Annapolis, Md. -- Mariners are advised that 2011 Annapolis Yacht Club’s Regattas (sail racing) are scheduled to occur on the Chesapeake Bay, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the following dates: July 6 and 23, September 16-18 and 24-25, October 1-2, 8, 13-16, 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30.
The races will occur near t he mouth of the Severn River, between the William P. Lane Jr. Memorial (Chesapeake Bay) Bridges and Bloody Point (Kent Island), Maryland. For additional information, interested persons may link to individual events by contacting the AYC Regatta Management website at http://www.race.annapolisyc.org/.
For the complete Local Notice to Mariners, click here.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Second Accident Leaves Two People Dead in Cecil County Waters
North East, Md. -- A second fatal accident over the weekend in Cecil County waters came at approximately 3:40 p.m. Saturday after a boat capsized on the Elk River, just south of North East.
Randy Manning, 45, of Westminster, and three others had been anchored near the Chesapeake Isles community and were fishing, said Natural Resources Police spokesman Cpl. Steven P. Stauffer. They were on the way to Rouge's Harbor at Elk Neck State Park when their boat began taking on water and capsized.
Manning, who had been operating the boat, was in the water for approximately 15 minutes before he was pulled from the river. CPR was performed by bystanders and emergency services personnel, but Manning later died at Union Hospital in Elkton. The three other passengers in the boat were not harmed.
Cpl. Stauffer said an investigation of the accident is continuing, but said the boat was probably overloaded.
"The boat was rated for three people and 435 pounds, but there were four people, and the conservative estimate is that the weight exceeded 700 pounds," Stauffer said.
Another man drowned Friday in the Chesapeake City mooring basin. NRP said Robert Vernon Baron, 27, of Bear, fell into the water as he attempted to jump from a boat to a pier near the Chesapeake Inn.
Randy Manning, 45, of Westminster, and three others had been anchored near the Chesapeake Isles community and were fishing, said Natural Resources Police spokesman Cpl. Steven P. Stauffer. They were on the way to Rouge's Harbor at Elk Neck State Park when their boat began taking on water and capsized.
Manning, who had been operating the boat, was in the water for approximately 15 minutes before he was pulled from the river. CPR was performed by bystanders and emergency services personnel, but Manning later died at Union Hospital in Elkton. The three other passengers in the boat were not harmed.
Cpl. Stauffer said an investigation of the accident is continuing, but said the boat was probably overloaded.
"The boat was rated for three people and 435 pounds, but there were four people, and the conservative estimate is that the weight exceeded 700 pounds," Stauffer said.
Another man drowned Friday in the Chesapeake City mooring basin. NRP said Robert Vernon Baron, 27, of Bear, fell into the water as he attempted to jump from a boat to a pier near the Chesapeake Inn.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Chesapeake City Drowning Victim Identified
Chesapeake City, Md. -- The Maryland Natural Resources Police are investigating a fatal boating accident that occurred on June 24 at 8:25 pm at the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, Chesapeake City.
The preliminary investigation revealed that Robert Vernon Baron, 27 from Bear, Delaware fell into the water after jumping from a docking vessel onto a pier. Two people from the vessel jumped into the water and could not locate Baron.
Baron’s body was recovered at 10:15 p.m. by the Susquehanna Hose Company Divers. Baron’s body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsy.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police Special Operations Division is continuing the investigation into the accident. Baron is Maryland’s tenth boating fatality of the year.
The preliminary investigation revealed that Robert Vernon Baron, 27 from Bear, Delaware fell into the water after jumping from a docking vessel onto a pier. Two people from the vessel jumped into the water and could not locate Baron.
Baron’s body was recovered at 10:15 p.m. by the Susquehanna Hose Company Divers. Baron’s body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsy.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police Special Operations Division is continuing the investigation into the accident. Baron is Maryland’s tenth boating fatality of the year.
Man Drowns in Chesapeake City Mooring Basin Prior to Start of Canal Day Festivities
Chesapeake City, Md. -- A 25-year-old man drowned Friday, June 24, after falling off his boat in Chesapeake City, just hours before Canal Day festivities were set to get under way.
The accident happened around 8 p.m. Friday as the boat was entering the mooring basin, said Sgt. A.A. Windemuth of the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Dive crews recovered the man’s body at about 9:45 p.m. and a forensic investigator was called. The man’s name has not been released, pending notification of his family.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Maritime Museum Expands Docking Services for Members
St. Michaels, Md. -- The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD has expanded its members’ docking services to include free Wi-Fi, complimentary coffee, and extended hours of operation. The museum’s 18-acre waterfront campus sits along the Miles River and St. Michaels Harbor with more than 20 slips for docking.
Overnight docking privileges are available to contributor-level members and above. In addition to the new services, CBMM provides showers, electric, and a pump-out station, with a dockmaster available seven days a week from 9am to 6pm. Contributor level members and above can make overnight docking reservations up to two weeks ahead of the date of arrival, pending slip availability.
Day dockage at the Museum is available to family and contributor-level members at a rate of $15 per day and is free for supporter-level members and above.
For more information about docking at the museum this summer, go to the “Docking” tab under the “Visit” page of cbmm.org, or call the dockmaster on VHF Channel 16 or at 410-745-4946. To become a museum member, visit the “Join” page at cbmm.org, or contact the membership offices at 410-745-4991 or by email at ahowerton@cbmm.org.
Overnight docking privileges are available to contributor-level members and above. In addition to the new services, CBMM provides showers, electric, and a pump-out station, with a dockmaster available seven days a week from 9am to 6pm. Contributor level members and above can make overnight docking reservations up to two weeks ahead of the date of arrival, pending slip availability.
