Chesapeake Bay Cruisin

Sadly, the island of Grog is now just a sandbar that is under water most of the time. Nor'easters and Hurricane Irene were the culprits. The anchorage is still there and the remaining sandbar does offer some protection from wave action but there is only room for 2 boats at most.

Thanks Bill, have not been there since Irene. Never was much room, we just drove by on our way to Dymer and noticed family frolic taking place.

Bill Ranson said:

.............. Regatta Point is a nice marina with floating docks. It has no yard or fuel but there is fuel available at Norview Marina which is within sight of Regatta Point. Deltaville also has plenty of repair facilities as well and a large West Marine store in town........

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(Dozier's) Regatta Point is a nice clean marina with a pool and laundry. They will loan you a vehicle for an hour to go to West Marine, the grocery store (a real one) or restaurants for take out. If you want to eat at a restaurant, many of them will come and get you and bring you back. We enjoyed our stay there.

BTW: There's also a hardware store/home center in town.

rwidman said:

(Dozier's) Regatta Point is a nice clean marina with a pool and laundry. They will loan you a vehicle for an hour to go to West Marine, the grocery store (a real one) or restaurants for take out. If you want to eat at a restaurant, many of them will come and get you and bring you back. We enjoyed our stay there.

BTW: There's also a hardware store/home center in town.

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They loaned us a vintage model Buick station wagon that was fun to tool around in. So far, Regatta Point, Dowry Creek, Isle of Hope, and Beaufort SC Downtown are the marinas that have furnished loaner cars. They really come in handy.

We’re still in Hampton holed up at a well-protected anchorage on the Hampton River just north of the bridge. We’ve been here 3 nights and will be again tonight due to the weather. Tomorrow it’s supposed to be good so we’ll head north up the York River to Yorktown. We’re going to try and catch a mooring ball right off the town docks but if that doesn’t look good we’ll go across the river up Sarah Creek and stay at York River Yacht Haven, which I believe, has transportation to Yorktown. We’ll rent a car and go to colonial Williamsburg.

From there we’ll head to Deltaville and go in via the south entrance. We’ll either stay in Fishing Bay or go up Jackson Cr and anchor off the Deltaville Marina. They allow full use of their facilities for $11 per day per person.

After Deltaville we’ll go up the Rappahannock River to Urbanna and anchor behind Bailey Point. I think we can dinghy to Urbanna town marina.

I’m not sure if Irvington is worth a visit. I wouldn’t mind seeing the steamboat museum but that doesn’t hold much interest to the admiral.

Coming back out the Rappahannock I thought we’d spend a night at Little Bay as Bill suggested.

That will put us in good position to head over to the eastern shore and Onancock and Tangier Island.

Always open to suggestions. I’ve looked closely at every one and incorporated many of them. Thanks

Sounds like you're having a great trip, Timjet. So many wonderful areas to visit, it's hard to go wrong.

BandB said:

Sounds like you're having a great trip, Timjet. So many wonderful areas to visit, it's hard to go wrong.

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I'm back from a 2 1/2 month cruise and sitting here wishing I had stopped here, there, etc.

Ron, the Bay will call to you again. I get the call about every 3 or 4 years, and just have to get back. It's calling now, so it is on the list for 2016.

Moonstruck said:

Ron, the Bay will call to you again. I get the call about every 3 or 4 years, and just have to get back. It's calling now, so it is on the list for 2016.

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My wife didn't like the rough water we hit several times. I didn't like it either but you have to take the bad with the good.

She wants to repeat our trip south to the St. Johns River so we'll probably do that next May. I may hold out for a visit to St. Augustine on the way (more or less).

rwidman said:

My wife didn't like the rough water we hit several times.

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Wifey B: My hubby's wife is more accepting of rough water...love the Chesapeake. We're not sailors but had such fun going out on sailboats in Annapolis. Did a big group thing on a large boat one day and then just our group on a smaller one. Captained, not bareboat. We're Captains but we're not sailors.

To me the anchorages are the best thing about the Chesapeake.

• Wye River East
• Jackson Creek
• Still Pond
• La Trappe Creek
• Reed Creek
• and a miriad others

To be anchored in the fall with the sound of a flight of geese going over is magical. A fox, raccoon, or deer coming to the waters edge in morning or evening.

Then there are the towns and villages. Even anchoring off the strand in Oxford can be great.

The Keys, Biscayne Bay, St. Johns, SW Florida, the Bahamas and Chesapeake. We are blessed with so many great cruising areas. That is not to mention LI Sound, Maine, the Canadian Canals, and the Great Lakes. Many of those will always be on my to do list, but I'm happy with what I have.

Glad you were on a boat! The rest of us needed one with that weather.

Moonstruck said:

To me the anchorages are the best thing about the Chesapeake.

• Wye River East
• Jackson Creek
• Still Pond
• La Trappe Creek
• Reed Creek
• and a miriad others

To be anchored in the fall with the sound of a flight of geese going over is magical. A fox, raccoon, or deer coming to the waters edge in morning or evening.

Then there are the towns and villages. Even anchoring off the strand in Oxford can be great.

The Keys, Biscayne Bay, St. Johns, SW Florida, the Bahamas and Chesapeake. We are blessed with so many great cruising areas. That is not to mention LI Sound, Maine, the Canadian Canals, and the Great Lakes. Many of those will always be on my to do list, but I'm happy with what I have.

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A big X2 on that. In all our cruising on the Chessie the only two marinas we have stayed at are in Baltimore (because we used their boatyard) and in Norfolk, which doesn't count. Gotta add the backside of St. Michaels if it is charming towns you crave, and are an anchorer. I did enjoy anchoring off Oxford by the way, why "even"?

caltexflanc said:

A big X2 on that. In all our cruising on the Chessie the only two marinas we have stayed at are in Baltimore (because we used their boatyard) and in Norfolk, which doesn't count. Gotta add the backside of St. Michaels if it is charming towns you crave, and are an anchorer. I did enjoy anchoring off Oxford by the way, why "even"?

