Worton creek

[deniseO30]

On checking rates at 3 marinas there it looks somewhat affordable 2500 a season or less. Is it wrong to think one can negotiate price on a mooring or slip? I know it's always been Marinas holding the cards.. is it somewhat easier now that boating is also on suffering from the economy? OR! is it who you know before you go? I am partial to the eastern shore.

[mgmhead]

Denise,

Law of Supply and Demand is always in play. If a marina owner can get full price then he/she isn't going to deal. If they have vacant slips, or slips that are 'less desirable' they may cut a bargain. Slips and moorings are a perishable commodity and a smart operator knows that. All that said, the negotiation should be discrete and you should never tell others if you got a discount.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have never gotten a discount on my slip.

Good Luck...MGM

[RichH]

Slips and moorings on Worton Creek are almost full, unlike the past few years.

Knowing well the marina that has the moorings ... probably will not negotiate as they know they are already quite reasonably priced in comparison to all the nearby marinas . This marina is an 'honest' marina ... no 'hidden chintz charges', no-pumped up marina bills, etc. so you can use that as your 'discount'.
........ besides all the current transient slips are currently taken up by boats from "The Anchor Yacht Club" from Bristol Pa. !!!!!!!! ;-D

[Gladrags1]

Denise:

I've never known marinas to negotiate their rates, But I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. I've found that the 3 marinas in Worton are perhaps the most expensive marinas on the Eastern Shore. We once looked into keeping our boat there but got turned away by the cost. Why not drive 20 south to Rock Hall and look at Swan Creek Marina? It's a very nice mom and pop marina in a very nice area. Other marinas are also nice as well. I think it's worth Looking at the other marinas as well; they are all nice. I can't promise that they will be significantly cheaper but they're worth a look. There is lots of competition there which might moderate the prices a bit. Rock Hall is filled with Eastern Shore charm and farmers markets as well.

The cruising grounds from Rock Hall is very varied with the Chester River gunkholes close, Annapolis and Baltimore a few hours away and Worton and Fairlee Creeks in reach as well.

You also might look at Tolchester Marina as they might need to discount to attract business away from Rock Hall, etc.

We always look at the Eastern Shore as a great destination. If we kept out boat there we would not have any need to go anywhere so we ultimately gravitated back to the western shore. The prices are better there anyway. Good luck with deciding where to go.

Tod

[deniseO30]

thanks all.. I really like Great Oaks but the rates were higher there and the pita entry to fairlee creek. Rockhall.. eh..all that shoaling.. Tolchester... hmmmm.

It's not so much the distance as having a vehicle to make the many trips from home to the boat should I ever get back on the Bay. Tolls on 95 are high.. going down 295 and across is a nicer but longer ride on 301 to 50 and bay bridge. But I do absolutely LOVE ANNAPOLIS!

LOL Rich I see you noticed the boats from Anchor LOL!

[Gladrags1]

In regards to shoaling concerns in Rock Hall, that only concerns the marinas in town. Swan Creek, Haven Harbor, Osprey Point are on Swan Creek where there aren't any such issues, to my knowledge.

Tod

[wingNwing]

Only time I ever got a discount was when I came in as a transient to get work done at Deaton's in Oriental, NC (great folks, btw, strongly recommend them!). However, when we've stayed at a place for several years we've sometimes gotten 'grandfathered' in at the lower, older rate when their rates went up.

[mltroy]

Hi Denise,
Back when we lived in the Philadelphia area we decided to move our boat from the Western Shore to the Eastern Shore because we were spending all our time over there anyway. We looked at marinas from the Sassafras to the Chester. It ended up as a choice between Worton and Rock Hall. It was only a longer drive to RH by about 20 minutes and that put us right in the middle of the Upper Bay with tons of destinations within an easy day's sail.

We loved the fact that coming from Philadelphia, you got off of I95 at Del Rt 1 and that the minute you got below the C&D Canal our blood pressure seemed to drop (we now say below Middletown). Get off 301 at Galena and go cross country from there. It's a very relaxing drive.

As noted above the Rock Hall shoaling is only for the harbor entrance. Since they've moved the buoys marking the channel, I haven't heard anyone complain though I don't know what the depths are. That does not affect Swan Creek. Add to the list already mentioned the very lovely Spring Cove Marina. I think it is cheaper but you have to arrange winter storage elsewhere and I believe you have to be out by Nov. 1.

Mary Lou
Rhodes 22 Fretless
Rock Hall, MD

[T37Chef]

$2500 a year for a nice marina on the Chesapeake sounds like a great deal!
Its apples and oranges IMO, you really cant compare it to what you pay for a slip on the Delaware.

You probably know this but, access to the bay from Worton, Fairlee, Swan Creek are all great. The nice thing about Worton is the marinas are well protected, easy to locate and enter from the North or South. Of course the salinity is far less = almost no sign of jellyfish in the summer.

I wouldn't bother with a slip in the town of Rockhall, unless you like that scene, or Farilee Creek for that matter Great Oaks = not my cup of tea, to each their own

Worton or Swan Creeks, several great marinas to choose from.

[deniseO30]

I always get this yearn to be on the Bay this time of year Don't know why. it's already doldrums! I just have to be patient and hope my $ improves eventually. I know the dream of living aboard can be better then the reality. but I just don't know... eh.. someday maybe. thanks all. I'll keep looking.