Tangier Island Sports & Outdoors Tips by grandmaR

Beach

I am assured that Tangier has beaches, most of which I understand are on the south side of the island. I haven't tried to access the beaches myself. It is probably typical of the island beaches. The beaches will not be crowded - this picture was taken at the beginning of August and the guest houses were full

VT member hcm71284 tells me that the beach in this picture on the east side is part of the Port Isobel Environmental Eductaion Centre, owned by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

hcm71284 writes: "Hi, I was lucky enough to live out on Tangier Island for 5 months last year on a year out from my studies at home in the UK... It was here that I worked (I actually lived in the building on the far left) and the whole island is owned by CBF."

I didn't realize that this was not a part of Tangier Island. The CBF site says: "Situated between Tangier Sound and the Chesapeake Bay is the Port Isobel Island Study Center. The island was donated to CBF in the late 1980s and renovated to become CBF's largest residential education center. Port Isobel has more than 250 acres of land, including extensive salt marshes, beaches, and a pine forest. Where footpaths end, canoes and workboats are available to take participants to observe and study the abundant fish and crabs found in local waters. Nearby Tangier Island's watermen's community plays a large part in the Port Isobel educational experience. Although outfitted with modern conference amenities to comfortably accommodate 30 people, Port Isobel still maintains the rustic charm and beauty of an authentic watermen's village."

Theme: Beach Activities

Parks Marina

Parks Marina is very small and informal. Mr. Parks lives in a house behind the marina. The actual marina consists of this little house on stilts (which houses the bathroom/shower rooms for men and women and also a front section which could be an office) and several slips which you can see two of on the right side of the picture.

The marina does not answer the radio. I called on the phone first, but when you come in, you call across to anyone you see and ask where you can tie up. The slips are reported to have only 5 feet at low tide.

In our case, there was a dockmaster there, and she helped us tied up to the dock. We had a bit of difficulty because there was a lot of current in the marina, and we almost wiped out the pedestal (which has the electic power) with our anchor.

Equipment: Cost is $25 for large boats (over 35 feet long) and $20 for small boats.

Phone: (757)891-2567

Theme: Boating/Sailing

Anchorage in harbor

The harbor in Tangier has a very swift current in it, and it is a very busy harbor. Not only are there fishermen who run around in the harbor, but there are the ferry boats from Crisfield and Reedville that come in and turn around. Also, there are depth problems at some places even in the channel.

The marina in Tangier is NOT very expensive. it is a flat rate of $25 for a big boat and less than that for a little boat.

Equipment: Anchoring needs to be out of the channel. The channel bends at this point. There is a power boat and a sailboat both anchored here.

Theme: Boating/Sailing