My wife and I met many years ago near Havre de Grace which is where the Susquehanna empties into the Chesapeake. We are thinking of trailering our C-22 out there next September for a couple of weeks. Anyone have any experience to share or suggestions regarding cruising that area? The distances to Baltimore and Annapolis are not great, nor is the Eastern Shore. The downside, of course, is that it is the beginning of hurricane season.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Northern Chesapeake Bay
- Thread starter jhspear
- Start date
Haven't been to Harve de Grace yet, but we do launch out of Sandy Point St. Park (just north of Annapolis) a number of times per year.
We've been to St. Michaels, Chestertown, Cambridge, Tilghman Island, Rockhall, Baltimore Inner Harbor and a few other places.
ActiveCaptain is your friend.
PM me if you have any questions.
We've been to St. Michaels, Chestertown, Cambridge, Tilghman Island, Rockhall, Baltimore Inner Harbor and a few other places.
ActiveCaptain is your friend.
PM me if you have any questions.
ssobol":2ag8nk0n said:few other places.
ActiveCaptain is your friend.
.
Even though they just got bought our by GARMIN I'm still going to add to it as it benefits us all when I do. I'm using it right now and appreciate everyone that adds to it.
Pat Anderson
New member
ken35216":1wku2k2w said:Even though Active Captain just got bought out by GARMIN I'm still going to add to it as it benefits us all when I do. I'm using it right now and appreciate everyone that adds to it.
Garmin Blue Chart Mobile, which has Active Captain support, has been orphaned, so unless you own a Garmin chart plotter compatible with the new Garmin Active Captain app, you are out of luck. I am now using Aqua Map for the iPad, which uses NOAA charts, has Active Captain support, and is under active development to improve it. At $20 with free lifetime chart downloads, it is a great buy, and I think it is the one to watch, as there seems to be a commitment to continual improvement of its capabilities.
Actually this the height of the hurricane season ( July thru November ). But forecasting is good enough & the chance of a storm there is very low. I have only sailed thru this area, but should be fun to explore. The water should be warm and pleasant weather! Watch for thunder storms. Have fun!
dotnmarty":2i3393bu said:... to the Delaware river and visit the wonders of Philadelphia. So easy to do and so much to see.
How far up the Delaware river can one go in a C-Dory sized boat? Looks like there is a lot to see above Philly.
Sandy Point State Park is a great place to put in. It only cost a couple dollars to get in and they don’t charge for storage of your rig. It is centrally located for many interesting places to visit: Annapolis, Baltimore, Rock Hall, Chesterton, St. Michaels, Oxford, etc. Also if you like to anchor out there are many protected creeks and coves in the area.
September is still a good month to visit. The cold fronts that are absent mostly in the summer months begin in September which can Kickup the wind and make it uncomfortable on the Bay. Just keep an eye on the weather and if a front is forecast position yourself on one of the many rivers and continue boating. As far as hurricanes are concerned the season starts in June. Mid September is peak and we have had our share of tropical systems on the Bay over the last decade. The good news is that forecasting will provide you with plenty of warning to get your boat on the trailer and get out of the way.
Have a great time next year.
September is still a good month to visit. The cold fronts that are absent mostly in the summer months begin in September which can Kickup the wind and make it uncomfortable on the Bay. Just keep an eye on the weather and if a front is forecast position yourself on one of the many rivers and continue boating. As far as hurricanes are concerned the season starts in June. Mid September is peak and we have had our share of tropical systems on the Bay over the last decade. The good news is that forecasting will provide you with plenty of warning to get your boat on the trailer and get out of the way.
Have a great time next year.
I was born in Havre de Grace and grew up in Harford County. Some of my earliest memories are of catching "rock" (Striped Bass), crabs and body booting for geese and ducks in the Bay and on the Susquehanna flats. September is prime time for crabs, as they have migrated to the upper Bay by then. The water is still warm. Hurricanes are rare here but they can occur. Frankly, as far as I am concerned September is probably the nicest time to be there, smaller crowds, restaurants and marinas open but not crowded, etc.
