May 31, 2024 Tangier Island

Friday  May 31, 2024   A visit to Tangier Island 

On the ferry to Tangier Island at 10 AM.  Capt. Mark Crockett (descended from one of the island's original permanent inhabitants) confirmed the seas were a bit snotty and the ride might be a little bumpy.  Not bad in his Chesapeake style deadrise cruising along at 17 knots, but not what we wanted to do in our boat.  

Capt. Crockett on the Joyce Marie II ready to take us to Tangier

Intrepid adventurers Jamie, Trish, John and Martha brave the seas 

We've known about Tangier since our earliest days cruising the bay back in the 80's.  It's the "shrinking" island.   Between the land actually sinking, wave erosion and rising sea levels the island continues to shrink having lost 70% of its landmass since 1850.   Once home to several thousand it's now down to just 400. Watermen crabbing and oyster harvesting provide the primary industry with the women supporting the active tourism business.  Tangier is known as the "soft-shell crab capital" with roughly 75% of all US soft shell crabs originating here.  Watermen set up sheds over the water with long wooden tanks where they wait for the perfect timing to harvest a crab just as it sheds its hard shell.  Considered a delicacy by some, I'd rather just have my crab as a good old all lump no filler Maryland style crabcake.

Soft shell crab huts and tanks line the harbor entrance

It's interesting the number of things they do and don't have there.  They have a K-12 school with twelve teachers for about forty students.  (Four high school graduates this year). They have a medical office with four nurse practitioners and a doctor that flies in weekly. Yes, they have an airstrip for small planes and helicopters.  There's a Methodist church. A small grocery store with the basics. No food is grown on the island (due to the regular flooding), so residents mostly ferry over to the mainland to do major shopping. There are three or four restaurants.  A small history museum is packed with information and artifacts. There's a fire department. Electric power is run from the mainland via underwater, they have their own water supply from four artesian wells, sewer treatment, trash and recycling collection areas. No bank, no police or jail.  Tourism really is keeping the place going, between the restaurants, golf cart island tours given by locals, a couple gift shops and a small number of homes available for overnight lodging.

 We were lucky during our visit as the two days of north winds had blown water out the bay, so most all streets were dry. But it's evident the land gets inundated regularly. Mixed emotions visiting the place.  It's depressed looking.  With only another 25-40 years before it's all permanently underwater, no one young stays there (average age of a resident now is 65) so it's mostly the elders holding onto their way of life.  No next generation to take over.  Abandoned and unkept buildings as families leave or die out.

Main street - golf carts are the primary mode of transport.
Usually parked on ramps in the front yard above the water line

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Although many homes also have their family graveyards in their yard. 

Crab pots freshly painted and ready for the season

Waterfront scene. Another load of crab pots waiting to go

Old wooden buy boat Delvin waiting for action 

Mr. Park passed away several years ago, but was a legend with boaters. 
This is where we would have stayed if we came over on our own boat

Long abandoned home getting ready to fall in on itself

I guess I'm glad I got to see it before it's gone but at the same time it just sort of pains my heart to see the history and lifestyle slowly disappearing.    After touring the island and lunch (no - we did not have the soft shell crab sandwich despite it coming highly recommended) it was back on the ferry for our one hour roll-y ride back to Onancock.   Mallards restaurant was hopping with the arrival of the weekend crowds.  Great band playing at the outside bar until 11PM while we sat in the salon with a beverage and played cards one last time - for now.   We'll both head across the bay in the morning -  Jamie and Trish to explore Leonardtown, while we're off to explore the Great Wicomico River.