Day 70: Oxford to St. Michaels, MD

After traveling down the Tred Avon River we turned west into the Choptank River and now I know how it got its name.  With the tide ebbing and a 15-knot westerly breeze the Choptank kicked up a short, steep 2 to 3 foot chop.  We were steering from the flying bridge and every once in awhile we would smack into a particularly large wave at 16 knots. 

At the mouth of the Choptank we took a short-cut channel east of what used to be Sharp's Island and is now a dangerous shoal.  Passing out of the north side of the channel is the old Sharp's Island Lighthouse which is leaning over like the Tower of Pisa -- only much more so.  It is no longer an official aid to navigation.  It leans because in 1974 ice on the bay was so thick that it pushed the steel lighthouse off of its foundations. 

Once out in the middle of the bay the wind was from the southwest so we had a comfortable slide north. At red 84A we headed NNE up the Eastern Bay in flat water doing 17 knots SOG.  From there to St. Michaels the channel is well-marked.  We tied up at St. Michaels Marina just after noon.  St. Michaels is probably the premier destination on the Eastern Shore because of its wonderful Maritime Museum.  After lunch we went there.