A strong connection to the Nanticoke River

The rivers of Sussex County have played an important role in the county's commerce and history.

The Nanticoke, Broadkill, Indian and Mispillion rivers have taken on new roles over the past several decades.

The Nanticoke River is by far the longest of all the rivers at 64 miles from near Bridgeville through Seaford to the Chesapeake Bay. While the Mispillion River is the border between Sussex and Kent counties, the Nanticoke traverses two states – Delaware and Maryland.

The Nanticoke is one of the most protected rivers in the region, with thousands of acres set aside for preservation. The most recent acquisition is a collaborative effort between Sussex County Council and the Sussex County Land Trust. The trust will celebrate the opening of the 41-acre Nanticoke Crossing Park from 2 to 5 p.m., Saturday, June 24. It's located on the Laurel side of the Nanticoke adjacent to the Woodland Ferry.

Nanticoke commerce

Like the Mispillion and Broadkill, the Nanticoke was the main shipping channel before the railroad and roads came on the scene. Shipbuilding was also a major industry along the rivers. It was a time when the rivers were more like roads.

Today, the Nanticoke is still a major shipping route to and from Seaford for grain, stone and sand, and petroleum. It's not uncommon to see large tugboats pushing huge barges up and down the Nanticoke.

A historic trip

One of England's greatest explorers, Capt. John Smith, sailed and rowed on the Nanticoke up to the mouth of Broad Creek, which goes through Bethel to Laurel, during his 1607-09 3,000-mile journey in and around the Chesapeake Bay. That’s the same Capt. John Smith who helped establish Jamestown in 1606-07, the first permanent European settlement in the New World.

A monument marks his arrival at Phillips Landing outside Bethel. It's also part of the Nanticoke River Trail, which ties in with the Capt. John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, the first of its kind in the nation.

Smith was on the waterways in his 30-foot, open shallop to find gold and silver, access the Native American tribes and establish trading, and to find the mythical Northwest Passage to India. He didn't find any treasure, had limited success with the Native Americans and, of course, did not find the Northwest Passage.

However, he did map the area, paving way for other European explorers and settlers.

The really good news is that most of the Nanticoke and its shoreline looks the way it did when Smith visited. Today, there are more than 190,000 preserved acres. That includes 3,000-plus acres from Seaford to Vienna, Md. While boating on the Nanticoke, once you get by Seaford, there is very little development and the towns are all small, such as Vienna, Sharptown and Nanticoke in Maryland, and Woodland in Delaware, the home of one of the few remaining cable ferries in the region.

It's a popular recreational and fishing waterway for people who live in western Sussex County. A visit to the Nanticoke River Yacht Club Marina will show just how many boaters use the river.

The shores of the Nanticoke are lined with forests as far as the eye can see, plus marshlands and small creeks. It’s commonplace to see bald eagles, osprey and fish breaking the surface of the river.

The watershed comprises some 720,000 acres, with more than 50,000 acres of tidal marshes. The watershed is the home of one of the highest concentrations of bald eagles in the northeastern United States. The watershed also provides habitat for many threatened and endangered species.

The Nanticoke Conservancy has protected more than 660 acres in the watershed.

The Nanticoke Heritage Byway includes Woodland and the ferry crossing. The 40-mile route is the best way to learn about the history of Western Sussex County. For more information, go to deldot.gov/Programs/byways/index.shtml?dc=sussex.

It's not a coincidence that the river shares its name with the Nanticoke Indian Tribe. The watershed provided everything the first Americans needed.

Renewed appreciation

For years, the history of the Nanticoke and its potential for recreation were pretty much ignored. The addition of the Nanticoke Riverwalk, and its extensions, and the Nanticoke River Festival have helped to create a new appreciation of the river. The Riverwalk provides an area for fishing, and launching kayaks and canoes.

A unique event in the county occurs during the Riverfest when hundreds of people float down the Nanticoke in inner tubes, floats and homemade rafts.

The newest project is Oyster House Park at the end of the Riverwalk. The park will feature replica buildings of the two oyster houses that once occupied the site, an amphitheater and a tribal ring for the Nanticoke Indian Tribe to hold ceremonies.

A personal connection

As a youngster growing up in Seaford, my friends and I spent a lot of time in one of the oyster houses as our unofficial clubhouse, until it was torn down.

I've also spent a lot of hours water skiing, boating and fishing on the Nanticoke.

When I served on Seaford City Council, one of my main objectives was to highlight the river. It took several years, a lot of arm twisting, and help from the state and support of my friend Ron Breeding to make the dream of a Nanticoke Riverwalk a reality.

I mentioned to a few people that I was going to float down the Nanticoke in July when the tide was right. The idea spread, and soon dozens of people were interested. Because of the liability, it was imperative to get an organization to sponsor the event. The Greater Seaford Chamber of Commerce stepped up and the Nanticoke Riverfest was born. That was 28 years ago.

I spent a very long – and wet – day canoeing to the source of the Nanticoke. Along the way, we used underwater chain saws to clear out fallen trees. It was an exercise in futility, because the next year fallen trees blocked the route again.

I was also one of the founders of the Nanticoke River Preservation Committee. The group, with its various stakeholders, was the first to take a serious look at preservation and appreciation of the river.

The Nanticoke River and I share a connection that is rooted in a love for natural beauty and history.

For a boaters guide, go to findyourchesapeake.com/globalimages/user_uploads/CJS_BoatersGuide_PRINT.pdf.