No, they’re not native to our peninsula (but wouldn’t it be cool if they were?!). Unlike most Creature Features, this one is about the newest addition to the Salisbury Zoological Park: a baby sloth, born on July 13 to two-toed sloth Buttercup and her partner Raven.
A surprising discovery
The baby sloth–who is yet unnamed–was found during a morning check by Salisbury Zoo collection manager Ian Shelley.
“Sloths tend to sleep kind of curled up in balls, so you don’t see too clearly every morning,” Shelley said. “I was just doing morning checks one day, I saw there was a small amount of blood on the floor of their holding building, so I went and checked all of the sloths. Sure enough, clinging to the chest of one of the females was the baby.”
Getting a picture of the baby sloth was difficult–they cling hard to their mothers, and since sloths tend to sleep in a curled-up position, the baby was all but buried in its mom, Buttercup.
Shelley said that the zoo is staying pretty hands-off while the mother and baby are adjusting to life together in the enclosure, which is why the baby’s sex is currently unknown. When the animal management team decides it’s time for a physical, then the baby’s sex will be revealed and, soon after, it will have a name.
Shelley also said that while they suspected Buttercup might be pregnant, sloths don’t tend to “show” pregnancy the way humans and other mammals do.
“Breeding them was our goal, that’s why we brought Raven down as part of the two-toed sloth species survival plan, he was sent here and recommended to breed with our females,” he said. “It wasn’t an enormous surprise, but we weren’t able to predict exactly when it was going to be.”
This is Raven, the baby’s father. The baby is thought to be both Raven and Buttercup’s first offspring.
The life of a sloth baby
Sloth baby is still nursing, and while it’s starting to experiment with solid foods, most of its sustenance comes from its mother.
Sloths are nocturnal, so most of their time during the day is spent in their indoor holding pen.
…Maybe that’s why they weren’t so keen on waking up to have their pictures taken (although Shelley did compensate them with a big bucket of fruit for lunch).
“Right now I’ve only actually seen the baby outside during the day on one occasion,” Shelley said. “The mother was trucking along on a branch and some visitors were able to observe mom and baby together.”
He says he can tell that the baby has ventured outside on more than one occasion, as he’ll perform morning checks and see that the baby is wet from nighttime rain showers. Unfortunately, because sloths are nocturnal and the baby is usually clinging to its mother’s side, visitors aren’t likely to see the sloth family outside during the day.
“Sloths are always extremely popular, which is complicated solely by the fact that a lot of people don’t see them,” Shelley said.
Pictured above is the zoo’s other female sloth. The baby mostly clings to Buttercup, but sometimes it’ll switch off between the two.
What’s next for the zoo
Don’t be too disappointed if you can’t catch a glimpse of the zoo’s latest addition–there are plenty of other exhibits featuring animals that range from alpacas to Andean bears. Plus, the zoo throws some pretty cool events, too.
On August 31, the zoo will host a “Give a hoot!” fundraiser with food, beer, wine and live music. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged in order to repair the owl enclosure that was damaged after a tree fell on it during a recent storm.
Birds need homes, too! (This one was squawking and peeking in the window of the sloth enclosure.)
That’s really the most important step. Once you get here, everything else will fall into place. There’s the beach and the boardwalk and all the places to eat and drink and play—you already know that if you’ve ever been here before!—but there’s also a number of really cool, unique events going on in these final dog days of summer that’ll keep you busy and have you forgetting that it’ll soon be time to go back to work and school. Click on the event headings for details.
You’re going to want to save some money and vacation on the cheap, of course, so take advantage of the upcoming Hotel Week deals. You’ll be surprised what kind of bargains–and amazing views!–you’ll find this year. Check out our guide here.
You better get down here fast! El Galeon is only going to be here until the 27th, and the 17th century replica ship is a must-see (not to mention a ginormous, how-could-you-not-see) of the Atlantic. Check out our photoblog here.
Local theater troupe Brown Box Theatre will be putting on free, outdoor performances of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, all over Delmarva from the parks of Ocean City to Main Street in Berlin.
This one’s on the quirkier side, but it’s sure to be a super fun and interesting time. Not to mention the event is for charity, and collecting items like toilet paper, paper towels and garbage bags for Diakonia Inc. The 3rd Annual Beard & Mustache Competition will be held at the 28th St. Pit & Pub, where beards will be judged in categories including longest, wildest, softest, fakest, worst-groomed, best-groomed and best in show.
…And if you couldn’t get enough beards at the Bearded Man fundraiser, Shore Craft Beer’s annual Brews on the Beach festival is happening the next day, on September 9. Stick your toes in the sand and kick back with samples of delicious, local craft beer. Check out the website here.
…And more
There are other fun (and mostly free and family-friendly!) things to do in Ocean City as the summer comes to an end, so check out our events page and start planning your final trip of the season.
Okay, obviously every week is the best week to visit Ocean City, but if you want to treat yourself to an inexpensive vacation that won’t break the bank (who doesn’t want that?), there is a best time to come to the beach. This year, that time is between August 27 and September 10: a time to wrap up your summer vacation, take in what might be the last exceptionally warm days of the season and relax with your toes in the sand. And save money. That’s important, too.
Technically it’s Ocean City Hotel *Two Weeks, but that name doesn’t really roll off the tongue as well. It’s two of the last weeks of summer where hotels and motels in the area offer up their best deals and discounts of the season to encourage you to visit from the end of August to the early days of September. You can find bargain-priced lodging and even get a free night’s stay at participating hotels; just check out all the deals on the Hotel Week website right here.
What is there to do during this particular week?
If great deals and beach bargain prices haven’t convinced you to book a few nights in Ocean City, maybe all the events happening in town during those two weeks will. Many of the events listed below are family-friendly and free, and most are the last ones of the season.
