I have not seen it in person yet but I look forward to the day when I can get back to Chestertown to visit their new Education Center of the Sultana Foundation, part of their Vision 2020 program that involved raising $6.2 million to expand the capacity of the education foundation. I've been a fan of the Sultana program since crossing paths with the tall ship Sultana on the Chester River several years ago. Drew McMullen, president of the foundation, happened to be working as a relief captain on the ship that day, and after trading tacks with the ship late that morning we got an evening tour of Sultana from Drew and an invite to take part in the annual Sultana Downrigging Weekend. You can see photos of Spartina at a couple of downriggings here, here and here.
When I do get up there I plan to spend a lot of time walking the floor of the wet lab area with its huge map of the Chesapeake Bay and her watershed. I can see spending hours tracing out past sails, thinking about friends I made along the way, picking out those little anchorages tucked back on creeks, remembering calm glassy days, stormy passages, fish caught and crab cakes enjoyed. Just for fun I've sketched out the area that Spartina has sailed, below, not specific tracks but areas that we've had the pleasure of exploring. (Yes, I know, gotta get over to the western shore someday.) I am glad to have Delaware Bay and the stretch of the Atlantic shore from Indian River Inlet to Ocean City marked down there. Just one more stretch to go, Chincoteague to Cape Charles to complete the circumnavigation.
Chestertown is a favorite place to visit on the bay, plus I'm a fan of the Sultana folks. I'll get up there one way or the other, maybe by car or maybe on Spartina this fall.
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