Ever since this Spy can remember, there has been friendly rivalry between the Chester and Sassafras River boaters and homeowners , but as of this past August, weekends on the Sassafras River now feature something the Chester is sorely lacking – “Smoke on the Water,” The Grill Meister’s floating BBQ.
Saturday mornings Gunner Roe, aka The Grill Meister, and crew leave their Sassafras Harbor Marina berth at 8 :30, (or as soon as they get out of bed and get to the dock), and head downriver just past the Georgetown marinas to Nickel Beach, renamed Dollar Ninety-Eight by locals due to hefty gas price increases, and moor. Sundays they cruise to popular Lloyd’s Creek, near the mouth of the Sassafras. This is strictly a carry-out, or “float-out,“ as Gunner calls it. There is a delivery dinghy – you can even call ahead – 410 708 7077; they will deliver to any boat or dock in the area. Low tide at Lloyd’s Creek people even wade or swim over. The PA system can call out when your order is ready, accompanied by assorted oinks, squeals and moos.
The breakfast menu: sausage or ham and egg croissants, maple hotcakes, omelet wraps and pastries, is available all day, – a smart decision as we all know some of those boaters like to party! The barbecue and grill is ready by 11 AM at the latest. The house, er, boat sandwich specialties are pulled pork BBQ, Texas Style Beef Brisket BBQ and the “spanked” chicken breast. Sorry, no fries, but there are burgers and dogs, slaw, potato and macaroni salad and a wide variety of Hershey’s Ice Cream delights. They stay open until sometime between 5 and 7 PM, depending on crowd and weather. Gunner hasn’t forgotten the four-legged customers, either, he has a big jar of complimentary treats. To his knowledge no one has bought a sandwich for their dog- yet.
The Grill Meister has been doing land-based catering since 1991, although he has been in the BBQ “biz” since 1980, when his family decided their Wye Mills gas station would be a good spot to open for a chicken barbecue stand. One day a customer was watching them slap sauce on the chicken, and referred to it as “spanked“ chicken. There is now Spanking Sauce, and Spank It Red Sauce. And in ‘85 the Washington Post’s Phyllis Richman named the stand as one of the best places to dine on the Eastern Shore. But for the past 15 years Gunner has wanted to operate a floating barbecue, ever since he was in Georgetown selling ribs and pork for a Fourth of July celebration. He looked at all the boats and thought, “How can I get out on the water and sell food.”
In October of 2012 he purchased a houseboat from Worton Creek Marina. The interior was gutted, and painted inside and out. He added 3 refrigerators, a freezer, gas stove, and custom-made grill on the deck. He teamed up with an Elkton High art teacher to design the tail, snout and ears. ( The snout is a collapsible yard can.) The Kent County Health Department had not dealt with “a mobile unit on the water, but Cecil County had, so inspectors from both counties worked with Gunner to get his permit. A name the boat contest on Facebook netted a number of possibilities. Some of the runners-up: Porky’s Revenge, Oink Oink Splash, When Pigs Float, and 50 Shades of Pork (vetoed as not exactly PC). He settled for “Smoke on the Water.“ There were a few setbacks, estimated launch date was prior to Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional beginning of the boating season. She finally went in the water in mid summer, and was selling BBQ the last weekend in August. And how is business? Gunner said that the delivery dingy has quite a few miles on it already.
Weather permitting, “Smoke on the Water” will be cruising the Sassafras at least through the end of September, hopefully into mid-October. And for those of you on the Chester and Bohemia rivers, Gunner says, “Stay tuned for other animals to show up at a marina near you.”
For more pictures see his Facebook page: The Grill Meister
Margie Fick says
Editor,
A “Grilliant” idea. I would love to see this on the Chester.