[C320-list] Chesapeake Bay Cruising/sailing

[Scott Westwood]

I am asking around several places for sources (mainly on-line) of where to go, where to anchor, etc... in the Chesapeake Bay area.  We have a list started but I might start spending some of those cold nights (if they ever come) reading up on highlights.  NOTE: We prefer to anchor out and dinghy in to walk/bike the towns and waterfronts.  
I know this is very subjective but (for example) is there a Facebook group focusing on the Chesapeake?  Prefer not to purchase paper books.
We are starting to plan a trip there for June/July next year.  We have a bunch gathered already but we have time to read more.




Thanks,




Scott Westwood scottw...@bellsouth.net C (919)- 819-9794

[Doug Treff]

Scott,

A couple of good groups to join on Facebook - Upper Chesapeake Sailing and Middle Chesapeake Bay Sailing. Though you may have to ask questions, as these sites are mostly locals sharing pictures and such. I'm sure people will be glad to jump in and help.

My knowledge if the bay south of Solomons is limited, so hopefully others can chime in with information from there.

Additionally, there are several C320 sailors on here who call the Chesapeake Bay home, and I'm sure we would be willing to share information. Hopefully, they will chime in. It's a wonderful cruising ground. From a sailing perspective, either May/June or September/October will likely yield better prevailing winds if you have the choice. When the dog days of July and August come along, there are a lot of windless days around here - and more thunderstorms. But no matter when you chose to do it, you'll have a lot of fun.

If you're bringing a dog, be sure to check with Troy Dunn - he has the scoop (no pun intended) on dog-friendly anchorages.

You can also get quite a bit of information from Active Captain, as well as the online Waterway Guide site.
https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-US/
https://www.waterwayguide.com/explorer?latitude=38.58145263504284&longitude=-76.10641479492188&zoom=9

Some great towns to consider visiting, starting in the North - and in rough order moving South:
Havre De Grace
Sassafrass River is a special place - plan on stopping there for a quiet night
Baltimore
Rock Hall
Chestertown
Annapolis - by mooring ball or marina - lots of great dinghy landings
Kent Narrows
St. Michaels
Oxford
Solomons
St. Mary's City

and countless quiet anchorages in between...

to name a few.

--
Doug Treff
do...@treff.us

[Bob Borelli]

Scott,

I moor my C320 at Sailing Associates Inc. marina at Fredericktown / Gerogetown, Maryland on the Sassafras River.
About 10 miles east on the Sassafras River from the Upper Bay starting about Betterton Beach.

Transients welcome, walk up from the slip to two restaurants, music at both on Friday & Saturdays, the Granary or Kitty Knight House.
No marina's between Betterton and Fredericktown but plenty of anchorage.
No wake zone on this end of the river very popular for rafting up & overnight anchorage.

I like to sail from Sailing Associates, west, down river to anchor over night at Still Pond or north to a slip at Havre de Grace or to the C&D canal & Schafer's at Chesapeake City. East on the C&D canal to the Delaware River, north to Philadelphia or south to Cape May.

From Still Pond I have continued south on the Bay to anchor or marina at Worton Creek, Farilee Creek, Swan Creek & Rock Hall.
Across the bay to Baltimore.

The Sassafras is very nice!

________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Doug Treff <do...@treff.us>
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2020 11:50 AM
To: c320...@lists.catalina320.com <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Chesapeake Bay Cruising/sailing

[nibj]

Most of my knowledge is pre-covid. We have a 320 on the upper Chesapeake.

Places we have been

These have no restaurant/food/bar facilities:
1) Still Pond: nice but can be noisy and take care of the wind direction
2) Back Bay behind Knight Island on the Sassafras: nicely away from the main powerboat highway up and down the river.
3) Behind Gibson Island on the Magothy: view of a horse farm. Calm once the water skiers leave.

