Last summer my wife Erin, daughter Penelope and I made the long trek east (you see there are a few of us lucky ones that realized the effective reality of our condition, and made our way off the eastern seaboard to more temperate climates. We Pollards of the 2nd generation Wilmington Pollards headed west to San Diego where it is sunny, and 70 year round. Not a bad adjustment.). Even as rough as the weather can be, there is no place like home. A place that smells, feels, and looks like all the memories of growing up.
Being this our first visit home during the summer months, and with a few days between engagements we headed south to Northeastern Maryland, home of quiet villages, small marinas, and estuary living. Just past the C&D Canal bridge, and a little further south is Chesapeake City which sits along the C&D Canal an east west body of water that empties into the Delaware Bay.
We arrived mid day, and the still, thick air welcomed us penetrating our skin pushing the sweat from the core of our bodies to the surface like a volcano erupting as we changed from the cool crisp conditioned air of the car to the thick humid air of North Eastern Maryland. Our immediate thought was a cool drink by the water, take in some of the sites, and get our stomachs primed for our true focus, Maryland Blue Crabs. Although like most things in this world nothing is like what it used to be. The Maryland Blue Crab, like most of the the great things in this world have been consumed to excess, and days of true jumbos, or "No. 1 Jimmies" as they are referred to are long gone. That being said, one can still find themselves elbows deep in a table full of the delicious crustaceans as long as you are willing to do a little more work for the reward of their sweet bounty. As we made our way to the marina, and sat on the waterfront drinking tall cool Budweiser the sound of a pin dropping on the floor could be heard. The wind didn't move, the water didn't rap against the pylons, and the birds sought refuge in whatever shade they could find. The occasional boat engine roared, and the echo of reggae music traveled up and down the canal, but for that and airy silence that enveloped the small waterfront town. With flushed cheeks, and a few beers in our belly's to help lubricate the impending feast we made our way to the Tap Room www.taproomcrabhouse.com, a Chesapeake City establishment since 1981, and one of the finest purveyors of Blue Crab in the area. With three dozen crabs down, and a few more cold beers, the refuge of the air-conditioned space, friendly faces, and local chatter were all we needed and satisfaction was ours.
It is not everyday that we are reminded of days gone by, but given the opportunity to live in the moment, and consume all it has to offer provides each sense with exactly what it requires as an exercise of our mind, body, and soul.
