Boating the Upper Chesapeake

[KeonHayes]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

The place to eat on the C&D is the Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeak City, MD. Plenty of slips and dock hands. Outside dining is dog and kid friendly.

Thank you so much. I am going to have the Dog and the Kids so that is good to know.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

gn85, what kind of motor do you have? Most outboards have a very simple idle adjustment screw on them. If they get "stally" and keep stalling too easily, just tighten up this screw, and it won't let the throttle go down as low.
I am always fine tuning mine.
It might have been a very simple issue.

On another note, I have been lucky when out in rough water. I was out in a noreaster one night, in my 16 ft powerboat. If my engine quit out there, I might have sunk. It kept working like a champ even thou there was 8 inches of water in the back of the boat. I figured I would worry about that water back at the dock. I was out in the mouth of the bush river, taking waves over the gunnel. You really couldn't get on plane, just had to idle thru the waves.

 

[gn85]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

gn85, what kind of motor do you have? Most outboards have a very simple idle adjustment screw on them. If they get "stally" and keep stalling too easily, just tighten up this screw, and it won't let the throttle go down as low.
I am always fine tuning mine.
It might have been a very simple issue.

I have a 5.0L Volvo GXI-E I/O. This is with the infamous Volvo fuel cell. I opened it up last night and sure enough, the low pressure pump had a clogged screen. For the sake of reliability, I'm going to go ahead and replace the whole fuel cell unit. It's expensive, but at least I will know that I don't have starved fuel pump that is just waiting to give up on me.

I know it sounds funny, but I bought this boat to be reliable and not a project. (Let the laughter begin)

 

[Philster]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

The place to eat on the C&D is the Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeak City, MD. Plenty of slips and dock hands. Outside dining is dog and kid friendly.

I think they bring the doggies water.

They starve the kids. Haha... but they will bring rover some water I believe. Enjoy!

 

[KeonHayes]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

So my sailboat got launched on monday, and I am going to keep it at MD marina, down in middle river. So that meant I got to sail it from HDG to Middle river.

Would you happen to know the owner of the Interlude? He is a personal friend of mine.

 

[acarter92]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Hi guys,

I'm planning on making a trip to the bay this weekend for the first time. Looks like I'll be putting in at the Charlestown ramp. Taking a couple of friends with and we're planing on doing a bit of tubing. Just wondering what areas are bad (shallow) to watch out for, never been there before so I don't know what to expect. To my understanding it get's pretty shallow at the launch with low tide, I have a 17ft fish and ski that can draft as little as 1 1/2ft with the motor raised up a bit, so if we have to take is easy coming in that's no big deal.

Also, me and my girlfriend are hoping to make it there for the 4th of july, what areas are good in the upper chesapeake to anchor out for the night to enjoy the fireworks? And are there any launches that won't get packed? that I could launch my boat?

I know all of these questions could probably be found in this thread, but I'm only on page 4 of 100 something .

Any help is greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Austin

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Hi guys,

I'm planning on making a trip to the bay this weekend for the first time. Looks like I'll be putting in at the Charlestown ramp. Taking a couple of friends with and we're planing on doing a bit of tubing. Just wondering what areas are bad (shallow) to watch out for, never been there before so I don't know what to expect. To my understanding it get's pretty shallow at the launch with low tide, I have a 17ft fish and ski that can draft as little as 1 1/2ft with the motor raised up a bit, so if we have to take is easy coming in that's no big deal.

Also, me and my girlfriend are hoping to make it there for the 4th of july, what areas are good in the upper chesapeake to anchor out for the night to enjoy the fireworks? And are there any launches that won't get packed? that I could launch my boat?

I know all of these questions could probably be found in this thread, but I'm only on page 4 of 100 something .

Any help is greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Austin

I strongly recommend you get a chart to show the shallows, especially the flats south of Carpenter's Point. At very low tide the flats can shoal. You can see the chart online here: http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12274.shtml or download and print it here: http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/BookletChart/12274_BookletChart_HomeEd.pdf

There's a lot of help available in the "Upper Chesapeake Recreational Boaters" group; it's part of a popular (unnamed) social networking site. Come join us!

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Would you happen to know the owner of the Interlude? He is a personal friend of mine.

The interlude? is that the boats name? What pier is he on?
I am on pier 3, slip 326.

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Hi guys,

I'm planning on making a trip to the bay this weekend for the first time. Looks like I'll be putting in at the Charlestown ramp. Taking a couple of friends with and we're planing on doing a bit of tubing. Just wondering what areas are bad (shallow) to watch out for, never been there before so I don't know what to expect. To my understanding it get's pretty shallow at the launch with low tide, I have a 17ft fish and ski that can draft as little as 1 1/2ft with the motor raised up a bit, so if we have to take is easy coming in that's no big deal.

Also, me and my girlfriend are hoping to make it there for the 4th of july, what areas are good in the upper chesapeake to anchor out for the night to enjoy the fireworks? And are there any launches that won't get packed? that I could launch my boat?

