Ranger Jim's Adventures

The Chesapeake Bay seems always to fascinate. Its 58,000 mile shore line is an almost perfect place for human habitation. The climate varies but is relatively free of extremes. Good natural sources of food can be found both on the land and water. The soil is favorable for planting crops and raising animals. The bounty of the water is still apparent, and anyone willing to work can have a very productive life here.

In the early seventeenth century, when Virginia's Captain John Smith explored the Chesapeake, there were extraordinary amounts of sea grass, crabs, oysters, clams, fish and water foul. For over three hundred years little was done to preserve this. Most took what they wanted, exploited the natural resources of the Bay, and forgot about the future. The truest fact of all is that we are a nation of forgetters and a people with short memories. In the twenty-first century we are paying the price for this history of man's abuse of the largest estuary in the United States.

 Communicating about it is an art, and as with most arts when we write we do not give verifiable truth the high priority it deserves. The history of the Chesapeake resonates with facts, and the following chapters are written in my attempt to increase our awareness of this reality. It is hoped that this knowledge will encourage all to help preserve the Bay. Any person living here need only place their eyes and heart in the direction of a very creditable past to find it. It is ever present! We observe and it magically appears.

Each chapter of this book contains a short story about visiting a place in southern or central Maryland. Each chapter is preceded by a poem. The poetry sets the tone for each chapter. It introduces background, expresses a feeling or provides a thought about what follows, or at least I hope it does. These stories involve real trips taken by real people I know, and dogs I love. All stories in this book are based upon true experiences.

All places written about are actual locations in southern or central Maryland. All the people mentioned actually exist. However, in this writing only their first names are correct. A few stories have been expanded, contracted, have different people or different locations, but each is written with the hope of expanding knowledge of the history and the people of the Chesapeake Bay. I find them fascinating, and I hope you do too.