Day dockage at the Museum is available to family and contributor-level members at a rate of $15 per day and is free for supporter-level members and above.
For more information about docking at the museum this summer, go to the “Docking” tab under the “Visit” page of cbmm.org, or call the dockmaster on VHF Channel 16 or at 410-745-4946. To become a museum member, visit the “Join” page at cbmm.org, or contact the membership offices at 410-745-4991 or by email at ahowerton@cbmm.org.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Richardson Foundation Presenting Live Music at Ruark Boatworks
Cambridge, Md. -- The James B. Richardson Foundation, Inc is presenting live music Wednesday evenings beginning at 6 p.m. throughout the summer on Cambridge Creek at the Ruark Boatworks, located at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and Hayward Street in Cambridge.
The fee is a $5 donation for those 12 and older. Lawn seating only, bring chairs or blankets. Hot Dogs, nachos, snow cones, ice cream and drinks will be available for purchase.
The Summer Concert Series benefits the James B. Richardson Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Scheduled concerts are June 29 - Magpie; July 13 - Calico Jack; July 27 - Chester River Runoff; and August 10 - Geoff Kaufman.
For more information on this live music series, contact Gladys Taylor at 410-221-1871, stop by the Ruark Boatworks or visit http://www.richardsonmuseum.org/.
The fee is a $5 donation for those 12 and older. Lawn seating only, bring chairs or blankets. Hot Dogs, nachos, snow cones, ice cream and drinks will be available for purchase.
The Summer Concert Series benefits the James B. Richardson Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Scheduled concerts are June 29 - Magpie; July 13 - Calico Jack; July 27 - Chester River Runoff; and August 10 - Geoff Kaufman.
For more information on this live music series, contact Gladys Taylor at 410-221-1871, stop by the Ruark Boatworks or visit http://www.richardsonmuseum.org/.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Law Enforcement Officials Gear Up for Operation Dry Water
Lexington, Ky. -- Marine law enforcement officers from local, state and federal boating agencies will be out in force June 24-26 for Operation Dry Water (ODW), an annual campaign focused on the detection and enforcement of boating under the influence (BUI). A secondary objective is to raise awareness among all boaters that it is unsafe as well as illegal to operate a boat under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
More than 17 percent of boating fatalities result from alcohol use. States have gotten tougher in recent years in enforcing laws against this high-risk behavior. Operating a recreational vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher is against federal and most state laws. Boaters caught operating under the influence will find their voyage terminated and their vessel impounded. Additionally, penalties can include arrest, fines, loss of boating privileges, even loss of driving privileges.
As part of this national effort, Operation Dry Water, a multi-agency, education and enforcement initiative launched by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) in 2009 in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, puts thousands of local, state and federal marine law enforcement officers on the water the weekend before the Fourth of July weekend to give BUI enforcement high visibility before a holiday known for drinking and boating -- and deadly accidents.
"We want recreational boaters to have fun on the water, but we intend to exercise zero tolerance for BUI,” says John Fetterman, law enforcement director for NASBLA and national spokesperson for Operation Dry Water.
With the 2011 Operation Dry Water comes a battery of tests that after a three-year study funded through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Southern California Research Institute has validated for marine use and is the basis for a push to implement a National Marine Field Sobriety Test standard. The new battery of testing standards will for the first time, allow marine patrol officers to tests boaters in a seated position and apply a percentage of probability that the subject is impaired at .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or higher.
“With field sobriety tests for use on the water now validated, we hope to be even more effective at stopping intoxicated boaters and to impress upon everyone that operating a recreational vessel while under the influence is too great a risk -- to themselves, to their boat, and especially to others,” says Fetterman.
This year, all 56 U.S. states, trusts and territories are expected to participate in Operation Dry Water, educating the public and searching for boat operators whose blood alcohol concentration exceeds the national limit of .08.
For more information on this annual event, visit http://www.operationdrywater.org.
More than 17 percent of boating fatalities result from alcohol use. States have gotten tougher in recent years in enforcing laws against this high-risk behavior. Operating a recreational vessel with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher is against federal and most state laws. Boaters caught operating under the influence will find their voyage terminated and their vessel impounded. Additionally, penalties can include arrest, fines, loss of boating privileges, even loss of driving privileges.
As part of this national effort, Operation Dry Water, a multi-agency, education and enforcement initiative launched by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) in 2009 in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, puts thousands of local, state and federal marine law enforcement officers on the water the weekend before the Fourth of July weekend to give BUI enforcement high visibility before a holiday known for drinking and boating -- and deadly accidents.
"We want recreational boaters to have fun on the water, but we intend to exercise zero tolerance for BUI,” says John Fetterman, law enforcement director for NASBLA and national spokesperson for Operation Dry Water.
With the 2011 Operation Dry Water comes a battery of tests that after a three-year study funded through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Southern California Research Institute has validated for marine use and is the basis for a push to implement a National Marine Field Sobriety Test standard. The new battery of testing standards will for the first time, allow marine patrol officers to tests boaters in a seated position and apply a percentage of probability that the subject is impaired at .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or higher.
“With field sobriety tests for use on the water now validated, we hope to be even more effective at stopping intoxicated boaters and to impress upon everyone that operating a recreational vessel while under the influence is too great a risk -- to themselves, to their boat, and especially to others,” says Fetterman.
This year, all 56 U.S. states, trusts and territories are expected to participate in Operation Dry Water, educating the public and searching for boat operators whose blood alcohol concentration exceeds the national limit of .08.
