With the arrival of spring, people on the Lower Eastern Shore are asking about the status of the Black-Eyed Susan, the 149-passenger paddlewheel-driven boat with a Victorian style interior built in 1986 and acquired by the Town of Snow Hill last year to provide catered luncheon and dinner cruises up and down the scenic Pocomoke River. The BES opened to enthusiastic fanfare last August and was able to provide a number of successful voyages before the end of the season.
With its distinctive red and white paddlewheel the sole source of propulsion, the community has great hopes that the craft will spur an economic development boon that will attract visitors and residents alike. As it happened, when the Town purchased the boat, it was in the fourth year of a five-year Coast Guard-mandated inspection period. Consequently, for the past several weeks, the BES has been in drydock at a shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, undergoing an intense inspection process by the Coast Guard.
Preliminary reports indicate that a wide range of issues have been discovered covering the boat’s structure and engines, many of which would not have been found when the boat was inspected in the water prior to purchase. At present, the Town is engaged in discussions with the shipyard and the United States Coast Guard to develop an affordable plan that would return the Black-Eyed Susan to Snow Hill and the Pocomoke River in time for the summer 2022 season. The Town recognizes that the lack of a definitive date for return-to-service is placing Washington’s Inc., the paddlewheel’s tenant, in a difficult position for booking events and is working diligently with all parties to bring the process to a satisfactory conclusion.
For confirmation contact Town Manager Rick Pollitt at 410.632.2080
