Chesapeake Bay

[Mischief Managed]

Thinking about a week-long trip to Chesapeake Bay next year with my 25' cuddy. I'd appreciate recommendations for places to see, places to stay, a place to launch and park my rig etc. Not into fishing, mostly into cruising at 30-35 MPH up to 120 miles a day and checking out nice views and ports.

 

[jrttoday]

Kinda depends on when next year, wife, children etc. How far south? What you're looking to see, interests outside of boating, what you're NOT looking to see lol eg headaches!! :lol:

 

[Mischief Managed]

I am just in the planning stages now, so I am very open to ideas and suggestions.

I would like to tow the boat to a fairly northern launch ramp (I live north of the area), and then spend a week cruising from one transient slip to another without going more than 120 miles per day and end up back at the original launch ramp. Another idea is to do a one-way trip where we launch in one place and arrange to have our truck and trailer transported to a distant launch ramp where we'll meet it at the end of our cruise.

I'd like to stop in interesting ports for meals and sight-seeing (they can also be overnight stops). I'm thinking Baltimore's inner harbor and Washington DC are a given. I'd also like to stop in smaller city ports (places like Newport, RI, Alexandria Bay, NY, and Portsmouth, NH for reference), and smaller port towns too (like Kingston NY, Wickford, RI, Perkins Cove, ME, and Wolfeboro, NH for reference). I am more interested in seeing museums and historic sites than shopping. My wife shares the same interests.

It would be just my wife and I and we'd like to do it in the Spring before the hot and humid weather hits since I don't have AC on my boat. We'd like to avoid rough water, but we understand it's not always possible and our boat is pretty heavy and has a 24 degree V-hull,so it's not a big deal if we encounter rough water. We also have a full cockpit enclosure, so rain is not an issue either.

 

[dingbat]

mostly into cruising at 30-35 MPH up to 120 miles a day and checking out nice views and ports.

The Chesapeake is famous for it's short, hard chop. The north -south orientation of the Bay combined with the prevailing southerly wind guarantee a rough anytime the current is moving. Heavy chop on an outgoing tide and following seas on incoming tide.

You're 30-35 mph in a 25' is dreaming on all but the flattest of days, which are few and far between in the summer. For planning purposes, I'd use more like 20 mph.

Deadrise isn't the solution for the Bay conditions. The snap and roll of a steep deadrise in the Bay is annoying. Look at the Chesapeake Deadrise. A steep deadrise in the front tapering to a flat stern for stability. Mod-V hulls are extremely popular for that reason.

Annapolis, St. Michaels, Solomons, Tilghman Island, Oxford, Easton, Rockhall, Chestertown, Smith Island, Tangier, Crisfield, would be included in my top 10 destinations. Baltimore, is a trash infested tourist trap and Washington is not a boater friendly destination. B'more to Washington by water will take you a good full day.

 

[jrttoday]

the Hampton Roads area is what I'm familiar with; lots of history, museums and tours. Good food in places. Am almost certain arrangements could be made to tie up in Powhatan Creek Marina and then walk a couple hundred yards to Jamestown Docks where the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria are moored.
Have a rental waiting and dive the Colonial Parkway to Yorktown Battlefields etc. Or, Williamsburg is right there next to Jamestown.

A few days worth of stuff to do and see in Williamsburg... and you can take the Interstate to Newport News and visit the Mariner's Museum. This website tells some, there's a lot more. Didn't look enough to see if the Williamsburg Pottery was mentioned - a day easily spent just there <<< http://www.virginia.org/Listings/HistoricSites/HistoricJamestowne/ >>>

Also, cruise near the mouth of the James River, nice homes in places, shipyards, and a fair amount of boaters. Naval and Commercial traffic at times. Too much to mention, have a nice trip whatever you do

 

[jrttoday]

my bad, wrong website <<<< http://www.virginia.org/regions/HamptonRoads/ >>>>

 

[Frank Acampora]

Agree with dingbat on destinations. Also agree that expect to max out at about 20 MPH on the open bay. If you are trailering, there are several good northern launch sites but I don't know what the policy is on multi day storage of the trailer is. Write the Maryland DNR for charts, rules and regs or buy the chart book at (I think) most West Marine. Beware of the armed forces artillery testing area near Turkey point. Several areas are forbidden and you must not touch bottom. The shallows run out into the bay about a mile.. Charts are a definite necessity.

Depending upon where you live, you can also launch in Pennsylvania and go down the Delaware. Then pick up the C&D canal at just north of Salem Nuclear and go across to the Chesapeake. OR--- If you really want adventure, Go down the Delaware to the bay and Circumnavigate the Delmarva penninsula. It has been done but most start in the Chesapeake. However, this adventure takes planning--study tides and get good forcasts of weather. And the Delaware Bay is well known for rough seas. Be prepared.

