While the West Fenwick community is not actually an island…
Magenta skies of a typical sunset as viewed from a bayfront deck at the Crabcake Factory.
…as Fenwick Island proper is, it does have a LOT of water. This can be seen in photos on this site and elsewhere. There is Assawoman Bay to the south and the Fenwick Ditch to the east (separating West Fenwick from the actual island). The “Ditch” leads to Lighthouse Cove and Little Assawoman Bay to the northeast, which flows into Dirickson Creek to the north. There are also dozens of canals, small creeks and even a few lakes in the West Fenwick Island area.
However, there are only a few places for waterfront dining in West Fenwick. Two that we tend to patronize on a regular basis are…
Crabcake Factory Bayside
CCFB is a comfy place with an awesome view of Assawoman Bay to the south and incredible sunset views to the southwest.
Catch 54 Seafood Restaurant
Catch 54 is located on Fenwick Ditch where it joins Lighthouse Cove. It provides excellent water views with boating activity and a skyline view of Fenwick Island to keep you entertained while dining or hanging at the bar. The new(er) Papa Grande Mexican-flavor place also has a fine view of The Ditch.
The view from just every table at Catch 54 is one to savor – right along with your dinner.
Walk the waters edge for a trail length of one-half mile, roundtrip.
The following is a transcription of the captions on the sign.
The Bayside waterfront golf community is composed of 867 acres bordering along Roy Creek and the beautiful Assawoman Bay. Carl M. Freeman Companies is dedicated to safeguarding the environment and preserving historical treasures in an effort to enrich and enhance your experience at Bayside We (the Bayside developers) have placed over 287 acres of tidal wetlands and forests into conservation easements. These conservation areas are protected by the Bayside Homeowners Association, Sussex County Land Trust and, most importantly, YOU!
Tidal Salt Marshes. The tidal marsh (through which you can walk) is part of 63,400 acres of coastal wetland in Delaware. Coastal wetlands are particulary iportant habitats for estuarine fish, waterfowl, shorebirds and a variety of small animals. The upper edge of the tidal marsh contains coastal shrubs such as hight tide brush and bayberry, which are common on this trail.
Blue Crab. Many organisms which depend on the salt marsh for food are visible from the trail, such as the blue crab and fiddler crab. A variety of minnows also live in the local tidal creeks and channels such as the mummichog, stripedkillifish and Atlantic silverside.
Assawoman Bay. The Assawoman Bay and its tributaries offer a wonderful setting for those adventurous enough to explore by canoe or kayak. This quiet and peaceful alternative is low impacton the wetlands and provides a unique perspective of the area.
TICK ALERT! Ticks have been found throughout the State of Delaware. Some ticks carry diseases including Lyme Disease. When outdoors it is wise to take the following precautions.
Walk to the center of the trails.
Wear light colored clothing to increase the visibility of the tick.
Tuck pants into socks.
Wear long sleeve shirts
Use tick repellants on clothing and repellants on pets.
Thoroughly check people and pets for ticks.
Remove tick by grasping close to the skin with tweezers and pulling steadily and gently until it releases its hold.
Note: In most cases ticks must feed for hours before transmitting disease. If, following a tick bite, you develop a ring shaped red spot or any flu-like symptoms, contact your physician.
