2022 Chesapeake Bay Gathering (?)

[daninPA]

How many days should be allocated for this loop?

[daninPA]

The Chesapeake is huge and has a vast number of suitable locations. If it makes sense, we can use Havre de Grace as the assembly point and schedule a series of day cruises all around the northern end of the bay.

Destinations such as the C&D canal, Sassafras River, and the Bay Bridge are all within range.

Let me know if there’s interest in this option and I will start making inquiries at suitable marinas, launches, and parking areas.

[ssobol]

[Nancy and Bud]

We would join depending on when in May. We have 2 graduations we will need to work around. If this event doesn't work for us we hope to explore the area sometime this spring or summer. Hopefully, we could meet up with some that know the area as we have never been.

[Valkyrie]

In 2005, there was a CBGT at Lankford Bay Marina with over 30 boats attending. It a very nice facility.

Nick
“Valkyrie II”

[colbysmith]

Has there been any more thought or planning on this? My wife has vacation available in both May and June. The Friday Harbor gathering is in May, however due to travel time and some other reasons for heading out west, (primarily to visit with my brother and to do some cruising around the San Juan Islands), we would have very limited time to swing into that gathering. With the possibility of a Chesapeake gathering, somewhere we've never been and would enjoy checking out, looking at weather and maximizing boat travel with my wife to new destinations, it makes sense to go east in May and west in June. Our May time frame would allow us to be in the Chesapeake area between May 6-15. That's giving us 3 days travel time each way, which of course will depend on where the East Coast gathering will be held.
My suggestions for a gathering, from experience at other gatherings, is primarily having a nearby location for launching that provides relatively secure and inexpensive rig parking for a week or two. If the gathering is primarily a stationary event at a marina, it would be good to have daily activities or short cruises planned. If the gathering is a cruise, then some ideas for anchorages at night, or marinas for those that prefer. (I can do either.) While the few group cruises I've been on with Jim & Kath from Pounder have involved parking at one end then having to rent a car to travel back at the end to pick up our rigs to come back and get our boats, I would much rather prefer we end up where we start. Just my two cents anyway. Thanks. Colby

[daninPA]

Indeed there has been no insignificant time pouring over Waterway Guide and Maps to identify best locales.

It seems the upper Chesapeake offers the best combination of reasonable driving distance, water access, marinas, and day-trip locations. I would prefer a central location as a base rather than a one-way boat ride.

I will put more options up here soon.

[Sasscom]

We would love to join fellow C-Dory owners. May is a great time to be on the Chesapeake Bay. July and August can be extremely hot and humid. We have a couple of guest slips at our home in downtown St. Michaels and are near two marinas that often host large gatherings. St. Michaels is a wonderful waterfront town and is home to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. There is also a launching ramp right in town. We're also not far from Annapolis on the Western Shore and the quaint town of Oxford on the Eastern Shore. Please keep us posted. We'd be happy to help coordinate things.
(BTW, I am a semi-retired writer and photographer for the boating industry, and perhaps I could get us some coverage.) Sounds like a lot of fun!

[daninPA]

St Michaels would be a lovely destination! Perhaps those of us who are closer to the upper bay can meet up and flotilla down?

[colbysmith]

I'm assuming St Michaels is Maryland. Looks like about 896 miles from my home, so doable in two days, which would give us two more days on the water. Colby

[ssobol]

If you want to do St. Michaels area (Oxford, Tilghman Island, Annapolis, Chestertown, etc.) you probably want to start from Sandy Point State Park near the Bay bridge. The advantage is that the price is very reasonable for a nice launch facility and you can park there for up to 14 days for the launch price (the parking limit is not strictly enforced AFAIK). Kent Narrows is also a good starting point, but I don't know about the parking arrangements. I have launched out of Sandy Point for multi-night excursions on the Bay a number of times without any problems.

If you want to anchor out, the Wye Island NMRA is a nice area, but the black flies during the day can be a b**ch in warm weather.

But again, you need to choose whether you want a north bay or mid-bay experience. Allowing only a few days for a gathering pretty much means you should pick one or the other.

If you want to do the north bay, then Havre de Grace is a good place to start. The parking there is the launch fee ($10 two years ago) for a any number of days. There is (was) no published limit how long you can park, you just have to let the dockmaster know when you plan to be back.

Some of the places mentioned have limited moorings available for transients. 5 or 6 boats is probably ok without specific arrangements (especially during the week). If you are talking about 30 boats, better to have this arranged in advance with the destination marinas otherwise the boats are going to be scattered around the available moorings, which will probably be in different marinas.

Also, be prepared for the prices. Some places are pretty inexpensive (e.g Chesapeake City = free (without power), but not a lot of spaces). St. Michaels or Annapolis could be around $100/night for a 22 with power. Depends on what else is happening when the gathering occurs. Got to figure on ~$3/foot LOA when thinking about marinas for short term transients on a weekend. This gives an idea of the rate+power. Some places have 2 night minimums and/or minimum fees. For instance, one marina in St. Michaels had an $80 minimum + $15 power/night in 2021 on weekends. Having a group show up may enable a discount. FWIW, where I live in MI, the transient rate is ~$30/night including power.

[colbysmith]

[daninPA]

$100 per night is a bit excessive. Since this is the first attempt I’m not expecting more than 10 boats. Also, given the many choices in the area within reasonable towing / cruising distance we will plan on day cruises from a central, reasonably priced location. That said, I think a day cruise to St Michaels is a fantastic idea!

[gulfcoast john]

Sasscom,

George, many years ago did you have a 43 custom down-east boat built specifically to do the Loop with your family that was documented, as I recall, in Soundings? And later had a bunch of great cruising destinations (which we free-loaded using)? Is your great info still available anywhere?

Apologies if you’re not that couple.

We’ll be trailering Cat O’ Mine down to the AGLCA Winter Rendezvous in Ft. Meyers, FL this week on the only trailer boat on the Looper Boat Crawl with 3,000 miles and 200 locks. After nine years with this boat we’ll be heading back up to the Chesapeake again in May or June. At this rate we hope to be in the Looper Class of 2032, or maybe 2038 (if we see a barrier island or a bright shiny object).



Hope to see you on the water some day!

John and Eileen

[colbysmith]