the quietest places in the US, mapped
Note that even slightly offshore isn’t even on the map.
Nice.
I’m down with that.
“Their school bus is an old station wagon.” ~ Life on Isle au Haut, a Maine Island Community
the harbor at Isle au Haut, Maine
November ~ Dog Walking
Took the little old man for a walk in the woods, just ahead of the rain, and the dark.
There’s a little stream below the dam.
It sprinkled on the turn back, wetting the rocks and lichens.
Makes the colors stand out.
MASCF 2014 ~ St. Michaels, Sunday
For some reason, Sundays always clear out fast every year at MASCF. By noon it’s all but deserted, with just us diehards still around. Odd, because, and because, it’s usually the nicest day to be there.
In the morning Michael Skalka and I took a sail on Aeon. This is Michael, one of the judges on Saturday. admiring Una:
MASCF 2014 ~ St. Michaels, Saturday
Day’s End
Morning is long in the tooth. Missed breakfast. Almost missed coffee, which would have been a bad thing. You know the old church potluck trick, the tip-the-urn-forward-to-get-the-last-half-cup? Just enough caffein in the bottom to fuel requisite fumbling with a camp stove for a batch of the real deal.
MASCF 2014 ~ To St. Michaels on a Flood Tide
St. Michaels Marina
It is dark Friday night when I finally roll into St. Michaels. Much later than usual. Too late to get a campsite or set up a tent, which I didn’t bring anyway. I’ll have to unhitch the boat and find a place to park, sleeping in the car with the gear. Later. First order of business is some food and beer while the restaurants are still open.
There’s a place we favor on the docks by the marina, the St. Michael’s Crab & Steakhouse. It’s at the end of a road, tucked back in a neighborhood off the beaten path, dog friendly (very), with tables outside. Not as touristy as others, mostly locals and regulars, and the food is good. Crossing the road to the bar I see there is water coming up through the storm drains. Not unusual right on the waterfront. I pull out the phone to check the tide schedule, though, and it’s not close to high yet. Four more hours of rising water still to come. Wow, this could get interesting.
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Archival Film of Skipjacks
Gavin Atkin over the pond at intheboatshed recently dug up some archival footage from the 1960’s. Most of it was filmed on and around Deal Island, Maryland, where we spent several days on the Chesapeake Float this year.
The film was shot forty years ago, but it’s amazing how little has changed. Captain Art Daniels is still racing his skipjack, or was until very recently. The churches I photographed are still there, though the one is under repair. Wenona harbor looks much the same, just fewer boats. That and They had enough watermen then to field a softball team.
The sail loft that served the skipjacks was still in operation then, though it’s been closed for several years now. And there are far fewer skipjacks now than there were even then.
Pretty cool to watch
Hour long feature film on Skipjacks of Chesapeake Bay