# Norfolk to Annapolis Run



## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

I just made a 24 hour passage from Norfolk to Annapolis (up the Chesapeake Bay) and thought I'd share a few notes with the group. The purpose of the trip was to get Cam up to a brokers there for sale so effectively, this was to be our last trip on the boat we've loved so well. We needed to make time and so decided on a straight non-stop shot up the Bay but I was feeling a bit nervous about the trip since we hadn't run Cam since putting her on the hard last fall AND because an overnight trip up the bay presents it's own danger in terms of shipping traffic and other hazards despite protected waters. 
In preparation, I sat down with my paper charts (maptech guide) and plugged in the 15 or so waypoints I would need for the trip into my Garmin handheld and double checked their accuracy from the Laz-Y-Boy... a lot better than finding out you're wrong underway! I next made the waypoints into a route and found that the trip was 150 miles and then figured that at 6 knots it would take me 25 hours and at 7 it would be 21 hours. Leaving in mid-morning from Norfolk would insure a daylight arrival in Annapolis. The weather gods looked favorable...predicting light Northerly winds swinging around to the East and then South.

We woke on Monday morning to very light northerly winds as predicted and proceeded to get ready to get underway. Of course by the time were ready to cast off, the winds had strengthened to 15 knots and pinning us to the T-head dock, but we managed to back out and get off without too much trouble. The forecast was now for winds 10-15 out of the North (where we were heading) diminishing and clocking later on in the day. OK...so we would have to head into the wind for a while...no big deal.

Getting out of downtown norfolk to the Chesapeak is a 12 mile run up the Elizabeth River and past much of our nations Naval might. Pretty spectacular to sail in the shadow of some of our big carriers and we met a Nuclear sub under escort coming back into the harbor. As we proceeded to exit Hampton Roads, I noticed a heavy chop and whitecaps everywhere and the wind was up to over 20k out of the north. Not a problem for the boat but there was incoming tide opposing the wind PLUS the James River outflow from the West so it set up real washin machine conditions as we entered the Chesapeake. Wind speed was steady at 24-26k and waves jumped up to 4-5 footers with a really short period so we were hobby horsing pretty good under power for a while and I was worried about sediment/water in the fuel after the long lay up...but all turned out just fine as the wind quieted to 15-20 (North) after a few hours and the waves settled into the predicted 2 footers. No chance to raise sails though.

As 6PM approached we were north of Deltaville and the wind came East briefly giving us hope of some sailing but then quickly shifted south at 5K or less which killed that hope. As we approached the Potomac River mouth at dusk I noticed crab traps in deep water which we doged for an hour or so. I thought that deep water traps were illegal but now I had an additional worry as night fell. Fortunately...we stopped seeing traps just before darkness and didn't have any further close encounters. I would never have planned a night passage if I thought I would have to be dodging traps! 
I also noted my GPS was reading statute miles instead of nautical ones since my last trip was on the ICW. *OOOOPS! I was doing a 130 NAUTICAL MILE trip and calculated arrival time based on statute miles! We would arrive in Annapolis in the dark at our present rate of progress!! 

Another stupid mistake was not getting a chart update. Apparently there are a few more nav aids in the Bay than in 2002!! Thankfully, the ones we would have been on a collision path with were lit and not cans. 
*
Anyway...we dodged a few ships and tugs with barges but otherwise had an uneventful night. I do not have a charplotter card for the Chesapeake so was using the radar to navigate along with my GPS and paper chart. All in all I'd rather have radar than a chart plotter for situations like this as is is so good for spotting unmarked obstaacles like new buoys or SHIPS! My raymarine RL70 works like a charm.

I could just see the beginnings of a little light over the eastern horizon as we passed "Sailor Mitches" light and headed into to Severn River. I dropped the hook in fairly open water rather than risk going further up river in the dark and went to sleep for a few well deserved hours of rest after 19 at the wheel!

And that is the story of what I expect will be my last " sail" on Camaraderie. As usual, she took good care of me. 
Hope you enjoyed the post and maybe will avoid making a few stupid mistakes by reading about mine!


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Nice account, but what would a trip be without learning one can still make dumb mistakes (Lord knows I do)? I can't really imagine what it's like to know I'm making my last trip on my boat. Must make for some real mental conflicts though. Shoot, I haven't slept anywhere but on the boat for over a year now. Not even sure I could sleep in a bed 

Best wishes on your new adventures and hope they bring you all you are looking for.

_Currently at 25 46 43 N 80 11 08 W_


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

Cam,
Great account... I know that you and your family have had untold memories and adventures aboard Camaraderie, and wish you luck on selling her. Her future owner can be assured that the PO knew what the hell he was doing. You're a great voice on this site... oh, god, now I'm getting all weepy. I gotta go...
Sailhog


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

"Delivery" cruises suck as I found out over the past couple of weeks. You want to sail, not motor, but when you are running on a deadline your sailboat has to become a motorboat. We got to sail all of 5 or 6 hours the entire two weeks we were bringing our boat up.

I'm sure it will be tough to see Cam go, but the memories will be there forever. I'm sure the next owner will make many of their own.

Which broker did you list with and where is she going to be kept? I may have to make a visit down to check her out.


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Cam...that is a sad story...I will not photoshop you for a while.....

Please help me out here, send coordinates so I see where you started and where you ended...

Your place's names are all the same to me....foreign places....hardo to keep up with them names


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## btrayfors (Aug 25, 2006)

Sorry to hear you're selling Cam, Cam...

What's next?

Bill


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Thanks guys!

Labatt...she is with Rogue Wave Yachts and berthed on dockB at Port Annapolis Marina on Back Creek.

