Walking across the quiet campus of the
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, MD, to the showers and along the way passing by the Hooper Strait Lighthouse and a working boatshop, where shipwrights sand the hull of a buy boat or log canoe, you might feel a chill in the air. It might be chilly enough that after your warm shower, you don’t choose what you usually do in St. Michaels: sit outside and eat a crab cake or walk around with an ice cream cone. It’s late fall, so you do more wintry things, such as… go to a museum!
For boaters who keep their boats in the water well beyond Labor Day, there are plenty of places to visit, dock, and plug in their heaters to stay warm. It’s a different sensation than summer boating (think Irish Coffee instead of cold beer), but late-fall cruising has its merits.
At CBMM, there are festivals and events from May through October, so it can be a challenge to secure a slip, but during November and other wintry months, you may have your pick. The same goes for restaurant tables in St. Michaels, a tourist haven in summer. If you’ve not visited St. Michaels in winter—especially this gem of a museum that can fill an entire day with its interesting, interactive exhibits—put it on your to-do list. Museum entry is included in your slip fees; find rates at
cbmm.org.
When many hear the word “Cambridge” in reference to powerboats, they think of the Cambridge Classic Powerboat Race, a summer spectacle where hydroplanes roar and crowds gather. That’s just about the direct opposite of what you’ll find in Cambridge in the off-season, and that’s why it’s appealing for the quieter cruiser.
Two museums attract history lovers to this Eastern Shore town on the Choptank River: the Richardson Maritime Museum (401 High Street) and the Harriet Tubman Museum (424 Race Street). Both museums, as well as restaurants and provisions, are within walking distance of the
Cambridge Municipal Yacht Basin at the mouth of Cambridge Creek on the Choptank. While you’re there, walk over to the High Spot Gastropub (305 High Street) for craft beers and delicious food.
What started as a railroad and ferry center, Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is now home to a marina big enough for mega-yachts, an award-winning resort, and a concentration of late-Victorian and turn-of-the-century homes and buildings in an historic district (on the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register and also the National Register of Historic Places). All are within walking distance of
Cape Charles Yacht Center. Known for its sunsets, hospitality, and renewal as a destination in recent years, Cape Charles is worth a November visit.
Among places you might want to check out are the Cape Charles Coffee House (in a restored 1910 haberdashery), the Oyster Farm at King’s Creek, the Gull Hummock Gourmet Market (for wines, cheeses, and gluten-free foods), the fishing pier and boardwalk, and a number of B&Bs for those who prefer boat-to-bed-and-breakfast travel.
When you get to Cape Charles Yacht Center, ask for the dockmaster, Smitty. He knows where the fish are running and where you can get the best oysters. Visit
ccyachtcenter.com and
capecharlesbythebay.com for more.
If you’re on your way south, as many snowbirds are this time of year, spend a night at the
Hampton Public Piers. Along with WiFi, laundry, free bicycles, a fitness room, and other amenities, the transient docks are within walking distance of the local restaurants, shops, and a number of attractions. Boaters will want to find Marker 20 (21 East Queens Way), a favorite watering hole. There you will find live music, DJs, and food specials, and yes, the NFL games will be on!
History lovers may head for the Hampton History Museum, where you may take a tour in a Kecoughtan Indian longhouse, pass through the hold of a tobacco ship, and visit the city burned to the ground during the Civil War. Next up, the Virginia Air and Space Museum, the largest indoor attraction in Hampton, which boasts a space gallery, mini planes, a Mars meteorite, and moon rocks. Across the street, you’ll find a 1920s-era carrousel. All are walkable from the Public Piers.
As many seasonal towns do,
Annapolis gets less crowded in late fall as well, but you’ll find more restaurants and shops than in the smaller towns. To find marinas, visit
portbook.com; to book one, visit
snagaslip.com.
North of the Bay Bridge, boaters like Rock Hall on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. This watermen’s town that’s bustling with crab-pickers, pirates, fireworks, and events in summer can be sleepy after Halloween. Rather than go into the main harbor, you might head north one more creek to Swan Creek and
Haven Harbour Marina. The marina will be open through mid-December when they shut off the water and pump outs. If you want a respite from camping out on the boat or romantic night away, you might consider the Inn at Haven Harbour. Take a virtual tour at
havenharbour.com.
Have you had enough quiet winter destinations? Head up the Patapsco River and reserve a slip at Baltimore’s
Harbor East Marina. All of the top attractions of Fells Point, Little Italy, and the Inner Harbor—the National Aquarium, Baltimore Museum of Art, Pier Six, Camden Yards—are walkable (or a quick cab or Uber ride) from this central location. From this gated and secure marina, you can also walk to Whole Foods and a wine store for provisions… and the restaurant selections are amazing. Enjoy this vibrant destination!