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Top 10 Anchorages on the bay?

10K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  Dog8It 
#1 ·
If you had to rank your top ten places to anchor on the bay, what would your list look like? Time of year to visit. (Rule:You have to have been there for it to be on your list)

It was hard to do, but here's mine:
1. St. Michaels, Miles River - Anytime
2. St. Leonard Creek, near Grapevine Cove, Patuxent River - Anytime
3. Dividing Creek, Wye East River - Spring/Fall
4. Langford Creek, Cacaway Island, Chester River - Fall
5. Mill Creek, South of Reedville, Great Wilcomico River - Anytime
6. Still Pond Creek, Still Pond - Spring/Summer/Fall
7. Worton Creek - Outside/Summer - Inside/Spring/Fall
8. Rhode River, near High Island - Non Weekend, Anytime
9. Back Creek, Knight Island, Sassafras River - Summer/Fall
10. Corsica River, opposite Ship Pt. - Summer/Fall
 
#3 · (Edited)
Damn chef yours and mine are similar.So I chose a few different ones

1 Langford Creek Cacaway Island on the Chester home of the circus geese in the fall
2 Dividing Creek, Granary Creek, or Shaw Bay on the Wye River lots of Eagles and hawks
3 Dunn Cove off of the Choptank River behind Tillman Island
4 Santo Domingo Creek off the Choptank River, backdoor to St Michaels
5 Warton Creek inside or outside
6 Still Pond
7 Broad Creek on the Magothy inside or outside with the glass house on the hill
8 Turner Creek or Woodland Creek on the Sassafras River for nettle free swimming
9 Clements Creek or Chase Creek on the Severn River for unbelievable houses
10 St Lenords on the Pauxtuxat River
 
#4 ·
If you had to rank your top ten places to anchor on the bay, what would your list look like? Time of year to visit. (Rule:You have to have been there for it to be on your list)

It was hard to do, but here's mine:
1. St. Michaels, Miles River - Anytime
2. St. Leonard Creek, near Grapevine Cove, Patuxent River - Anytime
3. Dividing Creek, Wye East River - Spring/Fall
4. Langford Creek, Cacaway Island, Chester River - Fall
5. Mill Creek, South of Reedville, Great Wilcomico River - Anytime
6. Still Pond Creek, Still Pond - Spring/Summer/Fall
7. Worton Creek - Outside/Summer - Inside/Spring/Fall
8. Rhode River, near High Island - Non Weekend, Anytime
9. Back Creek, Knight Island, Sassafras River - Summer/Fall
10. Corsica River, opposite Ship Pt. - Summer/Fall
1. Yes we like St. Michaels, but I rather take the "back door" via San Domingo
2. Patuxent River,- many spots and Solomons too
6&7...we also like Still Pond & Worton Creek
8. Yes, Rhode River,-near High Island or the bight to port on the way.
9. We like the space on the Sassafras across from Ordinary Point.
10. Yes, we agree with corsica River as a top spot.
......We also like the space next to Dobbins Island in the Magothy,
Breton Bay near Leonardtown, Rock Creek on the south side of the Patapsco, and at St. Mary's College when they have the summer concerts! Take care and joy, Aythya crew
 
#6 ·
Come on. Make this a challenge. Nothing in the cruising guides.

That is the only way such a thread can uncover anything NEW for discussion. Honestly, some of the places listed are near things, but are just plain ugly (San Domingo Creek).

- The creek north of Briary Cove, off Harris Creek. The quietest spot on Harris Creek.
- Just west of James Island, if you've got shallow draft and a south to west wind. Nice beach.

In other words, places that we have not all been. Just a few each.
 
#7 ·
We have not been to ten different anchorages but my favorite has been Claiborne Inlet in Tilghman Creek (Eastern Bay). It is very small (only about two boats can fit comfortably), a little tricky to get into and the homeowner who waved to us before settling in his hammock to play his guitar made us feel welcome (in direct contrast to the stories I've been reading about Florida).
 
#9 ·
Oh, this could be a fun list! I'd add these for pretty, undeveloped anchorages:

La Trappe Cr near Cambridge.
Plaindealing Creek near Oxford.
Mill Creek of the Great Wicomico.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I'll rise to the challenge. Three places dependent on wind direction I really like - the East side of Stove Point near Deltaville (opposite Fishing Bay), the mouth of the South River between Thomas Point and the first creek, and in the Bay outside and just to the North of the Magothy River. Quiet, settled with appropriate wind direction (or none), and empty since they aren't in the cruising guides.

In some ways a heavy boat opens up options since you can take a chance here and there.
 
#12 ·
Western Branch of the Corrotoman, below Merry Point. Behind Sandy Point, Great Wicomico. Dead and Bones Cove, Carter Creek off the Rappahannock. Above G17 East River off Mobjack Bay. Horseshoe Bend, St. Mary's.

BTW what's wrong with San Domingo Creek? I rather liked it, at least up to the anchorage. Perhaps the stretch between the anchorage and the dingy dock isn't the most scenic.
 