These have restaurants/bars:
1) Havre de Grace: up a long skinny channel. Pleasant once you get there.
2) Fairlee Creek: marina and beach bar. Interesting entrance to the creek.
3) Swan Creek and Rock Hall: nice anchorage and good restaurants (also slips)
4) Worton Creek: lovely anchorage outside the mouth of the creek. Restaurant inside.
5) Bodkin Creek: calm anchorage amongst the mega-rich. Water taxi to marina with restaurant.
6) Baltimore: exciting, interesting. We stayed at Henderson’s marina which is close to Fells Point.
7) Annapolis: iconic. We have stayed at Eastport Yacht Center which is walking distance from the sailboat show
8) Middle River: attractive enough but haven’t been back. We stayed at Maryland Marina (I think) on Frog Mortar Creek.

Happy to try to answer questions. But I am no expert and hope others will help us find more good places.

Peter
Tangled #226

[Jeff Smith]

Scott,

There is a good anchorage right in front of Tidewater marina in Norfolk. You can dinghy to Tidewater and explore the town of Chesapeake or take the ferry over to Norfolk (5 minute ride) or of course you could dinghy over. The town of Chesapeake has a few free overnight slips in downtown, as well. Mill Creek is right outside of Old Point Comfort marina on Fort Monroe (no longer an Army post). Fort Monroe has great history, to include a museum in the Casemate. There are also public access beaches, a coffee bar and an Ice cream shop, as well as Oozlefinch’s (craft brewery). You are not far from Phoebus (15 minute walk), which has dining, drinking, and a Food Lion for provisions. Old Point Comfort marina is where we keep Sailmates. Do not buy fuel there if you are in need. Go to Hampton river and go to Bluewater marina. Mill Creek is where most boats stop as they make their way either to the Bahamas in the winter or back up north before hurricane season starts. Mill Creek is protected from all directions except the south west. Both of these have great views of Norfolk Naval Base. Speaking of Hampton River, you can anchor up right outside of Hampton downtown. There is a great doughnut shop (you are probably sensing a theme here) and good dining downtown.

Kiptopeke is on the eastern shore of Virginia. It is not too far from Cape Charles. There are good anchorages there near the concrete ships, and the area is a state park. I am not sure there are many places to anchor at Cape Charles, but I do recommend a visit there. Brown Dog ice cream is highly recommended. If you go to Cape Charles, stay at the city marina not Oyster Point, as it can be tricky (shallow) trying to get back to Oyster Point.

This is the southern end of the Bay. There are not many places to anchor in Little Creek, which is close to Virginia Beach but still in the Bay.

Mobjack bay has many areas where you can anchor up and enjoy the wildlife.

I also recommend Solomon’s Island.

If you go to Deltaville, we prefer Fishing Bay marina, though we have not anchored out there. Fishing Bay has a pool, plus they will loan you a car to go to Deltaville and get provisions.

I understand Tangier’s Island is a good stop once but no need to go back (I have not been there personally).

I would be interested to hear what people say about waters North of Annapolis. I recently did the C&D canal coming back from Newport, RI. It looked like there were great places to anchor on the Virginia side and the canal itself is pretty cool (I recommend traversing at night to see the bridges).

Just be wary of the biting flies during this time. They magically appear out of nowhere.

Good luck,

Jeff
’94, #121

[Tom Talling]

Great report. Where do you sail out of?

Regards,

Tom Talling
215-262-1427
Ttal...@comcast.net

Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 18, 2020, at 5:18 PM, nibj <ni...@mac.com> wrote:
>
> Most of my knowledge is pre-covid. We have a 320 on the upper Chesapeake.

[Arts...@aol.com]

I got my Capri 26 from the Annapolis area in 2005 and we hit a couple of places around the bay that were nice.
Galesville just south of Annapolis and Thomas Point, and St. Michaels were two nice places to visit.

Art Harden
Tortuga -Catalina 320 #243
937-477-5544

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Tom Talling
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2020 12:07 PM
To: C320...@catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Chesapeake Bay Cruising/sailing

[nibj]

We keep the boat at Bohemia Bay Yacht Harbor on the Bohemia river. Anyone else there?

Peter
Tangled #226

> From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com <mailto:c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com>> On Behalf Of Tom Talling
> Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2020 12:07 PM
> To: C320...@catalina320.com <mailto:C320...@catalina320.com>
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Chesapeake Bay Cruising/sailing
>
> Great report. Where do you sail out of?
>
> Regards,
>
> Tom Talling
> 215-262-1427

> Ttal...@comcast.net <mailto:Ttal...@comcast.net>
>
>