Chesapeake Bay

[h90943]

As part of a counterclockwise DelMarVa circumnavigation, I wish to add two marina stops between Annapolis and Cape Charles. I am familiar with Solomons and Deltaville. Are they the best stops, or are there others. I have a 37 foot sloop with a 5' draft and an airdraft of 58'. I was also looking at Flag Harbor and Reedville. Tangier Island looked interesting, but the channel looks too shallow. Also, the marina needs to have pumpout facilities, electricity and showers.

Can you suggest some options?

[ranger58sb]

Solomons is good. We usually stay at Zahniser's but there are several marinas to chose from.

-Chris

[Sailor Sailor]

I have done a Delmarva circumnavigation 6 times now, most counterclockwise. Here are some of my favorite various stops: Bohemia River (anchor), Still Pond (anchor), Annapolis (mooring or anchor), St. Michaels (anchor, also free daytime dockage at CBMM), Tilghman Island to Dunn's Cove (marina at Tilghman/anchor), Harris Creek on the Little Choptank (anchor), Solomons (anchor/mooring/marina), Great Wicomico River (anchor), Tangier Island (marina), Eastern Branch of Carter's Creek on Rappahannock (anchor), Piankatank (marina in Deltaville or anchor in Shaw's Bay), Horn Harbour - the one south west of Wolftrap Shoals Light (anchor), Willoughby Bay (anchor), Cape Charles (marina).

I would avoid Flag Harbor. There is a fish factory in Reedville, so there is often quite an odor. The anchorage upriver near Sandy Point is one of the best on the Bay.

I love Cape May and will stay a few days or more there. In good weather, you can enter the inlet at Ocean City, Md, if you dare. I used to enjoy Kiptopeake Beach on the way out of the Bay, but it has so many crab pots now, it is nearly unusable. Cape Charles has a rip roaring current and a dogleg in and out, but is a cute town.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Sailor Sailor

I have done a Delmarva circumnavigation 6 times now, most counterclockwise. Here are some of my favorite various stops: Bohemia River (anchor), Still Pond (anchor), Annapolis (mooring or anchor), St. Michaels (anchor, also free daytime dockage at CBMM), Tilghman Island to Dunn's Cove (marina at Tilghman/anchor), Harris Creek on the Little Choptank (anchor), Solomons (anchor/mooring/marina), Great Wicomico River (anchor), Tangier Island (marina), Eastern Branch of Carter's Creek on Rappahannock (anchor), Piankatank (marina in Deltaville or anchor in Shaw's Bay), Horn Harbour - the one south west of Wolftrap Shoals Light (anchor), Willoughby Bay (anchor), Cape Charles (marina).

I would avoid Flag Harbor. There is a fish factory in Reedville, so there is often quite an odor. The anchorage upriver near Sandy Point is one of the best on the Bay.

I love Cape May and will stay a few days or more there. In good weather, you can enter the inlet at Ocean City, Md, if you dare. I used to enjoy Kiptopeake Beach on the way out of the Bay, but it has so many crab pots now, it is nearly unusable. Cape Charles has a rip roaring current and a dogleg in and out, but is a cute town.

A large number of crab pots are usually only there in early to mid Spring then they are just a few left for the rest of the season.

Occohannock Creek is a nice well protected spot to anchor also but the channel is narrow and 4.5' deep in one spot during low tide.

Photos of Kiptopeke and Occohannock Creek.

Occohannock photos have the trees and houses also in the picture.

Onancock Creek is another good spot to anchor and there is a restaurant right there at the Wharf.

There's free anchoring just off the wharf about 200' out or so

https://www.facebook.com/onancockmarina/

https://blue-velvet-exploring-the-wo...ck-va-usa.html

Onancock Creek photo at bottom with Market Street coming all the way down to the Wharf

[TheOffice]

You cannot use the Cape May Canal with your air draft.
South Jersey Marina is excellent, and the only marina in Cape May that can accommodate your draft unless there has been dredging over the winter I don't know about.

[Sailor Sailor]

I forgot to mention Rock Hall as a nice stopping point with marinas on the way down the Bay.

I used Utsch's in Cape May with 4.5' on my previous boat. You may be able to go in there with 5' now. They make you go bow first into the slips.

Have fun in the Cape May inlet with the sportfishing boats and USCG ships coming and going, and the current. Be prepared to be rocked.

