Fall 2019

St. Michaels sign welcomes all to the town. Photo by Dee Litten Whited

my best friend Lex who grew up on the island. It was going to be a fun respite from classes. We set out on our short trip from the Washington, D.C. line, chatting the whole way like two escaped college girls. Then the bridge. Fortunately, Lex was driving. At the time, there was only one span and so the on-coming traffic heading toward us only added to my extreme fear. Once on solid ground, my fear vanished, and I unclenched my fists. We explored Kent Island and I met her parents and younger brother Charles. The highlight, though, was the opportunity to go out on Charles’ boat. With Lex at the helm, I witnessed the enormity of the Chesapeake Bay. More than 150 major rivers and streams flow into the Bay's 64,299-square-mile drainage basin, which covers parts of six states (New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia) and all of Washington, D.C. For fun, Lex let me steer the boat— something I had only dreamed about. We were nearing the boat dock, so I bravely / foolishly tried to dock. A small crash later and I wasn’t so brave. Charles forgave me and he continues to be one of my good friends. What I also learned about Charles and his father was that they were a part of one of the oldest professions on the Shore—theywerewatermen. Charles startedwhenhewas approximately 10 and continues, occasionally working

From Honeymoon Bridge you can see the entrance to the museum and tour boat. Photo by Dee Litten Whited

GEM OF THE EASTERN SHORE Story by Dee Litten Whited

It’s like the night before Christmas when visions of … sun, and sand, and sea. So it’s not the Christmas season, but the night before our mini-vacation to St. Michaels, Maryland. Soon we’d be surrounded by water, so different from where we live in land-locked Front Royal, Virginia. So, after all the planning and anticipating, why was I sitting in the passenger seat of our car, white knuckled, and slouched down in my seat? One thing I’d forgotten. In order to get to St. Michaels, we’d have to first cross my nemesis—the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The behemoth spans 4.35 miles over the Chesapeake Bay, and, as far as I’m concerned, is high enough to touch the sky. Not everyone has this reaction. The terminus of the bridge is Kent Island and many Kent Islanders commute daily across the bridge to Washington, Annapolis, and Baltimore—not white knuckled. A half century before, I’d been invited to the Shore by

ST. MICHAELS, MARYLAND

COAST TO COAST FALL MAGAZINE 2019

28

Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online