Maryland has many regions with their unique cultures. On this blog you have read about Western Maryland often. You have also read about the world, over the Bay Bridge, the Eastern Shore once or twice. A world of it's own, here within Maryland, is Hoopers Island. Pronounced Hup per z by those breed and raised there. Hoopers Island is a land lost in time. It is 19 miles down a dead end road...
This was a community founded on reaping the bounties of the Chesapeake Bay. Waterman have lived here generation after generation, building a little more as they could.
Most of these communities are slowly dying as the bounty of the Bay gets less and less with every season. The Bay is steadily rising. The land is slowly sinking. The old timers are quickly moving on. Many houses are now changing hands as weekenders buy the houses that are not too far sunk. Many houses sit just a few feet above high tide. During The Autumnal and Vernal Ebb tides the water surrounds many houses and covers the one, dead end road.
For years now our neighbors two doors down have been inviting us down to the island. We finally hooked up Anna and headed to Hoopers Island. For the entire drive it was a steady blowing rain. I love a steady rain to fall asleep to not to tow in.
Kate and Jerry have a neighbor who is a waterman. Our timing was divine. Right now all the crabs are migrating down the Bay to bury into the mud of the Lower Bay for a Winter slumber. They have fattened up big time. They are in masses right off of Hoopers Island.
You can only get this in the Land of Pleasant Living. These were the very best crabs I have ever had. No doubt about that either!
As morning broke, we found this...
This will be something very hard for us to give up when we move to New Mexico. We have a few more years to enjoy.
Thank you Kate and Jerry. We sure did enjoy our visit. Can we come back soon?
