The start of fall might still be a few weeks away but with these crisp mornings we’ve been having, it’s hard not to daydream about falling leaves and fall cruising weather. Before you start lamenting the end of summer, think about all the things to come with the cooling temperatures. And all the things we can say goodbye to: such as the mosquitoes, the jellyfish, and of course the dreaded humidity. Here are some of our favorite things about fall on the Bay.
1. Fall seafood festivals. Remember the old adage, ‘only eat oysters during months with the letter “R” in them’…? While that rule rarely applies today, the tradition lives in on fall seafood festivals, some of which you can attend by boat. Coming up we have the
Baltimore Seafood Festival (September 16),
Mermaid’s Kiss Oyster Fest (September 21), the
Westminster Oyster Stroll (October 14),
Poquoson Seafood Festival (October 20-22), the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s
Oysterfest (October 28), and the big one, the
51st annual U.S. Oyster Festival in St. Mary’s County (October 21-22), just to name a few. Find more at
proptalk.com/calendar.
2. Comfortable nights on the hook. For those of us who like to drop the anchor in a secluded cove for the night, rather than tie up at a marina, summer nights can be brutal. When it’s 90 percent humidity at night and not a breath of wind, you’ll be dreaming of crisp fall evenings, even if it means less time playing in the water. And on October 5, you can catch the full Hunter’s Moon, so named by the Native Americans as it was the time to go hunting in preparation for winter, from the water.
3. The United States Powerboat Show in Annapolis. Even if you’re not in the market for a boat, this place is like Christmas for powerboaters. With vendors selling everything from boat shoes to the latest fishfinders, this event has something for everyone. Definitely put this on your calendar, October 12-15.
4. Pumpkin beer. Fall means an assortment of pumpkin-flavored delicacies. For your next happy hour, skip the bars and spend cocktail hour on the boat with your favorite pumpkin beer (and a designated skipper, of course).
5. Less boat traffic. When it starts to get too cold to swim, your favorite anchorages should start to feel a little less crowded. Popular party spots like Fairlee Creek and Hart Miller Island take on a whole new atmosphere when the revelers start hauling their boats at the end of summer.
Be sure to take advantage of crisp, fall boating days. Before we know it, it will be time to shrink wrap the boats and batten down for winter.