Lazy Saturday in Onancock

Onancock Harborfest was this Saturday. We took off to wander around a little and have a bit of lunch. We had been here before a couple of times. Once, we took the ferry to Tangier Island for the day. Another time we just came to see the harbor and have a lunch.

We were surprised at the size and enthusiasm of the festival. It started down the sides of Marsh Street with a series of antique automobiles. They were really well done. Then we strolled down to the waterfront where the rest of the festival resided. I did not take any pictures there, but there was a fair bit of activity:

• beer tent
• arm wrestling competition
• local vendor booths
• food boths
• climbing wall
• craft show
• music tent

We listened to a local singer (Johnny Mo - a chef in a local restaurant). He was quite good and played/sang some of his own compositions. Then we walked onto a bridge to see the craft show and wait for the rubber duck race.

The team was just unwinding the lane sides for the rubber ducks. The lanes were quite long. The ducks do not move very fast, though, as they just drift on the water.

As the lanes unfolded, we chatted with people on the bridge. Esther and I both discovered transplanted New Jerseyans. Both sets of people independently mentioned how happy they were to get rid of NJ taxes. Big surprise! They also mentioned how happy they were down there on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Meanwhile, the escort kayaks gathered, fooling around doing Eskimo rolls, etc.

While we all talked and got acquainted, the ducks were residing in a big front-end loader at the other end of the bridge.

People contribute a couple of bucks for each duck so the town can do something with it (not sure what - no one explained that part). Anyway, the locals all seemed to know each other. It seemed to be a happy gathering.

Everybody waited along the bridge to see the ducks released. Slowly the loader crept to the release point, then tipped its bucket.

Unfortunately, my camera crapped out just before I could get the release and race. Too bad, it was kind of interesting. Anyway, a good time was had by all, but especially by the kids.