perfect. [5.10 issue]
Weathering a Bay Squall An afternoon boomer on the Bay can quickly turn a lovely day into a topsy-turvy nightmare. But not if you know your boat, know where you are and know how to ride it out. Herewith, a primer. . . . [8.10 issue]
West River Story A little investigation goes a long way when it comes to getting to know the West River and its quiet, storied towns of Galesville and Shady Side. [6.10 issue]

Chesapeake Bay History

A Pocketful of Miracles
A week's cruise on the Patuxent River produces enough good memories to tuck into your pocket for rainy days to come. [9.09 issue]

Above and Beyond
There's alot of Rappahannock beyond Tappahannock. A trailer, a Whaler and a thermos of hot coffee is all our resident naturalist needs to explore the twists and turns of the upper Rapp. [3.11 issue]

All Aboard the Winding River
Way up the curvy and quiet Nansemond River lies downtown Suffolk, Va., which comes with a small town feel, great restaurants, museums, a new marina and a grandkid-friendly festival extraordinaire. [12.10 issue]

Aye Aye Skipper
Season One in the life of a new ship's dog. [05.08 issue]

Beating The Inner Bimbo
When Clint brought Escort, a 42-foot Kadey-Krogen trawler, home one day, I knew it was way too big a boat for me to handle. [3.03 issue]

Becoming Cape Charles
With spanking new docks on the harborfront and a can-do attitude, Cape Charles, Va., takes a big step toward prime time. [8.11 issue]

Bella Luna
After 10 years and countless memories, Full Moon and her owner celebrate their anniversary with a new engine and a whole new set of stories in the making. [10.05 issue]

By Boat & Bike to Easton
It's all the way up the Tred Avon River, but if you're okay in five feet of water and don't mind a one-mile walk or bike ride, the jolly old town of Easton can be your oyster. [Feb 2010 issue]

Byzantium Bound
We were sailing to Byzantium, no country for old women, and we thought we'd find it somewhere on Eastern Bay, between Tilghman Point and Poplar Island. [3.11 issue]

Byzantium Bound
We were sailing to Byzantium, no country for old women, and we thought we'd find it somewhere on Eastern Bay, between Tilghman Point and Poplar Island.

Captain Knievel
A Potomac River cruise gets interesting (and scary) for a couple of newlyweds when a nearby boat attempts an idiotic feat. [12.07 issue]

Cross Traffic
As many as 8,000 ships, tugs and barges transit the C&D Canal annually, and every move they make is carefully watched by a handful of dispatchers charged with keeping the traffic moving. [5.04 issue]

Deck boats, Buyboats - What a Show!
With a growing community of devoted owners, and a crackerjack chronicler, these low-slung workboats are forming into a fleet. [8.05 issue]

Dragons on the Potomac
A tradition dating back more than two millennia leads to an up-to-date competitive sport as well as a festive event for spectators arriving by land or water. [3.06 issue]

Fast Cat Fever
The West River Catamaran Racing Association has been "raising hull" in Galesville, Md., for twenty years, attracting new sailors to crazy-fast catamaran racing. [1.09 issue]

Flatland
An exploratory journey on the upper Bay—from Garrett Island to the Susquehanna Flats and Havre de Grace.

Fleet Week
Four peaceful creeks and one lovely old Virginia town--a Fleets Bay package deal. [02.10 issue]

Full Speed Ahead
Four peaceful creeks and one lovely old Virginia town--a Fleets Bay package deal. [02.10 issue]

He Dreams of the Ocean
Donald Lawson wants to be the first African-American to finish an around-the-world single-handed race. [12.10 issue]

Island Times
Three Potomac islands plus two good friends make one great summer cruise. [4.10 issue]

It Does A Body Good
Visiting Mobjack Bay's B&Bs by boat means sleeping in the lap of luxury while wading knee-deep through Virginia history.

Join the Club
On the rise for a decade, club boating has arrived in earnest on the Bay. [5.10 issue]

Kayak Karma's Gonna Get You
In which our favorite fisherwoman goes 'yak fishing with the experts and is rewarded with Great and Profound Truths, not to put too fine a point on it. [8.09 issue]

Meneely Under Way : Jan., July, Sept. 2009

Mill Town Magic
Quirky shops and restaurants, art galleries, two centuries of history and - lo and behold! - seven feet of water await the wandering boater in tiny Occoquan, Va., off the Potomac River. [11.10 issue]

Mother Potomac
A family cruise from D.C. to Solomons would have been just lovely had the wind gods not intervened. [6.06 issue]

Mr Yielding's Dream
What happens to a wooden-boat dream when the dreamer dies unexpectedly? In this case it lives on, in the hands of a husband-and-wife restoration team in Rock Hall.

