The $100 Crab Cake

Don · #1 09-19-2013, 08:07 AM

My wife runs a retreat center and most weekends finds her working with guests to serve. The good news is she generally gets a couple of days off during the week. My work schedule is flexible and occasionally, her schedule, my schedule, the weather, and having no other obligations all conspire to give us a great day to go somewhere in the RV for lunch. Wednesday, September 18 was just such a day.

I?ve lived in Virginia most of my life and I?ve seen just about all of it at one time or another, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Eastern Shore. One place I had never visited was Tangier Island. Tangier in an island in the Chesapeake Bay that was settled (not just explored) in 1686. It has a small (population <1,000), and is an isolated community of mostly waterman who make their living off the fish and shellfish in the Bay. The community has been sufficiently isolated that the English accent of the original settlers can still be heard in the Tangier Island natives.

So Wednesday morning broke with blue skies and gentle winds. A rocket was set to launch from Wallops Island just before noon, so I called Flight Service to find out what the flight restrictions were. That was an interesting conversation. The FS Specialist didn?t have a graphical representation of the restricted area, only ?a bunch of lats and longs?. I think I was put on hold about three times before I decided to ask for the western most longitude, at which point I realized there wasn?t an issue.

We launched a bit later than I wanted but in plenty of time for lunch at Lorraine?s. The crab cakes were awesome (but not cheap). We strolled around most of the island, watched a few boats coming and going, and then flew home. The island is tiny, most folks get around on foot or with a golf cart. There are no chain stores of any kind - a few local restaurants, two B&Bs, one grocery store, and a couple more gift shops than they need. It is certainly an interesting place to visit.

Round trip hobbs time was 1.3 hours. The cost of fuel, lunch, and the $10 landing fee (honor system) was just over $100.

Long final to Tangier.

After landing you need to cross a bridge to get into "town" and this is a view looking back toward the airport. There sure were a lot of Beechcraft's there...I was the only RV.

Main Street Tangier Island. Too narrow for two cars. And believe it or not, there's a sign that says "Speed Checked by Radar".

This is the view from one of the restaurants with outdoor seating.

And this is departing Tangier runway 02. This gives a good perspective on the size of the place.

mikehoover · #2 09-19-2013, 09:00 AM

Nice write up Don! Thanks for posting! I will need to put Tangier on my destination list.

bullojm1 · #3 09-19-2013, 09:01 AM

Hey Don,

Great trip writeup! I've been to Tangier a handful of times. It's always a fun place to take someone new to GA. For me to get there by car would be a full day trip. However, with the RV, I can be there and back in a few hours.

If you ever find yourself back there, check out the Chesapeake house. It's a family-style restaurant and I guarantee you won't leave hungry (http://www.chesapeakehousetangier.com/restaurant/).

rbibb · #4 09-19-2013, 09:13 AM

Tangier is great for the experience but if its Crab cakes you seek then Hemingway's (short walk from Bay Bridge - W29) has the best in the world (At least I think so). Nice view from the deck of the sunset over Annapolis and the Bay. Lacks the cool factor of flying to an Island that you can't drive to (except by ferry) but for the food - Hemingway's is the way to go.

f1rocket · #5 09-19-2013, 09:20 AM

Don,

Virginia is one of my favorite states to visit. Rural, cosmopolitan, historic, mountains, ocean, and much more. I have friends in Richmond and in Roanoke from where I used to work. VA will be one of my first states to visit in my trip around the lower 48 once the -12 is finished.

Nice write-up. Thanks.

Vlad · #6 09-19-2013, 03:22 PM

Nice excursion Don. Did you see their cemeteries? You are flying a lot since you bought you RV how many hours you have in it? Did you do any work on the "other RV9"?

Don · #7 09-19-2013, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vlad

Nice excursion Don. Did you see their cemeteries? You are flying a lot since you bought you RV how many hours you have in it? Did you do any work on the "other RV9"?

How could you miss the cemeteries? Mary's comment was there are more dead people on the island than living. I'm pretty sure she's right.

As for hours, I passed 100 hours in MY RV coming back from Tangier Island. I've got more RV time in your 9A, a 6 (non A), and a 4. Not bad for 10.5 months of ownership, a month of which I was out of the country.

The other 9 is progressing slowly. I'm motivated to work on it but the weather has been so darn good lately....fly or build....building is fun but flying is more fun! But I'm gearing up to finish it....just as soon as I get back from my next XC.<g> I'm planning a visit to an ailing friend near Niagara Falls. Seriously, this plane is just too much fun - my pastor asked for a ride to Linden, NJ on Sunday (just south of Newark airport) to attend a funeral. Went to church then flew her up to Linden and came home. 3.7 hours @6.6 GPH. I could go on. I'm not flying as much as you but I'm flying a lot.

rv7boy · #8 09-20-2013, 10:19 AM

Isn't Tangier Island the island that was served by a doctor who commuted to a clinic on the island for many years with an airplane or helicopter? I know I read an article in AOPA Pilot about a doctor that did that. Seems like he passed away recently.

Bob Martin · #9 09-20-2013, 10:42 AM

Don,
Good write up and fantastic pictures.
It has been a couple years since the Louisa Gang went to Tangier Island.
We have been saying lately we need to go before it closes up for the season. Thanks for the reminder.
Question?....why so low on approach?? Is it because of the water underneath? or the length of the runway?

Thinking there is just something "special" about flying to an Island!

Capflyer · #10 09-20-2013, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv7boy

Isn't Tangier Island the island that was served by a doctor who commuted to a clinic on the island for many years with an airplane or helicopter? I know I read an article in AOPA Pilot about a doctor that did that. Seems like he passed away recently.

Yes. https://vimeo.com/971899 [Thanks, Mike. I enjoyed the video of Dr. Nichols. - Don H.]

Every year on the first Saturday in December a huge group of pilots take part in the Holly Run. We meet at Bay Bridge Airport, have breakfast and grab bags of holly to take down to this isolated island that has none. Santa brings his elves and a bunch of gifts for the kids. Unfortunately the Santa they came to love every year passed away earlier this year. The last few years a few of us RV'ers have taken part. This is a really cool little island where it is least expected with lots of history and an uncertain future. A really nice trip.