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After a treacherous, miserable, 66-day crossing, the Pilgrims reached Plymouth Rock at the beginning of winter 1620. Since they arrived so late, they remained on their ship, the Mayflower, until the weather improved. When, that spring, they finally set foot on solid land, they swore they’d never, ever get on a boat, of any type, for any reason, ever again. Soon after, they were greeted by friendly locals. These people, who’d lived in the Plymouth Rock area for thousands of years, graciously taught the Pilgrims how to survive. They showed them how to plant corn, how to extract sugar from Maple trees, how to identify poisonous plants, and they showed them how to fish from a kayak. “Oh no, no, no,” the Pilgrims said, shaking their heads. “We will fish from the banks. We are

When wanting to experience fall colors, the first eco-system you think of usually isn’t the salt marsh. However, it is home to one of the most spectacular autumnal transformations in our area. Salicornia, a small succulent herb, grows among the salt marsh grasses all summer long. The different greens of the marsh blend and you have to look closely to pick it out. But by mid-September, Salicornia decides it’s through being a wallflower. The hot pink starts at the tips of its tubular, fleshy leaves dabbed on, like little, dainty fingernails. The color deepens as it spreads through the plant—fuchsia, crimson, ruby. And before dropping off, the “leaf” becomes the color of a fruity merlot. This color display takes place in the fall, but it’s not necessarily because of the decrease in sunlight and cooler

For some, sailing may seem intimidating - how in the world do you maneuver a boat with only the wind? Or maybe you're used to a stinkpot (AKA a motorboat) and you're curious about sailing, but you can't imagine not having a key to turn. Maybe you like the idea of sailing - you've read books and watched Youtube videos - but the time never seems right to pursue it. With our four options for sailing, we've got something to satisfy every level of curiosity! Option 1: Sailing Nature Tours Our Sailing Nature Tours are great for those who like the idea of sailing, but don't really have time to learn. With our experienced skipper at the helm, you'll get all the benefits of sailing on a small boat - the feel of the hulls

Broken beer bottles, rusty mattress coils, knife-like shards of Quahog shells, fishing hooks, forks, spiny box fish skeletons, wafer-thin pieces of aluminum cans, barnacle-encrusted soda bottles, corroded spark plugs—we’ve found all of this and more in the shallow water of Little Assawoman Bay. Step on any of these with bare feet and there’ll be no more beach time or water activities for you for the rest of your vacation.  “But I don’t plan on getting off my paddle board,” you say. You can’t get from our beach to your board or kayak or sailboat without walking in the water. All of the aforementioned items were found within three feet of the shoreline.  And not all water entries are planned. Maybe your friend accidentally bumps you from behind, or a boat wake wobbles your board unexpectedly.

Here at the beach, you’re surrounded by water—the Atlantic on one side and the inland bays on the other. Of course you want to take advantage of it! But how do you decide between a guided kayak tour for your family versus having a kayak on your back deck to take out whenever you feel like it? The following are a few factors to consider that may help you decide: 1) How old are your kids? Grade school and middle school kids love our guided tours. They love to hold Horseshoe Crabs and turtles, learn about Osprey and Oyster Catchers, and see the marsh environment up close. But many teenagers appreciate the freedom of a rental, having their own space and their own time to do whatever it is teens do! 2) Nature Experience versus Water

Over 40 years ago, I learned to sail on a windsurfer—about as small as you can get in the realm of sailboats. Since then, I’ve sailed on nearly every size and style of sailboat up to a 52’ catamaran. Smaller boats are a lot more fun. And by far, they are the best option for learning to sail. Here’s why:   More Responsive: I took an American Sailing Association certification class taught on a 32’ Beneteau. Its unresponsiveness shocked me. On a Hobie, you immediately feel and see the effect of the wind—the boat heels, the sail fills or begins to flap, the sheet line becomes taught, even the rudder gives you feedback as to how the boat is sailing. On larger boats, the skipper frequently glances up. That’s because the only way they can

The 26th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is coming soon—February 16-19! Maybe (like me) you’ve thought about doing it in the past but felt a little intimidated: You don’t really consider yourself a birder. Or you don’t have multiple days to commit to birding. Maybe you don’t even have a backyard. It turns out, to participate in this worldwide citizen science project, none of the above concerns are issues. To take part, you: Only need to count birds for a minimum of 15 minutes on one day between February 18-21. Can be anywhere—in a kayak, on a beach in the Caribbean, at a ski lodge in Colorado, at home sipping hot chocolate on your back porch. Don’t have to be a birder. You just have to try to identify the birds. (Bird apps help

Maybe we’re a little biased, but we think our corner of Delaware is a spectacular place to paddle. It satisfies the nature-lovers, the birders, photographers, the I-just-need-some-peace-and-quiet-ers. But it is especially perfect for families. Here are five reasons: #1 Engaging Local Characters At first glance, kids back away from the creepy-looking critter. But once they learn that the Horseshoe Crab is older than dinosaurs and is completely harmless, they can’t resist its magnetic pull. Kids of all ages crowd around to touch, hold, and connect with this helmet shaped, dun-colored, nine-eyed, blue-blooded sea creature whose presence ensures the survival of so many other species (ours included!). Diamond-backed terrapins curiously poking their snouts above the water, Ospreys dive-bombing unsuspecting fish, Great Blue Herons scaring the bejesus out of you with prehistoric squawks—our local wildlife puts on

I never liked science. Dissecting critters—gross. Learning scientific classifications—yawn. Memorizing the periodic table—Thirsty Thursday, anyone? So why would I want to become a naturalist? It probably started with A Sand County Almanac. Followed closely by Desert Solitaire. Most recently, Braiding Sweetgrass. Through words, these naturalist/authors opened my eyes. So although I worried I’d be expected to memorize the scientific names of plants and animals, and identify trees and shrubs at a glance, and tell the difference between a Sanderling and a Sandpiper, I signed up for the class. I wanted the tools to see what my heroes saw. I was excited to be in the inaugural Delaware Master Naturalist program. It started in March 2020—that dreaded Covid spring. We got one class in before the pandemic disrupted everything. In person classes ended, the field trips

A scavenger hunt?? Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt?? We're now offering a fun activity to get everyone involved in your next paddling adventure. Did you paddle to Daisy Marsh? Spot a Great Blue Heron? See a Diamondback Terrapin peek up at you from below the water? Local landmarks, our feathered friends, the much maligned jellyfish - check off at least six different Little Assawoman Bay residents (bonus points for picking up trash!) and win a coveted CK sticker! But wait! There’s more! Post a photo of your CK Scavenger Hunt with #CKscavengerhunt to Instagram or Facebook and be entered in a weekly drawing for wearable CK swag or gift certificates to local businesses! A fun competition for kids of all ages and a great way to discover more nooks and crannies of our beautiful