I know all of these questions could probably be found in this thread, but I'm only on page 4 of 100 something .

Any help is greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Austin

You can tube just south of Charlestown at Seneca point. There is a nice beach area at the point so just stay out far enough not to disturb everyone (me) that is anchored up. You can run S/SW about a mile or so, you will see a pier and breakwall, that is where I turn around. That area is about 1/2 mile wide to the channel so it gives you room to whip the tube around and stay out of the traffic.
I have not been there for July 4th, but I think NE fireworks on on the 1st this year, and Charlestown would be a nice quick run and may be busy, but I think most ramps will be. Another option is Bay boat works in NE, it is across the river from Charlestown and has much better depth at low tide.

 

[acarter92]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

You can tube just south of Charlestown at Seneca point. There is a nice beach area at the point so just stay out far enough not to disturb everyone (me) that is anchored up. You can run S/SW about a mile or so, you will see a pier and breakwall, that is where I turn around. That area is about 1/2 mile wide to the channel so it gives you room to whip the tube around and stay out of the traffic.
I have not been there for July 4th, but I think NE fireworks on on the 1st this year, and Charlestown would be a nice quick run and may be busy, but I think most ramps will be. Another option is Bay boat works in NE, it is across the river from Charlestown and has much better depth at low tide.

Awesome, advice much appreciated. That should keep us busy for a while.

How are the havre de grace fireworks? I'm think maybe we could put in at charlestown and cruise over to havre de grace, achor out, and head home in the morning. Thinking maybe somewhere north of stump pt? Or maybe up the susquehanna a bit?

Thanks,
Austin

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Awesome, advice much appreciated. That should keep us busy for a while.

How are the havre de grace fireworks? I'm think maybe we could put in at charlestown and cruise over to havre de grace, achor out, and head home in the morning. Thinking maybe somewhere north of stump pt? Or maybe up the susquehanna a bit?

Thanks,
Austin

Austin,
I see alot of boats rafted/anchored just east of stump pt, at an area called the flats. Sandy bottom and able to back in with larger boats right up to the drop off, so you don't have to worry about soft grounding at low tide. Check out 39* 32' 40N, 76* 02' 20W on google earth for the area. Should only be three miles from the fireworks so you would not have to move out with the crowd afterwards. If you anchor on the Susky I see most boats on the NE side of Garrett island to get out of the current and chop associated with the tide.
This is all hearsay as I have not been to the HDG fireworks, but hear they are nice, and I don't stay out overnight on my BR.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

You don't wanna anchor up in the susky, its pretty deep there, over 30 ft. you would need a lot of anchor rope.
They shoot the fire works off right near the marina at tidings park. You wanna be near where they moore those gravel barges, out in front of the flats.

 

[acarter92]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Well, we were out all day sunday. It was better than I expected, tons of boats yet plenty of room to play with the tube. We anchored up a senaca pt (nice little beach!) for a while and did some swiming. We even went after a geocache on elkneck park in the evening, very cool. Very nice experience over all and can't wait to go back and see more.

We're definately going back for the fireworks, I think we will anchor in the flats and probably head up to stump pt and spend the night in that little cove.

Austin

 

[hippie2]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

I must be missing something. I keep my boat in Edgemere, at the mouth of the Patapsco River, and no one tubes or even gets into the water there. On another board everyone that has fallen into or went swimming in the Bay has wound up in the hospital for a week! The water is polluted with bacteria, sewage, etc. People get Mercers disease and so on. Only a few weeks ago did the Coast Guard open the water around Ft. Smallwood!! Good luck on the activities but be extremely carefull!!!!

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Hey Hippie,
Check out this site. http://mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/eyesonthebay/habs.cfm
It has the latest water quality test and it does appear to have some algae blooms, but there is nothing about closing the water to swimming. Thanks for the heads up, as I knew the bay is not the healthiest, but I had never looked for a site to check the water.

 

[udm328is]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Anyone here hang out at Heart-Miller Island or anywhere along Middle River?

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Anyone here hang out at Heart-Miller Island or anywhere along Middle River?

Yea, I hang out there all the time. Have my boat docked in frog mortor creek, up in middle river.

 

[Jerryh3]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Anyone here hang out at Heart-Miller Island or anywhere along Middle River?

Once in a while.

 

[acarter92]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Whats a good place to eat near havre de grace that won't break the bank? Wtih dockage?

Thanks,
Austin

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Whats a good place to eat near havre de grace that won't break the bank? Wtih dockage?

Thanks,
Austin

I think they are all expensive... The best you can hope for is that the food and service are both good. HDG has a decent city dock at high tide that is free and you can walk to town and you have better choices, I do not remember the names of the places in town. Tydings has a dock but the wake traffic really beats up your boat. The wellwood in Charlestown is probably the best food in the area and you can dock at the charlestown marina. And Nauti Goose in North east is popular with average at best food. I don't think I have ever seen a place that you can go to by boat or even just on the water that is not expensive, just the cost of doing business. Dont even think about the Susky in Port deposit you will wait 90 minutes for poor to average food on a week day.