CBMM will celebrate the Grand Opening of its new Welcome Center with a free community event on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10am-4pm.

CBMM will celebrate the Grand Opening of its new Welcome Center with a free community event on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10am-4pm.

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Nov. 22, 2023 –The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will celebrate the Grand Opening of its new Welcome Center with a free community event offering authentic Chesapeake experiences and family fun on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 10am-4pm.

Guests are invited to attend a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the transformational new building at 10:30am followed by a festival-style celebration that highlights “Winter on the Chesapeake” with demonstrations, hands-on activities, campus tours, and live music. For more information and to RSVP now, visit cbmm.org/WelcomeCenterGrandOpening.

With this day of free general admission and special programming for all ages, CBMM is excited to showcase the new Welcome Center. The 12,000-square-foot, fully ADA-accessible building overlooking Fogg’s Cove was designed to provide guests with a warm welcome to campus with three exhibition spaces, reception area, restrooms, and the new Museum Store.

During the Grand Opening ceremony, CBMM staff and friends will commemorate the years-in-the-making project, recognize all who have made it possible, and officially open the Welcome Center.

Afterward, guests are invited to explore the new building while also getting a taste of “Winter on the Chesapeake” through themed activities led by CBMM staff and community partners. There will be a variety of food items and beverages, including festive cocktails, available for purchase.

The entertainment is headlined by renowned jazz saxophonist and St. Michaels native Anthony “Turk” Cannon, who will take to the stage on Fogg’s Landing with his five-piece jazz ensemble at 11:30am for a special homecoming performance. Cannon’s father Wilson “Turk” Cannon was an iconic local waterman who is featured in CBMM’s Oystering on the Chesapeake exhibition.

At 2:30pm, acoustic-electric trio Big Tribe will share “Songs About the Water,” a concert of songs and stories with a dose of science in the Van Lennep Auditorium. The group’s music video for the song “Can’t Work the River” is currently on view in CBMM’s special exhibition, The Changing Chesapeake.

In addition, local musician Joe Bryan will play on the outdoor Fogg’s Landing stage starting at 2:30pm.

Inside the new building, there will be a series of gallery talks highlighting the new exhibition Water LinesChesapeake Watercraft Traditions with representatives from the Frederick Douglass Honor Society and CBMM curators. Guests can also view the new orientation exhibition Navigating the Chesapeake’s Maritime Culture and get a jump on holiday shopping in the new Museum Store.

Other festival highlights include an invasive species cooking demonstration with Chef Zack Mills of Baltimore’s True Chesapeake Oyster Co., a scrapple-making demo with butchers from The Village Shoppe, and a presentation from Minorities in Aquaculture. CBMM’s Shipyard staff will share a demonstration showcasing the construction of a traditional Chesapeake hunting ice box.

Guests are invited to try their hand carving designs out of soap, decorate an oyster can to help build a holiday “oyster can tree,” and make an ornament to decorate CBMM’s Chesapeake Bay log canoe Edmee S. ahead of its appearance in the Talbot Street Parade as part of Christmas in St. Michaels. Other family-friendly activities include Chesapeake-themed games and storytime.

More programming and activities are expected to be added as the schedule is finalized for the Grand Opening celebration. Head to the event page at cbmm.org for the most updated list of offerings leading up to Dec. 2. The event is generously supported by Maryland Public Television and Forever Media.

Renowned smooth jazz saxophonist and St. Michaels native Anthony “Turk” Cannon performs at CBMM’s Welcome Center Grand Opening on Dec. 2.

Renowned smooth jazz saxophonist and St. Michaels native Anthony “Turk” Cannon will perform at CBMM’s Welcome Center Grand Opening on Dec. 2.

By Eric Detweiler, Communications Specialist

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Nov. 17, 2023 – Growing up in St. Michaels, Anthony Cannon learned the joys and challenges of working the water from his father, Wilson “Turk” Cannon.

From a young age, Anthony and his four siblings were out on their dad’s workboat Doris N. sorting the day’s catch of crabs and tonging for oysters.

Yet, Anthony said he didn’t start to realize the full impact that the iconic waterman made across generations in the local community until his death in 2014 at the age of 80.

“I knew my father was well-known and liked in St. Michaels, but Dad didn’t talk about the stuff that he did,” Cannon said. “Half the stuff, I didn’t know he did until he had passed. People would just come and talk about my father. I didn’t know. He never talked about it.”

