Somers Cove Marina: The front door to the bay’s bounty

Somers Cove; staff photo

Welcome to Somers Cove in Crisfield, Maryland—the largest single marina on the Chesapeake Bay and the only one owned and operated by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources!

We offer 515 magnificent slips that can accommodate boats up to 150 feet, as well as the best fuel prices and least expensive, annual, semiannual and transient slip rates on the Eastern Shore.

Destination Crisfield
The southernmost city in Maryland, Crisfield is located on the beautiful Eastern Shore of Delmarva and is a day or less sail from Annapolis or Virginia Beach.

It is the home of the Ward Brothers—world famous decoy carvers—as well as the J. Millard Tawes museum, Smith Island Baking Company, many restaurants and gift shops, and a favorite destination for various cruise ships.

Gov. Hogan at the clam bake; by Anthony Depanise

It also happens to be the “Crab Capital of the World” due to the city’s unique connections with the Chesapeake Bay seafood industry. Come explore Crisfield from the pristine white sand beaches of Janes Island State Park to the historic Depot, literally built on the bedrock of oyster shells from the Chesapeake Bay.

Summer events
Somers Cove hosts several events throughout the boating season. The Freedom Fest on the Fourth of July presents live bands, great seafood and wondrous fireworks over the marina’s harbor. The annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake, an event for families as well as politicians, is held on the third Wednesday in July. This annual bake is an all-you-can-eat sea-food festival held in the marina’s very own Crab Bowl.

Celebrating its 70th anniversary, the highlight of the 2017 events calendar is the National Hard Crab Derby and Fair. Starting with the Miss Crustacean and Little Miss Crustacean pageant on the Thursday before Labor Day, the fair culminates with some of the best waterman on the bay competing in a boat docking contest that ranks among the best in the Chesapeake Bay. Imagine docking a boat in mere seconds!

Steamed crabs; by Jane Mruk

Cast for your supper
Somers Cove will help book reasonable crab and fishing charters for any size group. Learn to crab like the professionals. Then, bring them back to the dock to arrange to get them cooked. You’ll enjoy the freshest seafood dinner you’ll ever experience.

Island life
Somers Cove is also the eastern hub for visitors to Smith and Tangier islands—two inhabited islands first mapped by John Smith himself—in the center of the Chesapeake Bay whose culture, accent, and dialect date to the late 1600s. We have daily tour boat departures from the marina to both islands. So step back in time and learn about these fascinating Marylanders.

Stay awhile
Somers Cove is your gateway to all things Eastern Shore.

Come to the Eastern Shore by boat, forget about the traffic and let Somers Cove get you to the casinos, annual festivals in Ocean City and even the world famous Chincoteague Pony Swim.

Staff can find you reasonable deals on rental cars, taxis as well as hotels from Ocean City to Chincoteague. We can also make arrangements for history tours, cake baking classes on Smith Island and micro- brew, wine and cheese experiences.

Clean Marinas, Maryland and American flags; by Anthony Depanise

We have some great deals for golfers as well. The Great Hope Golf Course was rated the second best golf course in Maryland by golf.com, and marina guests can play a round for just $25, cart included! We are also less than an hour ride from over two dozen other courses as well.

Somers Cove is a marina that offers state-of-the-art amenities, a friendly, knowledgeable staff, convenient mid-bay location and on-going activities that represent the rich cultural heritage of Maryland’s beautiful Eastern Shore.

Article by Tom Schisler—marina executive director.
Appears in Vol. 20, No. 3 of the Maryland Natural Resource magazine, summer 2017.