# Is the Chesapeake sailing season beginning?



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I know the next couple of months will be great but, man it's getting frustrating motoring an hour out the Sassafras River every day only to find you're in one big hole! Great places to anchor but I'd rather be sailing. Is there more wind at the southern end of the Bay? I'm heading to New Jersey next year and looking forward to those sea breezes! Sorry all you Chesapeake fans.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

The spring and the fall are the best times on the Chessie...but you are a long way from the wind up the Sassafras. You'll have sea breezes in Jersey but not much to do except go back and forth. Unfortunately...sailing in Jersey ain't much fun unless you can get up by the city and those cruising grounds.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

That's one reason I like Buzzards Bay... nice and windy... a bit too windy at times...


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

thought you were on the river in Philly! LOL I was on the Sassafras last year for about 3 months after we brought my boat up from Deale. Mid summer is iffy for sure but the ride out the Sassy is boring at best. I always checked the baycasts on the radio first. We went down in Mid June and that's when the wind was good but my steering broke and we lost 3 days waiting to get it fixed. I hope to going to the bay in a couple of weeks though. But i will most likely try for fairly creek. then hopefully St Michaels.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Teshannon, Sailing in Jersey just makes you a better sailor ........ The shallow water also builds nerves of steel . My boat is in Tuckerton not far from where you plan on being. I will tell you it is a rare day when there is no wind.


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## sailordave (Jun 26, 2001)

sailingdog said:


> That's one reason I like Buzzards Bay... nice and windy... a bit too windy at times...


WHAT is TOO windy for you? Nothing I like better than getting a steady 25 knots on a decent sized boat, w/ the sails properly reefed and the boat sailing like she's meant to! Nothing I hate worse than being HOT and not sailing!... Yeah, sailing season on Chesapeake Bay is here!


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

Tom - Sorry to hear you haven't been able to really sail your new-to-you boat! We just decided NOT to do the move from Champlain to the Long Island Sound because of the dearth of wind on the sound. Here on Champlain we regularly get 10-20 over the summer. You should head in this direction! Might be a long commute though.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

This weekend was awesome on the Bay. Saturday was 20-25 kts early and a bit less later on. Great sailing, and my little Bristol 29 took it like a champ. Lighter but still very pleasant wind the rest of the weekend. And no humidity! Generally you need a front this time of year to generate that kind of wind.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Chris,
I've had a number of good days but they've been outnumbered by the dead ones. As Cam said I guess I'm just too far up the bay. Cam, I get your point but I guess I'd rather sail back and forth than motor back and forth. Bardo, I went out on Saturday with a nice stiff breeze and it immediately died when I hit the bay! No humidity but no wind either. I just hate missing 2 months of the season.
Living in Philly Annaplois and south is just too far a car ride for me.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Denise,
If you stop on the Sassafras let me know, I'm at Skipjack Cove.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

I didn't sail much in August (waiting on new sail and furler  ) but I have found the rest of the year to have been much better than normal for sailing the Chesapeake. If this past weekend was an indication of whats to come the fall looks to be a winner  

I don't think I could give up the abundance of awesome anchorages on the Chesapeake just for more wind. I know there are many wonderful places to sail in the world, but the Chesapeake is something very special and I hope I never take it for granite.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

T37CHEF,
The bay is beautifull, no question about it. It's just very frustrating sometimes at the upper end. I think you're at Wharton Creek and maybe a few miles south makes a difference, but between the lack of wind and the plan to do some coastal sailing I'm off to NJ next year. I'm sure I'll miss the anchorages but just feel the need to put some more stress on the boat(and myself) I guess.


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## freddy4888 (Nov 16, 2006)

Have you thought about getting off the Sassafass, I live in south jersey and keep my boat at Tolchester marina. It's about 20 more minutes of driving but it is right on the bay. You clear the marina breakwall and put up your sails. I have thought about moving my boat to the Jersey shore, mainly Barnegat Bay but there is no place to go and you think the Chesapeake is shallow, it's a deep trench compared to Barnegat Bay.


