Re: Delaware river to Chesapeake trip
Definitely feasible, I know some who've done it. You can overnight on the C&D canal at Chesapeake City. I know the marina manager there, let me know if you want a referral. Chesapeake City also has some B&Bs if you don't want to overnight on your bowrider.
I recommend you time your trip to take advantage of the tides. Head down the Delaware with the falling tide to maximize speed and minimize fuel consumption. Also consider the C&D canal current which can be 2 knots; there are resources available online if you search for "Chesapeake & Delaware canal current".
If you go to Havre de Grace (HdG) be careful traversing the flats of the upper bay. It's easy to get grounded, even during high tide, if you don't now where you're going. Be sure to refer to a chart.
There are some active boating social groups on face book e.g. you can search for Upper Chesapeake Recreational Boaters. I am a member there and the group can offer lots of good advice about the upper bay. There's also a Delaware River group.
If you let me know when you plan to go, maybe we can meet up there. I live in Cherry Hill but do most of my boating on the upper Chesapeake.
Excellant info! I read about the current on the C&D so we'll have to take that into consideration.
We definitely plan on overnighting at an inn or B&B, not on the boat. The more I look at it the more feasible it appears to be. We've been on the Chesapeake from Havre de Grace up the Susquehanna (the little bit you can do) and down the the entrance to Elk River, but never across the C&D. I understand exactly what you're saying about how shallow it gets! I have a chart-plotter on my phone & know how to read channel markers, etc. Shouldn't be a problem.
What do you think about going all the way down to Baltimore & into the Inner Harbor? Is that a crazy idea?
I'd definitely like a referral if you know someone in Chesapeake City marina. That's where I was thinking we'd overnight on the way out & again on the way back. Looking at 3 days & 2 nights if all works out the way I plan.
What's the traffic like on the C&D? Are the big ships a concern or just something to be aware of & make room for? Do they cause much of a wake we'd need to be concerned about? Are there speed limits on the C&D for small boats or big? Any recommendations on places to stay, eat or anything else?
I think we might try to drive down to Chesapeake City this winter to scope it out as a day trip just to get the lay of the land.