[Tortuga's Lie]

Many of the areas mentioned are go-to favorites and then there is also Dymer Creek, Antipoison Creek, Indian Creek and Little Bay off of Fleets Bay, any of which is easy access to the Bay.
Jackson Creek off of the Piankatank/Deltaville.
Mobjack Bay has several rivers which feed into it, the East River is probably the quickest off of the Bay but the North, Ware and Severn are also good.

I guess it all depends on your time schedule and how far off the route you can afford. The Bay has a million different anchorages, it would take a lifetime to try them all.

[h90943]

Thank you all for the quick replies. I will avoid Reedville because of the stinky Menhaden facility. However, Flag Harbor is north of the Potomac in Maryland. Is it a good Marina?

The other stops will be the Cape Charles City Marina (great), South Jersey Marina (I know about the canal) and the Chesapeake City Marina on the C&D. Also, How is Lewes DE?

How about; Smith Point Marina on the Little Wicomico, Point Lookout Marina near St. Mary's, Coan River Marina off of the Potomac?

[Sailor Sailor]

Originally Posted by h90943

Flag Harbor is north of the Potomac in Maryland. Is it a good Marina?

I went in there once, then left. It was deserted and there was no welcome area to tie up. I wouldn't waste your time.

That narrow section of the Bay between Little Choptank/James Island and Patuxent has some current. There is an offshore fuel loading dock off Cove Point, about a half mile+ offshore, that gets in the way. Unfortunately, there are no good stopping points until you reach Solomons.

Originally Posted by h90943

How about; Smith Point Marina on the Little Wicomico, Point Lookout Marina near St. Mary's, Coan River Marina off of the Potomac?

Coan River is fine, fairly rustic. It is a pretty area. I kept my boat there for a couple of years. The docks were not in great shape and sometimes there was no water. The entrance to Coan River can be tricky and a pain in the arse leaving with a north wind blowing across the Potomac - lots of chop. Once you get out, it is roughly 11 n.m. to Smith Point and the Bay to the south. You can get fairly strong currents and there a quite a few fish trap nets to avoid on the south shore - big ones made out of what looks to be telephone poles.

I never went to Little Wicomico or Point Lookout because of the depth.

Nowadays, I just want to get past the mouth of the Potomac.

To add more marina stops - Herrington Harbour South on the western shore is really nice. Dozier's in Deltaville is good.

[Tortuga's Lie]

Going into Smith Point can be problematic for deep drafts as the entrance shoals. If you draw more than 5 feet, be wary.
Pt. Lookout Marina is nice and Smith Creek is excellent for anchoring if you don't want a marina, just pay attention to the markers coming into the creek. The Coan is a beautiful river, so is the Yeocomico just up from the Coan, too many anchorages to list.
Don't know enough about Flag Harbor, but it looks tight......

[Sailor Sailor]

BTW, I don't stop in Chesapeake City, except briefly for fuel. If you caught the current from Cape May up the Delaware and through the C&D, you can stay with it down the Bay to Bohemia or Still Pond, covering a lot of miles during daylight hours.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by h90943

The other stops will be the Cape Charles City Marina (great), South Jersey Marina (I know about the canal) and the Chesapeake City Marina on the C&D. Also, How is Lewes DE?

Delaware City makes a useful alternative to Chesapeake City, should you need a choice.

We like Lewes: downtown city dock, nice area.

-Chris

[SailingGrant]

Salt Pond in Hampton ain’t bad

[LarryDW]

Originally Posted by h90943

Thank you all for the quick replies. I will avoid Reedville because of the stinky Menhaden facility. However, Flag Harbor is north of the Potomac in Maryland. Is it a good Marina?

The other stops will be the Cape Charles City Marina (great), South Jersey Marina (I know about the canal) and the Chesapeake City Marina on the C&D. Also, How is Lewes DE?

How about; Smith Point Marina on the Little Wicomico, Point Lookout Marina near St. Mary's, Coan River Marina off of the Potomac?

I’ve been in Reedville multiple times and never smelled anything. Yes, there is a menhaden factory there. Guess I timed it right. Jennings Marina/Boatyard has slips, showers, water..

[Cheyne]

We don't stay at a lot of marina's unless we need fuel when away from our home marina in Urbanna. We like to anchor in St. Mary's off the Potomac.