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Recreational Boating and Fishing
Recreational Boating
Smith Island skiff race. Photo by Lora Botinnelli.
Smith Island skiff race. Photo by Lora Botinnelli.

Learn about sailboats, charter boats, and ecotourism

Recreational sailing is a relatively new phenomenon, dating from around the turn of the 20th century. Sailing has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the Mid-Atlantic region, leading to an explosion in the number of sailing schools and a lively business in sail-making, rigging, and other support crafts. Annapolis, Maryland, is considered by many to be one of the "sailing capitals of the world."

Kayaking and canoeing the marshes and quiet tributaries of the Mid-Atlantic's many rivers is part of an "ecotourism" movement, as kayak guide Bo Lusk of Willis Wharf, VA, explains in his audio interview. Click on the right links to hear him discuss a new Chesapeake Bay industry.


Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more.

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