For more information on this annual event, visit http://www.operationdrywater.org.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Commercial Marine Expo 2011 Opens Wednesday in Norfolk
Norfolk, Va. -- Commercial Marine Expo will open Wednesday, June 22, with a sold-out exhibit floor, plus ships and boats on the facility's pier and docks. Exhibitors representing 255 companies will display the latest products and technology for commercial marine, commercial fishing, military and government maritime operators. CME is being held at the Half Moone Cruise Cruise Ship Terminal, adjacent to the Nauticus Maritime Museum in downtown Norfolk.
"We've been overwhelmed with the response to CME Norfolk on all fronts," reports Ted Hugger, show director. "Key associations and organizations, including the Virginia and Maryland Watermen's Associations, the Virginia Port Authority, Virginia Maritime Association, Virginia Ship Repair Association, and the International Propeller Club, have generated incredible awareness and enthusiasm for CME throughout the mid-Atlantic maritime industries.
Exhibitors run the gamut, from all major engine manufacturers to suppliers of propulsion gear, electronics, coatings, and safety gear. The show will encompass all 80,000 square-feet of both levels of the waterfront terminal building.
Commercial Marine Expo runs Wednesday and Thursday, with registration opening at 8 a.m. each day. The exhibit halls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday. Registration is required and is open to anyone involved in the commercial marine and port operation industries.
"The industry is just aching for a commercial marine show in Norfolk," says Kerry Thompson, head of business development for Mack Boring & Parts, a CME exhibitor. "Already there's a lot of business in the region. Now, with all the talk of developing wind power and oil and gas drilling off the East Coast, we expect the offshore business in the region to get a big boost in coming years."
Furuno USA's Matt Wood echoes Thompson's enthusiasm for CME. "Norfolk is a great spot for Commercial Marine Expo. There's lots of commercial and marine traffic through Hampton Roads. Norfolk represents a diverse and business-rich environment for us. It's a junction of six major markets: the medium commercial markets like work boats and tugs, deep-sea commercial, U.S. Government-Coast Guard and Navy, specialty markets like the Virginia and Maryland pilot boats, commercial fishing and high-end recreational marine like sportfishermen. With all of the activity in Hampton Roads, there's no question of the area's appeal for a trade show. It's a great spot."
"We've been overwhelmed with the response to CME Norfolk on all fronts," reports Ted Hugger, show director. "Key associations and organizations, including the Virginia and Maryland Watermen's Associations, the Virginia Port Authority, Virginia Maritime Association, Virginia Ship Repair Association, and the International Propeller Club, have generated incredible awareness and enthusiasm for CME throughout the mid-Atlantic maritime industries.
Exhibitors run the gamut, from all major engine manufacturers to suppliers of propulsion gear, electronics, coatings, and safety gear. The show will encompass all 80,000 square-feet of both levels of the waterfront terminal building.
Commercial Marine Expo runs Wednesday and Thursday, with registration opening at 8 a.m. each day. The exhibit halls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday. Registration is required and is open to anyone involved in the commercial marine and port operation industries.
"The industry is just aching for a commercial marine show in Norfolk," says Kerry Thompson, head of business development for Mack Boring & Parts, a CME exhibitor. "Already there's a lot of business in the region. Now, with all the talk of developing wind power and oil and gas drilling off the East Coast, we expect the offshore business in the region to get a big boost in coming years."
Furuno USA's Matt Wood echoes Thompson's enthusiasm for CME. "Norfolk is a great spot for Commercial Marine Expo. There's lots of commercial and marine traffic through Hampton Roads. Norfolk represents a diverse and business-rich environment for us. It's a junction of six major markets: the medium commercial markets like work boats and tugs, deep-sea commercial, U.S. Government-Coast Guard and Navy, specialty markets like the Virginia and Maryland pilot boats, commercial fishing and high-end recreational marine like sportfishermen. With all of the activity in Hampton Roads, there's no question of the area's appeal for a trade show. It's a great spot."
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Sassafras River Assocation Seeking Water Chestnut Volunteers
Kennedyville, Md. -- The Sassafras River Assocation and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources needs your help in eradicating Water Chestnut from the Sassafras Rvier. The invasive plant forms dense mats on the surface of water, which are often impenetrable for boats, swimmers, or waterfowl. Because Water Chestnut is not native to Maryland, it out-competes and displaces native vegetation, and provides poor habitat for other types of wildlife.
SRA and the DNR are hosting Water Chestnut Volunteer Workdays June 28 and 29 headquartered at the Turner's Creek Pavilion near Kennedyville, beginning at 9 a.m.
Volunteers will be asked to pull out Water Chestnut plants by hand in kayaks and canoes. If you have any information regarding location of the plants, please contact DNR Biologist Mark Lewandowski at 410-260-8634 or mlewandowski@dnr.state.md.us. If you are interested in volunteering, RSVP by contacting Jamie Brunkow, at riverkeeper@sassafrasriver.org or 410-708-3303.
SRA and the DNR are hosting Water Chestnut Volunteer Workdays June 28 and 29 headquartered at the Turner's Creek Pavilion near Kennedyville, beginning at 9 a.m.
Volunteers will be asked to pull out Water Chestnut plants by hand in kayaks and canoes. If you have any information regarding location of the plants, please contact DNR Biologist Mark Lewandowski at 410-260-8634 or mlewandowski@dnr.state.md.us. If you are interested in volunteering, RSVP by contacting Jamie Brunkow, at riverkeeper@sassafrasriver.org or 410-708-3303.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Fireworks Display Scheduled for Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor
Patapsco River, Md. -- Mariners are advised that an aerial fireworks display is scheduled to occur on the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor (East Channel), on Saturday, June 18, at approximately 9 p.m. The Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone for all waters of the Patapsco River, within a 150-yard radius of a fireworks discharge barge located approximately 250 yards east of the Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine in Baltimore in approximate position latitude 39° 15’ 53” N, longitude 076° 34’ 33” W. The zone will be enforced from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on June 18, 2011.