That family history explains why Anthony Cannon, now a nationally recognized smooth jazz saxophonist known by the stage name Anthony “Turk” Cannon in homage to his father, is so proud and excited about his upcoming performance at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on Dec. 2 as part of the Grand Opening for its new Welcome Center.

During the celebration of the transformational new building, Cannon will take the stage with his five-piece jazz ensemble overlooking Fogg’s Cove adjacent to the Oystering on the Chesapeake exhibition that houses the skipjack E.C. Collier that Turk Cannon crewed on for years as well as a life-size cutout picturing and quotes from the waterman who was a primary source during the construction of the display.

Now living in Pennsylvania, Cannon said it’s always special to perform on the Eastern Shore, and even better that this gig is just a stone’s throw from the house on Lee Street where Cannon grew up that remains in his family and continues to feel like home.

“I’m most comfortable every time I come across that Bay Bridge,” Cannon said. “Playing (at CBMM), I feel like I’m supposed to be here. You’ll hear it, and you’ll see it. We’re going to have a lot of fun.”

Turk Cannon crewed on the skipjack E.C. Collier for many years and was a primary source when the vessel became part of CBMM’s Oystering on the Chesapeake exhibition. Photograph by Lila Line, c. 1993. Gift of photographer. Collection of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 0983.0860.

Turk Cannon crewed on the skipjack E.C. Collier for many years and was a primary source when the vessel became part of CBMM’s Oystering on the Chesapeake exhibition. Photograph by Lila Line, c. 1993. Gift of photographer. Collection of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 0983.0860.

The Cannon family has quite a story to share.

Turk Cannon was the son of a farmer who grew up near Crisfield before marrying his wife Doris and relocating to St. Michaels at the age of 18 to seek a career on the water. The Cannons were married for 61 years, raising five children along the way.

Turk Cannon was a fixture in St. Michaels Harbor with his boat moored at the Honeymoon Bridge adjacent to CBMM’s campus. He was happy to share his passion with his kids but also sure to encourage them to find their own paths.

It was a tremendous point of pride for Turk that none of his children became watermen and three of them earned college degrees.

“We saw how hard he and my mom worked, and we just didn’t want to disappoint them,” said Anthony Cannon, who earned baseball scholarship to Howard University and went on to a professional career in cybersecurity.

Cannon said his unlikely music career is a reflection of that upbringing. He took up the clarinet at St. Michaels Middle School before quitting in eighth grade to focus on baseball, and he didn’t pick up the saxophone until he was 33 years old.

Long a jazz fan, Cannon got the motivation that he needed to pursue his dream at a music festival in the 1990s when renowned jazz saxophonist Donald Harrison encouraged him to “go get a horn” and start playing.

Just like that, Cannon enrolled in music theory classes at a local community college and began his journey. Today, he plays alongside a who’s who of celebrated musicians, has endorsement deals for his sax, mouthpiece, and ligatures, and his original compositions are featured on all the major music streaming platforms.

Ultimately, Cannon believes the confidence and drive necessary to launch a successful music career from such humble beginnings comes from his father’s constant encouragement.

“This is a guy who didn’t go to college or even high school, but he never said no to us trying to be better,” Cannon said. “He always used to say, ‘If you’re going to do it, do it. Don’t play around with it.’”

That sentiment explains why he added his father’s nickname to his stage. Most of his friends in the industry now call him Turk, just like all the watermen used to do with his dad.

“I was so proud of his life,” said Cannon, who also has a forthcoming song called “Turk.” “When he passed away, I wanted to make sure I kept his name out there and people didn’t forget him.”

At CBMM, Turk Cannon’s memory is alive and well through the Oystering exhibition. The waterman was part of E.C. Collier’s crew when it ceased operation in 1983 with the death of Capt. John Larrimore, and when the dredge boat became part of the exhibition in the early 1990s, he served as a primary source describing life on the vessel.

Turk Cannon was honored by the Talbot Watermen Association during Watermen’s Appreciation Day at CBMM in 2012, and because he faithfully took Doris N. around Navy Point and out on the Miles River almost daily well into his 70s, he’s still fondly remembered by many local residents.

No doubt many of those friends will be on hand for Anthony Cannon’s performance at the Welcome Center Grand Opening on Dec. 2. It’s fitting that a son of St. Michaels will help usher in the next chapter in CBMM’s history with a nod to the past and his family’s rich legacy.

