When the sun rises over Tilghman Island, Md., and the watermen set out to harvest the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay, you might think that you stepped back in time when life was slower and you had time to sit back and enjoy watching ospreys feeding as the working fishing village wakes up. 

Why not experience that same serenity now? Tilghman Island, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay and is separated from the mainland by Knapps Narrows and is easily accessed by a drawbridge. It is just a two-hour drive from the Baltimore-Washington region over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and is a 10-minute drive beyond the quaint town of St. Michael’s.

Tilghman Island is a true working watermen’s island, reminiscent of a 19th-century fishing village, with excellent fishing and fresh seafood. It’s also home to the last commercial sailing fleet in North America, the skipjacks, which are on display at Dogwood Harbor along with many other commercial fishing boats. Although there were once hundreds of these ships on the bay, now there are only nine. 

This Maryland island boasts several marinas and offers excellent sport fishing. If you are traveling by boat or just looking for a daily rental, the island offers many boat docking options and private charter fishing boats.

It is an area rich in history, culture and nature. And who better to help you discover that nature and explore the island than local natives Kelley and Jerry Cox, owners of Dockside Express Cruises and Tours. They enjoy sharing their love of Tilghman Island and the nature of the bay with their guests. 

Located on Chicken Point Road, Dockside Express offers several kinds of tours of the island as well as the waters surrounding it. Their 50-foot boat, the Express Royale, is available for a variety of cruises, depending on your interests. You can explore the Chesapeake Bay, its rivers and creeks or enjoy a more leisurely sunset champagne cruise while feasting your eyes on magnificent views. You can even charter the boat for crab feasts, weddings, corporate events or family celebrations. 

Some visitors prefer to leave the crowds behind and take a trip on Dockside’s 25-foot sport boat, Fun4U, which offers private charters for a group of six or less for island tours, sunbathing, birdwatching, crabbing, film shooting or stargazing. Cruises and tours can be tailored to meet specific needs and interests of most any group.

But the thing that Kelley Cox is passionate about is sharing her love of the ecology of the bay. At the Phillips Wharf Environmental Center, Dockside Express sponsors educational programs for children and adults that allow visitors to explore and touch Chesapeake Bay creatures, from turtles, seahorses and hermit crabs to horsehoe crabs and oysters. Visitors can learn about the life cycle of the blue crab, see an oyster reef and learn how oysters filter the water in the bay. You will be surprised to learn that in 1608, it took only three days for oysters to clean the bay water; now it takes a year or more. Cox says that is because the number of oysters has been reduced to about 1 percent of what used to be in the bay. These educational programs also include ecology nature cruises to see these creatures first-hand in their natural habitat. 

Tilghman Island is not very commercial, but visitors who come to enjoy the nature of the island and experience the slower pace of life will find seven places to lodge on the island, which is only three miles long and has a population of fewer than 1,000. 

Popular inns are the Black Walnut Point Inn (www.blackwalnutpoint.com), which offers spectacular water views from all directions;  Harrison’s Chesapeake House Country Inn (www.chesapeakehouse.com); Chesapeake Wood Duck Inn (www.woodduckinn.com); The Inn at Knapp’s Narrows Marine (www.knappsnarrowsmarina.com); Lazyjack Inn on Dogwood Harbor (www.lazyjackinn.com); Lowes Wharf Marina and Inn (www.loweswharf.com); and the well-known Tilghman Island Inn (www.tilghmanislandinn.com). Dockside Express rents the Captains’ Watch Vacation Cottage, which has two bedrooms, a hot tub and a waterfront screened porch.

 There is no shortage of dining options on Tilghman Island for enjoying some of the Eastern Shore’s freshest seafood and waterfront dining. There are four nice choices: The Bay Hundred Restaurant and Tiki Bar (www.bayhundredrestaurant.net), Bridge Restaurant (www.bridge-restaurant.com), and restaurants inside Harrison’s Chesapeake House and the Tilghman Island Inn are excellent options.

You’ll not find any shopping malls on Tilghman Island; however, there are three unique shops on the island, Crawfords Nautical Books (www.crawfordsnatutical.com), The Gaudy Lady Gift Shop and Island Treasures (www.tilghmanislandtreasures.com).

So, whether you come to stay or just come to play on Tilghman Island, you are sure to leave refreshed, challenged and just a little bit more savvy about protecting the Chesapeake Bay.

For information on Dockside Express, visit www.cruisinthebay.com or www.docksideexpress.com, or call 1-888-312-7847. To learn more about Tilghman Island, visit www.tilghmanisland.com or www.tourtalbot.org.