The zone is necessary to control vessel traffic for safety of life and property on navigable waters during the event. The effect will be to restrict vessel traffic on a portion of the Patapsco River. All vessels and persons are prohibited from entering this zone, except as authorized by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) Baltimore. Persons or vessels requiring entry into or passage within the safety zone must first request authorization from the COTP Baltimore or his designated representative by telephone at 410-576-2693 or on marine band radio VHF-FM channel 16.
All Coast Guard assets enforcing this safety zone can be contacted on marine band radio VHF-FM Channel 13 and 16. The U.S. Coast Guard may be assisted in the patrol and enforcement of the zone by Federal, State and local agencies. For any comments or questions, contact Coast Guard Sector Baltimore Waterways Management Division at (410) 576-2674, (410) 576-2693 or Ronald.L.Houck@uscg.mil. Chart 12281.
For the complete Local Notice to Mariners, click here.
The zone is necessary to control vessel traffic for safety of life and property on navigable waters during the event. The effect will be to restrict vessel traffic on a portion of the Patapsco River. All vessels and persons are prohibited from entering this zone, except as authorized by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) Baltimore. Persons or vessels requiring entry into or passage within the safety zone must first request authorization from the COTP Baltimore or his designated representative by telephone at 410-576-2693 or on marine band radio VHF-FM channel 16.
All Coast Guard assets enforcing this safety zone can be contacted on marine band radio VHF-FM Channel 13 and 16. The U.S. Coast Guard may be assisted in the patrol and enforcement of the zone by Federal, State and local agencies. For any comments or questions, contact Coast Guard Sector Baltimore Waterways Management Division at (410) 576-2674, (410) 576-2693 or Ronald.L.Houck@uscg.mil. Chart 12281.
For the complete Local Notice to Mariners, click here.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
National Park Service Looking for Input for More Access Places
Annapolis, Md. -- Where do we need boat ramps or fishing piers, places to swim, or scenic spots to bird watch or just look at the water? The National Park Service is inviting citizens to provide input about where new access is most needed to the Chesapeake Bay and tributary rivers.
The National Park Service and local and state governments have been studying the places residents can go to enjoy public access to the Chesapeake Bay and tributary rivers. In 2010, the federal Strategy for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed set a goal to provide 300 additional public access sites in the Bay watershed by 2025.
The information citizens provide will help NPS and its partners create the “Chesapeake Bay Region Public Access Plan” due in 2012 to support this commitment for new access.
Open houses are scheduled from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. You can stop by any time during those hours to mark a map with your suggestions. Staff will be on hand to answer questions. Open house dates and locations are as follows:
June 21 – Harrisburg, PA
Fish and Boat Commission Headquarters (Susquehanna Room)
1601 Elmerton Avenue
June 22 – Baltimore, MD
Ft. McHenry Visitor Center
2400 East Fort Avenue
June 27 – Washington, DC
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (Room A-10)
901 G Street NW
June 28 – Richmond, VA
Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries Headquarters (Board Room)
4000 West Broad Street
Not able to attend a public meeting? NPS is developing a web-based tool so you can share your ideas on an interactive map. The site will be available for use June 21 through July 20. The online tool will allow the public an easy way to share input with NPS and state agency staff.
The National Park Service and local and state governments have been studying the places residents can go to enjoy public access to the Chesapeake Bay and tributary rivers. In 2010, the federal Strategy for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed set a goal to provide 300 additional public access sites in the Bay watershed by 2025.
The information citizens provide will help NPS and its partners create the “Chesapeake Bay Region Public Access Plan” due in 2012 to support this commitment for new access.
Open houses are scheduled from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. You can stop by any time during those hours to mark a map with your suggestions. Staff will be on hand to answer questions. Open house dates and locations are as follows:
June 21 – Harrisburg, PA
Fish and Boat Commission Headquarters (Susquehanna Room)
1601 Elmerton Avenue
June 22 – Baltimore, MD
Ft. McHenry Visitor Center
2400 East Fort Avenue
June 27 – Washington, DC
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (Room A-10)
901 G Street NW
June 28 – Richmond, VA
Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries Headquarters (Board Room)
4000 West Broad Street
Not able to attend a public meeting? NPS is developing a web-based tool so you can share your ideas on an interactive map. The site will be available for use June 21 through July 20. The online tool will allow the public an easy way to share input with NPS and state agency staff.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Maritime Museum hosts 24th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival
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The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum hosts the 24th Annual Antique and Classic Boat Festival June 17 – 19. This year’s featured attraction is Gar Woods’ award-winning Miss America IX—a 30’ Mahogany hydroplane racer and the first boat to ever achieve 100 mph. The event also showcases a variety of antique and classic wooden and fiberglass boats, including Chris-Craft, Egg Harbor, Matthews, Rybovich, Century, Lyman, Trumpy and more. |
This year’s featured attraction is Gar Woods’ award-winning Miss America IX—a 30’ Mahogany hydroplane racer and the first boat to ever achieve 100 mph. The event also showcases a variety of antique and classic wooden and fiberglass boats, including Chris-Craft, Egg Harbor, Matthews, Rybovich, Century, Lyman, Trumpy and more.
National and regional artists and artisans including painters, sculptors, scrimshanders, photographers, wildlife carvers, jewelers, and furniture and model makers will be on hand with boat-related wares. Boat builders, boat restorers, boat kits, boat products and boating safety resources will also be available throughout the event.
The event is hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society International with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Event sponsors include Patron Spirits’ Pyrat Rum, Antique Boat America, Haggerty and SeaBuddyonBoats.com.
Festival hours are Friday, June 17, from 11am to 5pm; Saturday, June 18, from 10am to 5pm; and Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20, from 10am to 2pm.
