Chesapeake Bay Magazine

10/01/2026

Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival XLIII - Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4

(Online participant registration has now closed, but you can still register in person to join the festivities and access the full slate of events.)

A fall tradition now in its 43rd year, the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival will bring unique watercraft and their passionate owners and builders to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels, Maryland Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4.

Register as a participant to bring your vessel and gain access to the full slate of events throughout the weekend, including demos and workshops, guest speakers, races, children’s activities, boat judging and awards,and more.

All other guests can enjoy the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival with general admission, which is valid for two consecutive days and free for CBMM members.

The Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival spotlights the craftsmanship and innovation showcased through these vessels, bringing together a unique collection of sailing skiffs, rowing shells, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, prams, and one-of-a-kind boats.

Representatives from the Chesapeake Wooden Boat Builders School will offer boatbuilding and maritime demonstrations Saturday, and Chesapeake Light Craft will be on site with a selection of vessels from its fleet for guests to demo.

The children’s activities include cardboard boat construction and racing and model building on Saturday and a Sunday campus scavenger hunt.

The participants will gather in friendly competition Saturday afternoon with a series of sailing (1:30pm) and rowing (3:30pm) races. Guests are invited to cheer on the competitors from CBMM’s waterfront and docks.

For safety reasons, non-service dogs must be kept at home during CBMM festivals, including the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival.

For more info, go to https://cbmm.org/event/mid-atlantic-small-craft-festival/

Photo courtesy of CBMM

09/30/2026

Extreme food stress during nesting season has resulted in poor breeding performance in ospreys in the Bay, according to a recent assessment.

The reported osprey breeding performance in 2026 was the worst ever recorded in the Bay, says the Center for Conservation Biology at William & Mary in Virginia. The study population consisted of 973 breeding pairs from 23 study areas, which include Maryland and Virginia.

Ospreys have long been considered an important indicator of the health of the Bay, in part because a thriving osprey population relies on clean water and plentiful fish.

For the rest of the story: https://www.chesapeakebaymagazine.com/osprey-starvation-reaches-bay/

Photo courtesy of Dr. Bryan D. Watts

09/28/2026

Storytelling & stargazing in Colton's Point, MD

09/24/2026

...On the Road Again! 🛥️

The Annapolis School of Seamanship (the sister company of CBM) is taking its boating education on the road for the second weekend in a row! This weekend, our team will be at the Norwalk Boat Show in Connecticut, bringing hands-on boating education to the show.

We’ll be on the dock with Progressive Boat School for our on-water boat training throughout the weekend, giving boaters a chance to get behind the wheel and sharpen their skills with our Captains.

You’ll also find us at the show’s all-new Captain’s Cove, where we’ll be talking all things boating education and practical skills.

Stop by, say hello and see what’s happening at America’s Boat School!

Unable to make it to the show? No worries, you can still take your boating education a step further with our BOAT SHOW OFFER! We’re offering 15% off ASOS courses during the show with PROMO CODE NORW15

09/24/2026

🍷 Congratulations to Chris C for winning the gift card! Another wonderful w**e dinner! Hook & Vine Kitchen & Bar in North Beach, Maryland paired w**es from New Zealand with unique creations from their chefs. 🍴

🍇 Tell me which pairing you think you'd like best in the comments and you'll be entered to win a $50 gift card to Hook & Vine! 🥂

09/23/2026

The slightly cooler weather makes right now the perfect time to go on a trip exploring around the Bay. If you’re not familiar with barn quilt trails, I suggest checking them out.

In Maryland, the first trail by the Bay is found in Calvert County. Quite a few squares can be found near the Bay in the towns of North Beach and Chesapeake Beach.

Although the barn quilt movement started out creating replicas of traditional American barn quilt patterns, many squares are now original designs. The squares can be found on private homes, museums, businesses, and, of course, on barns. The squares are typically eight by eight feet.

The driving trail follows 33 (and counting!) unique barn quilt squares.

“Number 34, named “Brownie, the Goat,” is completed,” says Sue Mills, an artist who paints the squares. “We are waiting for it to go up. I’m currently working on number 35, titled, Osprey Sunrise that will go on the back deck railing of a home on 1st Street in North Beach, Maryland, making it viewable from the Boardwalk.”

One of the newest quilts is “Just a While,” located on Bay Avenue in North Beach, Maryland. Featuring a crab and a Maryland flag motif, the square is visible from the Bay and the boardwalk.

To map the trail, visit www.CalvertArts.org/barn-quilt-trail . Click on the box labeled “View the Trail on Google Maps” box.

While not located near the Bay, other spots in Maryland—as well as Virginia—feature their own barn quilt trails. Check out the trails in Carroll, Garrett and Harford counties in Maryland. In Virginia, you’ll find the Blue Ridge Barn Quilt Trail and the Highland County trail, along with trails in Loudoun County and Craig County.

By Krista Pfunder

09/21/2026

🛥️ Annapolis Powerboat Show 🛥️

Thursday, October 8 – 10:00am to 6:30pm
Friday, October 9 – 10:00am to 6:30pm
Saturday, October 10 – 10:00am to 6:30pm
Sunday, October 11 – 10:00am to 5:00pm

City Dock, Annapolis, MD (Box Office located on
Compromise St., exit bus at 2nd stop)

General Admission, October 9-11 – $32
Preview Day, October 8 – $45
Children 7–15 – $10
Children 6 and under – Free
Military Personnel Day – $22 Sunday, October 11 only

09/17/2026

Charting the Bay, 2026-Style

The contours of the Chesapeake’s tidal waters are changing literally before our eyes, due to rising sea level and subsiding land. It has never been more important to update the bathymetry of the Bay and its tidal rivers, detailing the three-dimensional shape of its basin underwater and, whenever possible, the character of the bottom.
Certainly, its above-surface views are still classically beautiful, but consider just the importance, commercial and recreational, of accurate depth information for navigation. Add in the new challenges of documenting ecosystem shifts due to climate change and attempting to predict trends in those shifts, plus the need to assess how those shifts affect water quality and habitat value for various Bay critters.

Read further:

https://www.chesapeakebaymagazine.com/charting-the-bay-2026-style/

09/14/2026

From cruising across Delaware Bay to exploring Cape May’s picturesque streets, historic architecture, and coastal charm, this trip is a perfect reminder that some of the best weekend adventures begin at the helm.

Two quaint towns. One unforgettable day on the water.Join CBM as ...

09/11/2026

Leisure Day Special Offer Ends Today!

There are vacations you check off the list, and then there are vacations you’ll talk about for years to come. During our Leisure Day Sale, enjoy 20%* off your next unforgettable charter vacation in iconic locations like the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and St. Martin, with calm waters, warm breezes and even warmer smiles from everyone you meet.

Don’t miss your chance to experience the very best the Caribbean has to offer. A Moorings yacht charter combines extraordinary destinations, unmatched freedom, and the comfort of an award-winning yacht. It’s a different way to travel, one that brings people closer to the places they visit and to each other.

https://www.moorings.com/special-offers/leisure-day-special-offer?utm_source=banner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tm_us_chesapeake_bay_magazine_september_2026