All of the suggestions are good, and there are many places you can stay on the hook for free. Beware of Aberdeen Proving Ground in the north Bay, as there are restrictions. If you want to stay in north Bay, Rock Hall and Eastern Neck are great. You can buy a net and use a string and chicken neck to catch enough crabs to enjoy them. Bush River is excellent for crabs, as is the Elk River and Chester. Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge offers a lot of shallow water where you can wade and scoop crabs up, and lots of tidal areas with grass where you can find softshell crabs. A softshell sandwich is quite a treat.
If you moor near Eastern Neck, look for a very large squirrel, about twice as big as a regular one. This is a "Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel".
Further south you have lots of interesting places. For nature and birds Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is unbelievable with the concentration of birds in September, though I have paddled mostly in a kayak as it is thick with vegetation as well. You might check with the park people about a C-Dory. You could certainly head up the Nanticoke River at least as far as Vienna and see much the same.
Going through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is fun, but watch for large boats as it is relatively narrow and busy. Shaeffer's Canal House near the entrance just up from the Elk River is a popular place and you can actually get seats in September, mooring your boat just outside. My guess is that you can go way up Delaware Bay, but you should visit Lewes Delaware, and Cape Henlopen Park if you like fishing and nature. Take a "head boat" at Lewes, Delaware, and eat at the restaurant near the marina. You can moor you boat at the city dock.
You can get into Rehobeth Bay by the Waterway. Again, phenomenal birds in September as many are migrating through. Cape May in New Jersey should have millions of migrating birds by then that crossing from Cape May to Cape Henlopen on their way further south. Millions of Canada and Snow Geese will fill the water and the air.
And you can catch a few crabs with a string tied to a chicken neck and a small net just about anywhere. I traded the Chesapeake for Puget Sound 30 years ago, also trading blue crabs for Dungeness crabs, but I expect "Problemadela" will make it out there in the near future.
All of the suggestions are good, and there are many places you can stay on the hook for free. Beware of Aberdeen Proving Ground in the north Bay, as there are restrictions. If you want to stay in north Bay, Rock Hall and Eastern Neck are great. You can buy a net and use a string and chicken neck to catch enough crabs to enjoy them. Bush River is excellent for crabs, as is the Elk River and Chester. Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge offers a lot of shallow water where you can wade and scoop crabs up, and lots of tidal areas with grass where you can find softshell crabs. A softshell sandwich is quite a treat.
If you moor near Eastern Neck, look for a very large squirrel, about twice as big as a regular one. This is a "Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel".
Further south you have lots of interesting places. For nature and birds Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is unbelievable with the concentration of birds in September, though I have paddled mostly in a kayak as it is thick with vegetation as well. You might check with the park people about a C-Dory. You could certainly head up the Nanticoke River at least as far as Vienna and see much the same.
Going through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is fun, but watch for large boats as it is relatively narrow and busy. Shaeffer's Canal House near the entrance just up from the Elk River is a popular place and you can actually get seats in September, mooring your boat just outside. My guess is that you can go way up Delaware Bay, but you should visit Lewes Delaware, and Cape Henlopen Park if you like fishing and nature. Take a "head boat" at Lewes, Delaware, and eat at the restaurant near the marina. You can moor you boat at the city dock.
You can get into Rehobeth Bay by the Waterway. Again, phenomenal birds in September as many are migrating through. Cape May in New Jersey should have millions of migrating birds by then that crossing from Cape May to Cape Henlopen on their way further south. Millions of Canada and Snow Geese will fill the water and the air.
And you can catch a few crabs with a string tied to a chicken neck and a small net just about anywhere. I traded the Chesapeake for Puget Sound 30 years ago, also trading blue crabs for Dungeness crabs, but I expect "Problemadela" will make it out there in the near future.