Day 323 - Crisfield, MD

(Click any photo to enlarge.)

***Scroll down to see my offer for Red Cross donations.***

Rooftop Crab

Once the leading producer of oysters in the U.S., Crisfield today is better known for crabs.  That seemed quite evident as I did my walk around the town today, where in every business and restaurant near the harbor, images of crabs ruled.  Even the high school basketball team is known as the Crisfield Crabbers, and the town holds the National Crab Derby each year on the Labor Day weekend, where blue crabs race each other in an arena filled with spectators.

Only in Crisfield...

On this Monday in July, though, it was very quiet in Crisfield.  In recent years, Crisfield has taken a lot of economic blows.   The declining health of the Chesapeake Bay has affected seafood production, and the recession has taken a toll on local businesses and the real estate market. Crisfield also sustained a lot of damage during Hurricane Sandy. Businesses and homes were flooded by up to five feet of water; the pier at the end of the street, where tourists and locals alike caught the boat to Smith and Tangier Islands, was ruined.  Some of the businesses have not reopened, and even some of the residents are still displaced.  For a town that is only three feet above sea level, its future is unsure in this era of global warming and sea level rise.

Bushels for Crabs

My friend Joan joined me on my walk there today.  We found parking on the street and walked around looking first for lunch.  What struck both of us was how the water view from the street is obstructed by multi-story condos, which seemed out of place in this small town.  I remember the controversy years ago about whether or not they should be built in Crisfield, because they would change the character of the town.

Crab Crossing

We ate at the Crisfield Crabhouse and Grill and Tiki Bar, which had an upstairs dining room.  It was about the only place open on Monday.  After lunch we walked to the Somers Cove Marina, stopping first in the Gift Shop and J. Millard Tawes Museum.  Tawes, a Crisfield native, was governor of Maryland from 1959 - 1967.  A pair of woodcarving brothers, Steve and Lem Ward, who elevated decoy carving from a hunting accessory to fine art, were also from Crisfield.

The marina had a lot of boats in the slips today, but not much activity in or out of the harbor.  The marina also had a playground, a swimming pool, and the aforementioned stadium, where concerts are held in addition to the crab derby.

Once the second largest city in Maryland, Crisfield today needs a boost.  I hope that awareness of this coastal town has been raised just a little by my visit there today, and that efforts to assist in its recovery are successful.

It's time for a little crab education.  See the photo of the two crabs at left?  They were the signs on the bathroom door. If you were a female, would you have known  which door was yours?

Here is how to tell.  The white arrows point to the crab's "apron."  Now look at the image that I have flipped vertically, and look at the aprons again.  The apron of the Jimmy, or male, is shaped like the Washington Monument.  Also, Jimmy is a man's name.  The apron of the Sook, or female, is shaped like the dome of the Capitol building.  Of course, if you can't remember this information, you could always just peek into the bathroom to see if there are urinals on the wall.  You've got a 50/50 chance of getting the right bathroom!

Save the date!  Monday, September 2, will be the last day of my year long photo walk project, and I'm planning a big celebration walk with anyone who wants to join me!  September 2 is also Labor Day, so many of you will have the day off.  The walk will be in downtown Frederick, around 9 a.m., followed by a brunch.  More details will be posted on my blog as they get confirmed.  But mark your calendars, grab your cameras, put on your walking shoes, and join me for my final Daily Photo Walk.  Let's jam the streets of Frederick with photo walkers! 

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Forward me by email any receipt for an online donation made to the Red Cross for disaster relief, and I will send you a 5x7 print of your choice from any of my daily photo walks or from my website.  Offer good until September 2, 2013.

Visit my web site: camscamerashots.zenfolio.com
Follow me on Twitter: @camscamerashots
Email:  cam.miller@comcast.net

Cam's rules for the Daily Photo Walk:

1. walk every day
2. the walk must be in addition to any other planned activity for the day
3. post a photo every day
4. use whatever camera is easy and convenient for walking comfortably; always have a backup camera at the ready in case of mishaps (I use the Nikon Coolpix P7700)
5. no weather excuses
6. walk only where it is safe to do so