7/12/2006

Captain’s Cove: Down home charm and ‘community’
Observations by Chip Bertino

The tents were up.  The tables and chairs were set, and the charcoal was glowing vibrantly in the barbecue pits.  As more than a thousand people began streaming in, the band was starting to perform.  People were chattering away with one another, laughing and enjoying themselves.  Many people brought covered dishes to share with neighbors.  Such was the scene Saturday, July 1, in a small, but growing community that possesses a quaint charm, a spirit of camaraderie and an appreciation of neighborliness.  The location was Captain’s Cove in Greenbackville, VA.

Community can be a difficult term to define.  You know it when you see it, or experience it.  Such was the case recently during a visit to Captain’s Cove, a community that is roughly half the size of Ocean Pines.  Located just over the Maryland-Virginia state line off Route 12 and situated adjacent to Chincoteague Bay it is only about 25 minutes from its larger cousin to the north, but what a difference those minutes make.

This year’s annual “Summerbration” which included a live band, carnival games, clowns, food and beverages and a 30-minute fireworks program, was the largest held by the community. It coincided with the dedication of the community’s new $3 million golf course.  And it was clear to all those in attendance that the community is on the move.

What is striking about a visit to Captain’s Cove, especially for someone who resides in Ocean Pines and is all too familiar with the adversity associated with just about every facet of the Pines, among board members and property owners, is how nice it is when a group of neighbors come together in the spirit of community, without rancor and acrimony.

The Captain’s Cove maintenance department constructed out of wood an outdoor platform so people could dance.  One can only wonder how this might have been handled by the Ocean Pines Association.  There most likely would have been calls for an ad hoc committee to review the concept, the A.R.C. would have been involved in the color selections and at some point, there would have been a movement to put construction of the 20 foot by 20 foot dance floor to a referendum vote.

Maybe because of its size and the fact that the area is on a growth trajectory, Captain’s Cove residents tend to accentuate more their community’s positives.  Conversely, Ocean Pines, having reached build-out and by comparison is a more mature community in terms of infrastructure and amenities, more often than not, has the reputation of embracing the negatives, real and perceived.

Captain’s Cove has a simple, down home charm to it, a unique character exemplified in the attitudes of the people you meet at the pool and the golf course as well as those who run the office, the pro shop, and the snack bar. It is not as large as Ocean Pines, it does not have as many swimming pools or tennis courts, but what it does have is a natural hospitality and earnestness to create an inviting environment that sets it apart.

Send an Email Letter to Courier Editor - be sure to include your telephone number.