Travel On The Level

Northbeach on the Western shores of Chesapeake Bay.

Chesapeake Bay is more than crab cakes, especially its Western shore. Long thought of as a bedroom community for Washington, D.C., the Western shore is packed with interesting places to go and things to do.

Boats, boats, everywhere you look.

What to do around the water
If you like the water and boating you'll love it here. Fingers of land jut into the bay making perfect, protected anchorages that bristle with masts and powerboat bridges.

Calvert Marine Museum

At good place to start is Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons. The museum covers all facets of area boating from boat building, commercial fishing, racing and pleasure.

Pawtuxent Small Craft Guild.

In the dock area you'll find historic craft of all kinds on display as well as the working headquarters for the Pawtuxent Small Craft Guild. Nearby is a classic woodworking shop.

Drum Point Lighthous

Also fascinating is the 1883 hexagonal Drum Point Lighthouse that dominates the adjacent docks.  

Pawtuxent River Cruises offers our-long cruises aboard the historic 189 buyboat Wm. B. Tennison docked at the marina there.








Fishing more your thing? I went out on Mary Lou Too, a 46-foot charter fishing boat, with its personable captain Russ Mogel. Striped bass (stripers, rockfish) are top springtime catches; black drum, spot, croakers, sea trout, Spanish mackerel, white perch and bluefish are prevalent the rest of the year.

Sharp's Island Light

Ours was not a fishing expedition so we headed for the Sharp's Island Light, the famous leaning lighthouse. An ice storm caused its Tower of Pisa stance and although it still works, the structure looks more like a tipsy, rusty derelict that has become an old seagulls' home.

As we approached the docks, we saw an eagle devouring its catch on the jetties.

Eagle at brunch.

Fishermen at Northbeach Pier.

 You can find charter boats all over the area as well as fishing piers like the one at North Beach.