A spring storm brewing near the mouth of the Patuxent River

NWS employee Sarah Roy faces an onslaught of cabin cruisers and an impending storm as she nears the end of a 25-mile trek down the Patuxent River.

Crab pot on the dock at the end of the day

Clam dredging - although maintaining the tradition of the Chesapeake waterman, this harvesting method further stresses submerged aquatic vegetation.

Erosion - ironically below a sign stating boat speed limit to minimize wake and erosion.

A fall high tide along a Patuxent River beach

A winter extreme low tide

A breakwater constructed to stop erosion

Well-rings and grasses provide erosion control in this location.

Overlooking the Ferry Landing Woods sediment settlement pond and marsh.

An abandoned pound net. These are used to catch fish, but also entraps many turtles and aquatic birds.

An abandoned pound net. These are used to catch fish, but also entraps many turtles and aquatic birds.

Flooding of low-lying areas at Holland Cliffs Shores by extreme high tides. Land is being lost at a rate of 1" per year in the Chesapeake Bay region due to combination of sea level rise and subsidence caused by lowering water tables. As population grows, so does demand for fresh water causing further subsidence, making events such as this increasingly common.

Flooding of low-lying areas by extreme high tides. If sea level continues its rise, such events will become increasingly common.

Flooding of low-lying areas by extreme high tides. If sea level continues its rise, such events will become increasingly common.

Ice marks the high tide line on these pier pilings.

Ice along the shore at the old steamboat landing at Holland Cliffs Shores.

Ice at old steamboat landing and covering the river at Holland Cliffs Shores.

Open water between the high and low tide lines at Holland Cliffs Shores.

A wintry vista along a frozen snow-covered Patuxent River

The harbor at Port Isobel.

The harbor at Tangier Island, a classic Chesapeake Bay town.

Crab pots in a channel

Sunset over Chesapeake Bay from Port Isobel

Sunset over Chesapeake Bay from Port Isobel

Mouth of a tidal pond has been closed up by a series of storms and high tides

Further loss of natural shoreline occurs as new boat ramps are constructed

A Navy YP dressed for a holiday while the GALATEA, an old gaff-rigged cutter, travels the waters of the St. Mary's River

The Cove Point Lighthouse

A glorious end to the day.

Arrow arum plants at night.

Arrow arum (the broadleaf plant) and saltmarsh cordgrass (spartina alternaflora)

Phragmites australis lining small tidal creek

Phragmites australis lining small tidal creek

Canoeists exploring a marsh

Iced over Patuxent River -looking upriver

Back finger of a tidal pond full of the submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) Eurasian watermilfoil.

A full moon reflecting off the river - almost at dawn

Sunset and a small rain storm across the river

A muskrat hut in a middle Patuxent river marsh. Observed at a very low tide. Early in the year so marsh grasses aren't too tall yet.

Mute swans with 8 cygnets. Mute swans are an agressive invasive species. There are now over 3,000 mute swans in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

Mute swans with 8 cygnets. Mute swans are an agressive invasive species. There are now over 3,000 mute swans in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

5 mute swan cygnets. Mute swans are an agressive invasive species. There are now over 3,000 mute swans in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

Osprey - Panion haliaetus

Osprey - Panion haliaetus

V-formation of Canada geese flying over the upper Patuxent River at dawn.

The Northern Water Snake - Nerodia sipedon sipedon - a common, non-venoemous water snake. Often mistaken for the Eastern Cottonmouth or Water Mocassin, Agkistrodon piscivorus. The known range for the latter does not extend further north than the Great Dismal Swamp.

The semi-aquatic Eastern Mud Turtle, Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum, is the mud turtle found in the Chesapeake Bay area. Found in wetlands and tidal marshes, is is easlily confused with the musk turtle.

Young naturalist inspecting a horseshoe crab shell. The carapace was empty. If this was a live animal, picking up by tail could cause injury to the crab.

Juvenile human inspecting juvenile alligator snapping turtles.