Family

When was the last time you and your family connected, really connected, with nature in a meaningful way? Have you ever glided down a silent creek under your own power, where the only sounds that reach your ears are your paddle as it delicately breaches the surface of the water, the crisp fluttering of avian wings as they rise from a perch, and the wind itself as it whispers across your face? If answering those questions requires a pause, then it’s probably time to cast off the restrictive trappings of civilization, and truly immerse yourself in the primordial majesty of nature. For those of us on the Eastern Shore, such blissful respite waits only minutes away, in Berlin at Ayers Creek Adventures.

 

“We really have a total cross-section of visitors here, people of all ages and from all backgrounds,” said Steve Taylor, who with wife Suzy Taylor launched Ayers Creek Adventures in April. “We have lots of families, sure, but we also have many couples, individuals and group excursions, both locally and from outlying states.”

 

The motives people have for seeking out this pristine five-acre retreat are as many and varied as the patrons themselves.

 

“People come here for so many different reasons,” said Taylor, a Stephen Decatur High School alumnus who was born to the land he now occupies with Suzy and their two sons.

 

“Some people come for a romantic getaway, while others are looking for a really cool and unique shared family experience. Some come because they love the environment in general or perhaps wetlands in particular. Some just want to escape the complexities of everyday life, while others are looking to be educated. And there are always those folks who come on a recurring basis just because they love to kayak or canoe.”

 

To accommodate that customer cross-section, the Taylors have a fleet of 24 brand-new ultra-modern craft that are poised to carry you away on your adventure in total comfort and safety. The 10-foot kayaks are the most maneuverable and basically good for anyone, including children seven years old and up, while the 12-foot kayaks, preferable for larger adults, are more stable in rougher weather and water conditions. The 13.5-foot tandem kayaks are also very wide and stable. All the kayaks feature seatbacks and foot adjustments. The canoes, meanwhile, are the workhorses of the fleet, best suited to families and for hauling any kind of cargo (e.g., if you were going camping).

 

"We also have a 15-passenger van that we use for large groups,” Taylor said, “which is perfect for our customers who want to kayak or canoe at Assateague.”

 

While a large percentage of Ayers Creek visitors are there to rent the equipment and go at it alone, the facility offers some fantastic tours, led by Taylor himself.

 

The most common tour is the Forested Wetlands Exploration Tour, which is perfect for families and school groups. It explores the headwaters of Ayers Creek through the marshes and forested wetlands, offering an education about the ecology, history and wildlife of the eco-system via hands-on activities such as seining and water-quality testing.

 

The Ayers and Trappe Saltwater Marsh Paddle, meanwhile, seems to take you to another world as you wind your way through labyrinthine marshes with many small guts and tributaries to explore. The 2.5-to-3-hour tour is appropriate for all levels of paddlers.
As the name implies, The Adventure Tour is the most robust excursion on the Taylors’ menu. Five hours in length, the tour starts from Ayers Creek, proceeds through Newport Bay and culminates with Chincoteague Bay. Traversing these magnificent waterways is designed for experienced paddlers only and includes a gourmet-lunch stop.

 

The enchantment, however, is most likely to be found on the Taylors’ signature tour – the Full Moon Paddle with Wine Tasting. On this tour, you will be treated to the unimaginable and timeless beauty of Maryland’s coastal waterways in a whole new light… literally. Embarking at sunset, you will enjoy a tranquil one-hour paddle on the calm, glassy waters of the creek as the full moon rises from the east. Revel in the twilight and nocturnal wildlife as they come out to play, followed by a romantic bonfire complete with gourmet snacks compliments of The Shark on the Harbor in West Ocean City and Tuscan-chic wines from Fenwick Wine Cellars.

 

No matter which you choose, every Ayers Creek Adventures tour is full of untamed flora and fauna. Expect to see blue heron, osprey, red-tailed hawk, bald eagle, Forster’s tern, wild turkey, white-tailed deer and even the odd North American river otter in addition to the frogs, turtles and snakes one would find in any wetlands environment.

 

But for all the natural resources on display at Ayers Creek Adventures, none is more immediately relevant than Steven Taylor himself. Not only is he the fourth of five generations to occupy and work the land, Taylor – who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Baltimore – spent 10 years working for the Environmental Protection Agency en route to becoming the original executive director of the Maryland Coastal Bays Program.

 

Ayers Creek Adventures, 888-602-6288
www.AyersCreekAdventures.com

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