Historian's Report
by Fred Hecklinger

Bad Winter, But There is Hope

March 2003-- If you think that this has been a cold winter, you were not hereabouts during the winter of 1976-77 when Spa Creek was frozen over down to below SSA by the 10th of December and the Bay was completely frozen over by Christmas. No ships could reach Baltimore until well into February. There was much skating going on and because Bob Stine was already into DN Iceboats many made use of the situation and were zipping around the Bay. The DN (Detroit News) Worlds were at St. Michaels that winter because there was too much snow on the ice up north where such events are usually held. The Skipjacks could not get through the ice to dredge oysters so some Tilghman Island watermen cut slots in the ice with chainsaws and pulled their dredges over the oyster bars with automobiles.

We did survive that winter and we will do so with this one and to make sure of a good spring an extra special Sock Burning will take place at the ramp area of the EYC marina on the Vernal Equinox on March 20. The plan is to have oysters and beer. It is believed that if we do not "Burn Our Sox on the Equinox" spring will be delayed six weeks. If anybody happens to see Bob Turner, tell him that he is "required" to be there.

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