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

Tolchester Marina - now there's a cool place. We stopped there on our delivery from Annapolis to Champlain. Our new reefing setup wasn't working so we needed our rigger to come out before we left the area for good. Anyway, very cool marina and it looked very old school in May, with lots of old wooden cruisers in the covered slips, the big work buildings, etc. And the zig-zag protected entrance was interesting, although I'm sure it can get fun to maneuver through when the wind is blowing or the current is roaring!


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## freddy4888 (Nov 16, 2006)

Labatt, it is a great place to keep your boat and the entrance is very easy to navigate in any condition. Once you pass the outer breakwall entrance, it becomes calm as a milk pond. I love your Passport 40, it is a beauty inside and out.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Freddy,
In hindsight I should have gone further south, however my wife and I have our hearts set on the Jersey coast next summer. Longport is still a short ride for us and we plan to sail up to Maine which makes Jersey an easier starting point.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Labatt....is the lake frozen yet?? (G)


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## HerbDB (Sep 30, 2000)

teshannon said:


> I know the next couple of months will be great but, man it's getting frustrating motoring an hour out the Sassafras River every day only to find you're in one big hole! Great places to anchor but I'd rather be sailing. Is there more wind at the southern end of the Bay? I'm heading to New Jersey next year and looking forward to those sea breezes! Sorry all you Chesapeake fans.


We kept our boat on the Sassafrass for a few years because it was a reasonable drive from our home. We finally moved to Annapolis four years ago for the reasons you mention. It takes an extra hour to drive to the boat, but in my opinion well worth it.

I believe the winds are better south of the bay bridge and Annapolis is a great place when you are not sailing. From my slip at Annapolis Landing Marina, I can be sailing within 5 minutes. I find we leave the dock a lot more, because we don't have to motor 50 minutes each way to get enough room to sail.

My problems with NJ sailing are that Barnagnat Bay is too shallow for most cruising boats, many of the inlets are difficult and you don't have any really good destinations for overnights (I dislike Atlantic City, not my type of place). I think I would get really bored just sailing up and down the coast. I like anchoring out in a variety of places after a really good sail.

I am glad we made the move to Annapolis.


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

camaraderie said:


> Labatt....is the lake frozen yet?? (G)


Yeah... that's REALLY funny... No, it doesn't freeze for AT LEAST another week! Sheesh...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Herb,
I dislike Atlantic City too. It's just not the same place it was 25 years ago when I sailed out of there. I like Annapolis a lot but it is a bear to get there during the summer. I'll miss the anchoring that's for sure but there are destinations you can get to from NJ, you just need a lot more time to get there.
Chris, 
But it snowing there now, right?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Rcok Hall to Ocean City NJ*

Ditto for me. I've been in Rock Hall for five years and have had some terrific days out on the Bay. The anchorages are numerous and varied. I have also had far too many days of "where's the wind?", when the drone of the iron genny made me wonder what I was really doing out there. There's only so many times you can get rocked and pounded by the wake of a powerboat zooming by before it gets very frustrating. We just bought a very small place on the Bay in Ocean City, complete with a deep water slip. Easy access to Longport inlet.
I think we'll try that next year, and maybe alternate each year between the Rock Hall and O.C. I'm sure I'll miss the gunkholes, but hopefully, I'll be too busy reefing!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Sailmed,
I'll look for you next year while we both reef.


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## Paysay (Apr 4, 2007)

My favorite place to cruise is Maine. Good wind, nice places to visit and never hot and humid but the commute from Philly is just too far. I've sailed with a good friend who keeps his boat on Barnegat Bay and yes, the wind is great, and yes, there are no good destinations. I used to sail my Catalina 22 out of the Sasafrass and I too have motored down the Sasafrass only to find the upper bay in a dead calm. 

