Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver can imagine tourists and locals spending a little time in a small cabin on the Nanticoke River, cradled in the quiet of nature, casting a fishing pole, watching the sun go down.

And he’d like them to have those experiences at the 85-acre Cedar Hill Marina and Park in Bivalve, in little cabins he hopes are built by the end of the current fiscal year.

They are included in this year’s Capital Improvement Plan and Culver said would like to see a cluster of six finished in the first phase.

“It’s a new way of doing things. I’m excited about it. It will help bring tourists. We can rent them a boat slip. How many times do you see a car go by with a Pennsylvania tag on it and it’s going to Cape Charles or to Ocean City? They can stay right here. We can rent them a slip and they can fish every day,” Culver told the Salisbury Independent this week.

His plan is to pattern the cabins after the 300-square-foot cabins at Deep Creek Lake, Md., shown on the website bluemoonrising.org, where guests are urged to “Think big, live small.”

A video with lively music shows a young man vacationing in one of them, starting the day by frying an egg and toasting an English muffin for breakfast, then biking through the woods. On another day, he goes fishing and sits by rushing water, then enjoys a pizza with a friend and sits on the porch.

“Blue Moon Rising is the most innovative, enchanting and environmentally friendly place to stay in Deep Creek Lake, Md., with one of the most stunning views,” the Web site states.

“Each cabin has a unique design and personality, and we hope that our residents enjoy each one for its distinct characteristics. The cabins were built locally in Cranesville, Md., by our friends at Hobbitat. What Hobbitat builders have done is create livable works of art. Each cabin is lovingly constructed out of primarily reclaimed materials,” it states.

“I hope to kind of emulate that and put that here at Cedar Hill,” Culver said.

“There’s a marina there. What I hope to do is put these cabins down there. We have a bathhouse, but we might have to add showers.

“The cabins would be more of a minimalistic set up for people who like to rough it. Some will have bathroom facilities,” he said.

His plan is for a 12-by-14-foot structures, maybe a bit larger, with loft and queen-sized bed, built by hand.

The park at Cedar Hill is about 15 miles from Salisbury and can be found by traveling west on Nanticoke Road. The marina has 140 boat slips, additional transient slips, a dual concrete boat ramp, pump-out station, toilets and showers.

Known for striking sunsets and natural views, the area also has a pavilion and floating dock by the water’s edge for fishing and crabbing and small beach area with a view of the river.

There’s also a wooded section of the park.

“I’m looking for carpenter to build these cabins,” Culver said.

Each will cost $10,000 to $12,000 to build, depending on amenities.  Culver envisions LED lighting and septic tanks being pumped into one tank.

“They would have a small baseboard heating system, so they could even be used in the winter for a quick getaway,” he said.

“These will be on railroad ties so we can move them with a forklift in case of a storm,” he explained.

Rental rates would range from around $149 to $279 per day, and differ depending on the time of year. Culver said they would be popular when tournaments come to town and vacationers want a quiet place to relax.

“We’ve never had this before. This would be the first time for Wicomico County. I suggested it years ago, but it was turned down at the time,” Culver said.

“I don’t want it to be too overcrowded, maybe have 12 cabins down there, in different areas of the park. We might only get four or five done at first.

“They could be used for weddings. It would be something different for Wicomico County.

“It works in other areas so why wouldn’t it work here?”