The Museum’s ten exhibit buildings and working boat yard will also be open throughout the festival. The event is free for members and children under six or with Museum admission of $13 for adults; $10 for seniors; and $6 for children 6-17. For more information, call 410-745-2916 or visit http://www.cbmm.org/.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum Extends Summer Hours and Activities
St. Michaels, Md. -- The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD has expanded its summer hours from 9am to 6pm, 7 days a week, and is offering a wide variety of new, daily activities for visitors now through Labor Day.
With paid admission, museum visitors can enjoy public tours, docent interpretations, interactions with authentic Chesapeake people, family drop-in activities, boat yard demonstrations, sailing on Saturdays, and scenic river cruises aboard the museum’s replica buyboat, Mister Jim. Also new this year is the Community Work Days program held each Saturday, where the public gets involved in restoring the skipjack Rosie Parks under the guidance of the museum’s master shipwrights and professional apprentices.
The museum also offers hands-on exhibits throughout its 18-acre waterfront campus. General admission is $13 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for kids ages 6-17 and free for museum members and kids under age six. Visit www.cbmm.org for a complete schedule of events, or call 410-745-2916.
With paid admission, museum visitors can enjoy public tours, docent interpretations, interactions with authentic Chesapeake people, family drop-in activities, boat yard demonstrations, sailing on Saturdays, and scenic river cruises aboard the museum’s replica buyboat, Mister Jim. Also new this year is the Community Work Days program held each Saturday, where the public gets involved in restoring the skipjack Rosie Parks under the guidance of the museum’s master shipwrights and professional apprentices.
The museum also offers hands-on exhibits throughout its 18-acre waterfront campus. General admission is $13 for adults, $10 for seniors, $6 for kids ages 6-17 and free for museum members and kids under age six. Visit www.cbmm.org for a complete schedule of events, or call 410-745-2916.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Region's Large Variety of Fish Species Now Entertaining Anglers
Maryland Fishing Report by Keith Lockwood
Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Coast, Md. -- Anglers are beginning to see water temperatures approach the 80-degree mark throughout the Chesapeake and with those elevated temperatures striped bass are beginning to hold in deeper waters and only venture into the shallows during early morning and late evening hours. The tidal rivers are now open to fishing for striped bass.
Anglers are reporting a few school-sized striped bass are being caught below the dam and channels near the mouth of the Susquehanna. Channel catfish seem to be everywhere in the Susquehanna over to the Elk River and the white perch fishing has tapered off.
Chumming for striped bass at Love Point, the Triple Buoys and Swann Point continues to be a steady pick with the best results coming early in the morning with a good running tide. Baits allowed to settle to the bottom under the chum slick often produce some of the nicer fish being caught.
Trolling close to the bottom along channel edges has been accounting for some striped bass. White perch are being found on many of the knolls and shoals of the upper bay; bottom rigs baited with bloodworms are the preferred method of fishing.
Some of the best trolling action for stripers has been along the western side of the shipping channel near Parker’s Creek and the Radar Towers in about 30 feet of water. The north edge of the Hill at the mouth of Eastern Bay and the False Channel are also producing fish at times. Umbrella rigs, spreader bars and tandem rigs with Storms, swim shads, Tsunamis or spoons close to the bottom have been working the best.
Jigging with bucktails and soft plastics has also been productive over structure such as channel edges, bridge piers or stone piles. In the shallows, surface poppers are perhaps the most fun lure to fish but swimming plugs such as Rapalas and the Gulp white mullet swim shad will catch a lot of fish. Fly fishermen will find skipping bugs offering the most excitement but chartreuse Clousers and Deceiver flies are hard to beat for consistent strikes.
Black drum are still being caught at Stone Rock and although the action has not been exactly hot and heavy it only takes one fish to light up your day. Stout tackle, ½ a soft crab on a big circle hook with 3 or 4-ounces of lead and a good depth finder usually work well. Lesser known shoals such as the James Island Flats are worth taking a look at also if you’re in the area. The smaller cousin of the black drum; the croaker are being found along the 20- to 35-foot edges of channels mostly in the evenings and in deeper waters during the day. The mouth of Eastern Bay and the lower Choptank River has been offering some of the better fishing this week.
Bluefish are starting to show up in the lower bay region; mostly near the Middle Grounds at the moment. They will move throughout the region in short order and will be chewing up soft plastics. Jigging for striped bass over structure such as channel edges is a good option right now and fishermen are reporting bait slicks and breaking fish from time to time. Chumming is a good option now at traditional locations such as Buoy 72 and the Rock Piles north of Point Lookout and with more and more spot becoming available, live lining near Cove Point and other traditional locations will become more common place.
Croaker fishing has been very good at the mouth of the Patuxent River, Tangier Sound, Pocomoke Sound, Buoy 72 and the mouth of the Potomac. The croakers tend to hold deep during the day and move up into shallower waters towards evening. A few flounder are being caught along channel edges in Tangier Sound and Cornfield Harbor, sea trout, larger spot and even black drum can also be part of the mix at times.
Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Coast, Md. -- Anglers are beginning to see water temperatures approach the 80-degree mark throughout the Chesapeake and with those elevated temperatures striped bass are beginning to hold in deeper waters and only venture into the shallows during early morning and late evening hours. The tidal rivers are now open to fishing for striped bass.
Anglers are reporting a few school-sized striped bass are being caught below the dam and channels near the mouth of the Susquehanna. Channel catfish seem to be everywhere in the Susquehanna over to the Elk River and the white perch fishing has tapered off.
Chumming for striped bass at Love Point, the Triple Buoys and Swann Point continues to be a steady pick with the best results coming early in the morning with a good running tide. Baits allowed to settle to the bottom under the chum slick often produce some of the nicer fish being caught.
