Havre De Grace, Maryland

5/20/22

This port was not on our original list of Chesapeake destinations. However, we added it after another one of those casual dockside conversations with a fellow boater…and we were very glad we did!

Havre De Grace is situated at the northern end of Chesapeake Bay (at the confluence of the Susquehanna River). This colonial era town was very nearly our nation’s capital (lost by 1 vote) and has provided an important river crossing since the time of George Washington. It is located at a narrow point in the river on the main road from Baltimore to Wilmington (and on to Philadelphia). It was also a transfer point for goods traveling down the Susquehanna and Tidewater canal from central Pennsylvania.

The river crossings started with ferry boats (Washington transited here over 30 times). A barge for railroad cars was added in the mid 1800s and the town served as an important link in the underground railroad. There are now a railroad bridge and 3 highway bridges, although most folks seem to zip down 95 and never stop to visit.

Sea fence at dawn

We pulled into Log Pond Marina which is protected (sort of) by a sea fence. This looks like a wooden seawall, until the tide goes out and the waves travel underneath the horizontal boards. It does a better job at high tide than low (when a remarkable amount of wave action enters the marina).

Havre DeGrace has an extraordinary amount of public art and public parks. Several huge murals depict the high life and low life that the town has hosted.

Kathy with the bookies & card sharks
Massive mural depicting history of horse racing in the area
(Pamlico Racetrack is only 34 miles away)
Kathy is in far corner for perspective
Kathy with the good boys and girls of the Red Onion brothel
Dave with the news guys
Mural commemerating the town’s part in the Underground Railroad (notice the skeleton buried under the safe house).
The shopping cart in the bottom is actually real
This was a lively town during prohibition

Havre De Grace also has several waterfront parks and the well marked Lafayette walking trail that meanders around the town and its historic houses.

Park pilings topped with wood carved sculpture
Locals bottom fishing for catfish…using raw chicken dipped in tropical punch gatoraid for bait…no bites…go figure
One way to keep the seagulls away

There is also a small Maritime Museum and boat building workshop

Big gun, little boat

Hampton one-design… locally built racing sailboat
Many well preserved colonial houses
Fish sculpture named ”Big Fish, Little Fish”
because it is entirely constructed from small metal fishes

Havre De Grace is a nice place to spend a couple of days, partly because the locals are very friendly, talkative and helpful. This is a town where they go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

We are now going to leave the Chesapeake and transit the C&D (Chesapeake and Delaware) canal to Delaware City at the north end of Delaware Bay.