Issue:
January/February 2007

Text:
James T. Parks

Photography:
James T. Parks and Karen Parks

Geographic Region:
DE, USA

Pages:
94 - 100

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Anchors Aweigh
My 250-mile circumnavigation of Delaware Bay by motorcycle begins with a boat ride. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry is only a couple of miles from my lodgings in Lewes, allowing plenty of time for a quick breakfast and still make the ferry's 8:00 a.m. departure. Pulling into the terminal, I pay the $24 fare and, as the loading begins, am glad motorcycles board before the long line of waiting cars. After securing my bike, I chat with the only other motorcyclist on board, who is on his way home to New England, after following the east coast down to South Carolina. The lines are cast off and the ferry gathers speed, clearing Lewes Harbor, where ferries have been shuttling travelers across Delaware Bay for over 40 years.
Exploring the multiple decks, I first find the indoor snack bar and then pause by the railings, enjoying the salty sea air and expansive vistas. A squadron of hungry seagulls trails us, hovering in easy tossing distance. Not satisfied by the meager offerings of a few of my fellow passengers, the birds dive repeatedly into the wake for a more substantial breakfast from the bay. I spend much of the 17-mile voyage framing their graceful flight in my telephoto lens....