The Park is open only from Sunrise to Sunset. The cache is
accessible only during those hours.
The Parking Coords will take you to the Chesapeake Exploration
Center which features an interactive exhibit, "Our Chesapeake
Legacy", which describes the rich natural environment of the Bay.
This hands-on exhibit, designed to make learning about the region
both fun and memorable, provides visitors an overview of the
region's heritage, resources and culture. It also explores
man’s close relationship with the Bay and how that
relationship has shaped our culture and history and conversely how
we have shaped the environment of the Bay.
Visiting the Center is not necessary to answer the questions or
claim a find, but it is worth the time. Among the themes included
in "Our Chesapeake Legacy" are:
"Man's Impact on the Bay - what we put in, what we take out, and
how we build around the Chesapeake watershed can hurt the Bay. Find
out what the problems are and how we are trying to fix them."
"Saving the Bay - Are the rockfish back? Are the crabs gone
forever? Will the oysters continue to die from disease? Take home a
tear sheet with suggestions of things you can do to help save this
natural resource."
Hours: The facility is open seven days a week, year-round
(Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and Easter excepted) and
is staffed from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, and 10:00
am to 4:00 pm on weekends.
Fees: The Exploration Center is free to the public.
From the Exploration Center a 530-foot boardwalk provides access
to the park's trails. These trails are loose stone and should be
negotiable by strollers and assisted wheelchairs. The coords will
take you to an interpretive sign which is 0.5 miles from the
parking lot.
Along the way you will enjoy the view of the Chester River, Kent
Narrows, and Piney Creek. At times you may see bald eagles,
ospreys, egrets, blue herons, and white-tailed deer. The park is a
designated breeding and launching destination for the Diamondback
Terrapin.
In addition to serving as nurseries for young fish and crabs,
the marshes around Ferry Point Park help filter pollution, reduce
erosion, and improve the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay.
The goal of Ferry Point Park is to preserve the eroding
shoreline and improve the health of the surrounding waters. To this
end Queen Anne's County and Maryland's Department of Natural
Resources are working together on a shoreline rehabilitation
project, implementing multiple construction techniques, each with
its own distinct purpose.
Living shorelines will reduce the sediment and excess nutrients
that wash into the water by stabilizing shorelines in low and
medium wave areas. Restored shorelines will establish vital
habitats that help sustain a variety of plant communities.
TO CLAIM A FIND YOU MUST:
Send us an email with answers to the following questions:
1) As of this year, how many years have they been mapping the
eroding shoreline. (HINT: Subtract the earliest year you see on the
map from this year.)
2) In the last 100+ years, some areas have lost how much
shoreline?
3) What two things have caused the shore erosion?
4) What four things are planned to preserve the shoreline?
5) As shown in the diagram, a living shoreline includes what two
things?
OPTIONAL BUT NOT REQUIRED: We’d enjoy seeing a
picture of you with your GPS (or just your GPS) and the
interpretive sign, but please be sure that your picture does not
reveal the wording on the sign!
SPOILER LOGS OR PICTURES WILL BE DELETED!