When visiting an area… especially new or remote locations… I take many exploratory road trips in search of undocumented places

Just down Ape Hole Road (one story from a six month camping trip kayak fishing on the Chesapeake Bay)
When visiting an area… especially new or remote locations… I take many exploratory road trips in search of undocumented places to put the kayak on the water to go fishing.
Most often these explorations are a bust… “No Parking” signs, private road or property, or that little sand beach viewed on Google Earth is now just a pile or rip rap.
But “This is the Way.” Never the less, it’s fun, the scenery often spectacular, and occasional meeting some interesting people. Along with their stories to tell.
Below is my cargo trailer converted into a camper. Bed, airconditioner, heater, shelves... blah blah blah.... the one on the right is a "summer camp" setup.. ie: three shade canopies.

After four month's camping on the Western shore of the Chesapeake, from Point Lookout and then South to Gwynn’s Island Va… I made my way over to the Eastern shores of the Chesapeake. Jane’s Island and Crisfield Md
On a particularly windy drizzly, cloudy day… I headed out to look for leeward sections of water in the Crisfield, Maryland area.

Finding my way down a peculiar named road… Ape Hole Road.
Down the road it turned into a small curved penninsula. There is electricty... but no "running" water or "wells" to these houses.


I met a gentleman walking a small dog… I had wanted to ask him if that little piece of sandy beach would be acceptable to launch my kayak. A mental picture of this fellow… Imagine T. Lutz… taller, with a tan, scruffy. Sleeves cut off his jean shirt bare armed, cut off khaki pants. Fishing boots and a hat resembling that of Indianan Jones. A neckless with one medium size shark tooth attached. His dog was a little white fluffy critter, stained brown from frolicking in the muddy sand puddles. After inquiring about that little sandy beach along Ape Hole Road, we began to chat. He told me his name was “Hunter,” a nickname. Actually he asked if I’d like to talk for awhile. Light rain periodically came down, I showed Hunter my converted cargo trailer camper. A few years older than me… we discovered we had gone to neighboring high schools in Montgomery County.

We talked about our different adventures traveling, and I gained some very helpful local fishing knowledge. As I told him that I had lived in the Ocean City area for 27 years… he asked if I knew Big Wave Dave… And of course I did, as Dave had lived a quarter mile down the road from me in Williamsville, DE. And as there is only one road in and out of town we always saw each other in passing and occasionally surfing. Hunter explained that Dave’s wife had grown up just down the road a bit from where we were along Ape Hole Road.. As we chatted a car came along the lonely road… it turned out to be Harvey Linton owner of Linton’s Crab House and Seafood. A legendary gentleman from the area. Home of the “Big Flounder Sandwich,” and yes it’s big, fresh, and great. And one of the very few places in town still open October and the Covid situation. Hunter and Mr. Linton knew each… and I sat back and listened to crabbing, oystering, and hunting stories going back 50+ years in the Crisfield area. Two hours later… the rain was steadily falling, and we parted our ways. While no “Big Flounder Sandwich” that day… I left filled with folklore about a place I had only read in books. What is they say… “The Journey is the reward.” Yup ! Coincidentally, “Hunter’s” real first name was Tom.