Sundaes in the Park (8/27, 9/3): Enjoy live music, make-your-own sundaes (for a small fee) and fireworks at the last two Sundaes in the Park of the summer. The upgraded fireworks show is sure to end the season with a *bang!*
Concerts on the Beach (8/30): It’s the last concert on the beach this summer, right at the heart of the beach and boardwalk at the Caroline Street Stage. Bring a blanket or chair and listen to free live music from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Movies on the Beach at 118th Street (8/30): The last free, family-friendly movie night will take place, weather permitting, at 8:30 p.m. Just bring a beach blanket and maybe some popcorn.
Sunset Park Party Nights (8/31): Watch the sun set over the Isle of Wight Bay while enjoying live music and refreshments from approximately 7 to 9 p.m.
Labor Day Movie Night (9/2): Just like Movies at the Beach, but at Northside Park at 7 p.m.
100 Nights of Lights (til 9/4): Since late May, colored lights have been illuminating the sky and the sand by the Inlet every night. Labor Day is your last chance to see the spectacle, from 9 to 11 p.m.
Brown Box Theatre’s Hamlet (9/8 – 9/10): Free outdoor Shakespeare at Northside Park on the 8th and Sunset Park on the 10th. Fun for the whole family (especially if they find fun in murder and treason).
Brews on the Beach (9/9): This one’s a bit more geared toward the adult crowd, but the oldest craft beer festival in Ocean City is taking place on September 9 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., right on the beach. Enjoy local beer, music and food.
Now that most schools in the region don’t start back up until after Labor Day (September 4), there’s all the more reason to bring the kids for one last hurrah on the beach.
How can I snag the best deals possible?
Plan your trip ahead of time and do some research–it’ll pay off in the end, literally. Our Ocean City forums are a good place to start. Locals and tourists post about their favorite places to eat, sleep and have fun, and a common topic that comes up time and time again is where to do these things on a shoestring budget. Whether you’re looking for a cheap restaurant or deals on mini golf, you can just choose your category and narrow down your results by searching key terms (i.e. “cheap,” “budget,” “save money”).
We also have discount gift certificates and guides like this one (sadly, some of those summer events have already passed, but it’s a helpful guide if you plan on coming back during the off-season–which, by the way, is another way to vacation cheaply during the colder months).
It’s not uncommon to see crowds of people donned in sunglasses walking the Ocean City boardwalk, but it is a little strange when almost every. person. there. has shades on. But Monday was an event and an occasion that no one wanted to miss, and that meant wearing protective eye gear, or else staring down into a cardboard box. The solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 was the first to span the lower United States in decades, and everyone in Ocean City was pretty psyched.
Our pictures
A friendly reminder from the Town of Ocean City. Not everyone came equipped with special filtered glasses… Those who didn’t used unconventional methods, like several pairs of sunglasses stacked together, to look at the sun. Or cereal boxes-turned-pinhole-projectors. This one was shared among strangers, which was a common theme on Monday: people coming together to share glasses or projectors, ooh-ing and aw-ing at the sky, united in a shared interest of the spectacular natural phenomenon. And the creativity of the pinhole projectors really knew no bounds.The sky was a pale blue-gray on Monday, but the filter placed over the lens of the camera turned the sky pitch black and colored the moon a glowing orange.
Your pictures
We asked readers to share their photos from the solar eclipse, and they didn’t let us down. Here’s just a few of the pictures that were submitted.
By Gina RuminskiBy Leesa Walker in Wallops, VirginiaBy Kristyn Rinaldi-Rodriguez at the 74th street beachBy Jenna Lynn Cottet in Seaford, DelawareBy Shelly Shirk, taken on a Canon with a solar filterBy Jessica-Angel Jones (In Frederick, Maryland, but still very cool!)Jeanna Homick looking at the eclipse from the deck of the Dunes Manor Hotel.
Probably the most popular animals to frequent the Ocean City region, dolphins are a favorite of both children and adults, capturing our hearts with their creaky door-sounding calls and magnificent leaps into the air. Here’s your place to learn more about the mammals that call our ocean home.
A glance at the Atlantic bottlenose
The dolphins that you’ll find off the coast of Delmarva are of the Atlantic bottlenose species. They travel in pods of approximately 10-30 members, which is why you’ll often see so many at once if you’re treated to a sighting while in Ocean City. These dolphins inhabit warm and temperate seas, so they’ll live anywhere except the Arctic and Antarctic Circle regions and will often travel south for the winter. They eat prey fish, which they hunt for in groups or individually by using echolocation, meaning they emit signals out into their environment and listen to the echoes of these signals to identify objects near them.
Bottlenose dolphins are majestic and highly intelligent creatures, and luckily for us, they’ve been known to spend their summers in Ocean City just as we do. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to swim with dolphins during your time in OC (unless you swim out about 200 feet into the ocean, but that’s not highly recommended). The Marine Mammal Act of 1972 prohibits swimming with dolphins in most states in order to protect the safety of humans and animals alike. However, there are plenty of opportunities here to at least look at the beautiful sea creatures–dolphin watching is a much-loved pastime of locals, tourists and animal lovers from far and wide.
Where’s the best spot to dolphin watch?
Generally, anywhere with a view of the ocean is a good place to look for dolphins. If that’s one of your priorities while in OC, definitely book yourself an oceanfront hotel room on an upper floor with a balcony view of the Atlantic. Several years ago, “whale/dolphin watching” was a thread on our forum, and a number of users shared where they were in Ocean City when they saw a pod of dolphins swim by. (Sadly, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever see a whale floating around–dolphin sightings are your best bet, and you might occasionally spot seals passing through as well.) Here’s what people had to say:
“I stayed at 116th Street last summer and I could see dolphins from my balcony just about every day.” –peteanddebbieward
“See dolphins in Assawoman Bay all the time. They follow the boat and jump the wakes.” –hapnstance
“One of the best views I ever had of dolphins was at The Frog Bar (I believe it was still OC Frogs at the time). I was having dinner with my folks there right around sunset in August, and a bunch of dolphins were making their way through the Inlet toward the Bay. They have binoculars at the bar for patrons to use, so we got really good views.” –Kds53098
“Frog Bar is great. I remember one time see a whole school of dolphins charging out of the inlet back to sea against an incoming tide. It was a sight to see, especially if you know how strong those tidal waters can be at the inlet.” –Ibo
A few tips
Here’s some of the advice that I can offer when it comes to seeking out dolphins:
Many OC visitors have reported seeing dolphins in the morning, but don’t wake up early for that reason alone–dolphins are active throughout the day and are just as likely to be spotted at noon or in the evening.
