Havre de Grace, Maryland. Where The Susquehanna River Ends.

I finally made it to Havre de Grace  this past weekend.  Two weeks ago I  traveled three hours north of my home in Luzerne County in Northeastern Pennsylvania and visited the source of the Susquehanna River,  at Lake Otsego, New York. Last weekend I traveled one hour west of my home and saw the ancient river  flowing through Northumberland County in   North Central Pennsylvania. And, this  past week I made the 2 1/2 hour journey south to Havre de Grace in Maryland ,  where the Susquehanna River ends it’s 444 mile journey and  empties into  the Chesapeake Bay.

I have been learning about this 320 million year old river, one of the oldest on our planet, since I began hiking in the wetlands along the river  near Berwick in Luzerne County about 10 years ago. I became curious and wanted to visit this historic town as soon as I learned this is where this mighty river ends. So I left my home and took the scenic route to Havre de Grace  on backroads through rural Pennsylvania and Maryland on Thursday morning.

I enjoyed seeing the many horse and buggies driven by the Amish when I drove through Lancaster County.

I arrived early, around 1 p.m., and was pleased to learn my room at the historic Vandiver Inn , were I was staying for two nights,  was ready.

The historic inn was built in 1886 and I was impressed with the elegance of the old mansion and my room.

I quickly unpacked  and set up my computer and chargers in my room, and I was soon on my way to McLhinney Park. This small   county park is located along the Susquehanna River  where it ends and  enters  the Chesapeake Bay.  The park is only two miles from the Inn and I was soon walking on a trail leading to the Susquehanna River.

On my way I was pleasantly surprised to find a pawpaw tree with many ripe pawpaw fruit strewn on the ground under the tree.  I only first tried this delicious  native fruit for the first time two years ago, when a friend gave me one. I loved the custard like  flesh which is described as a having a banana, pineapple and mango flavor. I found a few trees last Summer on a visit to Chester County in Pennsylvania but the fruit weren’t ripe. So these were the first ripe fruits I found. I ate  a few of the delicious fruits before continuing on my hike on the trail,After a short walk, the trail took me to the banks of the Susquehanna River. It is here where the river ends it’s journey from Lake Otsego in New York. On my visit there two weeks ago   I splashed in the clean waters in the small stream leaving the lake.

The river is much different here after flowing 444 miles after leaving the lake.  It was joined by  many streams and creeks  on it’s journey.   The river is many times wider now and the water no longer clean. Many bridges cross the river carrying  motor vehicles and trains over it’s now murky and brown waters.

I explored the small park along the river  with the  noise of the traffic over the bridges in the background. It was still a nice park with a small pond,

and the remains of the locks  from the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal built in 1840. There was also the original lockhouse in the park which  is now houses the Susquehanna Museum.

There were many black-eyed Susan and

sedum flowers blooming along the pond,

attracting many insects including blue winged wasps, 

common buckeye butterflies and

I believe this is a species of skipper butterflies. 

I also saw this gray squirrel climbing a tree.

There weren’t many songbirds in the park, just a few red-winged blackbirds, this is a female.

There were a few shore birds including a few great blue herons, some on the ponds

and others on rocks in the river,

with their feathers  being blown in the brisk breeze coming off of the Bay.

and, double crested cormorants,

this one  drying it’s feathers.

I also saw a few  red eared turtles on the pond.

The trail in the park was not very long, less than a mile so I left the park, and walked under the  Thomas J Hatem Memorial Bridge and on to the North Park Loop Trail .The narrow trail took me under large hardwood trails, including oak, sycamore, elm , tulip and silver maple trees growing in the fertile soil along the river.

The trail took me along the river,

and under another railroad bridge that spanned the river.

 I followed the trail on an old railroad track,

but did not see much wildlife just a few more squirrels and a few birds including  a Carolina wren ,

a downy woodpecker,

a few gray catbirds,

and northern cardinals in the trees along the trail and,

this black tailed gull swimming in the river.

There were a few more wildflowers growing along the trail including white wood asters and

Maryland meadow beauty flowers. 

The trail would occasionally leave the woodlands and  take me to the banks if the river where I found this campfire place and wished I could stay a night along the river and enjoy a fire.

The trail ended at a fence that was posted as private property. I began my hike back and followed the Mason – Dixon loop.

Along the way was surprised to come to a small pond named after me, Frank’s Pond.

Here I saw a green heron

and an elegant eastern great egret. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the wildlife I saw on my afternoon hikes. Havre de Grace,  wildlife  August 29 2024.

There were also some dragonflies darting around the pond including this slaty skimmer.

I finished my 3 mile hike and had already accomplished 1/2 of my mission for the trip, seeing the Susquehanna River enter the Chesapeake Bay. I still had one more  mission on the trip, but more on that later. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from my afternoon hike in  McLhinnery Park and along the Susquehanna River.  Havre de Grace, McLhlinney Park   August 29 2024. hike 

It was around 4 p.m. when I returned to the Inn. I didn’t stay long I wanted to explore the quiet and quaint town of Havre de Grace so I was soon leaving the Inn. and walking down Union Street.

Havre de Grace was originally the home of the Susquehannock Native American. It was visited by Captain John Smith in 1608 , A  Godfrey Hamer settled here in 1658 and was called Hammer Town. General Marquis de Lafayette gave it the name of Havre de Grace during the Revolutionary War.   There is just so much history in the town in addition to it’s beautiful street and residences and buildings

I walked down Union Street past a church and

the Library. I was walking fast because  thunderstorms were in the forecast.

I wanted to see the Chesapeake Bay so I turned on Pennington Street and toward the Bay. Here I saw some colorful murals,

depicting the history of the town.

I walked down the quiet streets. There was almost no traffic.

I made my way to the Chesapeake Bay and reflected on it’s  beauty and history, but not for long. I heard the rumble of thunder so I began to walk back to the Inn, walking past some more murals illustrating the history of horse racing in the town.

There were more murals along my walk back. I made it back  and the rain held off. It was now early evening and I was hungry, Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of my  afternoon through the town. . Havre de Grace, afternoon hike in  town   August 29 2024. hike

So, after a quick shower I was off to the Water Street Seafood restaurant located a few blocks from the Inn along the banks of the Susquehanna River. I was now very hungry,  so I began my meal with a hearty bowl of Maryland crab soup and a Caesar’s salad,

and I had a delicious ci0pinno dinner of assorted fish, clams, scallops, shrimp and mussels.

And I saved some room for a  Maryland version  Key lime pie. It was delicious.. I love to eat, especially after a long day of travel and exploring.

After my meal I walked down to the banks of the Susquehanna River.  I was surprised and delighted to smell a campfire as I neared the waters of the rivers. A fisherman had a fire going near the river. I love the smell of a campfire.  It  helped me imagine the Native Americans with their fires along the river. , including the Lenni Lenape or Delaware who traveled here from Pennsylvania to harvest clams, oysters clams and seafood. And the early explorers and settlers who  followed the river from where I stood to the shore of Lake Otsego in New York.

“I drain a thousand streams, yet still I seek to lose myself  in the Chesapeake.”  Llyod Mifflin 1900. 

fskokoski@gmail.com

This is my first post