CHESAPEAKE BAY

[edougt]

We have just bought a Catalina 350 that we will be sailing up the Chesapeake from Deltaville to Rock Hall. The books say it can get rough across the mouth of the Potomac. Should I worry about this? How far east do you have to sail to avoid this? Does timing with the tides influence how rough it can get?

[jstevens]

edougt,
You may get rough chop at the mouth of the Potomac with a strong wind opposing the max flood or ebb. This is most common with a strong southerly or easterly wind against the ebb. Still nothing to be overly concerned about in a 35' boat. The same conditions will produce the short, steep chop on the Bay.

John