There used to be a periodical known as the "Noreaster. In the past, several people have written multi issue articles on their experiences on the bays. You may be able to find back issues on the net.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Great information so far. Thanks to all for making the time to write. Wife and I were looking at pictures of the recommended areas last night and are psyched for this trip.

I have a chart plotter and will procure the latest c-map electronic charts before I go. I always download and read the latest notice to mariners, and I download and save "paper" charts on my laptop for backup use.

If the prevailing winds are southerly, would it make sense for me to plan a one-way trip starting at the planned southern most port of call and ending at the planned northern most port of call? Following seas are vastly more pleasant than head seas... I have lots of experience with short, steep chop and if the waves aren't big enough to stuff my bow, I can comfortably run 25 to 28 MPH with my tabs down to soften the ride with the sharp entry on my boat. I will plan for 20 though.

 

[dingbat]

If the prevailing winds are southerly, would it make sense for me to plan a one-way trip starting at the planned southern most port of call and ending at the planned northern most port of call? Following seas are vastly more pleasant than head seas... I have lots of experience with short, steep chop and if the waves aren't big enough to stuff my bow, I can comfortably run 25 to 28 MPH with my tabs down to soften the ride with the sharp entry on my boat. I will plan for 20 though.

The Bay is effectively a huge river that changes direction of flow 4 times a day. Wave frequency, weights and currents are erratic and constantly changing. Just when you think you have found a rhythm to the madness, the wave frequency or height changes, you stuff your bow and the cycle starts over again.
To counter this, keep the bow up and use the chine and the weight of the boat to plow thru the wave tops, thus the prevalence for the ?Carolina Flare? style boat in the area.

The tide changes on you every 6 hours so direction isn?t an issue unless you?re expecting wind. Plan to run from destination to destination in early mornings. Up until noon, you should have decent seas unless it is blowing. The sea breeze picks up late afternoon and subsides soon after dark. Make evening plans accordingly. Watch wind forecasts. It does not take much to make things ugly. Things get pretty miserable at 15 kts.

I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of the waterway guide to the Chesapeake Bay
http://www.waterwayguide.com/guide/chesapeake-bay

 

[oldboat1]

Possible itinerary -- middle/southern bay ports of call.

Put in : Georgetown, MD (Sassafras River on Eastern Shore) [Maryland/Delaware border, 6 1/2 hrs from Boston]

Could criss-cross the bay:

day 1 Georgetown to Annapolis
day 2 Annapolis to Solomon Is
day 3 Solomon Is to Crisfield
day 4 Crisfield to Chesapeake Beach
day 5 Chesapeake Beach to St. Michaels
day 6 St. Michaels to Annapolis
day 7 Annapolis to Georgetown

OR

day 1 georgetown to Baltimore
day 2 Baltimore to Annapolis
day 3 Annapolis to Solomon Is
day 4 Crisfield
day 5 Chesapeake Beach
day 6 St. Michaels
day 7 Georgetown

Guessing at travel distances. Crab cakes, rockfish and historical fishing villages. Inner harbor, Naval Academy, wooden boat museum.

For mid and southern bay, can also put in at Sandy Point Park at the Bay Bridge (rte 50 in MD, western side of the Bay. South on Rte 95 to 50, E. to Sandy Point.) Lodging in Annapolis area enroute to Sandy Point launch.

 

[dingbat]

Possible itinerary -- middle/southern bay ports of call.

Put in : Georgetown, MD (Sassafras River on Eastern Shore) [Maryland/Delaware border, 6 1/2 hrs from Boston]

Could criss-cross the bay:

day 1 Georgetown to Annapolis
day 2 Annapolis to Solomon Is
day 3 Solomon Is to Crisfield
day 4 Crisfield to Chesapeake Beach
day 5 Chesapeake Beach to St. Michaels
day 6 St. Michaels to Annapolis
day 7 Annapolis to Georgetown

OR

day 1 georgetown to Baltimore
day 2 Baltimore to Annapolis
day 3 Annapolis to Solomon Is
day 4 Crisfield
day 5 Chesapeake Beach
day 6 St. Michaels
day 7 Georgetown

Guessing at travel distances. Crab cakes, rockfish and historical fishing villages. Inner harbor, Naval Academy, wooden boat museum.

For mid and southern bay, can also put in at Sandy Point Park at the Bay Bridge (rte 50 in MD, western side of the Bay. South on Rte 95 to 50, E. to Sandy Point.) Lodging in Annapolis area enroute to Sandy Point launch.

What's the fascination with Chesapeake beach? It's my home port (closet port to the fishing grounds) but outside of an outrageously priced hotel, morning swamp gas and cranky chapter boat captains, I don't see the draw....lol

 

[oldboat1]

^^^yup. Cranky charter captains are a little bit of the charm -- if a visitor. Recall there's a tackle shop, and a decent little restaurant. Possible stopover.... crab cake sandwich, and some semi-polite small talk. Then move on. (I was up on the Magothy.)

