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Annapolis to Rappahannock River; mid-point overnight stop

7K views 52 replies 13 participants last post by  chef2sail 
#1 ·
I am planning to move my recently purchased SC 31 from Annapolis to Rappahannock River late May to early June and I have little time for this trip. I will be setting aside 3 full days but hoping I can accomplish this in two long days with one stop. I will set aside 3 possible times to depart on the trip and I will pick the best weather related days to maximize the trip. Typically, trying to start off with a good wind and fair weather on the first day. Departing will be very early in the morning, just a dawn or before and motor out until the wind picked up and sail late in the day just before dark - 6am to 7pm. So possibly a 12 to 13 hour day. Same for the next day - so if I average a conservative +/-4.7 knots combined motoring and sailing, this would give me about 61 NM per day - which would just get me there best on my overall NM trip.

Any suggestions for a mid-range stop at the 55 NM to 60 NM mark?
Anchoring or marina.
Marina would be nice as it will give me a chance to get out, stretch my legs and relax a bit but typically marina's will add another 1 hour or 2, one way and navigating with a sailboat that I am not familiar, in the dark or close to it, probably not the wises thing to do. Depending on the Marina and approach, I may need to cut the day short and add the third day into the trip.
Anchoring would be a little more taxing after a long day.

Another thought, weather pending, is to go straight through, perhaps 10 hours and rest for 4 hours and another 10 hours, etc... It will only be two crew members and that includes me.


Patrick
 
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#3 ·
We used Ingram bay as a stop off on a two day trip from Deale to Norfolk. This won't be a halfway point for you but a good stop on a day trip once you get settled. We woke to more Dolphin feeding at breakfast time that I have ever or likely ever will see. it was two pretty easy days (120 Mi) for what that's worth. Enjoy
 
#4 ·
When I have made that trip I either ducked into the Little Choptank River, Solomon's Island, or into the Great Wicomico River. None are exactly halfway. In fact the Little Choptank is closer to Annapolis and Wicomico is a pretty short hop to the Rappahannock.

Jeff
 
#7 ·
Where on the Rapp?
A few years back, we bought our boat in Rock Hall, a little further north than Annapolis. We moved it to the Yeocomico River on the VA side of the lower Potomac, which was about a 100 mile trip. We did it in one day, leaving Rock Hall at 6 am and pulling into our home marina at 7:30 that evening the last weekend in May. We started out sailing with a good wind in the morning, started motor sailing around 1 and lowered sails around 3 when the wind completely died.
 
#9 ·
I am going to Yankee Point, so it is more than just inside the Rappahannock for example like Deltaville.

What I don't want to do is schedule a firm layover somewhere and have choices depending on how the first day is going. If I am running behind, I will end up pushing myself into a unfamiliar marina and approach, late into the night. So I was thinking that I would have 3 choices but nothing is coming to mind besides Salomons Island, either just before or after. I don't see too many options until I pass Look Out Point or Reedville, which does not have a good approach, off memory on the last time I reviewed this. It is looking like it is all of 120 NM.

Estimating a average of 4.7k is conservative but probably realistic. You know, expect the best but plan for the worst, way of thinking.
Thanks for your help.

Patrick
 
#18 ·
I am going to Yankee Point, so it is more than just inside the Rappahannock for example like Deltaville.
Hi Patrick,

Your question was about a mid-point stop. My answer, above, is Solomons.

You didn't ask what I would do or even suggest. If you have an autopilot I would plan to go straight through and also walk through the bailouts in case something (boat or weather) goes wrong. Every time you stop you burn a lot of time, not only sitting still but getting in and out of our stop. That can easily add two or three hours of non-productive time.

That may not make any difference to a cruise, but for a delivery--which I suggest is what you are engaged in--it does matter. Most of the boats I move are bigger than yours and therefore faster under both sail and power. Accordingly I ran some numbers. I often run Annapolis to Norfolk single-handed (crew often fly into ORF) in 20-22 hours. Your boat from Annapolis (I assumed Back Creek but it doesn't matter) to Yankee Point is likely going to be 30 hours. I suggest you dig up at least one more competent crew.