#14 · (Edited)
BTW what's wrong with San Domingo Creek? I rather liked it, at least up to the anchorage. Perhaps the stretch between the anchorage and the dingy dock isn't the most scenic.
Just playin' guys. Been there many times.:) Just trying to start something fun. Something to make us think harder. The original suggestions are all very nice. I just think it is more fun to share the less probable finds.
 
#13 ·
That is the only way such a thread can uncover anything NEW for discussion. Honestly, some of the places listed are near things, but are just plain ugly (San Domingo Creek)-.pdqaltair
I guess my choices were too pedestrian for PDQ. I posted those 10 in case someone was looking into this thread for our top 10 favorite anchorages and they hadnt been to all of the ones I posted like pdq has. The anchorages I posted are must see sights though for people on the Chesapeake I beleive and re great options.

Not sure either why San Domingo Creek is ugly as it is scenic except for the last part to the dinghy area.

Dave are you referring to Deep Creek on the Magothy- Ill bet not

So by the PDQ criteria let me suggest my quiet...unkown anchorages we have visited include

Granery Creek on the Wye

Emory Creek on the Corsica River off of the Chester River- serene with trees touching the water

Millstone Point to Sinai Cove off the West Branch of Langford Creek off the Chester River- beautiful horse farm right up to the water

Knight Island ( Between Back and Foreman Creek on the North Shore of the Sassafras (Just beyond Ordinary Point) - enough room for 2 boats

Dave
 
#16 ·
Dave are you referring to Deep Creek on the Magothy- Ill bet not
Not. See https://activecaptain.com/X.php?lat=39.065783&lon=-76.422512&t=n&z=15 . I anchor in 10-12 feet of water opposite Otter Pond in the Bay proper. This is not an anchorage for a windy day, or even for a light boat. We've spent a couple of light air nights there away from bugs with reasonable ventilation through the boat.

I first tried it after drifting up alongside a big Cabo Rico anchored there one day to see if they needed help. *grin* They were happily finishing a late breakfast and pointed out the benefits of being away from the mosquitoes at the more classical anchorages.

Granery Creek on the Wye
NOOOOO! Don't tell anyone.

Fredericksburg.com - Here, in this inlet . . .
 
#15 ·
1. Reed Creek (a new favorite)
2. Langford Creek (off Cacaway Island)
3. Corsica River
4. Grays Inn Creek
(all of the above are off the Chester River)
5. Swan Creek
6. Rock Creek (off Patapsco River)
7. Magothy (Eagle Cove by Horse Farm)
8. Rhode River (near High Island)
9. Worton Creek (in Fall)
10. Bodkin (off Patapsco River)
 
#17 ·
Some of my favorite anchorages are where I can get off the boat and hike or jog through the woods. Several places come to mind.

1. Dividing Creek off the Wye

2. Mill Creek off the Patuxent River just past the bridge and Point Patience

3. But my favorite is Horseshoe Bend on the St Mary's River where not only there is ample room to jog on the trails, but to visit an historic site like a mini Williamsburg...plus the college there has a great restaurant

Now if someone can give some good anchorages on the Pamlico Sound that would be great since we're moving the boat down there next spring.
 
#18 ·
While nearly every place I've yet anchored is probably covered in the guidebooks, I will say for seclusion and peacefulness, any place south of Point Lookout and north of York River wins for those of us doing most of our sailing on weekends.

Yes, there are many great destinations in the mid-bay, but there are far more powerboat wakes up here to upset things (Eastern Bay for example) and you are highly unlikely to have an anchorage to yourself or shared with one or two other boats which was common when we were sailing out of Deltaville. As an example, I counted over 50 boats anchored/rafted in Shaw Bay on a non-holiday weekend. Fishing Bay in Deltaville is similiar in size and was considered crowded if there were a dozen boats.

I envy those of you in the mid-bay that are able to get in some overnights during the week where there are less wakes to contend with and fewer boats in the anchorages, but I really envy the folks that are able be close to their boats and sail out of the Middle Peninusla area.
 
#19 ·
Favs to drop anchor (quiet is our goal here)

WOW, there are so many here we like but this would be my selection....
10. End of the West Branch of Langford Creek by Chesapeake Farms
9. Grove Creek off the Chester, just to say we got in there for the gunkholer in us.
8. Coan River off the Potomac
7. Pitman Cove, Indian Creek
6. St. Mary's City
5. Trippe Creek, Choptank River
4. La Trappe Creek, Choptank River
3. Behind Cason Point, Hudson Creek on the Little Choptank
2. Dividing Creek, Wye River
1. Queenstown, Chester River

Now if you wanted to see the spots for action, that I guess, would have to be another thread. :)

Leslie

s/v Tango
CR 34
Lankford Bay Marina (right across from Cacaway Island)
 
#22 ·
You guys really know how to ruin a good spot quickly....

The best anchorages are the ones I'm the only boat in, and yes I've been in the majority of the ones mentioned in this thread, but there's a few not mentioned and I'm not telling :)
 
#23 ·
In these days of satellite imagery, who's kidding whom?

(Me too. Shhh.)

Truthfully, if there is any inconvenience, if it's not on the way to or from someplace, if there is any tricky piloting or any mystery, that will keep the crowds away.
 
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