It’s also been said quite often that a ride on ocean-traversing speed boats like the Sea Rocket will inevitably lead to spotting a pod of dolphins.
Bring binoculars! Whether you’re on a condo balcony or out on the water, a pair of binoculars will help you get the best view.
On a personal note, I once went parasailing when I was about 9 years old, and while up in the sky I saw several dolphins swimming and jumping in the water beneath my feet. That’s definitely one of my most magical Ocean City memories.
Some people watch for dolphins as part of their job or volunteer duty. Every year, National Aquarium staff and volunteers take part in the Maryland Dolphin Count in order to identify dolphin populations, reproduction rates and ocean health. (Photo courtesy of the National Aquarium)
Fast facts
A few fun pieces of trivia about the dolphins that live in our waters.
The longest-living bottlenose dolphin in human care was named Nellie, and she lived to be 61 years old. (1953-2014)
Bottlenose dolphins have the second largest encephalization of any mammal on Earth–that’s amount of brain mass in relation to the total body mass–with humans possessing the largest. This contributes to their exceedingly high intelligence and emotional awareness.
The deepest dive for any dolphin to make was 300 feet deep and was accomplished by a U.S. Navy-trained dolphin named Tuffy.
If you frequent the Chesapeake Bay region, there’s an app called Chesapeake DolphinWatch that scientists encourage you to utilize. By using the app to mark the location of your Chesapeake Bay dolphin sighting, you’ll help scientists uncover what’s currently unknown, including how often dolphins come into the bay, how long they spend there and what areas of the Bay they frequent.
Here’s the real reason I swung by the Shugar Shack today: I had a coupon.
Well, that and I heard a rumor that they’re carrying Rise Up coffee. I take my caffeine very seriously, and Rise Up is the richest, most velvety coffee that’s ever washed over my tongue. So when I had a “Buy a coffee or a donut, get one free” coupon for what I believe is the only place on the island that sells Rise Up, I decided to give it a go.
Shugar Shack is a small, aptly named shack, that opened on the corner of Sunset Avenue and 27th Street in June. It opened its doors very suddenly to start selling sugar. As it turns out, that sugar is in three forms: yellow cake donuts, ice cream and the sugar that goes in your (deliciously smooth) Rise Up coffee.
The joint had three or so high tables pressed against the window with no chairs, and loads of floor space. Mulling over the menu, I quickly realized why: the place is a hit with families. At least three families descended on the Shugar Shack staff, each with about two kids, wanting to get them a sweet treat in a soft-serve cone. And let me tell you, they don’t skimp on the ice cream servings. I saw five-year-olds eating vanilla ice cream the size of their fists!
Yellow cake donuts are, y’know, Ocean City’s thing with the monopoly Fractured Prune has going on in town. Shugar Shack has a few standard items: Fruit nut with fruit loops, black and white sprinkles, the bacon bits. There’s a surprise item, the Kit Kat Donut with Kit Kats on it – possibly upping the ante for Prune’s Rollo-inspired donut?
What sets these guys apart is their unashamed venture into “gotta try that” dishes that read as something you’ll probably see on Man vs. Food someday. There’s their signature Shugar Tower, where you pick a signature donut or customize one and smother it in ice cream. There’s the breakfast sandwich with traditional protein like cheese, sausage and fried egg, but with donuts as the bread.
Then they go extreme with the protein options: Shugar Burger (self-explanatory), Chicken and Waffle Donut (which is a donut glazed like a waffle) and Shugar Chicken Sandwich (the meat isn’t friend in this one). All three sandwiches are under $10, which is shocking given Ocean City’s reputation for going big on food prices.
Key Lime donut
In the end, I settled for the donut of the day, Key Lime and a large self-serve dose of Rise Up. The donut itself didn’t look appealing, but hey, it was free compared to the regular price of $2 plus tax. I felt a little claustrophobic with the cranky kids and parents packing the room, so I thought I’d walk and eat. Turns out, Shugar Shack has a nice outside seating area, which includes three benches under the sign.
After I sat down, I bit into the soft donut and the tanginess of the key lime glaze stuck to my lips. The donut was lighter than I expected a yellow cake donut to be, and the graham cracker dusting paired well to give me the illusion I was enjoying a slice of key lime pie. This version might have more calories though.
Watch your back, Fractured Prune, there’s a new donut shop on the block that does it better than you. What gives its edge is the challenge food that’ll give it a name – and Rise Up self-serve coffee. Never underestimate a good cup of joe.
The mural that’s bringing history and color to the side of the Berlin Visitor’s Center is well underway and deep into its third phase, thanks to a day spent painting at the summer’s annual Peach Festival.
Stephanie Fowler, owner of Saltwater Media and secretary of the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee, wants the mural to be a chance for the entire community to come together and make their mark on a beautiful piece of Berlin culture.
“We’ve had kids at the local schools, town officials, tourists, business owners, all sorts of different people coming to put paint on it,” Fowler said. “So when these murals go up, it’s been a participatory kind of vibe from everyone in the town. We wanted the town to be part of the art. We wanted that community feel to the mural.”
The man behind the mural
Artist John Donato (in the paint-splattered overalls) works with visitors at the Peach Festival to bring panel three of the mural to life. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Fowler.
When the mural is finished, it will consist of five or six PVC panels mounted to the outside wall of the Visitor’s Center, panels that can be detached and reattached as needed to preserve the artwork. The first panel, or the first phase of the project, was painted by students at Buckingham Elementary School, who had a lesson in local history before taking to the panel to paint books about peaches, dairy farming and other key components of Berlin culture.
