Great Loop: St. Michaels Maryland


St. Michael's Waterfront

May 25th, 2022

St. Michaels is a "must visit" Chesapeake Bay location.  A strong effort has been made to preserve the historic town core and host a maritime museum to showcase the traditional watercraft of the area.  It is a step back to an earlier time.  As it is one of the earliest colonial towns, some of the buildings are in excess of 300 years old.  

Blended with the historic structures are many good restaurants, ice cream shops, pubs and of course, shopping.   The fact that there is something for everyone is what keeps people coming back.

One of our favorite activities is to walk the streets of the compact city core and just let the history and vibes soak in.  One can't help but think about what life was like back when the buildings were first constructed and most residents earned their living off the bounty of the bay.  There is a rugged functionality to everything.  Only a limited selection of materials were available to construct houses, boats tools and implements used around the house and on the farm.  It was interesting to see how everyday problems were solved with the available options.  In most cases, strength, ruggedness, and practicality were prized.  Grace, style and beauty was often achieved as structures and boats were in harmony with the environment.  The fact that so much has endured to today is proof that blending good materials with clear design and functionality goals can create long lasting value.


We anchored Amy Marie in the anchorage inside Parrott Point.
From there, we dinghied to shore.
There are two free dinghy docks in town.  
We utilized the one behind the Crab Claw Restaurant



From the Crab Claw Dinghy Dock it is a quick walk into the center of the historic district.



Mid-week it is easy to walk and enjoy the historic homes



They all project a simple, yet functional design



We saw whimsical offerings in the shop windows

 

A home does not need to be large to be charming, warm, and hospitable



One home had a "Lending Library" in the shape of a Chesapeake Bay Lighthouse



Garages were simple yet matched to their surroundings



Even the weather vanes had their own charm



We meet friends at Ava's Italian Restaurant



Ava's had a beer tap waterfall on their covered patio



We will return to St. Michaels again.  It is a perfect spot for a weekend getaway.


Berthing

  • We anchored just inside Parrott Point in 8' of water.
  • It was calm and offered wind protection.
  • There are full service marina's in town.
  • Navionics shows the location of the free dinghy docks.
    • One is behind the Crab Claw Restaurant, near the Maritime Museum
    • The other is on the left side of the fuel dock near Foxy's Restaurant

Track Log





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