Archive for May, 2010

Sailing on the Schooner DELIGHT In The 2010 “Parade of Sail”

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

The little tall ship schooner DELIGHT, which has been a fixture for 20 years on the Chesapeake’s horizon off the town beach in Cape Charles, will be the lead vessel in Norfolk’s annual Harborfest Parade of Sail for 2010. For a front and center grandstand seat to view this spectacular annual parade, visit Norfolk’s Town Point Park on Friday, June 11.  The parade starts at noon as the fleet of harbor tugs blasts their steam whistles and sweep the sky with their powerful plumes of sea spray from their fire hoses. If you love sailboats,  Harborfest is an event not to be missed.

Harborfest’s  Parade of Sail  this year was particularly poignant for her Captain and owner,  Dave Kabler,  and her regular crew which carried her through the parade waters into her slip at Waterside Marina.  This was her last year under Capt. Dave’s command as she has been sold to a new owner from Baltimore, MD.  The DELIGHT has sailed in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race  since 1995, winning her class twice.  Known all over the Bay for her sweet, traditional lines,  DELIGHT was built 40 years ago in the East River of Mobjack Bay in North Carolina  by Thomas E. Colvin who also designed her.

Schooner DELIGHT leads the Parade of Sail for Harborfest 2010

Thinking About Buying Property And Living In Virginia ? I Love the Eastern Shore’s “Town & Country” Lifestyle

Monday, May 10th, 2010

The Eastern Shore  of Virginia is one of the last areas on the East Coast where you can buy a property which offers a  relaxed, rural coastal  lifestyle  and yet is only 20 minutes to an hour  from the cosmopolitan amenities in Hampton Roads.  The 32nd largest metropolitan area in the U.S.,  Hampton Roads is  a catch-all term for the contiguous  cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth.   From the southern tip of  Virginia’s  Eastern Shore , the city of  Virginia Beach is only about 15  minutes away, separated from the Shore by the famous Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  Making that trip is like moving  from yesteryear to today in 15 minutes.  

Having  moved here from Virginia Beach more than 20 years ago,  my only regrets are that I didn’t move to the Shore sooner.  I’m  always struck by  how I enjoy my  relaxed  life here on the Eastern Shore  yet how easily I can slip over to Virginia Beach  on the spur of the moment and partake of  the myriad of cultural events and other  opportunities only available in a metro area.  It’s  like having  my cake and eating  it too.  I still have many friends  in Virginia Beach  and it’s always fun to slip over for the day and  have lunch with a friend at Saffron  ( my favorite Indian restaurant and home to the best ever chicken tikka masala plus Kashmiri bread stuffed with coconut, cherries and pastachios for dessert) or maybe indulge at Aldos’  (with their scrumptious penne with vodka sauce followed by a freshly made Napoleon ) .  Afterwards  maybe a  little look-see at Macy’s or Nordstrum’s,  a quick stop at Trader Joes  for  fresh pressed almond butter or maybe their nice feta  and then I’m ready to head  home to the Eastern Shore.   Home is a casual  farmhouse  on five spacious acres, out  in the country yet just 15 minutes from all the activities  and shopping at Cape Charles.  My horse,  Wildfire ,  AKA Wiley, is boarded on a several hundred acre farm less than 20 minutes from my house.   I love the convenience of being able to slip down and see him anytime.  So it’s great to visit Virginia Beach but I know for sure where “home,  sweet home”  is located and that is on the unique and beautiful   Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Crabbing in Cape Charles

Monday, May 10th, 2010

 

If you’ve never been crabbing come on down to the Eastern Shore of Virginia and give it a try.  It’s so easy to do and the results are truly delicious.  Our area, where the Atlantic Ocean merges with the Chesapeake Bay,  is a prime spot for catching these succulent blue beauties.  People are saying this is a bumper year for Blue Crab in the Chesapeake Bay!  So come on down, grab your bait,  your crab scooper nets,  a pail to hold your catch, being an optimist I’d bring a large pail, and you’re ready to go.  Crab from a boat or for great crabbing without a boat, try either the new fishing pier at Cape Charles or the larger fishing pier at Kiptopeake State Park.  Either way you will end up with some delicious  crab au gratin dinners.

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Investigate the Eastern Shore Of Virginia Concept of Buying Beach Access vs. Beachfront Properties — It Might Be Perfect for You !

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Garden by the sea, a beach access home

Naturally, many people considering buying beach property on the Eastern Shore of  Virginia would love to live right smack dab on the beachfront.  But if  the budget says  “no,no,no”  but the beachcomber in you is saying  “yes,yes,yes”  and is just ready to bust out,  then it’s time to look at some of  our  great beach access buys.  “Beach access”  property  is a home or lot which has deeded beach access but  is not directly on the beach. In general, our  Virginia’s Eastern Shore  beach access properties are just across the street and within an easy walk  of  the beach.  You will gain substantial savings on the price which compensates for the absence of views.  In terms of  enjoying a beach lifestyle  there really is not that much difference.  You can still enjoy swimming,  beach combing,  sitting in your deck chair on the beach catching a few rays  ( which reminds me of a little joke my 7 year old grandson likes to tell: If the sun owned a restaurant, what would it be called ? Rays, duh !),  strolling in the moonlight,  jogging at dawn, whatever catches your fancy is generally permissible with deeded beach access. The home pictured above is a great  example of  a terrific beach access property– excellent  price, beautiful home.

Endless beach combing

Located in one of our upscale beach communities, this top quality brick home is less than a five minute walk to the  beautiful neighborhood private sand beach,  available only to residents and guests.  Like new,  it features 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths,  an acre and a half of land,  includes  a swimming pool.  And very attractively priced,  about half to a third of the cost of most beachfront homes here.  ( Like more information about the home described here ?  Please call Eva Noonan,  757- 331-4885. )  If you have been thinking that the sweet beach life would be perfect for you,   you may want to consider some of our attractively priced beach access homes.

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