The Easton Branch of AAUW (American Association of University Women) is sponsoring a narrated scenic drive through Fishing Creek and Hooper’s Island in Dorchester County with lunch at Old Salty’s Restaurant and an afternoon of wine tasting at Layton’ Chance Winery, on Saturday, May 4, 2013. The bus will leave Easton at 10:00 AM from Creamer Lane, Easton, and will pick up our guide and additional attendees at the Sailwinds Visitor Center in Cambridge at 10:30 AM. Following the narrated tour and scenic drive through Fishing Creek and Hooper’s Island, we will have a buffet lunch at Old Salty’s and time to explore the gift shop.

Located on a narrow island served primarily by Hooper’s Island Road, Fishing Creek has a restaurant (Old Salty’s), a post office, a hardware store with intermittent hours, and a general store (King’s Island Pride), as well as crabbing businesses. Local legend posits a number of ghosts in the Fishing Creek area. The village is on the upper island of the three island chain known as Hoopers Island, about fifteen miles from the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.

Hooper’s Island is actually comprised of three islands with authentic working watermen villages. Some properties have the earliest land grants in Dorchester County, issued in 1659, approximately 10 years before the County was established. The main island was allegedly bought from the Indians in exchange for blankets.

Lunch at Old Salty’s will include crab cakes, fresh fish of the day, clam strips, soft crabs (if plentiful), baked ham and baked lemon pepper chicken, salad, vegetables, backed pineapple, homemade rolls, ice tea and assorted pies to include lemon, chocolate and coconut meringue. We will leave Fishing Creek at 1:30 and arrive at Layton’s Chance Winery for an afternoon of touring and wine tasting with cheese and chocolates, and time to visit the gift shop. We will leave Layton’s Chance Winery at 4:00 PM for the drive back to Cambridge and Easton.

The cost is $78.00 for members and their guests, and $83.00 for non-members. The bus trip is a fundraiser for the Easton Branch Mature Woman’s Grant. This grant is awarded to women, 25 years and older, in the mid shore area, who are starting, or continuing their post high school education. Call Linda Tebbs at 410-763-8265 for trip reservations.