Looking for shelter from a tropical system Mischief ducked into a town called Reedville. There is a little Mom and Pop marina there where we spent 1 night. It is definitely a work in progress and thankfully someone is trying to bring back the marina to better conditions, but it still has a way to go.
The next morning Mischief moved to the marina, Jennings Boatyard, next door. Wow what a great find. Some of the best transients rates we have yet seen for any marina and it has floating docks (a little rough but they work), a newish nice bathhouse and free laundry! There was also a car available to get provisions. The only downside is that it’s about 10 miles from any store and all but one restaurant. But many other restaurants and the actual town is easily assessable by dinghy. Mitzi gave the marina her paw of approval since the very nice dock master always had oversized treats available and there was plenty of room to run and sniff.
Reedville was one the richest towns in the US at the turn of last century due to a thriving Menhaden fishing industry. This oily fish is not eaten but cooked down to make fish oil, can you say Omega 3 fish oil. The oil is also used in many products besides health supplements. Unfortunately when the fish are processed they are “cooked” down and emit a rather pungent fishy odor that permeates the town. The locals tell stories about the schools having to close early somedays because the stench was so overwhelming that the windows could not be left open (before air-conditioning). We noticed some smell a couple of days but not that bad probably due to scrubbers on the new plant. This is probably why the marinas in the area have such reasonable rates.
While in Reedville we dinghied over to some new friends, Chris and Chrissy on Wind Pleasure we met in Urbanna. The town has a nice maritime museum emphasizing the importance and history of the Menhaden fishing industry. The museum also has a fantastic model train display in a building of its own.
There is also a ferry that goes to Tangier Island from Reedville so we dinghied over to that dock to catch a ride. Tangier Island is a sinking island where a few families have lived and worked for generations. The people there have a unique way of talking that is derived from 17th to 18th century British English. It sounds more British than American and has some very unique phrases and words, fascinating to listen to. Around the island are many fish huts where piles of crab traps are stacked up eluding to the importance of fishing to the community. The town’s one marina was once run by Mr. Parks but since he passed away a couple of years ago it is barely maintained. We stopped at a restaurant for lunch and had the most delicious soft shell crab. It was great if you can get over the sight of the legs poking out of the side of the bun.
Adventures of Mischief 