Trolling close to the bottom along channel edges has been accounting for some striped bass. White perch are being found on many of the knolls and shoals of the upper bay; bottom rigs baited with bloodworms are the preferred method of fishing.
Some of the best trolling action for stripers has been along the western side of the shipping channel near Parker’s Creek and the Radar Towers in about 30 feet of water. The north edge of the Hill at the mouth of Eastern Bay and the False Channel are also producing fish at times. Umbrella rigs, spreader bars and tandem rigs with Storms, swim shads, Tsunamis or spoons close to the bottom have been working the best.
Jigging with bucktails and soft plastics has also been productive over structure such as channel edges, bridge piers or stone piles. In the shallows, surface poppers are perhaps the most fun lure to fish but swimming plugs such as Rapalas and the Gulp white mullet swim shad will catch a lot of fish. Fly fishermen will find skipping bugs offering the most excitement but chartreuse Clousers and Deceiver flies are hard to beat for consistent strikes.
Black drum are still being caught at Stone Rock and although the action has not been exactly hot and heavy it only takes one fish to light up your day. Stout tackle, ½ a soft crab on a big circle hook with 3 or 4-ounces of lead and a good depth finder usually work well. Lesser known shoals such as the James Island Flats are worth taking a look at also if you’re in the area. The smaller cousin of the black drum; the croaker are being found along the 20- to 35-foot edges of channels mostly in the evenings and in deeper waters during the day. The mouth of Eastern Bay and the lower Choptank River has been offering some of the better fishing this week.
Bluefish are starting to show up in the lower bay region; mostly near the Middle Grounds at the moment. They will move throughout the region in short order and will be chewing up soft plastics. Jigging for striped bass over structure such as channel edges is a good option right now and fishermen are reporting bait slicks and breaking fish from time to time. Chumming is a good option now at traditional locations such as Buoy 72 and the Rock Piles north of Point Lookout and with more and more spot becoming available, live lining near Cove Point and other traditional locations will become more common place.
Croaker fishing has been very good at the mouth of the Patuxent River, Tangier Sound, Pocomoke Sound, Buoy 72 and the mouth of the Potomac. The croakers tend to hold deep during the day and move up into shallower waters towards evening. A few flounder are being caught along channel edges in Tangier Sound and Cornfield Harbor, sea trout, larger spot and even black drum can also be part of the mix at times.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
"Thunder on the Bay" Poker Run on the Upper Bay June 11
Kent Narrows, Md. -- Mariners are advised that a power boat poker run is scheduled to occur on the upper Chesapeake Bay on Saturday, June 11. Up to 60 participants will depart Kent Narrows at approximately 10:30 a.m. and transit northward in the Chesapeake Bay to stops at North East and Fairlee Creek before returning to Kent Narrows by 5 p.m.
Interested mariners may contact the “Thunder on the Bay” event coordinator on marine band radio channel 68 VHF-FM. For any comments or questions, contact Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Waterways Management Division, at (410) 576-2674 or Ronald.L.Houck@uscg.mil. Chart 12274.
Click here for the complete Local Notice to Mariners.
Interested mariners may contact the “Thunder on the Bay” event coordinator on marine band radio channel 68 VHF-FM. For any comments or questions, contact Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Waterways Management Division, at (410) 576-2674 or Ronald.L.Houck@uscg.mil. Chart 12274.
Click here for the complete Local Notice to Mariners.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Sport Fishing Licenses Available at New Locations on the Coast
Annapolis, Md. -- The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recently set up nine new fishing license locations to serve anglers who fish Maryland’s Coastal Bays and ocean waters.
“Five tackle shops in Ocean City, two in Berlin, one in Selbyville and one on Fenwick Island have stepped forward to serve their customers with fishing licenses,” said DNR Fisheries Director Tom O’Connell.
Until this year, Maryland did not require tidal fishing licenses for recreational fishing around Ocean City and the coastal bays. A new Federal Saltwater Angler Registry requirement instituted in 2010 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requires that all recreational anglers fishing in tidal waters in the United States be included or specifically accounted for in a national saltwater angler phone book. The purpose of the registry is to enable NOAA to survey anglers and improve harvest estimates.
In order to comply with the federal requirement, the 2011 Maryland General Assembly changed recreational licensing requirements to include coastal anglers. Anglers who possess a Maryland tidal fishing license are automatically registered in the National Saltwater Angler Registry. Anglers younger than 16 years old and anglers fishing on a licensed charter boat or a licensed commercial fishing pier do not need to be registered or licensed.
“This will make Maryland’s excellent coastal fishing even more accessible while helping fisheries managers obtain the data needed to ensure sustainable fishing opportunities,” said DNR Fisheries Deputy Director Gina Hunt.
These new Maryland fishing license agents join the Walmart in Berlin and the DNR Service Center in Salisbury as sources for fishing licenses on the coast:
Oyster Bay Bait & Tackle, Ocean City - 116th St
Skip’s Bait & Tackle, Ocean City - 210 Talbot St by the Rt 50 Bridge
Oceanic Pier, Ocean City - 710 S Philadelphia Ave at the Inlet by the Boardwalk
AllTackle, Ocean City - 12826 Ocean Gateway on the other side of the Rt 50 Bridge
John Henry’s Bait & Tackle, 12507 Sunset Ave #15 Ocean City
Captain Mac’s Bait & Tackle, Selbyville, Del.
Frontiertown, Berlin
Sharky’s Market, Berlin
Fenwick Island Tackle, Fenwick Island, Del.