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I love the strand at Oxford, but it is open to winds, and especially on weekends it can be crowded with sailboats. There are a couple of anchorages off The Tred Avon I like. One being Peach Blossom Creek.

San Domingo Creek on the south side of St. Michaels is one of my favorites. While it gives easy access to the town, It is very quiet and mostly sheltered.

The last two seasons we spent on the Bay we headquartered out of Galesville on the West River. That gave us access to many great places. When we would leave the boat we had it hauled at Hartge's with a work order. That stopped the clock on the time in Maryland.

Thanks Don for those anchorage suggestions. We will incorporate some if not all. I have the next 2 weeks planned out inc the Potomac River. I'll post those places as we get closer.

Our plan is still to stay on the Chesapeake until the boat show, that should give us a good sampling of what the Chesapeake has to offer.

We've been on the boat 3 1/2 months now and I'm surprised we've made it this far. My wife is not the adventurous type and I'm very proud of her for sticking with this.

Ron, we will probably do the St. John's next year on our return to FL. St. Augustine is a must, we stayed 3 nights on the city run mooring balls.

To be anchored in the fall with the sound of a flight of geese going over is magical. A fox, raccoon, or deer coming to the waters edge in morning or evening.

Don, I read that to my wife. I think I'm good for another month now.

timjet said:

To be anchored in the fall with the sound of a flight of geese going over is magical. A fox, raccoon, or deer coming to the waters edge in morning or evening.

Don, I read that to my wife. I think I'm good for another month now.

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Good. I don't think she will regret it. By the way on your way up or down the Potomac, there is a great anchorage at Horseshoe Bend on the St. Marys River.

I do not recommend Aqua Marina for anything. It is just down stream on the 301 bridge.

Swan Creek is another decent anchorage with a nice (but tiny) town -- Rock Hall -- right next door.

-Chris

Chesapeake Cruising

timjet
Don is correct, Horseshoe Bend on the St. Mary's River is a nice spot. On the VA side, almost due south of St Mary's, the Coan River and Glebe Creek come together at Lewisetta. While the Coan is a wide river and generally deep enough (9-13 ft), the entrance is skinny and narrow. Instead, after rounding Red "6" at Lewisetta, head due west, leaving Red "8" to PORT and enter The Glebe. Red 8 if passed to starboard takes one into the Coan. The Glebe carries 8-15 feet for 3 miles and offers several excellent protected anchorages (check out Active Captain); including one with a Heron rookery up in the pine trees, with Geese, ducks and Bald Eagles in the neighborhood. This section of the Glebe is the southern branch and if you look at a chart it would appear to lack the necessary depth, especially transiting the narrow cut visible on a chart. The depth in this cut is 10+ at low tide and we see 8 feet under our keel all the way to our dock, just opposite the Heron condo.

Bill

timjet said:

. St. Augustine is a must, we stayed 3 nights on the city run mooring balls.

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Would love to hear your experience on the St. Augustine mooring balls and your thoughts on them since you stayed 3 nights on them.

timjet said:

.......... Ron, we will probably do the St. John's next year on our return to FL. St. Augustine is a must, we stayed 3 nights on the city run mooring balls.

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We were there by car for a few hours several years ago. I want to go back and take my time. We'll get a slip so we can come and go more easily.

Oxford is great. Best ice cream on the Eastern Shore. Not sure I would anchor off the Strand, wakes might be a problem. There is room to anchor inside the harbor in Oxford, but I've been told the holding isn't great.

The Wye River has some of the best anchorages on the bay. Dividing Creek on the Wye can always be counted on to provide a great wildlife show. Bald Eagles are common.

Reed Creek off the Chester River is also a nice spot to anchor. Queenstown Creek is also nice and very protected.

The Cambridge Municipal Marina is a nice stop with a quick walk to numerous restaurants.

Solomons is also a nice overnight with numerous marinas.

St Michaels is one of the most popular spots on the bay to visit. You can anchor inside the harbor or get a slip. Anchoring outside St Michaels Harbor can be uncomfortable due to wakes.

A trip up the Sassafras River when the leaves start to turn is beautiful. The Georgetown Marina on the Sassafras often has the cheapest fuel prices on the bay. The Kitty Knight House at the Georgetown marina is a nice spot to enjoy a pleasant meal.

Annapolis can be a zoo during the boat show. Marina and mooring space is hard to find and anchorages are full. Anchoring off the Naval Academy sea wall can be hazardous if the wind picks up and combines with wakes.

Welcome BlueYonder. Can't say that I don't envy a little the Eastern Shore location. I also like the 37' Back Cove. That is a great boat.

St Michaels is one of the most popular spots on the bay to visit. You can anchor inside the harbor or get a slip. Anchoring outside St Michaels Harbor can be uncomfortable due to wakes.

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A great alternative especially if coming from the south, is to anchor in back of town in Broad or San Domingo creek. There is a dinghy dock at the end of San Domingo.

BandB said:

Would love to hear your experience on the St. Augustine mooring balls and your thoughts on them since you stayed 3 nights on them.

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X2

Town Creek on the backside of Oxford is the spot. You can often anchor 50 feet from the dingy dock beside Hinkleys. Do not pay those ridiculous fees at Deltaville Marina. Hurds hardware in Deltaville is reason enough to never leave the place. Onancock on the Eastern Shore is really one of the best stops on the bay! St Marys City is truly a beautiful stop. In the summer the concert series can't be beat! Solomons is a nice enough spot. The maritime museum there and St Michaels are reciprocal so join one for the season and get two for the price of one.