We spent the day with the MERCY resting peacefully at the free for two days municipal dock, with free water and 50 amp electric. The crew, however, stayed too busy to rest peacefully! So much to see, so little time...
I was walking around before 0600, trying to figure what great sights we could enjoy during the day. I wandered down the dock to get photos of the geese. Every time I hear geese mentioned by folks where there are an abundance, it is with complaints about the mess they make, their noise, and I've heard the comment a couple of times, "no natural predators." I can attest to the mess on the fixed wooden docks here, but, being a visitor who isn't used to geese, I enjoyed watching them. I don't know when hunting season opens, but some of these neighbors look as though they could readily shoot a few dozen in their yards!
We called town hall upon our arrival last night, and were asked to come register in the morning at the local town hall. We walked around the quiet town until we could do that at 0900. Free dockage, 50amp electric, and water, for two nights. Only $20/day after that. The water has a little sulfur smell, so we didn't put any in our tanks, but, this is NOT a complaint! There is an abundance of fixed wooden docks, with pretty new power towers with the 50amp. The docks, as you are coming upriver are tie alongside, with a sign that says shallow draft, then some short slips perpendicular to the current, then a few more tie alongside, with the last few in front of the restaurant lacking power. Then there is a low (4' or less) bascule bridge that opens on request from 0600 to 2200 during the cruising season. The bridge was built in 1929, and is a historic site. On the far side of the bridge, there are hundreds more feet of tie alongside fixed wooden docks. That areas is bordered by a city park.
There is a nature trail that extends under the fixed bridge. We didn't walk that because the town was setting up for their big "Cypress Festival" that begins Wednesday evening, June 17th. There were folks in the area at the end of the park setting up what looks to be a fair-like amusement area with the fixings!
The little town is pretty, has a lot of good history, and has some of the friendliest people we've met. Several people asked us if we needed a ride to the store, and one couple offered us use of their vehicle. We declined all offers, but, nice, friendly people. We met a couple last night who own (3rd generation) a bridal store downtown. We stopped in to say, "hi," but, weren't shopping! (What gorgeous dresses!)
The skyline is full of church steeples, and we enjoyed walking around looking at several churches, many with newer buildings alongside their historic ones.
I always enjoy walking through older cemeteries, and this town hosts several, with graves I saw back to the Civil War times. There may be some older, as this town is rich in history, dating back much earlier.
We took the inflatable under the bascule bridge, and up the Pocomoke River another 12 miles or so, past Shad Landing, and up to Snow Hill. I mention those two places as there is dockage at each. Much of the area to the north side of the river is bordered by a Pocomoke River (MD) State Park. Shad Landing (MD) State Park is on the south side.
The river is beautiful, fresh water, and surrounded by gorgeous trees, including cypress. Further up, there are several tributaries and some fresh water marsh. There is a lot of waterfowl, and the area has an interesting contrast of duck houses and duck blinds. We saw several eagles, though not the dozens we saw yesterday. We saw several types of herons, and other large birds. It was a pretty trip, which though we had the draft to take with the trawler, was a faster, pleasant trip with the RIB. We passed a couple of fishermen, and several kayaks. There is a canoe livery at Snow Hill, and I'm told great canoe/kayaking in that area.
Snow Hill has a large municipal dock, but the one at Pocomoke City fit our likes a little better.
We returned to Pocomoke City, and went to the Delmarva Discovery Center. Delmarva is the term for the Deleware/Maryland/Virginia peninsular, of which the Pocomoke River is its primary watershed. The Discovery Center is in the process of upgrading its already interesting exhibits. There are live reptiles and fish there, allowing you to see the local critters up close. Those fish yesterday, if you were reading the blog, are long-nosed gar. There are also Maryland terrapin, and a few other turtles and snakes. They have a beaver dam that was relocated, and built dry, giving kids and adventurous, flexible adults a chance to crawl in and look around. There are taxidermy animals of the local wildlife, in various settings.
The director, who we'd met yesterday, walked us through the whole facility, excited about the upcoming plans for new exhibits, including a river otter habitat with two otters, hopefully coming by the end of the year.
The center has interpretive displays of the historical aspects of the community. There is a dome-shaped wigwam inviting you inside as a centerpiece for that interpretive area. One of my favorites was a vessel that transitioned the displays from waterfront to onboard a ship. If you walk up to the helm, there is a large tv screen showing a video of the Pocomoke River. Imagine my delight when I realized you could "steer" the vessel with its steering wheel, and move the display. The kid in me had great fun climbing around the boat, the wigwam, the beaver den, etc. We came away better educated to the history and culture of the local area, as well as the native wildlife, plants, fish, and bird, and the significance of the local watershed.
I think the entrance fee was $8 with discounts for seniors, kids, military, coupons, or if you had a receipt from the Riverside Restaurant. The Center accepts donations for funding.
There is a WalMart Supercenter and multiple restaurants about a mile away, but we stayed in the downtown area. Had we gone elsewhere, we might have had a different perspective of this quiet, friendly, beautiful little town.
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