Under sunny and blue skys, the 21st Annual Patuxent Wade-in went off without a hitch but with a twist. It is the last one….at least at the Broomes Island location.  Broome’s Island is a sun drenched waterside community where Senator Bernie Fowler (ret) was born and for decades this was the focal point the Wade-In’s that spurred all the copycats or homages around the Bay and around the nation. Citing concerns about protecting the Wade-In Legacy in perpetuity, Bernie has decided to ”institutionalize” the event and will from now on host the event in conjunction with Jefferson Patterson State Park located just downriver. This move to a new location will ensure that the annual wading celebration  on the Patuxent is associated not just with the Fowler name and spirit, but also with a permanent home on the banks of the river he loves.  This year’s wading results yielded 25.5 inches of visibility as per the Fowler Sneaker Test, in contrast with 26 inches at last last year’s Wade-In….

To view pictures of the Wade-In follow this link: (click here)

To hear MP3 audio files from some of the speakers at the June 14, 2009 event, you can click below.

Remarks by singer Tom Wisner: Wisner Remarks (16)

l-r; Governor Martin Malley, Tom Wisner, Bernie Fowler

Performance by singer Tom Wisner: Wisner Song (14)

Remarks by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley: Omalley remarks (16)

Remarks by Senator Bernie Fowler: Fowler remarks (15)