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.)
The beach can be a very safe place if you take the time to understand sand and water safety. Many misconceptions about beach safety exist and contribute to one of the biggest factors behind people getting into trouble: fear. If you understand the ocean-and-beach basics, like how currents work and how to take proper precaution before jumping in, it’s easy to safely enjoy the beach. When you don’t have a proper understanding of beach safety and water safety, fear and panic can take over and jeopardize your safety. Following basic safety rules on land and in the water makes the beach a safer place for everyone.
Beach Patrol
Tasked with keeping our beaches and ocean safe, the Ocean City Beach Patrol is one of the most integral entities in Ocean City. The Beach Patrol is comprised of young men and women who vigorously train under the tutelage of veteran leaders to ensure swimmers and beach goers stay safe at all times. The OCBP is broken up into 17 individual crews, each of which operates as a team to man the 5 or 6 lifeguard stands on its assigned beach, with the crew chief stand located in the center. Read more…
Sand safety
Yes, sand safety is a thing! To most people, fear of the beach revolves around the ocean–being swept away by a current, attacked by a shark or pulled underwater by the Creature from the Black Lagoon. But being reckless in the sand can also result in some very dangerous and very real situations.
In July 2017, a beach goer fell into a deep hole that someone had previously dug in the sand and died from asphyxiation after the sand caved in and suffocated her. Do not dig deep holes on the beach. Drowning in the sand is tragic, but not unheard of–in the last 10 years, at least 31 people have died from similarly concave holes dug on the beach. Here are some of Ocean City’s hole-digging rules to take note of:
You can dig holes on the beach, but they can only take up a small area. They can be no deeper than the knees of the smallest person in your group.
Tunneling is not allowed.
Do not leave your hole unattended, and fill it back in before leaving the beach.
Also, if you plan on taking a stroll on the beach at night, don’t go alone. Even if you’re exceptionally careful, it’s best to have a partner who can call for help in case something happens.
Ocean safety
Regarding ocean safety, your foremost thought might be, what are my chances of getting attacked by a shark?Read more…
A more common danger that ocean swimmers face, however, is the threat of strong currents in the water. The most common-known but misunderstood current is the rip current, which flows away from the shore and can sweep away unsuspecting swimmers with it. It’s important to be aware of currents like these before you venture out too deep in the ocean so you can avoid them or, in a worst-case scenario, make it out of one alive and unscathed. Read more…
Here are a few more tips from the American Red Cross to help you and your family stay safe in the water.
Swim in areas that are supervised by lifeguards. The Ocean City Beach Patrol is on duty every day in the summer from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Swim with a buddy. The more populated a section of the ocean is, the better.
Know how to swim–at the very least, practice treading water and doggy paddling before taking to the ocean.
Never leave a child unattended near the water.
Have young children and inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water.
Avoid alcohol use before swimming.
Ocean City safety rules
Here are Ocean City’s beach rules that specifically pertain to staying safe in the sand and surf. Other regulations regarding city ordinances and surfing are listed online, in addition to more helpful tips about staying protected from rip currents.
Only swim when lifeguards are on duty. (Again, that’s 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
Always check with a lifeguard regarding beach and ocean conditions.
Never dive into unknown water or shallow breaking waves.
Do not ride waves that are breaking in shallow water or on the beach.
Do not swim near fishing piers, rock jetties or wooden pilings.
Rely on your swimming ability rather than a flotation device (being equipped with both is a plus).
Remember: Keep your feet in the sand until the lifeguard’s in the stand!
The Angler experience makes me want to use words like “discovered” and “underrated” because the feel is so laid back. In reality, the iconic Ocean City bar is beyond being discovered by anyone. Most of us know where it is and what it is all about. Similarly, too many people talk about how awesome a place it is for it to be considered underrated, but what I’m looking to get at here are the whys.
Why, when you’re in the middle of a crowd in one of the most populated areas of Ocean City,do you get this vibe of quiet and discovery? Why do you leave feeling as if the experience was better than you expected it to be, even though you went in with pretty high hopes? My working theory is that the Angler has such a particular ambience (vibe?) that it feels as if it’s your regular place right from the first time you walk through the doors.
There’s plenty to see out on the deck at the Angler.