The second phase involved kids, parents and counselors from the Worcester County Youth and Family Services, and the third was started at the Peach Festival on August 5. Mural artist John Donato, who is based out of Ocean View, DE, has been the mastermind behind the project. While the entire community is involved in the mural’s painting, it’s Donato who comes up with the overall design and outline, assists painters and puts the finishing touches on each panel.
“I don’t want to say it’s Paint by Numbers, but he basically gives a rough sketch of how it’s going to be, and then when the people come, he says, ‘take a paintbrush, pick a color, and do something in this area,'” Fowler said. “So he’ll have an outline of a book and then somebody can just paint into that. Once there’s enough paint on the mural, he goes behind it and traces with black, fills it in, straightens it.”
“[John’s] murals are very fun, there’s a lot of stuff going on, every time I look at it I’m like, oh, look at this little detail,” Fowler said. “He’s really good at creating a mural that, every time you go up to it, you’re going to see something new.”Donato specializes in murals like this one that involve a community effort–as Fowler put it, it’s not that they just “got money, paid a guy and he painted a mural.” And while the artist might be from Ocean View, not Berlin, he said there’s a closeness between the towns on Delmarva that makes him feel like a local.
“They were looking for someone who did a lot of work with the community and somehow my name came to the top, and we seemed to be likely partners,” Donato said. “Part of the project I just became very involved with the schools, the culture, the events of Berlin, and over the course of time I came to understand the town from the perspective of someone who lives there.”
A communal affair
A painter fills in some of the lines drawn by Donato. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Fowler.
It’s not just Berlin residents and business owners who are invited to paint a piece of the mural, but tourists, even Berlin first-timers, are welcome to participate.
“When we were painting at the Peach Festival, there was a lady with her grandkids who said, ‘the next time we come to town, we’ll come visit and you’ll see your butterfly,'” Fowler said. “So it was like, here’s a kid who has no connection, but when she comes back to this area, she’ll be able to point to this moment and say, ‘oh, I remember doing that.'”
The Arts and Entertainment Committee has been fundraising within the community to pay for the expenses that come with the project, which includes painting materials, paying the artist and the PVC panels that can cost up to $6,000 each. The project has received money from the town, Worcester County Arts and private donors, but because they partially rely on fundraising and grants, the project’s end date is tentative.
“The mural is definitely a working project, it’s a labor of love and we’re doing it piece by piece, but we’re absolutely committed to the full thing,” Fowler said.
So far, the pieces from the mural have reflected Berlin’s history, popular events and culture. The panels will continue to travel to local events and landmarks, and what themes emerge is partially dependent on where the panel is being painted and who it’s being painted by.
“Because we’re adding new elements every time we paint a phase, we don’t know who the players are going to be,” Donato said. “We try to reach out to more people as we go along.”
The detachable element of the panels is essential to making the artwork accessible to the entire community.
“What’s cool is the panels are portable,” Fowler said. “So we can take it to the Peach Festival, we can take it to the Germantown School or the art room at Buckingham. Because it’s a panel, we can get more community involvement because we can take it to where the people are. I don’t know what we have in the works for panel four, we might have more events like bluegrass or different things.”
Margaret Tossey of Wooden Octopus and Helen Wiley of the Church Mouse are just two community members who came out to paint during the Peach Festival. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Fowler.
What’s next
On September 16, a panel of the mural will travel to Berlin’s historic Germantown School Community Heritage Center, a museum and community center that was once a schoolhouse for African American students in the early 20th century. At the event, there will be a potluck, musical entertainment and, of course, plenty of painting.
While the panels have started to take on a seasonal theme, it’s likely that the upcoming phases will present more information on the town of Berlin’s formation and history.
“We take it as we go, but there is the theme of spring, summer, fall, winter and we’re in sort of the fall area now,” Donato said. “Since the Germantown School is involved in this one…there’s a lot of history about how this school changed hands and how it’s developed in the community.”
For locals and tourists alike, the mural is an educational opportunity that will ultimately present historical and cultural information that’s not totally well-known within the community. While each panel inevitably takes on a life of its own, they’ll all be united in that they present the town’s history, emphasized by Donato’s colorful and fun style of painting.
“Berlin is a really special project because it is truly a community mural,” Donato said. “If you had to think of everything in a true community mural, the schools, the churches, the local leaders, the local businesses are all involved. Berlin definitely captures all of that.”
There’s nothing wrong with cover bands. Except, maybe, the sheer number of them that exist in Ocean City. Which is totally fine if you’re a diehard lover of classic rock and jam bands–maybe that’s why you visit/moved here in the first place?–but if you’re someone who frequents the Delmarva region and loves seeing original, local artists, it often seems like the only way to fulfill your musical needs is to know a guy who hosts shows out of his house, or to buy tickets months in advance to see big-name groups like the Beach Boys at the Convention Center.
If that’s a problem you face, then Originals Only might just be the answer to your prayers. Once a month, musical mavericks ranging from acoustic soloists to one-man noise bands set up their gear in the 94th street Center for the Arts’ Rina & Jeff Thaler Gallery and play to an audience of locals, tourists and fellow musicians who sit on fold-out chairs, sip coffee and bask in the local talent.
OC native Elijah Llinas initially brought the idea to the Art League just over a year ago, but since LLinas moved to Baltimore, musician Dylan Jones has been running the shows.
“It’s still growing,” Jones said. “I have a lot of people emailing me, people thanking me, because there’s people who write music who are tired with doing the cover band thing, and they don’t have a lot of outlets in Ocean City.”
Again, nothing against cover bands–one of the musicians playing Saturday night’s show plays in a 50’s and 60’s cover group when he’s not making his own music–but Originals Only hosts a variety of genres, and they’re pretty much open to anything.
