Striving for Cool, Clear Water
Initiatives to protect the Bay in 2018 yielded some of the most groundbreaking environmental shifts in decades. The Chesapeake Bay Program’s annual Bay Barometer — which measures wildlife population growth, habitat and water cleanliness, and other aquatic health factors — proved preservation efforts make a difference.
For the first time, the Barometer included a climate impact report — a crucial means to assess shifting environmental conditions. It showed that a long-time goal to restore historical fish migration routes opened 1,000 more stream miles, and about 42% of the Bay and its tidal tributaries exceeded water quality standards to reach the highest level recorded in 30 years. To top off the good news, the Bay’s blue crab population spiked 60% in just one year. Visit www.chesapeakebay.net for details.
Breathing Life into the Bay
Do you know that a single oyster filters up to 50 gallons of water per day? The benefits that these industrious bivalves bring to the water’s cleanliness is remarkable. To help the estuary rebound, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) offers summer oyster gardening programs where you become a “foster parent” for hundreds of spats (baby oysters) and help cultivate the species.
How it works: Gardeners build oyster cages and plant thousands of tiny spats in them to grow for about a year. After they are about one- to two-inches long, participants return mature oysters to CBF to plant on sanctuary reefs along Chesapeake shores. Each gardener produces a new crop of healthy adult oysters year after year. To become a volunteer, visit www.cbf.org.
![]()
Maritime Museum Hosts Summer Happenings
Visit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) this season to experience fun in historic St. Michaels, MD. Events include the Independence Day celebration with Big Band Night & Fireworks (July 6) and Waterman’s Appreciation Day (August 11) featuring live music, a boat-docking contest and waterman rodeo you don’t want
to miss.
Highlights of CBMM’s Workshops & Events:
- Movie nights every Friday
- Boater safety courses
- Stand-up paddle workshops
- “Open Boatshop” workshops
- Log canoe cruises
- Community ecology cruises
- Charity boat auctions
Visit www.cbmm.org for a full schedule of events.
Marina Welcomes Oasis to its Eastern Shore Resort
Oasis Marinas is the new management team for Mears Great Oak Landing in Chestertown, MD. Located on Fairlee Creek and 70 acres of gorgeous Bayside property, the marina harbors 350 open slips, a 28-room lodge, restaurant, kids/teens club and upgraded amenities perfect for summer getaways.