Great views at the Angler
One of the distraction attractions is that, since it is so close to a working harbor, it is easy to forget you’re at a bar and restaurant. In fact, the Angler is part of the working harbor, sending out a fishing boat each morning that returns in the afternoon. I feel as if that has to be part of it. A lot of times on vacation, you’re getting away from the idea of work. At the Angler, it is clear that there is real work being done by real people every day.
In addition to regular fishing trips, the Angler has nature trips out into the bays and ocean.
Take a good hard look
The other thing it is easy to forget is that the ocean is a real thing. I know it’s pat to say, but it also is worth repeating that the ocean doesn’t know that it is an attraction. It doesn’t know anything, it just is. And the creatures in it just are, and the creatures that fly above it just are. They’re doing their thing and we get to see it, if we venture out. In addition to their regular menu, the Angler has three sightseeing trips each night that allow participants to get a different perspective on the bay. Yes there often are dolphins and the occasional school of fish or even skates, but there also are views of Assateague, close encounters with Seahawk nests and, most critically, a view of the land from the sea that really puts the massive ocean and the tiny island of Ocean City into sharp relief.
Full size Jenga is just one of the many diversions in the Angler harborside bar.
Enjoying an afternoon at the bar
I really enjoy what I’ll call a 3 p.m. bar. I’m a grownup and have very little to prove. I’ve learned that there’s nothing wrong with an afternoon at the bar, followed by a nap, a night out and a trip back to the bar. If you go to the Angler at 3 p.m. during the shoulder season (September, October, May and June) you will be one of maybe 50 or so people enjoying the experience of having enough space to stretch out. People come and go, visiting one of the boat rides (parasailing, jet skis, etc.)or just generally wandering though the marina. It’s like a show on a television you aren’t in charge of. You can watch or not, but it provides a kind of background noise that can takes up only the amount of attention you’re willing to devote.
More evenings than not, there’s a band booked at the Angler and if you’re not familiar with the experience of catching a live band on the water you totally are missing out. Letting the breeze keep you cool, letting the staff keep you glass full and letting some of the most talented musicians in the region keep you entertained is really one of the best ways to spend a late summer’s evening.
The condo/townhouse market in Ocean City has been extraordinarily active! The demand is slowly becoming greater than the number of available properties. At this time in there are only 646 active condo/townhouse listings in all of Ocean City compared to 1,038 available properties as of July 28, 2016 and 1,250 active on the same date in 2015. This shows a reduction of 48% in active inventory in the last two years.
WORCESTER COUNTY – Condo/Townhomes
Taking the entire county under review, currently there are 679 active listings for condo/townhomes in all of Worcester County compared to 871 that were active on July 28, 2016, and 998 that were active on the same day is 2015. These statistics indicate a 31% reduction in available condos for sale between 2015 and today’s date, decidedly pointing to a definite seller’s market.
Looking at condo/townhouses, County wide, in the sold category, there have been 776 units sold so far in 2017 with an average sold price of $276,298. These numbers may be compared to 627 condo/townhomes sold in Worcester County for the same dates (January 1 – July 28, 2016) with the average sold price of $265,340 . Showing a 23.7% increase in the number of condo/townhouses sold from 2016 to 2017.
The average sold price for these same condo/townhouse properties in Worcester County was $276,298 in 2017 vs $265,340 in 2016, and $268,829 in 2015. Proving the prices have increased as well as the number of units sold, thereby showing a modest 3% trend in increasing property values.
WORCESTER COUNTY –SFH (Single family homes)
Single family homes in Worcester County shows a slightly tighter market with a meager 426 currently active listings. Regarding the sold SFH properties, 508 have sold so far this year with an average sold price of $281,502. Comparing this statistic to 2016, there were 549 active listings on July 28, 2016, and 497 homes had sold, for an average sold price of $279,768. For comparison purposes, there were 673 active homes as of July 28, 2015 with 472 sold at an average of $255,617. This indicates an increase of 5% in homes that were sold from 2015 to 2017. The average price of the sold SFH shows a property value increase of 10% between 2015-2017.
While property owners may be encouraged by the tide of available buyers, frequently the most prominent question on a seller’s minds is; what is the best time to list a property on the MLS (multiple listing service). In looking back over monthly statistics from January 1, 2013 until June 30, 2017, the statistics show higher sale volumes each year between March –June and September -October. Collectively, over the years, March shows the least number of sales of the three best months at 276 SFH sold and 388 condo/townhouses sold. The month of April has brought 393 SFH sales and 518 condo/townhome sales. The sales was strongest in May (within those years) totaling 361 SFH sold and condo/townhomes at 624. June sales were slightly lower with a sales total of 406 SFH and 519 condo/townhomes. Keep in mind potential buyers will search and view properties in advance of settlement. A formulation of an offer frequently occurs 30-90 days prior to settlement.
