There’s something about summertime that makes us want to be outside with a book. Whether under a beach umbrella, stretched out on the boat while at anchor, or in an Adirondack chair overlooking the water, a good book is the perfect way to relax.
In time for a last-minute Father’s Day gift, we’ve put together a handful of the Chesapeake Bay’s best recent titles. Read on for beach reads, boat reads, and that hard-to-shop-for dad in your life. Bonus: they’re all authored by local Bay writers, many of whose work you’ve probably enjoyed in Chesapeake Bay Magazine.
On a Racing Schooner’s Rise and Demise
The Last Days of the Schooner America (Dave Gendell)
In 1851, the schooner America sailed across the Atlantic and secured the eponymous America’s Cup, named for its first winner. Her subsequent career was a whirlwind of adventure: cycling through owners, she served as a blockade runner on both sides of the Civil War, sailed on transatlantic spy missions, and stayed on the scene for several more racing championships. In the early 20th century, she ended up at the Naval Academy, tired and in disrepair. Set for a rehabilitation that never happened, she was hauled “groaning and complaining” into the Annapolis Yacht Yard, where she spent her final days.
Annapolis historian Dave Gendell’s book details the history of the America, from her first race to her wartime blockading to her last days in Annapolis. He pulls from archival sources and oral histories, talking to some of the last people living who saw the America in the Yacht Yard. Written with an engaging mix of narrative and history, it’s perfect to bring for a day on the boat or to give to Dad this weekend. Available on Amazon and from sellers like the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, the Annapolis Maritime Museum, and Old Fox Books (Annapolis).
For Your Summer Travel Bucket List
100 Things to Do in Annapolis and the Eastern Shore Before You Die, Second Edition (Susan Moynihan)
Looking for summer travel ideas, or places to show visitors to the Bay region? Chesapeake-raised travel journalist Susan Moynihan has just released her second edition of 100 Things to Do in Annapolis and the Eastern Shore Before You Die. With more waterfront than the whole West Coast, the Eastern Shore is full of restaurants, music, culture, and recreation opportunities that make for many worthwhile trips. Maryland’s capital city also has the perfect mix of culture, history and fun. Drive the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway, listen to traditional Irish music at Galway Bay, or catch a show at the Annapolis Summer Garden Theater.
This edition includes new finds like the Chesapeake Cowboys on-water rodeos, the Annapolis Blues FC soccer team that’s breaking attendance records, and baby pelicans on isolated Smith’s island. For anyone seeking summer adventures close to home, or for visitors hoping to discover the Eastern Shore for the first time, Susan Moynihan is a wonderful guide. Available on Amazon and at local shops including Twigs & Teacups and Modern Stone Age Kitchen in Chestertown, Pemberton Pharmacy in St. Michaels, and at several Annapolis shops including Old Fox Books.
On the Golden Age of Bay Steamboats:
122 Years on the Old Bay Line (Jack Shaum)
When commerce and tourism were conducted by steamboat, it was a very different Chesapeake Bay. The “Old Bay Line” is how the Baltimore Steam Packet Company was known for most of its 122 years carrying people and freight to stops between Baltimore and Norfolk.
With stylish accommodations and great food, steamboat life was glamorous–until the vessels were pressed into wartime service and converted to carry troops. Author Jack Shaum recalls the steamboat line’s escapades, which include dock fires, boat collisions, and an ever-changing fleet. The line had impressive staying power: when the vessels finally halted their engines in 1962, the Old Bay Line was the oldest steamship company under the American flag.
Shaum has deep knowledge of the steamboats’ storied history: he has published several books on the subject and is former editor-in-chief of the quarterly journal of the Steamship Historical Society of America. Available on Amazon or at the Steamboat Era Museum in Irvington, Virginia.
For Kids Who Love the Bay:
Drew’s Grand Adventure (Natasha Nash Dixon)
When you see this children’s book detailing the adventures of a coyote decoy who lives at a lighthouse and floats down the Bay, you’ll be shocked to learn it’s a true story.
Written by Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse volunteer Natasha Nash Dixon and illustrated with beautiful photos by Bay photographer David Sites, it tells the real-life story of a life-sized decoy coyote nicknamed “Drew”, placed on the dock at Thomas Point Light to keep the birds away.
Everyone assumes that Drew, bolted down to the dock, will be a permanent resident of the lighthouse. But as the story unfolds, hurricane remnants wash away the whole dock and send Drew on a voyage unlike any other. Available on Amazon or in stores including the Artisans’ Gallery in St. Michaels. All proceeds go to support operations at Thomas Point Light.
On Classic Workboats:
Chesapeake Bay Deadrise Boats: Images of America (Larry Chowning)
Nobody is more thorough in documenting the vessels used to work the water on the Chesapeake than Chowning. This rich collection of photos with captions tells the stories of the boats, their builders, and what they harvested. Chowning points out nuances only a true classic workboat lover would notice.
A frequent CBM contributor, Chowning recently reported on the Virginia governor’s official proclamation that June is Chesapeake Bay Deadrise Month.
Chesapeake Bay Deadrise Boats joins Chesapeake Bay Deck Boats, Harvesting the Chesapeake: Tolls and Traditions and several other books about the seafood industry and Virginia waterfront towns. Available on Amazon and from Arcadia Publishing.
For Bay-Minded Pet Lovers
Walk Around Arundel: 52 Places to Hike with Your Dog (and Other Best Friends), (Jefferson Holland)
We all had a “pandemic project”, whether it was making sourdough, gardening, or completing jigsaw puzzles. For author and Annapolis Poet Laureate Jefferson Holland, it was launching a series on hikes with his dog. That series, which focused on trails in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Queen Anne’s counties in central Maryland, eventually turned into this book.
It includes a walk per week (yes, 52 in all!), many of them dog-friendly and most of them relatively flat. They could each be experienced in summer or winter, to different effect. Holland shares his experiences and inspires others to lace up their shoes, too. His stories prove that it doesn’t take a global pandemic for Bay lovers to find solitude on a walk along the water. Available on Amazon or from New Bay Books.
