Historic Skipjack Rebecca T. Ruark
Tilghman Island
Groups spending time on the Eastern Shore would be foolish to leave without taking an opportunity to get out on the water. They can do so in historical fashion by chartering a cruise aboard the Rebecca T. Ruark, a historic skipjack that operates from Tilghman Island.
Built in 1886, the Rebecca T. Ruark is the oldest skipjack sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. It is piloted by Wade Murphy Jr., a fifth-generation captain who shares his family’s nautical heritage and the area’s remarkable ecology with groups that come aboard. Passengers learn about nautical history, hear maritime stories and can help dredge for oysters or raise and lower sails.
Cutts and Case Shipyard
Oxford
The Eastern Shore boasts centuries of maritime heritage, and the best of that tradition lives on at Cutts and Case Shipyard in Oxford. This family-owned business specializes in yacht building, repair and restoration and is known for constructing innovative boats with a combination of fiberglass and composite material that produces light, strong vessel hulls.
The shipyard is open to the public, and visiting groups can see craftsmen restoring old vessels and building new ones, as well as admire some beautiful historic yachts on exhibit. They can also enjoy waterfront views of the Chesapeake Bay and learn about the family’s 50-year history in business.