We sail out of Rock Hall these days and in my opinion, the Chesapeake Bay is hard to beat. Annapolis is a beautiful town and a wonderful place to visit though a little too crowded at times. 

This past weekend we sailed down the bay to Oxford and anchored on the Tred Avon river. I don't think you'll find many nicer destination on the whole east coast. We left Oxford on Saturday morning with little wind, motored out the Choptank and through the Knapps narrows and up into into the Eastern Bay. With the iron genny set adn purring like a kitten we headed through the Eastern Bay, turned south on the Miles River and visited Saint Michaels. The wife loves it here. I think it's the shops and quaint streets. Unfortunatly Saint Michaels was too crowded to accomodate us comfortably for the night so we motored out to the Wye River (we'll be back to Saint Michaels when the motor boating season is over). The Wye River must have a thousand perfect gunk holes. The tide is modest (about 3 feet) our chart descibes the bottom as either soft or mud (perfect holding for a Danforth) and the depth makes it easy to find plenty of good anchorage in water 6 to 8 feet deep. I could spend the rest of my life exploring the Chesapeake Bay and never get tired of it.

There's more to cruising on a sailboat than perfect weather. I'll run the iron genny if it will take me to places like Oxford or Saint Michaels, and I'll sail in the rain and fog if I can get one or two nice days in places like Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island.


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## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

I spent a few years on the Sassafrass .... and ultimately moved 'down the bay'.
Just a few miles further south you will find better/some winds even when the far upper bay is flat. Further down if you are observant there will usually be a local sea breeze that develops along both shores (look for the rows of convective clouds) so on those 'flat' days you can usually make 'progress' close in to shore ... using flattened sails, etc. 

The Sassafras is too damn far UP the bay and it leaves you only one choice .... going 'down' the bay. If you were to relocate to Rock Hall or even slightly 'higher' on the eastern shore you'd have vastly better access to destinations, better winds, etc. .... and most importantly FASTER access to the bay as the inland upper eastern shore roads are less travelled in comparison to all those conjested roads, and ill-tempered drivers coming off I-95 near the Del/MD border after they jam the highway waiting to get through the toll booths. I live near Allentown PA and can make it to the Rock Hall area FASTER than I can get to Georgetown/Fredericktown ... usually in 2+ hours. I can drive all the way from ~Allentown to ~Rock Hall in the almost the same time it takes you leave your dock and be sailing ON the bay.

With the Joisey Shore ... all you can do it run in and out of inlets, have precious damn few anchorages, do mostly 'daysailing', etc. It would take 35 years to explore the Ches. thoroughly ... and you have only experienced the 'long slog' going in and out of the Sassafrass ,,, and then have to go another 4-8 miles down to get to 'good' water. This year on the Ches. the winds have been 'soft' easterlies in predominance ... very unusual.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

In my earlier years I used to sail out of Annapolis and am familiar with all the beautiful places like Oxford, St Michaels etc. No question you can't beat them and the hundreds other places like them around the bay. I know now I should have gone further south this year but in deciding where to go next year (it won't be the Sassafras) I'm considering the type of sailing I want to do and that is coastal cruising. I have the luxury of being retired and so time is not an issue. We used to do the Corinthian cruise from Cape May to Maine every August and those were the best sailing days I ever had. You can't beat the Maine coast in my mind. I also have a dream of going to the BVIs but am not sure if that is in the cards for next year or not. So yes, I'll be giving up some great anchorages/cruising grounds but that's the comprimise I'll make to get to where I want go.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

*Just buy another boat*



teshannon said:


> T37CHEF,
> The bay is beautifull, no question about it. It's just very frustrating sometimes at the upper end. I think you're at Wharton Creek and maybe a few miles south makes a difference, but between the lack of wind and the plan to do some coastal sailing I'm off to NJ next year. I'm sure I'll miss the anchorages but just feel the need to put some more stress on the boat(and myself) I guess.