“Five tackle shops in Ocean City, two in Berlin, one in Selbyville and one on Fenwick Island have stepped forward to serve their customers with fishing licenses,” said DNR Fisheries Director Tom O’Connell.
Until this year, Maryland did not require tidal fishing licenses for recreational fishing around Ocean City and the coastal bays. A new Federal Saltwater Angler Registry requirement instituted in 2010 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requires that all recreational anglers fishing in tidal waters in the United States be included or specifically accounted for in a national saltwater angler phone book. The purpose of the registry is to enable NOAA to survey anglers and improve harvest estimates.
In order to comply with the federal requirement, the 2011 Maryland General Assembly changed recreational licensing requirements to include coastal anglers. Anglers who possess a Maryland tidal fishing license are automatically registered in the National Saltwater Angler Registry. Anglers younger than 16 years old and anglers fishing on a licensed charter boat or a licensed commercial fishing pier do not need to be registered or licensed.
“This will make Maryland’s excellent coastal fishing even more accessible while helping fisheries managers obtain the data needed to ensure sustainable fishing opportunities,” said DNR Fisheries Deputy Director Gina Hunt.
These new Maryland fishing license agents join the Walmart in Berlin and the DNR Service Center in Salisbury as sources for fishing licenses on the coast:
Oyster Bay Bait & Tackle, Ocean City - 116th St
Skip’s Bait & Tackle, Ocean City - 210 Talbot St by the Rt 50 Bridge
Oceanic Pier, Ocean City - 710 S Philadelphia Ave at the Inlet by the Boardwalk
AllTackle, Ocean City - 12826 Ocean Gateway on the other side of the Rt 50 Bridge
John Henry’s Bait & Tackle, 12507 Sunset Ave #15 Ocean City
Captain Mac’s Bait & Tackle, Selbyville, Del.
Frontiertown, Berlin
Sharky’s Market, Berlin
Fenwick Island Tackle, Fenwick Island, Del.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Authorities Release Names of Boaters Who Died on the Rappahannock
Windmill Point, Va. -- Authorities have named th man and the woman who died Friday night, June 3, in a boating accident near the entrance to the Rappahannock River at Windmill Point.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries said 37-year-old Catherine Smith Williams and 46-year-old Robert Andrews Taylor Jr. died in the accident. No other information was released about their identities.
Reports indicate their 25-foot boat first hit a channel marker in Broad Creek. A 911 call from the man on the boat said the woman was hurt. Rescuers responding to the scene found Taylor had left the scene and the boat had hit a break wall.
Speed is believed to be a factor in the crashes. The investigation is continuing.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries said 37-year-old Catherine Smith Williams and 46-year-old Robert Andrews Taylor Jr. died in the accident. No other information was released about their identities.
Reports indicate their 25-foot boat first hit a channel marker in Broad Creek. A 911 call from the man on the boat said the woman was hurt. Rescuers responding to the scene found Taylor had left the scene and the boat had hit a break wall.
Speed is believed to be a factor in the crashes. The investigation is continuing.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Burnley Sets New Virginia Record for Snowy Grouper
Burnley is filing an application with the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) for acceptance of his catch as the IGFA All-Tackle Record for snowy grouper. Humphrey’s 68-pound snowy grouper currently holds the IGFA All-Tackle Record.
Burnley caught his grouper “deep-dropping” near the Norfolk Canyon in 98 fathoms of water while fishing aboard the private boat Healthy Grin, skippered by Ken Neill, III, of Seaford. The fish had a length of 48 inches and a girth of 37 inches. The record fish was caught on a Shimano Trevala rod, mated with a Daiwa Saltist LD40 reel and spooled with 70-pound test Daiwa Saltiga Boat braided line. The record-setting grouper hit a custom made two hook bottom rig baited with squid and cut fish.
Snowy grouper was added to the list of species eligible for state record recognition by the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament Committee at their fall meeting in 2006 and carried an initial qualifying weight of 38 pounds. Burnley registered Virginia’s first qualifying snowy grouper, at 49 pounds, 9 ounces, on April 29, 2007. Burnley’s record was eclipsed within days, on June 10, 2007, by Bob Manus of Ark, Virginia, with a 65-pound, 8-ounce grouper. Manus’ record status held until Chris Boyce of Hampton caught a 66-pounder later that year December 2007. Boyce’s record grouper lasted for 8 months before Humphrey landed his 68-pounder. The last three fish were later certified as IGFA All-Tackle Records for snowy grouper. The four prior record snowy grouper were caught in the general vicinity of the Norfolk Canyon “deep-dropping” in over 50 fathoms of water and using either whole or cut fish for bait. Additionally, five of the six state record grouper were caught aboard the Healthy Grin skippered by Ken Neill.
For more information, contact Lewis S. Gillingham, Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2600 Washington Ave., Newport News, VA 23607, (757) 491-5160, vswft@mrc.virginia.gov.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Two Die in Boat Crash on the Rappahannock
Windmill Point, Va. -- A man and a woman died Friday in a boat accident on the Rappahannock River. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is investigating the accident, which happened at about 10:15 p.m. where the Rappahannock meets the Chesapeake.
A spokesperson for the department said a 25-foot Grady-White powerboat was traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck a bulkhead. Both occupants of the boat, a 37-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man, were killed at the scene. Their names have not yet been released.
Their bodies were sent to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy to determine the cause of the deaths. Investigators said the boat was totaled but the victims were not thrown from the boat.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Body of Angler Found on Shorelines of Queen Anne's County
Annapolis, Md. -- Maryland Natural Resources Police recovered the body of Mark Allen Harvison about a mile south of the Chesapeake Bay bridge on the shoreline of Queen Anne's County Thursday afternoon.