Head to the boat with provisions and any gear you need to add on Day 0. Settle into your boat (return rental car) and have a nice dinner somewhere. Davis' Pub? Drop me a line and maybe I can join you.

Day 1 get off the dock between 8 and 9am. That will get you around Tolly Point, past the fish traps off Herring Bay, the radar targets, the LNG plant, and most of the other clutter along the Western Shore in daylight. Just keep on chugging through the night right down the middle of the Bay. This will keep you far enough East to avoid any wind over current issues at the mouth of the Potomac (usually overstated in my view) and ...

Day 2 arrive in daylight at the mouth of the Rappahannock and head up to Yankee Point.

This gives you plenty of time to get settled and make arrangements to get home with an extra day-and-a-half in your plan.

Bailouts (not planned stops): Herrington Harbour North, Solomons, Yeocomico, Reedville. Eastern Shore bailouts will generally put you out of your way and make supplies, services, and transportation more difficult.

Assumptions: You have an autopilot, you have a friend or two who are competent to stand a solo watch, you have some kind of navigation suitable for night use (you're old like me and can keep track of where you are, a GPS and a chart, a chart plotter - regardless make sure you're up to date).

Guidance: Set watches and even during the day off-watch should be sleeping, napping, or resting. I suggest 4-on/4-off for two, 3-on/6-off for three (short hop - offshore always 4-on/8-off).
 
#10 ·
Looking at the map again, I'd scratch Tangier off the list. Just so you know, there really is no decent place to stop between Solomons and the Little Wicomico at Smith Point. That's a long stretch of water.
Yes, there is Jerome Creek just north of Pt. Lookout, but from what I understand, there is no marina and that creek has a lot of skinny water. You really have to keep going to Smith Pt. or Reedville
 
#12 ·
I would stop at Solomons for sure. Saint Jerrome's creek is completely silted in now and even the commercial crabbers are having a tough time getting through the inlet. If the wind is from a northerly direction, you can duck inside the mouth of the Potomac behind the sand bar hook, but if the wind were to switch to a southerly direction, you get slammed there. Just inside the hook is the entrance to the state park launch area, and a small, totally sheltered anchorage near the launch ramp piers. From either Solomons or Point Lookout, it's an easy run to the Rappahannock. If you were going to Tangier, you might just as well run to the Rappahannock, it's almost the same distance.

Good luck,


Gary :cool:
 
#14 ·
Solomon's -45 miles anchor in Mill Creek
Deltaville - 55 miles
Potomac can be rough and a pain in the ass long ride

But there are great places to pull in along the way just don't do Reedville ( your nose will tell you why)
Mill creek
Prentice Creek
Indian Creek

All along the way
 
#17 ·
Good info.

I think I will chart 2 options; if I am making horrible time or I am in need for something, I will stop at Solomans for my layover. If I am on schedule and near Solomans entrance and at that point, I should be able to gauge if I can make a run to Smith Point or maybe Reedville.
As I am planning to start on a good weather day and if the second day is not so nice, I will have a shorter run to complete the trip.

Where I am actually departing, it is approximately 38 NM outside the entrance into Patuexent River and another 24 NM to Smith Point.
That seems doable. That actually calculates out exactly to my 'conservative' rate of speed of 4.7k at 13 hours - total 62 NM.

Patrick
 
#19 ·
If you anchor in Reedville downwind the smell will be hard to ignore

The Potomac is a long crossing. That's why I suggested and others I think Solomons. It's a good approx midway point.

If you want to push the leave early and get to Mill Creek

If you can do it in one day and spend overnight out you certainly can make the Rappahanock easily. Not sure what your comfort level is with that
 
#25 ·
In recent years, I've found great, sheltered anchorage in Smith Creek, which is located directly across the Potomac from Coan River, about six miles upriver from Point Lookout. However, Lake Canoy is the closest anchorage on the Maryland side of the River, but limited to draft of 6 feet in the anchorage area.