Little bizarre to recommend Georgetown, maybe -- northern launch point, though. And I always thought there was some interest to the place. There's also and old time marina, much smaller, around Galena. No "facilities", but I used to drive over just to look around. (Great Neck Marina?)

[ed. drive over meaning road trip, in my case]

 

[jrttoday]

xxxxxxxkaaa ...uuuze me lol, they don't have to be charter boat captains to be Kranky!! :lol:

 

[Mischief Managed]

I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of the waterway guide to the Chesapeake Bay
http://www.waterwayguide.com/guide/chesapeake-bay

Got a copy last week, thanks for the tip. I've been reading it and making plans.

 

[Silver Eagle]

There's a monthly magazine called Chesapeake Bay, google it for address. There are all kind of stores about the bay and towns, very interesting. We have a 24ft pontoon boat and we cruise the upper bay areas. What can you see at 35 mph? Start at Turkey point There's a large boat ramp.. Have fun .If you see a Diamond plated pontoon boat ,blow your horn, It's us. Ask around ,Where's Lloyd's Creek. Lot's of wild Life bring your camera.

 

[jak1]

my boat was kept at Tomes landing in port deposit Md. spent alot of time around Turkey Pt. and yes it gets real hectic there.For day cruising I often went up the C+D canal to chesapeake city to hang out at the Cheasapeake inn great food,bands or go hang out at the flats around havre de grace.Lots of places to put in upper bay area

 

[DBreskin]

There's a lot of good information about upper Chesapeake destinations and cruising available through the "Upper Chesapeake Recreational Boaters" FaceBook group.

A moderate day on the upper bay is like a rough day on the broads in Winnipesaukee (like you, I spend time boating there in the summer).

 

[Mischief Managed]

Thanks for all the input, my plans are firming up nicely.

The current plan (subject to change) is to launch in Perryville, MD in the afternoon of a day in mid-May and get a transient slip for 2 nights. After spending the first night on the boat, we will get up very early and drive the truck and trailer to Woodbridge, VA (about a 2 hour drive without traffic) and leave them at a marina there. There's an AMTRAK station within walking distance of the marina in Woodbridge and we will take the train from there to Baltimore (2 hours). From Baltimore, we'll take the MARC to the Perryville station (about an hour) and walk back to the boat. Once back to the boat, we'll take as much time as we want exploring towns and staying in transient slips on the route to Woodbridge. We expect to complete the cruise long before Memorial Day (May30) and I have been told this means transient slips will be easy to get.

I am presently procuring chart books and will shortly order a proper c-map chip for my chartplotter. Can't wait.

 

[dingbat]

The current plan (subject to change) is to launch in Perryville, MD in the afternoon of a day in mid-May and get a transient slip for 2 nights. After spending the first night on the boat, we will get up very early and drive the truck and trailer to Woodbridge, VA (about a 2 hour drive without traffic) and leave them at a marina there.

You're traveling the heaviest traveled commuter corridor ( down Rt. 95 to the Capital Beltway) in the area, if not the entire East Coast. Your "very early" departure to Woodbridge should be ~ 3 am in the morning. South of Baltimore is usually bumper to bumper, stop and go all the way to the Wilson Bridge by 4:30 am. Rt.95 in N.Virgina is a nightmare no matter what time of day.

We expect to complete the cruise long before Memorial Day (May30) and I have been told this means transient slips will be easy to get.

Don't count on it....The Bay boating season kicks off in mid-April with the start of Maryland Striped Bass Trophy season which runs thru May 15. Most marina's close to the action (Baltimore to Point Lookout) are busy during that time. The MSSA tournament is April 29 to May 1 this year. Most slips are booked a year in advance for this 3-day event.

 

[Mischief Managed]

You're traveling the heaviest traveled commuter corridor ( down Rt. 95 to the Capital Beltway) in the area, if not the entire East Coast. Your "very early" departure to Woodbridge should be ~ 3 am in the morning. South of Baltimore is usually bumper to bumper, stop and go all the way to the Wilson Bridge by 4:30 am. Rt.95 in N.Virgina is a nightmare no matter what time of day.

Oh yeah, I am familiar with that traffic. Done some work in Baltimore and Washington... I was planning to do the drive on a Sunday.

Don't count on it....The Bay boating season kicks off in mid-April with the start of Maryland Striped Bass Trophy season which runs thru May 15. Most marina's close to the action (Baltimore to Point Lookout) are busy during that time. The MSSA tournament is April 29 to May 1 this year. Most slips are booked a year in advance for this 3-day event.

I will have to deal with getting transient slips on the fly, I'm not going to make reservations along the route way ahead of time, I don't want to have a tight schedule and deadlines.