Blue Crab Capital of America

Down but Not Out

Visit the Chesapeake Bay

The 200-mile stretch known as the Chesapeake Bay that stretches along the Virginia and Maryland coasts is the largest estuary in the United States. It runs from the Atlantic Ocean in the southern-most point up to the Susquehanna River in the north. At its narrowest, the bay is only 2.8 miles wide (this is the Harford County shore near Romney Creek) and its widest point can be found just south of the mouth of the Potomac River, where it’s 30 miles wide. The average depth is 46 feet, however at its deepest, the Chesapeake Bay is 208 feet deep. The Bay is spanned in two places: one where the Chesapeake Bay Bridge crosses the bay in Maryland from Sandy Point to Kent Island, and the other is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel which is located in Virginia, connecting Virginia Beach to Cape Charles. The video below will both deight and anger you.

The Chesapeake Bay has long since been known for its natural beauty, lively ecological systems and abundance of seafood specialties, however due to illegal farming, global warming and other reasons, in recent years the bay has perhaps seemed a bit “emptier”. However, don’t be fooled, there is still an incredible amount of beauty to be found up and down this coast.

Numerous fauna either live in the bay year-round or migrate there seasonally. There are well over 300 species of fish, shellfish and crabs that can be found within the bay. Local birds found include the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey and the Great Blue Heron. Plenty of flora also make the Chesapeake Bay their home both under the water’s surface and on the land. Eelgrass and widgeon grass are perhaps the most common, as well as bald cypress trees, red maples and spartina grass.

The Chesapeake Bay has and always will remain a main feature for tourists who visit Maryland and Virginia. Fishing, crabbing, kayaking, swimming and boating are available on the many beaches, inlets and bays. The water is crisp, the sand is white, and the ocean is a deep blue. Enjoy your travels!

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