As for the Reedville Rendering Plant, they must have found some way of cleaning up their emissions. The last two times I was down there there was no detectable odor, at least from Smith Point, which is where I usually noticed it the most. I believe they must have found a new, and legal, method of getting rid of their stick water, which produces the most odor and it is highly volatile. The facility was required to remove the stick water and transport it at least 12 miles offshore where they would pump it from holding tanks into the ocean. This mandate was frequently violated and the plant was cited several times by the feds.

Good luck,

Gary :cool:
 
#27 ·
In recent years, I've found great, sheltered anchorage in Smith Creek, which is located directly across the Potomac from Coan River, about six miles upriver from Point Lookout. However, Lake Canoy is the closest anchorage on the Maryland side of the River, but limited to draft of 6 feet in the anchorage area.

As for the Reedville Rendering Plant, they must have found some way of cleaning up their emissions. The last two times I was down there there was no detectable odor, at least from Smith Point, which is where I usually noticed it the most. I believe they must have found a new, and legal, method of getting rid of their stick water, which produces the most odor and it is highly volatile. The facility was required to remove the stick water and transport it at least 12 miles offshore where they would pump it from holding tanks into the ocean. This mandate was frequently violated and the plant was cited several times by the feds.

Good luck,

Gary :cool:
Last year we went by Reedville......still stinks....unforgettable smell ....they may have clean up the smell some but it still reeks if you anchor in the wrong spot or the wind shifts or dies while your close by
 
#30 ·
Solomans Is (Mill Cr.) Is my usual halfway to the Rappahannock, from the Annapolis area.
For a 31 ft. boat, you'd be 'pushing it' to make the L. Wicomico in one day.
However, if you're in a good NW'er and the tides are 'with you', then Smith Cr. on the North Shore of the Potomac ... just up the river from Pt. Lookout is an optimistic one (long) day under 'supreme' reaching conditions.
 
#31 ·
As I mentioned above, I did basically the same trip, same time of year and I covered 100 miles in one day coming down the bay from Rock Hall to the Yeocomico. Yes, he could go up river to Smith Creek, but an extra hour will get him to Smith Point in VA. The Coan River in VA would be a better choice than Smith Creek. About the same distance coming from the north, but about an hour closer to his destination the next day.
 
#42 ·
I guess I differentiate between a "bailout" situation vs a peaceful anchoring on a trip

Prudent sailing on a passage should include multiple bailout points as you progress in the event they are needed due to equipment failure etc. I am assuming this is what Was being pointed out by Dave, which I concur. There are some which are better than others even though they look like good ones with car service and substantial marine repair services. To me bailout means, rough weather, breakage of equipment.

I reread the OP first ask, and he was merely looking for "anchoring" places or marinas around the halfway mark. Responses were based upon nice anchorages, convent to his passage which may not mean " bailouts".

If I have the choice of anchorages not forced by weather or mechanical breakdown, smell enters my equation. Good cruisers let other good cruisers know about uninviting places to anchor. If you decide to pull in the Great Wicomico entrance as it's a good stopover anchorage point for you, and you don't need emergency repairs, I suggest like RichH use Mill Creek vs Cockrell Creek where Reedville is. No sense in risking the potential smell.
 
#43 ·
I am planning to leave Annapolis next week and due to expected southerly winds, I have decided to stop at Solomon Island. It appears to be several marinas. Any recommendations for a quick overnight transit slip (arriving late and leaving very early)?
I am not planning to anchor out.

Thanks

Patrick
SC31
 
#45 ·
Zanheisers is the nicest by far next to Spring Cove. Zanheisers has a pool and great restroooms/ showers and mechanics. We stop here if we want amenities. Most of the time however:

When we do a quick stop over we do the long fuel dock at Harbor Island Marina. It's cheapest at $1.75 a foot, close to the entrance, has fuel, pumpout then they can just pull you to the end of the enormous T head of the fuel dock.

Closest to anything in town also such as Lighthouse Restaurant, Kim's Pies etc. Right acrocc the street of the marina is a BBQ joint and Tiki Bar where the locals hang.
 
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