We docked our 22-foot Catalina sailboat at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and slept on board at night. This privilege is only available to members at the "Contributor" ($75) level and above. The fee for our boat was only $15, and we had a spectacular view. The moon and stars reflecting off of the billowing water made for a wonderful backdrop to our nights. There were both larger and smaller boats docked near us, including some behemoth power yachts that were like houses afloat. The museum's highest nightly rate is for boats over 80 feet, at $1 per foot. That's a lot of boat!
The facilities at the museum were well-kept and adequate for our needs. There is a shower house and restroom near the dock where overnight guests can clean up. The doors have a punch code lock so that only registered guests who have been given the combination can use the facilities. I never found that I had to wait for a shower, as there were few of us folks in smaller boats. All of the others had their own facilities. Electricity is available for $5 per night, but we did not need it. We only slept on the boat; all of our meals were eaten out. The slips were quiet at night so we had plenty of peace when we needed it. We enjoyed taking a stroll around the grounds after dark when all of the day guests had gone home. I really enjoy the sound and smell of the water and the ever-flashing light of the Hooper Strait Lighthouse. We were also conveniently located near several restaurants, and within a short walk of town. We never felt any need for a car because the town lends itself so well to foot travel.
One of my favorite benefits of staying at the museum was a late-night visit to the softshell crab tanks. The exhibit is built out on the dock, and it is not locked at night. We were able to lift the lids of the tanks and peer in on the crabs as they scuttled and swam around. I appreciated the ability to watch these lovely creatures without anyone else around. I got to have my own private moment with them. During the day there are usually lots of children running from tank to tank and trying to scare the crabs into action. At night, though, it is a quiet, peaceful little world where it's just you and the crabs.