If you’ve never heard of Originals Only, don’t be sad. It’s still a relatively small function, having only celebrated its one-year anniversary this past Saturday, and Jones assumes that the audience mostly consists of locals (especially, presumably, in the off-season). Plus, since the line-up changes from month to month–there’s usually four acts that each play a half-hour set–you can’t always please everyone.
“[People are] shocked sometimes. It’s always hit or miss with the more shocking acts, they either really love it or I have seen people walk out. Some of my friends walked out on me once, last show.”
Jones himself performs under the name Dungeons and Rabbits, and he describes his music as “trying to emulate the sound of a band, a live metal band, a hard rock band, using just a banjo and my mouth for beatboxing and a bunch of pedals.” Elijah Llinas, the original Original Only, plays folk punk under the name Human Kitten. Again, there’s a lot of variety.
Here’s a taste of the music that was played on Saturday, August 5, at “Originals Only Presents: A Year of Original Music.”
Moya – just a boy, an amp and an electric guitar. Moya dabbles in basically every genre, but on Saturday he played mostly lo-fi spooky sounds and rockabilly, some songs accompanied by his own vocals and some simply instrumentals. (I’m going to break the fourth wall for a second and say that while I think Moya is an incredible talent, he’s also a photographer and videographer at OceanCity.com. And I live with him. So take my opinion with a large grain of salt.)
Lily Carolina – this was her first time playing Originals Only–in fact, she said that it was her first time playing in front of any audience at all–and she killed it. She has a beautiful voice, a cool ukulele and songs about the nine months she recently spent alone in Costa Rica.
Emily Foot – Emily transitioned from a synth keyboard to an acoustic guitar midway through her set, and the versatility worked. I think the most memorable song she performed was about a Halloween party, where “my boyfriend went as Your Mom and I accidentally dressed up as Kylie Jenner.”
Garfield Parkway – “Garfield” plays in a local Delaware band called Touron, but on Saturday he was performing alone with an acoustic guitar. He played a few Touron songs and then some original indie punk songs of his own.
Lily Carolina on the ukulele Saturday night (plus the back of Moya’s head).
If you’re upset that you missed out on the August show, take solace in the fact that another Originals Only show is only ever a month away. Doors open at 6 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month, so the next show will be on September 2.
“Traveling, being a musician is hard and the only way to make money is to be poor, living in your van traveling around,” Jones said. “Getting exposure here, no matter how big it is, we’re just happy to have an outlet. That’s the biggest thing.”
You’ve probably been hearing a lot of buzz about the solar eclipse that will be gracing the skies over Ocean City this coming Monday. It’ll definitely be a cool sight–a solar eclipse happens during the New Moon, when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth and blocks out the sun, and this one will darken the skies all the way from Oregon to South Carolina. Approximately two solar eclipses occur each calendar year, but visibility differs from location to location. The upcoming August 21 eclipse will be the first total solar eclipse that’s visible throughout the United States since 1979, so cross your fingers that the skies are clear and the weather is mild on Monday.
Approximate eclipse times
The first contact between the moon and sun will occur at about 1:22 p.m. The peak of the eclipse, when the sun is fully blocked, will occur at 2:47 p.m. Last contact will be at 4:05 p.m.
Best places to watch
Some of the locations below will be giving away pairs of protective glasses, which you’ll want to make sure you have before staring straight into the sun. It’s only safe to view the eclipse with the naked eye during totality, when the sun is completely obscured by the moon (and it’s not likely you’ll see the eclipse in totality from Ocean City). However, you will most definitely need to protect your eyes during the partial eclipse–even when the sun is partially covered by the moon, staring directly at it can lead to serious eye damage or blindness. Stay safe!
Join the party at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility’s Visitor Center and see an 81.5% partial eclipse from the island. Those who take part will receive free glasses for safe viewing, and can take part in solar-themed activities and movie watching. They’ll also be streaming the NASA TV live broadcast from 1 – 4 p.m, which will feature NASA experts along the path of totality and live feeds from NASA aircraft, balloons and the International Space Station
Ocean City library
Come party at the library before you go out to look at the sky. The Ocean City Library and the Pocomoke Library will both be offering eclipse-related snacks and crafts, as well as safety glasses available on a first come, first served basis.
Out on Assateague, you’ll be able to totally immerse yourself in the outdoors and lose yourself in the picturesque moment. Park officials will be handing out glasses and there will also be an exhibit at the park’s Nature Nook.
Visitors are invited to congregate at the Salisbury Plaza or the nearby parking garage at this free event, where glasses will be distributed to onlookers.
Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce
RSVP and receive free glasses courtesy of Avery Hall Insurance–just RSVP beforehand.
Optimizing the experience
Pro tip: if you’ve got binoculars, bring ’em. As the eclipse nears totality, you’ll be able to see the solar corona: the sun’s outer atmosphere which, when the sun is covered by the moon, radiates outward. With binoculars, you might even be able to see magnetic energy and filaments of plasma that resemble ropes in the corona.
Don’t have binoculars or a pair of safety glasses? Try making your own pinhole projector.
You might have found yourself a bit baffled the last time you drove down the Route 50 bridge into Ocean City and saw, out in the water by 3rd street, an enormous 17th century Spanish ship. El Galeon is a replica of a 17th century ship called a galleon, a popular sailing vessel in Spain from the 15th to 17th century, first used for war and later for trade.
If you’ve been in Ocean City sometime in the late summer during the past three years, you might already be familiar with El Galeon–otherwise, it might be a sort of imposing mystery. But once you walk the decks of the big and beautiful ship, the mystery unravels as you read all about the purpose and history of the giant sea craft. Exploring a vessel that’s over 150 feet and resembles an old pirate ship is certainly a unique experience in Ocean City, and one that you’ll want to take advantage of soon–El Galeon is only in town until August 27, and after that you’ll have to wait until it (hopefully!) returns next year.
See the photos below for more information about OC’s favorite touring replica ship.
