Smith Island, MD - August 19-25, 2014

Smith Island has been on my list of “must see” places ever since I heard about their famous accent many years ago. I had learned that due to the remote and independent nature of the island, the inhabitants had developed their own unique manner of speaking that is supposed to have similarities to an English accent and a Southern accent, but is truly unlike any other spoken English. At one point last year, I even found some YouTube videos to hear the local dialect.

As you can see on the chartlet, Smith Island is some distance from Annapolis, so when I first plotted a course to visit there, I planned the trip with crew in mind. With crew, it was reasonable to sail overnight, arriving at Smith Island in one day. That was last year and although we got within 10nm of Smith Island, we never made it (See Overnight Passage, May 27-28, 2013). For this trip, I was sailing alone and prefer not to sail through the night, as I have trouble staying awake and alert. Unlike the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2011 (Richibucto, NB), the Chesapeake Bay has a LOT of boat and freighter traffic, so heaving to and napping is not an option. My plan to make the solo sail to Smith Island had to include an overnight stop so I could rest.

Since I couldn't depart Back Creek until midday, I set a course for the Rhode River. It allowed me to begin the trip without delaying any longer, but the sail to the anchorage there is short, only about 12nm. The breeze was favorable, but light so I set the sails and shut off the motor. It was a gentle, leisurely sail, but I had hopes of actually sailing into the anchorage, not needing the engine, except to set the anchor. As it turned out, the wind was just too minimal to sail all the way into the anchorage, so about half a mile shy, I started the engine and set the hook.

That evening, I checked the charts, guidebooks and my plotted course so I'd be ready for the trip to Solomons, my next stop before Smith Island. As I examined the details, it dawned on me that the distance between Back Creek and Solomons, was only a couple miles further than from the Rhode River anchorage to Solomons. Although I had sailed 12nm, I would only reduce the distance to Solomons by 2nm! I took this lesson to heart and when I returned a few days later, I traveled directly from Solomons to Annapolis, a 46nm course.

The next day, August 20, was gorgeous, but typically Chesapeake, as the wind was less than 5 knots until after 2pm. Although the breeze finally attained sailing power, I was already in Solomons and the 12 knot air merely helped set the anchor. 

The 21st was nearly a duplicate of the 20th, so I enjoyed motoring into Smith Island. The channel from the bay is said to be a bit tricky, but it is well marked and I merely slowed down as the depth near Red mark “2A” dropped to 7 feet at high tide, 6 feet at low. There is a notable current in the channel, especially as we approached the docks in Ewell, the very small town that is still the largest on Smith Island.

There were a number of working waterman plying their workboats up and down the channel, which felt like a watery main street with the shops, fuel station, restaurant, tiny marina and homes facing the water instead of the street behind them. When the depth shoaled to 6 feet, I turned Kelly around and headed back to Ruke's Dock, the only spot in town with depth to accommodate Kelly IV's 5 feet draft. Later, when walking through the small town, I took a long stick and checked the depth in the 6-slip marina and found that there was only about 4 feet of water.

I was planning to eat at the restaurant, and walked there about 6pm. It was closed! I walked to the other restaurant (only two are on the island) a block away and found they were closed as well. As I walked through the town, I discovered that everything closes when the last tour boat departs at 4pm. People were out and about, visiting with each other and walking or boating, so it wasn't like no one was about, they just didn't bother to keep the tourist places open once the tour boats are gone.

Mother and baby bat aboard Kelly IV's dodger

Soon after sunset I noticed some uninvited guests sleeping on top of the dodger!  Almost immediately after taking this photo, the two bats flew away.

Crane in the shallows across from "Downtown" Ewell

The next day I ran the entire length of the island, visiting the only other town, Rhodes Point. The road between the two towns is the only road on Smith Island and runs less than two miles long. There is a small boatyard at the end of the road in Rhodes Point which still builds and repairs many of the boats used on the island by the locals.

I made a point of eating at the restaurant for lunch so I'd be certain to try the Smith Island crab cake and their famous Smith Island Cake for dessert. The crab cake was delicious, but similar to other crab cakes I've had around the bay. I suspect the crabmeat is fresher on Smith Island as the restaurant is across from the small, shallow marina that houses most of the local workboats.

The Smith Island Cake is tasty and unique in the design consisting of 8 – 10 very thin layers of cake with icing between each layer and covering the outside of the cake. For someone like me who enjoys lots of icing, this cake is great!

I visited the small museum & visitor center to learn more about the island and its people, but attempting to reprovision at the two small shops was more fun, as I chatted with the local folks and even sat and enjoyed their conversation for almost an hour. I say “attempted” to buy provisions, as neither shop had much selection, mostly canned goods and very little inventory. The proprietors were very friendly, but apologetic that they didn't have but a couple items I was looking for. And I admit I didn't expect much given the rural nature of the island. I chose to go shopping there for the experience and conversation, not the goods. And the venture was successful!

After two nights, one full day, I departed Smith Island at low tide in a nice 15 knot breeze.  I was excited to be sailing again! As the sun rose, the wind gradually diminished, but Kelly IV and I sailed with full main and genoa four hours before the breeze dropped below 6 knots and our Speed Over Ground (SOG) fell under 3 knots.

The forecast for August 24^th was 10-20 knots from the northeast, which meant good sailing, but not for me, when Kelly IV and I had to sail due north. With any northerly breeze we'd be tacking back and forth, increasing our 46nm trip to something more like 70nm. That would mean a v-e-r-y long day or motoring into 2-3 foot waves which would slow us down and burn more fuel. So given the forecast for much lighter air for the 25^th, I spent the day in port, walked about Solomons and reprovisioned at the nearby supermarket.

The next day kept to the forecast with a light 5 knots out of the northeast. Kelly IV could make use of the breeze, as we motorsailed almost four hours before a windshift eliminated the benefit of having the main set. The balance of the day was spent motoring back to Annapolis.