by Cash
A broken barn |
One of our stops in the Chesapeake Bay while heading down to Norfolk was Tangier Island. Tangier Island is a small fishing island, where everyone still has an Elizabethan accent. The island is very secluded, and not many new people go to live there. Everything shuts down in the winter, when there are no tourists. Most of the restaurants and shops are closed, and the island gets quiet.
Gravestones in the yard |
The island is unlike any you've ever seen before. You sail through the small channel into the harbor, while battling two knots (a sailing term like miles per hour) of current. Two knots is about 2.3 mph. That's 2.3 mph of current. The first thing you notice about the island
is the large marshland and abandoned docks and houses falling into the water. Erosion and rising water level is a big problem on Tangier Island. In 50 years, the island will probably be gone. As you motor through the harbor, you see many pilings and pieces of wood sticking out of the water. On the other side, you see docks covered in crab traps. Some docks are washed away, and there are houses on small docks surrounded by water. It looked like most of the houses were not in use.
The Tangier Island Beach |
A bunch of discarded engines in the mud |
Two sunken boats |
A view of the marsh with the town in the background |
What a fascinating island. I had no idea a place like that existed. I LOVE the photo of the marshland. Based on your description of the island, it was surprising to see the regular, normal-looking house (well, except for the graves). Your mom included a picture of you sailing with the Gorton's Fisherman - I guess you really do meet a lot of people in your travels!
It must have been vary interesting learning about the island. Getting to eperiance such a non-modern place must have been an eye opening experiance for you.
-Matthew Granovsky
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