Chesapeake Bay

[corkscrew]

How many of you Mac people are in the Bay...and where? Might be nice to have a Mac meet up this summer.

[Sea Dreamer]

We're based in Mayo, MD. A meet-up sounds like a great idea! Do you have any ideas where/when?

[kmclemore]

I'm up in Phila, but I could come down for a meet up as well.

[parrothead]

Getting together is a great idea.

We are at Mears Great Oak Landing Marina on Fairlee Creek [about 14 miles north of Rock Hall on the Eastern Shore]. The Chesapeake is a big place, but if you're on the northern end, Fairlee Creek is a very nice sheltered anchorage. Great Oak has several transient slips [if, like my Admiral, you prefer not to spend the night on the hook] and other amenities [but no public boat ramp]. See http://www.mearsgreatoaklanding.com/index.htm

Blue Heaven still has her winter cover on, but once summer arrives, our schedule is pretty open.

[kmclemore]

On the few occasions when we've gone we've put in at Elk Neck... nice launching place, I think, and pretty good parking. Only drawback is that the ramps are a wee bit steep, and in the early fall there's considerable bugs.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/ ... kneck.html

[Rick Westlake]

How about the Rhode River, just south of Annapolis?

It's the northern tributary to the West River that goes into Galesville, and its "Casa Rio Marina" is significant to Mac history in the Mid-Atlantic. A-1 Sailboats, which was based there, was the Mid-Atlantic Mac dealer for quite a few years.

Casa Rio still has a large population of Macs, a decent if steep boat ramp, and good access to the Bay. And it's close to Galesville and Shadyside, where there are some good restaurants to be found.

[henecle]

Bought our at Casa Rio from Cap't Jim of A1 Sailboats last year... Had a Seafarer 24 slipped there at Fisherman's Dock as well. The Rhode has some great anchorages. We're on the Potomac now but would trailer over (couldn't do that with our old Seafarer ) to join the Mac crowd.

Leif

[Chinook]

We'll be towing cross country from Washington State (the "other" Washington) to Chesapeake Bay at the end of August, and plan to spend the month of September exploring the area. It would be fun to run into some of our "eastern cousins" while out there. Keep an eye out for us come September.

[darekluczak]

Chesapeake is great. Last season I've trailered almost every other weekend. We're just north of Philla.
I have found a great ramp @ Kent Island, 2 miles south from Bay Bridge. It's at Matapeake State Park.
Even that the rate for 24 hrs doubled to $10 since last year it's still a great place for MacGregorians.
I've finished 2008 ( Annapolis boat show, what a weekend that was )and opened 2009 season there,
it was very busy last weekend but it's never been this bad ( rockfish season ).
It's a great place becouse of it's location, just across the Bay to Annapolis, 6-8 hrs sail to St. Michael,
half around the island to Kent Narrows and reastaurants 2 hrs sail to Rock Hall.
2 miles south from Matapeake there is a nice marina ( Kentmore Marina ) for overnighters, 3 ft channel
so not too busy, great rate @ $1 a foot ( you can't beat $26 per night ), great restaurant.
The idea for big meet is great.

[TAM]

We're in the upper Chesapeake, near the C&D Canal. Before we had our slip we put in at Elk Neck. Bugs are really bad at night. Ramps aren't too bad for the Mac so long as you don't run into "Joe dumb a** boater". Had an occasion where there were 4 other boats waiting to go in, but this guy had to pull up the ramp blocking the entrance, take 15 min to dry his boat, and then headed off to the bathroom. But oh well, don't need to worry about that now. We're in the Bohemia Vista marina and there is a decent ramp there ($12). Sometimes a little tight, but most of the other boaters are crabbers out for the morning and are fairly conscious that they're not the only ones using the ramp.

The only restaurant around is the Chesapeake Inn on the C&D. There's lots of day sailing room up here. It's possible to go out sailing in the morning, motor up to the Chess Inn for lunch, and then sail the rest of the afternoon. No fee for docking during the week (except tipping dock hand), $5 Fri, Sat, Sun.

If you're up in the area, send me a PM. Glad to meet up.

Oh watch out for the crab pot buoys south of the peninsula. Some of those guys will come after you with guns a blazing to protect their catch.

Terry

[Kelly Hanson East]

...and watch out for same crab pots as hazards to your prop...whenever Ive sailed on the Cheseapeake, the pots are in the water right up to the marked channel edge, and even over in some cases

[blueskiesup]

We're based in Rock Hall, MD just across from Baltimore. It would be fantastic to hold a Mac gathering this summer on the Bay...

[kmclemore]

Depending on when you do it, we may well be able to join in.

[darekluczak]

Count me in!
Let us konw when.

We're based in Rock Hall, MD just across from Baltimore. It would be fantastic to hold a Mac gathering this summer on the Bay...

Which marina are in?
What kind of rates are you paying?
I was considering Rock Hall for my base port for this year but changed my mind and will trailer sail one more season.

[K9Kampers]

If the where, when & how long were right, I'll consider coming down for it!