“We’re going to get it,” Cannon said with a wide smile. “We’re going to play some cover tunes. We’re going to play some of my original stuff. It’s going to be a good day.”

Guests can get more details here and RSVP here now to join in the fun at this free community event.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s Shipyard has completed its latest project with the launch of the 36-foot Chesapeake Bay buyboat Mr. Dickie.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s Shipyard has completed its latest project with the launch of the 36-foot Chesapeake Bay buyboat Mr. Dickie.

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Oct. 24, 2023 – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s Shipyard has completed its latest project with the launch of the 36-foot Chesapeake Bay buyboat Mr. Dickie.

The Shipyard team began work on the new construction build last fall after finishing up its build of Maryland Dove and worked over the past year under the direction of Shipyard Foreman Jeff Reid to bring the vessel to life.

A contract build for owners Grigg and Cindy Mullen of Lexington, Va., Mr. Dickie will be on display later this month at the Sultana Downrigging Festival in Chestertown before returning to dock at CBMM.

“Grigg provided the opportunity for us to have our Shipyard team do a complete build from start to finish, creating a unique object in a way that realizes Grigg and our dream of a comprehensive construction that allows for public and Shipwright education,” said Vice President of Shipyard Operations Christian Cabral. “It’s been an incredible experience.”

The construction of the unique vessel in CBMM’s Shipyard offered a glimpse into the past while highlighting the future for a historic style of vessel vital to the story of the Chesapeake Bay.

Buyboats are cross-planked workboats that were traditionally used for hauling oysters from skipjacks to market in season and anything else that needed transporting the rest of the year. Today, there are estimated to be fewer than 30 buyboats that continue to ply the Bay’s waters.

Mr. Dickie pays homage to the 60-foot buyboat Mundy Point, designed to bring the buyboat look to a scaled-down 36-foot version. It was constructed from heart pine, white oak, Atlantic cedar, and western red cedar, and outfitted with a restored late-1930s Buda diesel engine.

A retired engineering professor, Grigg Mullen maintained a hands-on role throughout the yearlong construction, working alongside CBMM’s Shipyard crew whenever his schedule allowed. He and Cindy were on hand for a CBMM Member Night on Oct. 12 celebrating Mr. Dickie and the Oct. 20 launch for the new buyboat that is named in honor of the late Dickie Whaley, Mullen’s neighbor growing up in Queen Anne’s County.

“It’s been a wonderful year building Mr. Dickie and working with the Shipyard folks,” Mullen said. “Every time there was a decision to make, it was always—if we do it this way, it’s going to be better. It’s turned out wonderfully.”

With Mr. Dickie completed, CBMM’s Shipyard will stay busy with a variety of projects heading into the winter months, including on-going work on a pair of buyboats in its historic floating fleet.

Winnie Estelle, CBMM’s passenger-carrying 1920 buyboat, is amidst a refit that includes the removal, fabrication, and replacement of its structural timbers, while 1938 buyboat Choptank is undergoing a final fit out, which involves building out the interior with cabins and heads for expedition-style overnight trips and outfitting it with modern safety equipment and a new rig.

Find more information about CBMM’s Shipyard and its projects at cbmm.org/shipyard.

The Talbot County Young Professionals are bringing Paddle-Jam to CBMM on Oct. 8, with the fundraiser supporting the Rising Tide after-school program.

The Talbot County Young Professionals are bringing Paddle-Jam to CBMM on Oct. 8, with the fundraiser supporting the Rising Tide after-school program.

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Sept. 21, 2023– The Talbot County Young Professionals are bringing Paddle-Jam to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum on Oct. 8, with the fundraiser supporting CBMM’s Rising Tide after-school program.

Designed to be enjoyed via kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard, Paddle-Jam is back for the first time since 2019 with a new location and community partner.

Paddlers of all levels are invited to join this 4.5-mile paddle poker “fun run” along the Miles River, beginning at 10am. The cost is $50 for participants who pre-register at bit.ly/PaddleJam2023 and $60 for day-of, in-person registration.

“We are so pleased to bring this exciting paddling event back, and what better location than the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels and the Miles River!” said Amy Kreiner, President of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce. “Rising Tide is such a valuable program, teaching our kids about the rich history and skills of our watermen, boatbuilders and the surrounding waterways.”

