Chesapeake Bay sailing recommendations? (From Powersailors)

[Chinook]

Eldest son is career Navy, and just transferred to Pax River on the Chesapeake. Sounds like a good excuse to haul the Mac east for some sailing there. With the winter blahs at hand, I'd be interested in hearing about favorite cruising areas, anchorages, points of interest. What times of year are recommended? Fishing opportunities?

[Hamin' X]

I'm sure that you will receive many comments from the board members. You might want to check out the Active Captain website as well.

~Rich

[c130king]

Chinook,

I sailed out of Norfolk NAS on the James River for 2 months in 2007. It was excellent. Did a few foray's out into the Southern Chesapeake. But it looks like you will be further North. One place I really wanted to get to was Tangier Island. Looks like an interesting place to go see. I made an attempt but turned around after 12nm due to steering issues. Good thing too as the weather turned to crap.

Tangier Island on Wikipedia

Tangier Island website

Doesn't seem like it is too far from the mouth of the Patuxent...especially for one with so much cruising experience such as yourself. Looks like a good place to eat some Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab.

Hopefully some more of the Chesapeake locals will pipe in...I would like to get back their someday.

Good luck,
Jim

[tangentair]

!	tangentair:
	I am moving this topic, although I will leave a pointer, to the Events and Venues forum as it is a more appropriate location for it. I would also recommend using the search function, I took a quick look and found quite a few threads.

[temall00]

The Patuxent River is a great place to be!!! I'm about 15 miles north of there and I'm happy with it. (Well, not now since it's snowing...) Air is 28, Water is 36. http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=slim2

I'm already planning trips up the Pax with my buddies. Solomon's Island is a sailing Meca and directly across from Pax River NAS. The Potomac River is 10ish miles to the south so you can sail up to DC, if desired; it’s a long way away.

I haven't been to Tangiers but it's on the list for this summer. It’s probably 30 miles from the Pax. The season goes from April to November unless you like freezing body parts. The wind gets light (and hot) in the middle of the summer.

Lots of fishing going on in the bay, I’m not a big fan but there is lots of info available at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/fi ... apeake.asp and http://www.baydreaming.com/fishing.htm

Annapolis is about 40 miles to the north, Norfolk about 70 miles to the south. Lots of places to gunkhole on the Pax, many many more on the eastern shore of the bay.

Let me know if you are headed this way and we can get together for a day or three.

Gotta start shoveling the driveway....

Tim

[David Clarke]

My wife and I like to go to Spring Cove Marina. http://www.springcovemarina.com/ It's a little slice of heaven to get away from the rat race and relax. Hospitality is excellent here, the staff is great. It's neat and clean with outstanding bath houses, has a 5 acre squirrel park that's perfect for that shady evening cook out. There are other things to do in the area. Check out the link and see if it's for you. I'm going back for the fourth year in a row for another full week. The pool is nice and over looks the marina and river, very relaxing. Restaurants, groceries, fast food, banks, a museum, wine store, and a West Marine store are all in a short walking distance, among others. They do rent bikes if you want to go farther. The marina does not have any live aboards and is extra empty and quite during the Monday thru Friday work week. They are well protected from bad weather. Many of the sail boats there jump out to the bay for a day of sailing. In my book this place is for real, hope this helps. Dave, Chris & Co.

[Hardcrab]

I grew up on the Patuxent River, 29 miles north of Pax.
The little town of Benedict.

Why would anyone go to that area for a vacation?
Everyone I knew, without fail, would go somewhere else for a vacation, then moan when they had to come back.
Jeez.

[kmclemore]

The little town of Benedict..... Everyone I knew, without fail, would go somewhere else for a vacation, then moan when they had to come back.

Well, that attitude is somewhat self explanatory.

[Hardcrab]

Now now now.
That's hitting below the belt.
Our little town was settled and named about 100 years before Mr. Arnold became infamous.

However, our little town was the site of the first (only?) military invasion of the United States of America.
The British sailed up the Patuxent, landed a force at Benedict that marched unimpeeded to Washington and burned it down during the War of 1812.

A historical marker there said the local milita woke up, saw the warships anchored out, and fled to the woods.

The British returned to their ships, sailed back to Chesapeake Bay, hooked a left, sailed up to Baltimore, and shelled Fort McHenry so that Francis Scott Key could write the future national anthem.

Very thoughtful of them, don't you think?

[Captain Kimo]

Eldest son is career Navy, and just transferred to Pax River on the Chesapeake. Sounds like a good excuse to haul the Mac east for some sailing there. With the winter blahs at hand, I'd be interested in hearing about favorite cruising areas, anchorages, points of interest. What times of year are recommended? Fishing opportunities?

Ahoy Chinook. Besides the marina at the Patuxent NAS (believe it is Goose Cheek south side of river after entering Patuxent River ) check out the Navy Recreation Center Solomon (http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index ... &Itemid=38).

Your son should be able to sponsor you. Water depth in the marina was a bit shallow for my brother's Beneteau 36, but should not be a problem for your Mac. Great facilities and at the right price. It just beyond the bridge across the Patuxent River on the North shore.

[Chinook]

Thanks, Captain Kimo, and other respondents. We're looking forward to experiencing new waters. We utilized the Navy marina facilities in Oak Harbor when our son was stationed at Whidbey Island, and they were excellent. Great place to launch for folks who lack confidence backing their trailers down the ramp. Boat ramps at Oak Harbor were designed for launching PBY's, and they're 30 or 40 yards in width.

[Tony D-26X_SusieQ]

I recomend the book "Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkhollers Guide" By William H Shellengerger. It covers the entire bay from a sailors viewpoint. It recomends several trips broken down by how much time to plan. It also lists all the available points of interest and facilities at each destination. It is a must for anyone who wants to take full advantage of what the Chesapeake has to offer. It is also great reading for the off the water season.

[Chinook]

Timely post, Tony. I was just about to ask for recommendations on cruising guides for the Chesapeake. I'm going to order a copy of Shellenberger, so I can start doing some armchair sailing. Thanks for the tip.

[dennisneal]

Chinook,

I viewed a list of some of your travels with your MAC on another website. I think more than a few, (Me for one!), would be interested in seeing a list of all of the places you've sailed in your boat, (on a new thread?).

[Chinook]

I confess I haven't been as diligent with cruising log as some contributors here, however, we are still in the winter doldrums around here, so I'll take up your request, and attempt to assemble a list. New post will appear under Venues soon.