Our crew loves exploring rivers.  Unlike the thoroughfare routes of the ICW or the broad reaches of bays and sounds, rivers ask you to slow down, to trade speed for intimacy, and to follow a narrower path—often quite literally—where the shoreline feels close enough to touch and history seems to emerge around every bend.  The Pocomoke River has been on our list to explore for years and this season we finally had the chance to make the trip.  

Getting into the river from Pocomoke Sound took some research and consultation with local boaters.  The two mile long entrance channel is well marked and skinny.  Here "skinny" refers not only to water depths, but also to channel width.  Marked ATONs were supplemented by more than a dozen PVC pipes with either red or green painted tops to aid in navigation.  

We moved carefully and saw a minimum of 6 feet MLS using the Saxis Tide Gauge as our reference.  We also made a Securité call before entering and were relieved there was no oncoming traffic since there is very little room for boats to pass.  Timing the trip with the tidal current is also recommended as tidal currents of over 2 mph are possible.

Once in the wider river travel became straightforward. Favoring the outside of each bend kept us in deeper water—more than 15 feet for the 15 miles to Pocomoke City, and no less than 10 feet for the additional 13 miles to Snow Hill, which is the head of navigation for larger vessels. 

The weather left something to be desired, with overcast skies and occasional showers, but the scenery more than made up for it.   We cruised through marshes, past centuries-old farms, and by the remnants of logging, fishing, and boatbuilding industries that once thrived along these banks. The river itself was striking with dark water stained by tannin from the surrounding forests.

We spent three days exploring the river, with overnights at Pocomoke City and Snow Hill.   Both towns offered glimpses into the rich maritime history of the Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore, with museums, shops, galleries, and restaurants keeping us engaged throughout our stay.  The intimate nature of the experience was magnified by the fact that the towns and even the river itself were telling us stories that would have been lost in the noise of larger places.  

We can't wait to return and linger longer, letting the river set our pace and listening to what it is saying to us.