First, just a glimpse of the vessel’s history: the construction of El Galeon was completed in 2010 by the Nao Victoria Foundation in Huelva, Spain. Since 2010, it’s traveled to four different continents and has sailed across the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Southern China Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Bosporus Strait and the Caribbean Sea. El Galeon is always on the move, and has covered over 50,000 nautical miles.This is the main deck of the ship. Galleons like this one were exceptionally innovative for their time, designed to cross the oceans as efficiently as possible and carry anywhere from 500 to 1,200 tons. Until the mid-17th century, no shipbuilder was allowed to leave Spain for fear they would teach the craft to other nations. Second Officer Francisco Serrano hails from Barcelona, but his summers are spent traversing international waters on El Galeon. “This is the third time it’s been in Ocean City,” Serrano said. “By the end of the summer we come here and then usually during the winters we go down to Savannah before we jump to Puerto Rico…Because there’s no season for us in the winter up here on the East Coast, in the states. So we go down there, it’s a nice place to be.”El Galeon has two lower levels, the first of which is equipped with 10 cannons. This is also where you’ll find plaques depicting life on the ships and their centuries-old histories, and down another flight of stairs is a small theater. Once El Galeon leaves Ocean City, it’ll head to Kingston, New York for a 9-day stop before retiring to San Juan, Puerto Rico to spend the colder months. Many of its summers have been spent touring up and down the coast of North and South America, so it’s likely that the ship will be back again next year.
As strange as it may seem in this seller’s market, there are still short sales and foreclosures lingering on the edge of our swiftly moving market. It seems as if some sellers are still laboring under the cost of homeownership. In addition, some lenders have held back properties that were acquired after the market crash in 2009 from the active sales market. The foreclosures for this year, according to USA Today, shows Maryland was the second highest number for foreclosures in the country. In March 2017, one out of every 820 housing units were foreclosed on in Maryland.
Therefore the slow drip of foreclosure properties continues, with a short sale also appearing from time to time. The general conclusion regarding the foreclosures; the lenders are slowly introducing them into the market to help control, and prevent, another down turn in the market (a downturn that foreclosures and short sales could cause with their lower sales prices). AOL finance reports; (this is) “what’s known as the “shadow REO” inventory: repossessed homes across the country that banks or investors often purposely keep off the market. The practice isn’t a secret, and refraining from dumping a large inventory of foreclosures on the market helps to keep home prices from crashing.”
Regarding short sales, even though the market has improved greatly (after the market crash of 2009), many properties have not yet reached their original value (the value attained just before the drop). This scenario leaves the seller with few options, if they are unable to clear their mortgage with the amount of funds recognized in a sale of their property.
The short sale process is a method to provide relief for financially stressed sellers, especially those sellers that bought at the height of the sales market and are upside down, with their mortgage being more than the value of the property. In a short sale, the process is designed so sellers are forgiven the difference between the sales price of a property and the amount still owed on the mortgage. Sellers are usually given a 1099 from the lender for that difference. Although a short sale will cause a blemish on the seller’s credit, it isn’t as harmful as a foreclosure would be.
For buyers, Amazing possibilities exist with short sales and foreclosures alike, since a property may be purchased at a drastically reduced price, frequently way below market value. Keep in mind, at times, properties owned by stressed sellers may require work, from minor TLC requirements to larger issues that need to be addressed.
Currently there are five short sales, 33 bank owned properties, six rent-to-own properties, eight government properties and three pre-foreclosure listings for sale in Ocean City alone.
In Worcester County (outside of Ocean City) there are 13 properties on the market as short sales, 30 bank owned (foreclosure) properties available, one rent to own, four properties that are government owned and one is to be auctioned.
Although the number of short sales, and foreclosures, have dwindled between 2011 and today, there are still some great deals to be found. You may want to discuss the value of these properties and possible future acquisitions with your local REALTOR
There are several watersport rental shops out on the bay, but only one has won OceanCity.com’s award for Best Jet Skiing four years in a row.
With so much competition in the area, Odyssea Watersports, out on 50th street right next to Seacrets, had got to be doing something right. In addition to jet skis, the small, family-owned business also offers pontoon boat rentals, stand-up paddle board rentals, nighttime paddle board tours and kayaks. They even have their own private beach on-site, which makes it easy for the amateur adventurer to climb onto their jet ski or paddle board.
Odyssea owner Ron Croker has been running the business with his family for 20 years.
“We’ve been in business since 1997. We’ve got a good reputation and we really appreciate all the support we’ve gotten from you guys over the years,” Croker said of Odyssea’s loyal customers.
Here are a few fast facts about the award-winning local business.
Ron owns the business with his daughter Melissa Croker Clemens.
20 years ago, when Ron figured his kids Melissa and Timmy were old enough to help operate the family business, he quit his 9-5 job in order to start Odyssea with Melissa, Timmy and his wife Sheila.
Initially, the only four employees were the Crokers themselves, and they only had eight jet skis to their name.
Today, they’ve expanded to two locations with 26 employees and 37 jet skis, and they’ve incorporated a variety of other water activities into the business.
The Poor Girls Open is coming back to Ocean City for its 25th year, and you’re not going to want to miss it.
What is the Poor Girls Open?
Simply put, the Poor Girls Open is a fishing tournament that’s open to women only. It usually happens the week after the White Marlin Open, but while the White Marlin tournament is the largest billfish tournament in the world, the Poor Girls Open isn’t overshadowed–it’s a unique and competitive tourney in its own right. This year the competition runs August 16-18.
Fishing for a cause
In 1994, the late Captain Steve Harman founded the tournament so the local resort staff–bartenders, servers and hotel employees–could afford to participate. Hence the name “Poor Girls Open.” But not only is the tournament inexpensive and female-friendly, it also raises money for breast cancer research, as Harman’s wife battled the disease. Today the competition is run by Steve’s brother, Sean Harman, and Nancy Dofflemyer, co-founder of the Pink Ribbon Classic at the Beach. While the billfishing tournament is as competitive as any other, many of the women who participate know someone who has battled breast cancer or are survivors themselves, and they fish to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.