Harvison, 40, of Pasadena, was reported missing on Saturday, May 28, at 4 a.m. NRP was notified by a boat operator, Charles Martin Carlson III, 41 of Riva, that his passenger had fallen overboard. Carlson said he last observed Harvison walking toward the stern of the vessel.
NRP, Maryland State Police aviation, U.S. Coast Guard and an Annapolis City Fire Boat searched for Harvison in the area of the Chesapeake Bay between Thomas Point Light and the Severn River.
His body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fishing Report by Keith Lockwood
Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean -- As we all reflect on last weekend’s activities, most found time to remember solemnly what Memorial Day and the holiday weekend means to each of us. Beyond the true meaning of the holiday there was the “coming out” for the kick off of the summer season, picnics, beach traffic, family events focused around barbequing and of course fishing. For many it was enjoying being at one’s favorite fishing spot whether on the shore or out in a boat. For many diehards it was the realization that you’re not alone out there anymore and will be sharing the open waters of lakes and the bays with recreational boaters of all types and skills; so much for peace and quiet.
On Tuesday, the first series of Diamond Jim striped bass were released into the Chesapeake Bay bearing chartreuse colored tags that can be worth a lot of money. There will be two additional scheduled releases occurring over the next two months with approximately 200 fish tagged each month. Each month one of the tagged fish is the actual Diamond Jim and this months Diamond Jim is worth $10.000. The other tagged fish are called imposters and are worth at least $500. If the Diamond Jim of a particular month escaped capture, the following month’s Diamond Jim will double in value up to $25,000 and the previous month’s Diamond Jim will become an imposter.
There is a big change in the rules this year and everyone should take note of this. New this year if the real Diamond Jim is not caught before September 6, the $25,000 will be distributed between the anglers in attendance at the Grand Prize Celebration that caught imposter fish. So some angler or anglers are leaving the event with a whole lot of cash. Also worth noting is that the odds of collecting some big prizes are looking real good for those anglers that have entered award fish in the Fishing Challenge. Be sure to check out the Fishing Challenge website for how to enter award fish and don’t miss out. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/challenge/
Water temperature in the Chesapeake are now hovering above 70-degrees and the focus now for fishermen looking to catch striped bass is trolling, light tackle jigging, chumming and for those lucky enough to have a supply of live spot, live lining. Trolling for striped bass has centered on a mix of medium sized lures ranging from surge tube lures, spoons, bucktails, and swim shads to umbrella rigs. Any one of them can be the hot lure for any particular day so it pays to experiment with a variety of presentations. The steep channel edges of the shipping channel and approach channels are always a good place to troll as are bottom structure such as ballast stone piles and reef sites. One universal point continues to dominate fishing reports this week and that is that there are plenty of marks on depth finders but fishing action has been a slow pick at best. May worms seem to be the reason as this annual swarming event of food abundance for fish makes for fish that have eaten their fill and show little interest in a fisherman’s offerings. One consolation fishermen should consider when getting frustrated this week is that the May worm swarming will be over soon and those fillets will be a bit fuller on the fish that will be caught.
Quite a few fishermen have been chumming for their striped bass this week and most have been having acceptable results when a good strong tide is running. Most fishermen are reporting that the action has been steady with some nice fish over 28” being caught in the mix. In the upper bay, the Love Point area has been getting the most attention but striped bass can be found at times at Swan Point, Triple Buoys and Podickory Point. Middle bay region fishermen have been chumming at the Hill, Thomas Point and Buoy 83 with good results at times. In the lower bay, the channel edges at the mouth of the Potomac River, the Rock piles north of Point Lookout and the Buoy 72 area have been favorites lately. In all regions baits left to lie on the bottom have been catching some of the larger fish.
Light tackle fishermen have been spotting some breaking fish from time to time working on small menhaden and jigging over structure has been productive. The striped bass are moving freely throughout the bay now and can be found along bay shore shallows. Surface lures such as poppers are a fun way to target these fish and the marshes of the lower eastern shore are holding a good number of fish at the moment.
The annual black drum run at the area around Stone Rock kicked off over Memorial Day weekend and fish are being caught. This action should continue through this week and perhaps last another week. Croaker fishing continues to be excellent in many areas of the middle and lower bay with traditional locations such as the channel edges of the lower Choptank and Nanticoke Rivers, Eastern Bay, Buoy 72, Tangier Sound and Hooper’s Island Light being just a few good places to check out. Peeler crab is perhaps the number one favorite bait but shrimp, bloodworms, squid and clam are also good baits to use. White perch are now holding on many of the oyster bars in the upper bay such as the knolls and reefs off of Baltimore but most any good oyster bar in the middle and lower bay will most likely be holding a mix of white perch croaker and improving numbers of spot. Bloodworms tend to be the bait of choice for white perch fishing.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Natural Resources Police Issue Upper Potomac River Advisory
Annapolis, Md. -- The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) has issued an Upper Potomac River Advisory through Friday. Using information from the National Weather Service and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), NRP urges citizens to avoid boating and other recreational use of the Upper Potomac River, including its creeks and streams.
This advisory is from May 31 through June 03 and will be updated at that time if necessary.
Due to recent precipitation, river levels remain hazardous for recreational use on the entire main stem of the Upper Potomac River from Paw Paw to Little Falls.
Hazardous stages are water levels which pose a threat to non white- water vessels, tubers, swimmers and other recreational users and are caused by wave action, water velocity, and treacherous currents. This hazardous condition may exist on tributaries of the Potomac River.
This warning does not apply to professionally guided river trips. The public is reminded that river travel involves risks. Water and boating safety should be of utmost importance. NRP reminds boaters to always wear a life jacket.
For more the latest information on Potomac River conditions between Cumberland and Little Falls, call the National Weather Service at 703-996-2200.
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