I wouldn't mind being in Worton Creek, but I'm stuck in Pasadena in Rock Creek...a good location on the bay but I wish I could erase Sparrows Point off the horizon...uhhh, so ugly

I have a solution, just buy another boat, keep one on the bay and one up in Jersey.


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## SailorMitch (Nov 18, 2005)

T37Chef said:


> I wouldn't mind being in Worton Creek, but I'm stuck in Pasadena in Rock Creek...a good location on the bay but I wish I could erase Sparrows Point off the horizon...uhhh, so ugly


But Chef, those smoke stacks are great indicators for wind conditions!


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

SailorMitch said:


> But Chef, those smoke stacks are great indicators for wind conditions!


True! 

BTW...were you sailing on the Magothy Saturday?

Ahhh...I see the answer to my question in the other post, Annapolis. I probably saw one of the Pearson's form your rendezvous in Swan Creek. She looked great! Sure are pretty sailing boats them Pearson's!


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## mccary (Feb 24, 2002)

teshannon said:


> ...man it's getting frustrating motoring an hour out the Sassafras River every day only to find you're in one big hole! Great places to anchor but I'd rather be sailing. Is there more wind at the southern end of the Bay? ...


Gosh, why would you hole up in the part of the Chesapeake Bay that is most like a river? The northern Bay is more like a river than the rest. Try moving south to Annapolis or further South. I keep my boat on West River and I am just minutes away from sailing. True the wind comes and goes, August is normally the worst time of the year, but this past August was great as was much of the fall.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

You can have the best of both worlds:

You can keep your boat on the Chesapeake and take her to Cape May for $1000 and stay at Utsches Marina from July 20 to September 1 every year. We know people who do this.

Sassafras is too far north. We keep our boat also on Rock Creek off of the Patapsco. Five minutes from the dock we are usually setting the sails. On the days it is too windy on the bay (45 or greater lol) we usuallly can just cruise the Patapsco up to Baltimore inner harbor. Except for the month of August, there is usually fairly good wind in this part of the Chesapeake. Usually greater wind than south of the bridge in say Annapolis. We love it there also but find it too crowded in the summer season. The great anchorages at Whorton Creek, Chester River, Middle and Bush River, Magothy...there are so many spot to choose from for a weekend or justand 3 hour sail and anchor for lunch with guests.

As far as the Jersey Shore sailing there is a lot to consider. 

I lived in Ocean City NJ for 18 years, and loved it there before moving here and sailed extensively in both the ocean and Barnegat Bay. There are really only 3 "safe" inlets in Jersey and they are Cape May, Atlantic City, and Manesquan. Great Egg Harbor inlet between Ocean City and Absecon Island (Longport, Margate, Ventor and Atlantic City) is a difficult inlet and the conditions can change there hourly. Quite frequent in the afternoon with onshore breezes and outgoing tides the rollers in the inlet are 6-10 feet. The buoys are nlot charted as they are constantly moved by the CG. If you are thinking of keeping your boat in Seaview Marina in Longport be very carefull. In the 18 years I lived there that Marina was destroyed 4 times. Never by a hurricane...it was the northeasters in the spring. It is open to funneling winds out in the open from all directions. It will never be calm in that marina. I stayed there on year. A better choice is the newer marina in Sommers Point. I kept my boat there one year and it was a huge mistake. I never gio a good nights sleep in the maina as the constant bobbing from the wind and would have to make frequent trips to stay on my boat to insure its safty in every storm comming up the coast. The tide change in that marina is normally 5 feet and often 8-9 ft in a coastal storm.

