Summer Cruise - Southern Chesapeake Bay?

[T37Chef]

Looking for suggestions? We have sailed mostly North of Annapolis with a few cruises to Oxford, the furthest South I have been on the bay. We have 10 days this year to go wherever we want and I would like to explore the lower portion of the bay.

Tangier Island and Solomons Island are really the only places I know I want to visit, what other places would you recommend?

We prefer a mixture of places on a cruise, a few nights of anchorages then a small town here and there with good restaurants. Something for the kids to enjoy and get the opportunity to burn off some energy is important.

Boat draft is 4'2" and we have a dingy to get to shore.

Thanks Sailnetters...maybe we'll see some of you out there, we head out Friday morning

[PBzeer]

The only reason (after two stops there) that I can see to go to Solomons, is for eating out. And I can't really recommend any place, because I rarely eat off the boat.

Haven't been to Tangiers, but continually here it is worth the effort. The bottom of the Bay is 3 days from Annapolis (or an overnighter). So you have a lot of possibilities.

[SailorMitch]

chef-- solomon's is one of my favorite bay stops. the girls will love the calvert marine museum. i just enjoy it there---great international grocery store there,too besides the restaurants. good west marine there if needed. nice marinas to stay at( Spring Cove is my favorite.) plus lots of places to anchor.

here are some other choices-- crisfield is a great stop for boaters. somers Cove Marina is state run and very nice. very walkable town. you also can catch the "tourist ferries" to both tangiers( you can more than see the town in one afternoon visit and still have time to eat at Mrs. Crocket's) and to smith's island.

friends talk highly of Cambridge and Chestertown as well.as well.

in Virginia, I have heard good things about Onancock and Cape Charles. I've been to Deltaville both by water and car ( bought my P-33-2 there in fact.) the town is pretty deadsville. in part this all is determined by what you call the southern bay. how far south do you have time to go?

[jorgenl]

Mobjack Bay

Nice and secluded anchorages. East and North river are my favourites.

Cheers.

[JohnRPollard]

If you can come through Kent Narrows from the upper Bay, St. Michael's is a great place to stop over. If you have kids, get a membership at the Ches. Bay Maritime Museum, where you can stay over night in their slips. After the museum closes in the evening, your kids will have the run of the place -- tons of fun and loads of energy burned!! We usually get a wiffle ball game going on Navy Point in the evenings.

Farther down the Bay, I also recommend Solomons. If you want to explore up the Patuxent, St. Leonards Creek is a nice spot.

If you head further south, St. Mary's City is nice too, with historic sites to visit. The college hosts a summer concert series out on the lawn overlooking the water (free admission, I think), on Friday nights.

[T37Chef]

Thanks all, keep em coming!

[camaraderie]

Crisfield Md. on the eastern shore is nice for kids. Good public marina...crab picking...old fashioned town. Ditto Onancock on the eastern shore a bit further south...but even more laid back. Back on the western side, Reedville is a nice stop...you can also go up the Rappahanock to Irvington and/or Urbanna which are both good places to get off the boat and walk around....with some fine restaurants. (Try the Trick Dog Cafe in Irvington) St. Mary' s on the Potomac is a nice stop as well.

[zz4gta]

Almost made it out to St. Mary's college for their concert this past friday, but decided to "race" another boat we saw out on the river. If you decide to hit up the college and are looking for company, let me know.

[SailKing1]

Chef, not sure how far down your coming but the James river is interesting. You can anchor of Williamsburg and the Navy Ghost Fleet is a site. There is also a book "Cruising the Chesapeake - A gunkholers guide" which is extremely informative. Well worth the $40.00 if your cruising the bay.

[NauticalFishwife]

Chef, we were out all week last week and stopped at Deale for a night. We were ready for a marina night so we stayed at Shipwright Marina and took the dink over to Skippers Pier for dinner. Shipwright has a pool for the kids-which is nice. People in the office were very friendly and I even took the time to do a load of laundry. If you're headed south this might be a good stop on the way down.Solomons is one of my very favorite places on the bay. I can second the Calvert museum as a place to go and I think you'd enjoy the CD Cafe for dinner. Small place but we have never been disappointed in our meal or service. Sorry we missed you out on the bay last week! We more or less got up and chose our sailing destination according to the wind for the day. We did, Rhode River-fun dingy and swimming spot, Granery Creek which is off of the Wye -fun dingy and swimming spot and a nature area where you can take the dingy in and walk on a trail. We saw more brown rays than I've ever seen on the Bay before. They must have been mating because they were jumping for joy all afternoon. Then we went over to Deale then across to Oxford and then a night in Whitehall-which is also a great place to take the dink up Merrideth Creek. Enjoy your vacation!