A look back four years ago: The Harman family and organizers of the 21st annual Capt. Steve Harman’s Poor Girls Open ladies-only tournament present a check for $65,000 to American Cancer Society representatives. Proceeds are earmarked for breast cancer research and program development under the “Pink Ribbon Classic” — a series of local events that benefit the organization.
How can I compete?
Fill out Bahia Marina’s entry form right here. Fish from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday after departing from Ocean City, Indian River, the Delaware Inlet or the Chincoteague Inlet. A boat with up to three anglers costs $450, with an added $50 a person for up to three additional anglers.
The catch-and-release tournament awards points for billfish releases, and fish are weighed every afternoon at the Bahia Marina. With a total of 747 anglers participating, last year’s total payout reached $192,035. This year, it’s probable that the payout will reach the 200,000s.
Over 100 boats participate, and that number only increases with each passing year. In the past three years, the Poor Girls Open has raised over $100,000 for the American Cancer Society through participating anglers, silent auctions, 50/50 tickets and t-shirt sales.
Chincoteague is a bit of a drive for a day trip–about an hour from Ocean City–but if you’re able to set aside the time, Chincoteague is an incredible little island with so much to explore. If you’ve been to Maryland’s Assateague Island National Seashore, the island of Chincoteague leads to Virginia’s section of Assateague that’s similarly rife with beach, nature trails and a view of the famous wild ponies. But Chincoteague isn’t just an island–it’s an entire town. On your way to the beach you’ll pass quaint restaurants and shops, lodging, houses and museums, which is why so many tourists come to Delmarva just for the tiny, charming beach gateway
BL and I trekked out to the town on an overcast Sunday morning and spent much of the day hoping that the sun would come out. It didn’t. (Until we got home, of course.) Still, there was a healthy amount of visitors basking on the not-sunny-but-still-warm beach and shopping on Main Street, and Chincoteague is a fun place to spend the day rain or shine. Below are a few pictures from our adventure, featuring several places of interest that I recommend any visitor stop to check out. Just remember to bring bug spray! We found out the hard way that the mosquitoes will be in attack mode no matter what the sky looks like.
Lunch was the first item on our agenda, so we stopped at Maria’s on the way to the beach for salads, calzones and coffee. Next up was a trip to the Assateague Lighthouse. A short walking trail leads to the 142 ft. structure, which was first used in 1867 and remains active today. If you can make the walk up the narrow, intimidatingly tall spiral staircase, do it! The view will be worth it……Even on a cloudy day. The top of the lighthouse is accessible to visitors seven days a week from June to September (and if you can’t make it to the top, there’s a few more pictures here). After exploring the lighthouse, we took shelter from the swarming mosquitoes at the Toms Cove Visitor Center. The Visitor Center has a Touch Tank, a small aquarium with creatures that guests can pick up and examine, including horseshoe crabs and conch shells that shelter a number of marine critters.Have you ever seen the underside of a horseshoe crab? Their bodies are like giant, wet spiders, kind of creepy but really cool. Beach-goers opted to submerge more than just their hands in the giant, outdoor touch tank.But we decided that the beach wasn’t for us on Sunday, so we went to a Chincoteague gift shop called the Brant instead. It’s guarded by a giant, beautiful, bikini-clad bear.They’ve got a huge selection of just about everything, and the option to build your own pony from scratch. The Brant sells seashells, but someone else had the brilliant idea to sell their seashells by the seashore. Don’t even ask me what her name was.
I dream of sushi constantly, and Ocean City has a healthy scene for it, considering we’re in one of the seafood capitals of the east coast! In fact, the rice and raw fish business is thriving on the island, as a new sushi joint opened its doors this summer. Here’s a look at five sushi restaurants in Ocean City, from high society spots for a fancy dates to take out locales you can go with friends.
Spider Roll at Blue Fish is another dish to try out on a sushi tour.
Blue Fish, 94th Street bayside.
Blue Fish is a lovely sit-down place – you’d never know that it used to be a drive-thru by looking inside. It’s a perfect place for either a night out with friends or an intimate date without breaking your piggy bank. Blue Fish has a impressive selection of sushi rolls, as well as Chinese food and thai dishes like drunken noodles and curry chicken. Customer service is their specialty, and wait staff has always proven to be attentive to me whenever I’m there, no matter how packed the place may be. Check out their monstrous tuna tower, or my favorites, the super roll and the Maryland roll topped with Old Bay.
OC Wasabi, 33rd Street
If you’re a high roller looking for premium fish and willing to pay for it, this is the place for you. OC Wasabi is the place for Ocean City’s well-to-do to get their sushi fix. I rave about their other dishes, namely the teriyaki and the fried rice, and their cocktails are prepared by Ocean City’s finest bartenders. Try a blueberry mojito while perusing the menu. There’s creative specialty rolls for sushi lovers to try, like the G-Money (yellowtail, smoked salmon and “G money sauce”) and the Big Germ Roll (shrimp, tuna, avocado, topped with fried banana). Take a walk on the wild side and your taste buds will thank you.
Sushi Café, 137th Street bayside
The newest joint on the block has only been here for two months, and already they’re killing it.
Sushi Café prides itself on being a traditional Japanese restaurant and preparing the dishes right in front of their guests. Their speciality is crab and tuna based rolls (a given with the Eastern Shore) like their Chesapeake, with ebi, avocado, and crab imperial with a wasabi mayo as a accent flavor. Another Ocean City darling at Sushi Cafe is jumbo lump crab with ebi drape and Old Bay. Into little bites? Try out the butterfly shrimp with spicy mayo to whet your appetite.
Ichiban and Cali Rolls at Tai-Ji at unbeatable prices.
Tai-Ji Sushi, 106 Baltimore Avenue
Tai-Ji Sushi is a hidden gem of Ocean City, but well-known among the locals for its amazing prices! After completing a menu-by-menu comparison, this place is the most affordable spot in Ocean City. The restaurant started out in Ocean Pines, but has built quite a following in the resort for their stellar presentation, friendly and attentive staff and fresh ingredients. The restaurant also offers all-you-can-eat sushi from $33.95, or you can call in a order for a quick bite. Highly recommend their trademark Tai-Ji Roll with shrimp tempura, cream cheese, and spicy crab meat or their Ocean Pines roll.