Oldies but Woodies
There's plenty of life left in these wooden thoroughbreds of the waterways, and plenty of people happy to keep them in their stable. [11.07 issue]

Return of the Bow Rider
Dual-console designs are making a comeback on runabouts, classy sportfishers and high-tech catamarans alike. [4.05 issue]

Sailing with Pride
It was all hands on deck—even the blistered ones—aboard the Pride of Baltimore II in last year's Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. [10.04 issue]

School of Hard Tacks
Now bigger than ever on the Bay, high school sailing offers kids a stepping stone to collegiate, international and even Olympic competition. [3.10 issue]

The Bad and the Beautiful
Washington’s hard-luck Anacostia River may also be the city’s ace in the hole.

The Great Chesapeake Engine-Break-In Cruise
A new engine means 50 hours of powering around the Bay. But this is a sailboat, right? [Feb 2010 issue]

The Great Outward Re-Bound
Two friends retrace a defining Outward Bound journey in which frigid swims, a hauntingly beautiful creek and a song about a deranged uncle created a lifelong love of sailing and the Bay. [11.08 issue]

The Immortal Atomic Four
Part of the sailing vernacular since 1959, it's the little engine that could, did, and still does. [3.07 issue]

The News from Newport News
It may look like nothing but big-port muscle and sinew, but don't let that throw you; there's charm aplenty, if you know where to look, in good ol' New Port Newce.

The Un-Destination
Many of the reasons to visit the Lower Machodoc and Nomini Bay on the Potomac River have recently disappeared, but does that mean it's now an un-destination? We find out! [4.11 issue]

There and Back Again
Nica Waters and her husband Jeremy seize the day, pack up their two children and sail down the Bay from Deltaville, Va., to the islands. Eight months and 2,000 miles later, they have a surprising new friendship and stories enough for a lifetime . . . or at least until the next time. [11.10 issue]

This Was, And Is Potomac River, Part 1
With a teenager's diary as her guide, a modern-day explorer retraces a month-long Potomac River odyssey by a dozen Sea Scouts in the summer of 1931. [1.07 issue]

This Was, And Is, Potomac River, Part 2
With a teenager's diary as her guide, a modern-day explorer retraces a 1931 Potomac River trip. [2.07 issue]

To Make a Cup of Coffee
Though the winds go wild and the waters rage, just call me Miss Hospitality .[2.03 issue]

To Richmond, James
Virginia's capital city was the destination, but getting there on the lovely and winding James River was of course half the fun. [5.11 issue]

To Richmond, James
Virginia's capital city was the destination, but getting there on the lovely and winding James River was of course half the fun.

Veni, Vidi, Volvo
They came, they sailed, they won our hearts: a photo album from the Volvo Ocean Race. [12.06 issue]

View from the Bridge
The ships' pilots of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware serve as buffers between the commercial maritime traffic that feeds the region's economy and the recreational boaters who simply enjoy the Bay. [11.06 issue]

Vrrooom! Outboard Update
Faster, quieter, cleaner, cheaper to run and EPA approved... What more could an outboard enthusiast ask for? [5.04 issue]

Wait for It...
The best recipe for a perfect fall cruise on the Sassafras River? One part patience and one part good company! [10.10 issue]

Wanna Go Sailing?
Two old friends reunite for a downwind sailing cruise on the middle Bay. What more could a girl ask for? Wind, wine, crab imperial? Perfect. [5.10 issue]

Weathering a Bay Squall
An afternoon boomer on the Bay can quickly turn a lovely day into a topsy-turvy nightmare. But not if you know your boat, know where you are and know how to ride it out. Herewith, a primer. . . . [8.10 issue]

West River Story
A little investigation goes a long way when it comes to getting to know the West River and its quiet, storied towns of Galesville and Shady Side. [6.10 issue]

Feature Stories

Chesapeake Bay Culture

Chesapeake Bay History

Chesapeake Bay Nature

Chesapeake Bay History