Best is relative.
What time of year?
What speed of advance?
What kind/size of boat?
Only 1 good and a couple more half way decent inlets between Cape May and the mouth of the Chesapeake. And it roughly 150 miles from Cape May to Norfolk.
The trip via Ocean City can be done in 2 days if one day is a mega day if you can't make better than 7-8 knots.
The trip via the Chesapeake while more interesting...takes a couple more days just by the nature of longer distances in and out of marinas/anchorages.
Plus...the reality is about weather...the Delaware and Chesapeake can beat you up or delay you just as much....you just have more options to hang out when in the Chesapeake.
You can anchor inside Chincoteague inlet or Wachapreague inlet. My choice would be Wachapreague, an easier inlet.Is there a good Anchorage after Ocean City?
To cut the mega day
Is there a good Anchorage after Ocean City?
To cut the mega day
Take the Bay. Plan the tides so they work for you. Delaware Bay and C&D more so than the Chez itself.
Now, the Chez.....
Crabs in Rock Hall, Crisfield just to name two.
An evening of shore leave in Annapolis.....
If you like history (a little out of your way) St. Michaels Maritime museum, with, you guessed it, good crabs next door.
Not so much out of the way, Solomons Island Maritime Musem
A little Urban? Baltimore Inner harbor......
In fact, you may never come out the other end.... that's how cool the Chez is.
Now if you're hardcore and the weather is OK, yeah, do the Dexies Midnight Run outside, in which case I would STAY out. (Done that) Don't risk unknown inlets fatigued without said local knowledge. Stay out, press on make time.
It's been a number of years since the last time I went in to Wachapreague. There is a moderate tidal current from all the back waters that drain through the inlet. You approach the Seabouy and it's a relatively straight shot from there in the inlet. When last I was there, there were no channel markers between the Seabouy and the inlet. The channel to the town is to Starboard N/NW. Would expect if you were only anchoring for the night that you would turn South (port) once inside the inlet.How's Wachapreague marked? Standard and pretty easy to see from seaward? How about in all but the best coditions?
Always wanted to try there...but waterway guides and never getting close enough has left me wondering....
The other inlet that has me guessing is Little River in South Carolina.
Both have lots of traffic...but reading about them gives a shaky image.
Chez? Oh you're from Pencil-tucky. That explains it. It's "The Bay" or "The Chesapeake" if you're from around here. And No Pencil-tucky doesn't call The Bay home. That's the Delaware river that runs through your state.
Ted
FF, it's likely been a long long time since you have been to OC in the fall. There are year round marinas available for transient boaters with normal business hours. Recreational and charter boat fishing usually runs well into December. The commercial fishermen will fish year round weather permitting. Boating supply stores and many non tourist businesses are open through the 1st of the year. Normal businesses such as grocery stores, hardware stores, etc. are open year round with normal business hours. If you need fuel, I would guess it's available between 9am and 5pm year round with extended hours during the Spring, summer and fall. For perspective, Ocean City now has about 8,000 year round residents.Ocean City is mostly closed in the fall, tho fuel should be available should you chose all daylight operation..
The other inlet that has me guessing is Little River in South Carolina.
It's been a number of years since the last time I went in to Wachapreague. There is a moderate tidal current from all the back waters that drain through the inlet. You approach the Seabouy and it's a relatively straight shot from there in the inlet. When last I was there, there were no channel markers between the Seabouy and the inlet. The channel to the town is to Starboard N/NW. Would expect if you were only anchoring for the night that you would turn South (port) once inside the inlet.
Ted
The first and foremost is how blessed I am to boat in a location where there are tons of bite,harbors,coves,inlets, and hidy-holes galore!!
"it's likely been a long long time since you have been to OC in the fall."
You bet , last time was a delivery and the boats rack and pinion steering failed.
Only one store was open with a near replacement part that was wrong , so I had to rent time on a lathe to shorten it to fit.
About 1975 , give or take 5 .