Rice House Bistro, West Ocean City
Looking for a quiet place to have a intimate dinner with a date? This is the place. How about a casual eatery? Look here. Rice House Bistro is large place divided up into two venues, one as a traditional sit-down, and the other styled like a bar. But no matter if you’re fancy or dressed down, the Rainbow Roll and White Tiger Rolls are refreshing dishes. This place also has a large menu, mixed with pasta, like udon or fettuccine, or scrumptious seafood dishes like shrimp with candied walnuts or chilean sea bass. Check out their Tuesday night specials!
How can you go on a summer vacation in Ocean City without spending a few hours catching crabs? Recreationally, you can catch up to a bushel per day, and if you’re just using a net, you don’t even need a crabbing license. With a little luck and a decent amount of patience, you can bring home enough crabs to feed the entire family–just make sure someone has the Old Bay.
How to crab
Here’s what you’ll need:
A net. Specifically, you’ll want either a crabbing net or a shrimping net with a pole that’s 3-5 feet long. Crabbing nets are recommended for beginners as they have larger holes and make it easier to remove the crabs once they’re caught, while shrimping nets have smaller holes and can be used to catch tinier fish and crustaceans.
Crab traps. These are usually a bit more expensive than the nets and will run about $15-25, but in my experience, they make crabbing just a little bit easier. You really only need one or the other, but using both a net and traps will increase your chances of bringing home a bushel. Just remember, to use traps, you need a crabbing license. No license is required if you’re using only dip nets.
Bait. Chicken works well. It’s recommended that you use fresh bait because crabs will be able to sniff out fresher meat, but we did just fine using old chicken found in the back of the fridge. More on that later.
String or twine. When you’re using a net, this is what you’ll tie to the bait to throw it in the water and bring it back up. We tied a long piece of twine around a drumstick, waited 5-10 minutes and then gently brought it to the water’s surface. You should be ready with the net (better yet, your partner should be ready with it) as you draw the bait up so you can scoop the crab up quickly, before it jumps back into the water.
As for the traps, those will also need to be lowered into the water with some kind of string or rope. Ours was rigged so that the doors were open when they were underwater, but when we pulled up on the rope, the doors closed and trapped the crab(s) inside. The chicken was also tied with string to the bars of the trap so it wouldn’t float away.
A bucket. If you’re not releasing the crabs back into the water, you’ll have to keep ’em somewhere.
A ruler. If your hard crab isn’t five inches across, you’ll have to throw it back in the water.
I also recommend you bring along a partner or two, as it makes catching crabs in the net a lot easier and the experience more fun overall. A timer’s also helpful, even if it’s just on your phone. We waited and checked on our traps and bait every 10 minutes.
Staking out a spot at the end of the pier.
When to crab
During crabbing season, of course! May is a good time, and crabs tend to be most active during the summer months. Some also say that September is a safe time to go crabbing because crabs spawn during the summer and take 1-1.5 years to reach maturity, so early fall is when they would be at their meatiest.
You can crab year-round (just not in Maryland), but your luck probably won’t be as good when it’s colder outside. Crabs thrive in warm water and when the water is cold, they tend to hide in the mud rather than swim around.
Maryland’s crabbing season is April 1 to December 31.
Here’s BL setting up one of the two traps we put out. We used old chicken that he found in the back of a family member’s fridge, and while there’s no telling how long it had been there, the skin felt like paper mâché. It’s recommended that you use fresh bait when crabbing, but we didn’t have any problems using decades-old drumsticks.
Where to crab
Your best bet is to crab bayside–the Assawoman Bay, Sinepuxent Bay and Indian River Bay are popular crabbing locations. We set up shop off a pier over the Assawoman Bay, but you’ll also be able to crab off a dock or a boat.
Wherever you decide to test your crabbing skills, take a look at the location’s tide chart before you go out. The best time to catch crabs is when the tide is incoming, which is near and after high tide.
The bucket was only there for photo-taking purposes, I promise. You can tell the crab on its back is adolescent female because of her triangle-shaped apron and red-tipped claws.
Some rules to follow
Legally, you can only catch one bushel of hard crabs per day for personal consumption. If you’re on a boat, only up to two bushels can be caught per day, regardless of how many people are on the boat.
You don’t need a license if you’re crabbing with dip nets or handlines, but you do need a Maryland recreational crabbing license to use trotlines, collapsible crab traps, net rings and seines.
Size requirements: from April 1 to July 14, hard crabs must be at least 5 inches across from the tips of their spikes. After July 14, the minimum size increases to 5 1/4 inches. Male peeler crabs must be 3 1/4 inches across, and 3 1/2 inches after July 14. Soft crabs must always be at least 3 1/2 inches.
Do not keep the female crabs! To tell male blue crabs from females, look at their claws: males’ are bright blue, while females’ have red tips. (It might help to remember that “female crabs wear red nail polish.”) Males also have long, pointy “aprons” on their undersides, while female aprons are rounded (and adolescent females’ are triangle shaped).
It was a beautiful day, and it wasn’t long before we were joined by a family out to catch crabs of their own.
Crabbing off the pier
My camera-equipped partner BL and I set up our equipment off a pier in Ocean Pines on a sunny Thursday afternoon. We had no intent of keeping the crabs we caught (most of them were too small, anyway), but I hope to someday bring home a bushel to cook for dinner. When I do, I’ll be sure to make my own guide to cooking crabs–but for now, here’s just a few pictures from our catch-and-release experience.
Admittedly, I was glad to see these guys tossed back into the water. Seeing them squirm around in the trap is just a little bit heartbreaking (and this one’s a female, anyway).
(If you enjoy eating crabs more than you enjoy catching them, here’s a handy little guide to choose where to get them from.)