I kept my boat in Toms River Barnegat Bay most of the time except for thatn one year in Longport and drove there even though I lived on the beach in Ocean City for 18 years. Barnegat Bay you get those great afternoon ocean winds with no waves or swells as Island Beach State Park spit of land prevents that, but doesnt kill the wind. Many Americas Cup sailors have trained there...the wind is that good there. There are many nice places to anchor in Barnegat Bay such as Silver bay, Tices Shoul, Forked River, and Thoms River. It is somehwat like a mini Chesapeake. IT is shallow...71/2 to 8 feet in lots of areas but sailable. Do not even think about making a practice of going in and out of Barnegat Inlet on a regular basis with a sailboat. It is know by locals as the Hatteras of New Jersey. The Army Corps of Engineers messed up the stone jetties they built and there is a 5 knot current at peak tide through a very very narrow opening. Lots of Charter Boats and Fishing boats powering through at full speed to minimalize there time in this swift water. This inlet is not place to come in in the afternoon with onshore winds often sweeping 10 ft rollers thorugh the channel. Many boats have been crushed on the rocks here.

I like you, like the test and freedom of bluewater sailing, but there are many times more that the ocean does not cooperate with too much wind, and sometimes the rolling of the was too much for guests stomachs. I find I have many more sailing days on the Chesapeake than at the Jersey shore, that is one reason I am glad I moved here. Almost all marinas in New Jersey require you to pull your boat October 1. You will also with certainly have ice forming up there, where it doesnt on the Chesapeake. There is a reason the Canadian geese migrate to this region as opposed to stopping off in NJ.

The grass is not always greener on the other side. You will have far more sailing days here on the Chesapeake if you moved a little further south say Rock Hall, Tollchester on the Eastern Shore or the Patapsco/ Magothy on our side. In Any case you will have far more sailing days in the Chesapeake than at the Jersey Shore. Consider moving south on the Chesapeake and keeping your boat in Cape May for a month. It will take you at least that long to enjoy and discover all of the great restaurants there. (If you need some professional recommendations I would be glad to send them.) I was the Executive Chef of one of the Atlantic City casinos for 10 years.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Chef,
Thanks for the insights. You're not the first person to mention how unprotected Seaview is. At this point in time I'm committed to Seaview for next season. If I have have similar experiences as you had I'll take some time and look at the marina in Summers Point you mentioned.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

I plan on calling around for a "inexpensive" slip in or around the Chesapeake next month. Any ideas, names, leads would be more then welcome.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Freesail,
What part of the Chesapeake do you want to look at? Is the slip for next season or over the winter?


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

I had plans to move to the Caribbean, this past fall, but got sick again. As I live in South Jersey, under 2 hour drive would be nice. It would be just for the season, keeping my fingers crossed.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Freesail,
As you can see I'm not a fan of the upper Chesapeake. I would go no further north than Rock Hall. Last season I paid $4,300 for a 50" slip on the Sassafras and I think Rock Hall prices were about the same. I don't know much about prices elsewhere but my guess is that Annapolis area would be more. I kind of recall Labatt getting a good deal last Spring on a private slip in the Annapolis area. Try PMing him. Since this is a somewhat old thread you might also be better posing your question in a new thread and see what you get.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Thank you for the info and have a great holiday.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Oops, make that a 50' slip, not a 50" one. I need my juice.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Just trying to head off SD.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

teshannon said:


> Just trying to head off SD.


I saw that earlier...but lots of people make that mistake, and I was gonna let you slide on it. 

My current slip is under ice right now.  Good thing the boat's been out of the water for two months.


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## freddy4888 (Nov 16, 2006)

Paul, I keep my boat at Tolchester marina, it's located 8 miles north of Rock Hall on the eastern shore. I live in south Jersey also, the drive for me is about 2 hrs. I pay $4200/yr for my 37' boat, that includes slip and winter storage. The marina is located right on the bay, you come out of the marina breakwall and you are in deep water. I used to keep my boat at the Sailing Emporium in Rock Hall, nice marina but expensive and the congestion going in and out of Rock Hall harbor is a pain in the butt.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Thanks Freddy, I will give them a call after New Years.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Sd,
That's not like you. Are you ok with your pills?


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