Day trips on the Chesapeake from Cutter Marine

nscogin

We took delivery of the Dawn Treader this weekend and are planning a few day trips to get acquainted with the boat and put a few hours on the engine before we take her to Massachusetts in June. We plan to attend the Lankford Bay gathering and to visit some friends on the Bohemia River overnight one weekend, but are looking for other day trips. We don't fish but love to hike and look at and photograph wildlife. Ideally we would find places where we could come in by water, tie up at a dock or beach the boat, then hike around and have lunch, either picnic or at a restaurant in a small waterfront town. Historical interest would be a plus as well. I read about El and Bill's trip to Chestertown, and it sounds great, though maybe a bit far for a day trip for us.

I'd appreciate any help those of you who have explored this area can give.

Norma

terraplane · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:14 pm Post subject: rock hall for day trip

Come on over to Rock Hall..from Cutter it is only an hour plus...tie up at Waterman's Crab house in the harbor...walk up town. on weekends, nice shops and Rock Hall trolley for riding around.
Eastern Neck Wildlife refuge is very close but too far to walk. If you do plan on coming let me know and we can arrange for bikes.
terraplane tom

nscogin · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Tom. That's exactly what I'm thinking of. Can't tell from the chart where the lovely little towns are and most of the online info assumes one is arriving by car. Is it necessary to reserve a spot to tie up? Thanks also for the offer of bikes. We've been trying to figure out how to carry ours on board. I'll be in touch.

Norma

cadenza · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:22 pm Post subject:

Here are a few suggestions:
(1) Fairlee Creek, straight across the bay from Middle River
(2) Rock Hall, as mentioned above is a great place. We used to always anchor in Swan Creek, take the dinghy to the marina at the south end of the creek, and walk into town. Great anchorage!
(3) Northwest side of Miller Island just outside Middle River - good place to anchor and swim, full of boats on weekends (in summer)
(4) An overnight trip into Baltimore Inner Harbor is fun. We always liked the city marina because of location in the middle of things.
(5) Chester River is nice, even if you don't go all the way to Cherstertown; and number of good anchorages.

Lots of other good places too. Have fun!

nscogin · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 3:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Steve and Carla. By the way, I love the name of your boat.

Norma

Otter-BelleHavenMarina · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:26 pm Post subject:

It's probably more than a day trip, but I think you would love the Wye River over on the Eastern Shore. BTW, Dawn Treader is a great name too -- who gets to play Reepicheep?

nscogin · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:27 pm Post subject:

Thanks. Actually, I wanted to name the boat Reepicheep's Coracle or Coracle, but my eight year old says the boat doesn't look like a coracle.

Norma

Steven Dore · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:12 pm Post subject: Reepicheap and Coracles?

For those of us who don't have 8 year olds, what am I missing?

Steve

nscogin · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:27 pm Post subject:

Voyage of the Dawn Treader is one of the seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. The Dawn Treader is a sailing ship that takes its Narnian and human passengers on great adventures. We read the entire series to our daughter when she was 5. At the time we already had our sailboat, also named Dawn Treader.

A coracle is a very small one or two person boat typically found on certain of the rivers of Wales. It looks something like a giant walnut shell. At the end of Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Reepicheep, a noble and brave Narnian talking mouse, goes off alone in his coracle when the others have to turn back before reaching Aslan's land.

All seven books are great reading for young and old alike.

Norma

Steven Dore · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the information. Now I understand the name.

Steve

Otter-BelleHavenMarina · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:35 am Post subject:

I read the whole series with my older daughter as well. She loved it, and so did I.

nscogin · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

I thought I'd report back on some of the cruising we have done since I first started this topic. Back in April we took a lovely trip to Rock Hall for lunch at Waterman's and a little walk to town and back. We had scattered showers and a bit of chop to deal with on the trip back, but it was a lovely destination.

Yesterday, we took off a little before 11 am for Havre de Grace. The trip there (35 miles or so) took about 2-1/2 hours. Conditions were beautiful -- 70s, clear, waves less than a foot. We cruised at 15 to 20 knots most of the way. We tied up at the town marina and walked about 20 minutes into town for lunch at McGregor's. Lots of antique stores to browse, though we didn't do so this time. Ice cream and candy is readily available -- we picked up a little of the latter at Bomboy's, but were too full from lunch for ice cream. The cruise back was a little quicker -- at times the water was just about flat, though we hit a good amount of chop as we came to Middle River. For the first time we had a perfect docking experience with the 8 year old playing a key role on the bow! It was a beautiful day!

We now have 19 hours on the engine and feel like we're starting to know the boat.

Norma

octopotomus · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 7:47 pm Post subject:

Dawn Treader, I think that we saw you coming into Middle River as we were heading out. We didn't make it as far as you did, just up to the Seneca for a night on the hook and then a day poking around the Gunpowder river.

Scott and Teri on <grin> Smile

nscogin · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 8:12 pm Post subject:

I've definitely seen your boat in the slip. I like your name. It was a beautiful weekend, wasn't it?

Are you going to Lankford Bay? If so when are you traveling?

Norma

octopotomus · Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 8:22 pm Post subject:

It certainly was a beautiful couple of days. We are definately going to the Langford gathering. Last year we had only had the boat for a week when we went to the first edition of the "gathering". It was weekend full of great people, great fun and great boats!

We are planning on heading out from Cutter sometime between 11 and noon on Friday. When are you planning on going?

Scott and Teri on <grin> Smile

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