The least productive months for settled properties proved to be July – August, and November-February with January showing the lowest number of settled properties at 213 SFH and 221 Condo/townhouse sales.
With September fast approaching, indicating the next sales season is nearly upon us, I would recommend anyone interested in listing their property (on the sales market) to contact their local REALTOR now to possibly catch the September to October potential buyers.
If you’re familiar at all with the Atlantic Ocean and its ecosystem, you probably already know a little about horseshoe crabs. At the very least, you know that they exist and that they have quite the presence on Delmarva. They’re in the ocean and around the shoreline, and when you peer into a shallow bay, you’re likely to find at least a few floating around. They’re far from the Maryland blue crabs that taste delicious with Old Bay and a side of melted butter, so what exactly are horseshoe crabs, and why do they look so weird?
Horseshoe crabs at a glance
The invertebrates are often referred to as “living fossils” because they’re super old and at a glance appear to be untouched by evolution. In fact, one species of horseshoe crab (the Lunataspis aurora) that was discovered in 2008 first walked the Earth’s shores about 445 million years ago.
Of course, like all living creatures, the horseshoe crab has evolved over time–it’s just continued to look almost the same as its hundred-million-year-old ancestors. Their solid, curved shells have worked hard over the years to defend them from predators, providing a sort of helmet of protection over their soft and sensitive undersides. The crabs have also been able to survive for so long because they can endure extreme temperatures and salinity, and because they can live for up to a year without food.
Why don’t they look like other crabs?
Because they’re not really crabs. “Horseshoe crab” is a very misleading name for the animal. Not only are they not really crabs, but they’re not even crustaceans! They’re classified by scientists as chelicerates, a subphylum that also includes arachnids, which means that the horseshoe crab has more in common with a spider than it does with a Maryland blue crab. The horseshoe crab, like land spiders and scorpions, has two main segments of its body and pincer-like claws called chelicerae.
Where can I find one?
Anywhere in Ocean City where there’s a natural body of water is a good place to start looking. There are four species of horseshoe crabs, and the one that we usually see is the Limulus polyphemus, a species that lives along the western shores of the Atlantic and is most commonly found in the Delaware bay region.
In fact, most of them gather in the Delaware Bay during the early summer months to partake in their mating ritual. Male horseshoe crabs wait along the water’s edge for female crabs to arrive and bury their eggs in holes for the males to fertilize. Sadly, many of these eggs will never hatch, as many animals including fish, birds and sea turtles depend on the eggs for food. Only about 10 in 90,000 of a mother crab’s eggs will reach adulthood, but that’s only because the horseshoe crab and its eggs are so essential to the local ecosystem.
Fun facts
You might not expect it just by looking at them, but horseshoe crabs are weird. Here are just a few fast facts that exemplify what strange creatures they really are.
Their tails don’t sting, although many people assume they do. They’re used to help the crabs get through thick sand and muck, and to help them get right-side-up if and when they ever tip over. Horseshoe crabs are actually completely harmless.
In the 20th century, before the advent of modern artificial fertilizers, the crabs were dried and used as fertilizer and poultry food supplements.
The females are about 25% bigger than the males.
They’re blue-blooded…
And this blue, copper-based blood has been used since the 1950s to test the purity of medicine and to ensure that a vaccine is safe. This test has been mandatory since the 1970s for experimental drugs and surgical implants. Next time you see a horseshoe crab, thank them for their contribution to modern medicine and for saving so many humans from unsanitary injections!
It’s a hot-button issue on Delmarva that could soon impact locals and tourists alike.
What is offshore wind?
Before taking a side on this issue, it’s important to understand the basics of what offshore wind even is. The definition of offshore wind power is in its very name–it’s the use of wind farms constructed on the ocean’s continental shelf (and sometimes lakes and fords) to generate electricity from wind, which is stronger over seas than it is over land.
What’s its relationship to Ocean City?
The topic has been coming up a lot recently, and that’s because there’s a strong possibility that two offshore wind farms will soon be constructed off the coast of OC.