Bill...We will be getting an RV and seeing some of the country when the boat sells. Putting down roots here in Manteo and working the town docks for fun and then we will get a smaller boat for the NC bays and sounds with a shallow draft. The Admiral informs me that it WILL be a traditional looking boat so my Catalina dreams are dashed again!! (G)

Giu...we are talking the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay on up to the Northern portion of the Bay. Approx. 36 50'N 76 19'W TO 38 59'N 76 30W
You can see the whole thing here:
http://205.156.4.52/cgi-bin/EyeSpy....buttons&alig=0&contenttype=image/jpeg&375&275


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Cam, you sure you don't work for NASA... The folks over there seem to have unit conversion issues too..  Sorry to hear you're selling her, but glad to see she didn't take it out on you this trip.


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## btrayfors (Aug 25, 2006)

Cam,

When you and the wife get to D.C., give a shout. We live minutes from the boat, the Pentagon, Crystal City, etc. 

Email is bill at wdsg dot com

Cheers, and look forward to hoisting one with you...

Bill


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## Pamlicotraveler (Aug 13, 2006)

Cam, I missed it if you had mentioned selling the boat before. I am sorry to hear that. I'm glad you're selling it with Kate and Bernie at Rogue Wave Yacht Sales. They only deal with great boats, and they will get her in good hands!


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## Vasco (Sep 24, 2006)

Cam,

Sorry to hear you're swallowing the anchor. I guess you will keep your hand in around the Outer Banks though. Good luck in your new ventures.


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## awhalen (Jul 25, 2000)

Not really swollowing the anchor. The plan has always been:

Sell big house in Leesburg, downsize to townhouse - Done
Get a land base house - Lynns desire, not mine - Done
Sell out and leave Virginia - house on market
Two more years of work - 
Go Sailing

Where are you now and what are you doing?


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

Cam,

Thanks for the account of the trip, and thanks for making a stupid mistake (and telling us). YOU ARE HUMAN!!!!! [Note -- have made same mistake myself!]

I made the same run in 2001 when I did a Delmarva circumnavigation in my former boat, a Pearson 27. But I did it over a couple of days -- Norfolk to D-ville, then to Solomons, then to Naptown. Had one fellow as crew (70 years old, but he was a great sailor.)

I also made an overnight run from D-ville to Naptown when I bought my P-33-2 in the fall of 2003. Had one crew on the trip, which was enough but we were tired! The worst part of that one was pulling into Annapolis at 4 AM in a thick fog. We used the chart plotter to get us to a place we could anchor on the Severn until it cleared up some. We got some sleep and when we awoke, the fog was mostly gone. We had brunch at Buddy's there at city dock, and suddenly could see the fog rolling back in. We still had to get up to the Patapsco so we went to the boat and set out for the bay bridge on the assumption the fog would be less on the bay proper. Wrong assumption. Fog was so thick we could hear the traffic on the bay bridge but couldn't see the bridge until we were almost under the center span. Quite an interesting time. Fortunately the fog did lift shortly after that.

Gotta love the Chesapeake.

Sorry about selling Big Cam, but it is good to know that you plan to buy something smaller down the road with shoal draft. Might I entice you to buy something with a wing keel?????

Next time I'm in Naptown I'll check on your boat for you at Port Annapolis.

Thanks for thinking of me when you passed Thomas Point Light!


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Mitch...hehe...thought you'd enjoy being immortalized and I really DID think of you as we passed it! (G)


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

One good thing about that particular mistake is that it is overestimating the distances involved rather than under. 

While getting there in the dark is somewhat troublesome, it is far better than having calculated a trip in statue miles, only to find out that the distances were in nautical miles—which could leave you short of fuel, food and water on a longer passage. Also, it could leave you stuck out in a predicted storm, since you could still be on-passage, when your faulty calculations told you would be safely at your destination.


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

SailorMitch - you had to mention Buddy's... jeez... between brunch at Buddy's, lunch at Chick and Ruth's and dinner at Joss Cafe and Sushi a couple of blocks up.. I'm going to miss my bi-monthly trips to Annapolis to work on our boat. And now I'm just really hungry.


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

Labatt -- 

Picking up a mooring in Annapolis is one of my all time favorite things to do. It's about a 4 hour sail from where I keep my boat off the Patapsco, so I do get down there a lot. Breakfast at Chick and Ruth's and saying the pledge of allegiance with the entire restaurant isn't to be missed. Last time I did that, former Governor Marvin Mandel was in his special booth and put his hand over his heart along with the rest of us.

I need to track down the sushi place. Is that the one right next to Ego Alley (hole in the wall place), or is it up Main Street? 

Thanks!


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## kptmorgan04 (Apr 10, 2007)

hey cam, just saw you were selling your boat when I was trying to learn about Norfolk. I bought my boat through Bernie. Quite the character, but I must say he did good work for me and got me a great boat and helped me a long the way as it was my first purchase. Did your boat sell? sorry if this was answered in another post.
any recommendations for either a mooring or marina in the norfolk area for just a night in mid fall?


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

KPT...no action on the boat yet..just dropped the price a bit in hopes of more attention. Yes...a character...but he knows cruising boats and specializes in them which is why I chose him. Hopefully it will all work out.

As to Norfolk...you can anchor right at mile 0 of the ICW off of hospital point. It can get a little bumpy but many southbound cruisers stop here. 
Adjacent to the anchorage is Tidewater Yacht Agency marina and they are a good marina with everything you need. They run a ferry every 20 minotes across the river to the Norfolk Waterside mall and other attractions so that is quite convenient. Are you headed south for the winter?


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## southerncross31 (Sep 16, 2006)

What a boat...i just got on the brokerage's website to check it out. It's like my dream boat man...will you take a trade for an old Southern Cross.....what if i throw in my Camaro, and old motorcycle, jetski, and a lifetime supply of duct tape and blue tarps.  How lond did you spend cruising her?


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