Journal Entry 8: Fenwick Island to Ocean City, MD
Date: June 6, 2007
Time: Morning
Weather: Clear
Wind: North 6 to 10 knots
Tide: Ebb, 1.5 knots
The early morning air was cool. I left the beach at Little Assawoman heading south. The wind was light at 6 to 10 knots and blowing from the north, pushing me along. In the calm early morning the water of the Bay was almost flat. These were ideal conditions for rowing south. I took advantage of the calm water and gentle north wind. The boat moved almost effortlessly, skimming across the surface of the water. In the narrow neck that separates the Little Assawoman Bay from the Big Assawoman Bay at the Town of Fenwick Island, DE I raced along at 6 to 6.5 knots. Vacationers sitting on their balconies in the condos and houses along the canal smiled and waved good morning.
Unlike the quiet secluded waters of the Assawoman Canal, the area around Fenwick Island is built up. Small and large vacation and year round homes are perched along the water. Most are protected by wooden jetties and bulk heads. Power boats, kayaks, and sail boats are everywhere. The development around Fenwick Island was just a precursor to what I would find as I headed further south into Big Assawoman Bay and Isle of Wight Bay.
Toward midmorning, the wind began to pick up. It continued to push me along at a comfortable speed. Not strong enough to create significant waves and chop, the north wind assisted me as I left the state of Delaware and entered Maryland waters.
Ocean City extends along the barrier island from just south of Fenwick Island, DE south to the Ocean City Inlet near Route 50. Route 1, the main route down the barrier islands, becomes a four lane highway as it passes through Ocean City. Development on either side of the Route 1 is extensive. Shopping centers, recreational golf and sports centers, the Ocean City Convention Center, restaurants, bars, gas stations, parking lots - Ocean City is alive with summer vacationing tourists and cars.
As I rounded a small point of land at the head of Assawoman Bay, the high rises and development of the Ocean City shoreline came into full view. The high rise buildings are, for the most part, located on the ocean side of Route 1. They stand like concrete giants, creating a box like skyline when viewed from the waters of the Bay.
The shoreline of the Bay along the west side of Ocean City is mostly bulk heads and jetties. These protect the land and homes from eroding into the Bays. Some of the older areas are built on filled land Ð marshes that, years ago, were filled by dredging canals and using the dredge spoil to create land for development. This was not a practice that was unique to Ocean City. It was common and accepted along the coast. We understand now the importance of these marshes and the need to protect them.
The wind was picking up toward noon. It was beginning to create waves which would swell up behind the boat and push the stern to the right or left. I could correct the direction with the oars, but this takes a lot of effort. It was time to think about finding a location to land the boat. I rowed into one of the long finger canals that run east from the Bay toward Route 1. The canal I choose was bulk headed along both sides. Areas that were not bulk headed were privately owned. A good spot to land the boat was not available. I turned and rowed back out to the Bay in search of another landing.
By now the wind had picked up on the Bay. Waves were beginning to form. Rowing with the wind was not easy. I turned down the next available canal. This canal meandered back toward Route 1. Again, bulk heads and rocks extended on both sides. I began to think that I would have to head back out onto the Bay once more. But, at the very end of the canal there was a small landing area.
After landing the boat, I contacted my support team by cell phone. Within a few minutes they showed up and helped pack up the boat and equipment. I had completed the State of Delaware and was now in Maryland.