In May, the Maryland Public Service Commission approved subsidies for the two farms that would be the largest in the country to date. These farms, managed by U.S. Wind and Skipjack Offshore Energy, would include 41+ U.S. Wind turbines located at least 17 miles from the shore and 15 Skipjack turbines at least 19.5 miles from the shore.
What does offshore wind mean for us, and why is this issue so controversial?
First, some of the benefits of offshore wind: environmentally, wind farms produce renewable energy (no fossil fuels!). That means reduced air pollution and reduced greenhouse gases, and the prevention of hundreds of thousands of carbon dioxide emissions entering the atmosphere.
There are also economic benefits: it’s estimated that these two wind farms would create 5,000 local jobs and about $74 million in state tax revenue. In a statement, Maryland Public Service Commissioner Michael T. Richard highlighted the farms’ potential to make positive impacts on the environment and the economy:
This decision creates tremendous opportunities for Maryland. It enables us to meet our clean, renewable energy goals using energy generated within the state while conditioning our approval on holding project developers to their promises of creating jobs and spurring economic growth.
However, while many Ocean City locals and politicians have supported the proposals for offshore wind, there have been others who aren’t as thrilled about the project.
According to U.S. Wind project manager Paul Rich, when the project was initially discussed seven years ago between the developers, the federal government and the Town of Ocean City, the Town was most concerned with having the turbines at least 10 miles away from the shore. More recently, at the Town’s request, U.S. Wind agreed to move their turbines “as far back as we possibly can,” 17 miles from the shore.
A few weeks ago, one of the project’s biggest opposers, Congressman Andy Harris, got an amendment passed that could end up terminating the projects altogether. The amendment prohibits the use of federal funding to conduct reviews of site assessments or construction and operation plans for turbines less than 24 miles from the shore.
This amendment was adopted mostly due to concerns regarding the turbines being a potential eyesore. Because a sizable portion of the Town’s revenue comes from tourism, and it’s unknown whether a view of the turbines could impact the economic sectors of tourism and real estate, Harris and other officials are concerned that the turbines would result in losing such revenue.
And while they would bring in state revenue, it’s estimated that the projects would cost about $2 billion in total, and that the typical utility customer would see a 1.4% increase in their bill, an extra $1.40 per month on average.
In light of the recent amendment passed, the projects are currently on hold, likely unless or until the amendment is reversed.
Here’s an aerial shot of an offshore wind farm located in northeast Wales.
Do turbines really impact tourism?
Well, maybe. Right now, most offshore wind farms are located off the coasts of European countries, and there are only two in the United States (a floating wind turbine in Maine and a commercial farm in Rhode Island).
We know little about how these wind farms will impact tourism in the U.S., but there have been recent studies conducted that might give us an idea. For example, one study conducted by economists at North Carolina State University concluded that nearshore wind farms would have a negative effect on state tourism–but that mostly applies when the turbines are eight miles away from the shore or closer. In a working paper on the study, NCSU’s Center for Environmental and Resource Economic Policy director Laura Taylor said:
There was a lot of support for wind energy, but no one was willing to pay more to see wind turbines from the beach by their vacation rental property. And if turbines are built close to shore, most people said they would choose a different vacation location where they wouldn’t have to see turbines.
However, the good news is that our results also show that if turbines are built further than eight miles from shore, the visual impacts diminish substantially for many survey respondents and it is unlikely the turbines would negatively impact coastal vacation property markets.
In one Danish beach town, resort owners are actually turning the nearby wind farm into a tourist attraction. Anne Marie Larsen, who owns a resort in Nysted, Denmark that offers offshore wind safaris, told Offshore Wind.biz:
We have seen a huge demand on our safari tours that combine seal safari with a visit to the offshore wind turbines. During summer, we have two departures every day which are fully booked.
Harbor master Sven Erik Hauberg echoed Larsen’s positive outlook on the wind farms.
On safari trips to the Rødsand 1, a boat can enter between the turbines and that is something that really impresses tourists. Also, our wind museum is well attended by both school groups and various bus tours, and we also get some foreign visitors, especially from Asian countries.
Again, whether the wind farms would have a positive, negative or nonexistent impact on Ocean City tourism can’t be totally known unless they’re built. Right now, we can only look at studies that have been conducted and the impact of wind farms on other countries, and make an educated guess. Here is a good place to start researching.