This year, the Paddle-Jam course begins at CBMM’s Fogg’s Landing launch and takes participants past the iconic Hooper Strait Lighthouse, Inn at Perry Cabin, Miles River Yacht Club, and more while following the St. Michaels shoreline. Along the way, participants will receive random jumbo playing cards at various stops to create a poker hand with the best ones winning prizes.

The leisurely paddle finishes back at CBMM where the fun will continue with an After-Paddle Party featuring music, food, games, and local brews.

Registration and check-in begins at 9am that morning, with light refreshments offered. The paddle is expected to last two to three hours, and prizes will be awarded at 1pm during the After-Paddle Party.

The registration fee includes CBMM general admission to enjoy all the exhibitions and historic structures across the 18-acre waterfront campus. CBMM is also hosting the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival that weekend.

All Paddle-Jam participants are required to wear USCG-approved PFDs, and SUP participants are required to wear a leash.

Registration fees are non-refundable. The event will take place weather permitting with no rain date. Participants should come prepared in case of wet weather.

If the Coast Guard issues a small-craft-advisory during the scheduled event time, event organizers reserve the right to cancel the event for the safety of all.

The Talbot County Young Professionals are a committee of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce, with a goal of developing the next generation of leaders, while encouraging networking among the brightest minds in our community.

Rising Tide is CBMM’s free after-school program open to sixth through ninth graders. Since 2015, the program has taught area students the basics of boatbuilding and woodworking in a welcoming, relaxed environment, offering the opportunity to learn new skills, work with hand and power tools, and explore the environment and history of the Chesapeake region.

CBMM is pleased to announce the expansion of its on-water experience offerings through the acquisition of the cruise boat PATRIOT.

CBMM is pleased to announce the expansion of its on-water experience offerings through the acquisition of the cruise boat PATRIOT.

ST. MICHAELS, Md., Sept. 1, 2023 – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is pleased to announce the expansion of its on-water experience offerings through the acquisition of the cruise boat PATRIOT, which has been docked at CBMM’s waterfront for decades.

Effective immediately, CBMM assumes day-to-day operations of the 65-foot, two-level vessel modeled to resemble a Chesapeake Bay steamboat that has offered guests scenic cruises of the Miles River since 1990. All reservations will be honored, with the current staff remaining in place.

“We are absolutely thrilled to add PATRIOT to the CBMM family,” CBMM President & CEO Kristen Greenaway said. “Given PATRIOT’s impeccable reputation and ability to give access to the Miles River to 20,000 guests per year, the acquisition of the vessel is a key addition to delivering our mission. We appreciate previous owners Robin and John Marrah with entrusting us to steward PATRIOT into its next chapter and wish them all the best.”

Adding PATRIOT is a natural step for CBMM as it has been a fixture of St. Michaels Harbor and CBMM partner, dating back to 1969 when Jim Heikes refitted a wooden fishing boat as a cruise vessel named PATRIOT.

Today, PATRIOT has the capacity to provide tours for up to 149 passengers. The enclosed main deck offers climate-controlled comfort, while the top deck is partially covered by a canopy. It’s the perfect setting to enjoy breathtaking views while learning local history from experienced guides.

“Robin and I have been blessed for almost 14 years of ownership of the PATRIOT,” John Marrah said. “It has been a huge part of our lives in St. Michaels, and we truly believe that CBMM is the best new home where the PATRIOT will thrive. We have valued our relationship with Kristen Greenaway and the CBMM team for many years and are thrilled that the PATRIOT is in their loving hands.”

CBMM has long prioritized offering its guests opportunities to experience the Miles River on the water.

In recent years, many of those cruises were offered on its passenger-carrying buyboat Winnie Estelle, and with that venerable vessel undergoing maintenance this year, CBMM has added Harbor Highlights Cruises aboard other vessels in its historic floating fleet. More offerings are also on the horizon aboard its newest buyboat, Choptank.

With PATRIOT, CBMM’s short-term focus will be to finish the season strong while beginning to explore the long-term opportunities that the acquisition provides.

Guests can continue to book tours online at patriotcruises.com or buy tickets from the booth adjacent to the dock through Oct. 22.

Right now, Narrated Historical Cruises are offered seven days per week, plus Island Music Cocktail Cruises on select weekend days. Adults and seniors will continue to receive a $3 discount off CBMM general admission by showing their PATRIOT ticket.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization that preserves and explores the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and makes this resource accessible to all.

Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevance, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. For more information, visit cbmm.org or call 410-745-2916.