May 27-June 25, 2018
We were excited to get to the Chesapeake Bay, where we hear there is amazing sailing (and seafood) to be found! After passing through the busy port at Norfolk, we arrived to Portsmouth, VA. Norfolk is officially “Mile 0” of the Atlantic ICW.
Excited to hit the bay, we cruised across to the Delmarva Peninsula, which is made up of Delaware and the Eastern Shores of Maryland and Virginia. We stopped at the adorable town of Cape Charles, VA. What once may have been a dying small town, Cape Charles was on the rebound. With many restaurants and shops to choose from, and a brand new distillery tasting room to enjoy, we could have spent much more time here.
Cruising back across the bay and up the Rappahannock River, we arrived to the Tides Inn in Irvington, VA. The Tides Inn reminded me of the lodge from Dirty Dancing. It was a sleepy little resort tucked into the woods. I was very excited to find a fire pit to relax by at night. The fire dancing off the water was so peaceful. The next day, we meet up with my parents, and we spent the next few days checking out the nearby towns and wineries. It was the perfect combination of relaxation with family!
As my parents headed home, we headed north to Ingram Bay in Heathsville, VA. A sleepy little family owned marina, we hid here for a few days waiting out some weather. A few days later, we headed out across the bay to Tangier Island, VA. This was a place quite unlike any other. Being here was like stepping back in time, with no cell signal or WI-FI. The locals had a special dialect all their own, and we observed them turning it on or off, depending on who they were talking to. The bikes and golf carts far outnumbered cars on the island. The island is only accessible by boat or plane. The local economy is dependent on fishing and tourists. At only three feet above sea level, it is slowly disappearing back into the bay. Hurrying to check things out before everything closed at 5pm, we got a chance to get some famous crab cakes, take the $5 golf cart tour of the island, and explore the museum.
Planning to depart Tangier Island and head across the bay north to Solomons, MD, the unexpected wind and building waves instead diverted us to stop at Reedville, VA. We found an amazing anchorage just off the town, and took the dinghy ashore to explore downtown and enjoy some ice cream. As we were walking back to the dinghy, I noticed a huge 400ft fishing vessel cruising in right past our boat. We hurried back, and stopped to chat with a neighboring boat at anchor. The fishing vessel had told them they were fine, but we would need to move to be out of their way when they departed that night after unloading their fresh catch. We gladly moved further north, out of the way!
With the weather settled, we headed north to the Patuxent River and Solomons, MD. The weather would keep us here for several days, but it was a fantastic place. We ran into looper friends from First Forty and State of Bliss and enjoyed a fun evening of dinner and docktails. We also made new looper friends on Island Time. Spring Cove Marina had a fantastic pool and courtesy car, so we had no problem keeping ourselves busy. I also had my first Orange Crush, which, depending on who you ask, is some combination of fresh squeezed oranges, vodka, orange liqueur, and lemon-lime soda. It is delicious and perfect for a hot afternoon at the pool or beach. I know you want one now, and so do I!!
When the weather broke, we set off across the bay to the Choptank River and Oxford, MD. Oxford was an adorable town, full of history. We also found out the marina we were staying at was where many of the boatyard scenes from one of our favorite movies (from our first date) “Failure to Launch” was filmed. Many of the town locals got background roles in the movie.
Off across the bay, we headed to the sailing mecca of Annapolis. We arrived just in time to see Wednesday night race night. It was really cool to see all the boats sailing into harbor, inches from each other, motors off, tacking into the light wind. Cool but also terrifying. The next day we walked around the town, and took in the rich history. We loved the tour of the beautiful Maryland State House, the first Capitol of the United States, where General George Washington resigned his commission before the Continental Congress.
We departed and headed across the bay to Rock Hall, MD. A fun and lively stop, we spent the evening enjoying seafood at a fun outside restaurant, taking in the sunset and live music with a couple we had met at the dock. Definitely a highlight of the trip is all of the different people we have met. Heading north once again, we crossed the bay and spent the weekend in Havre De Grace, or HdG as the locals call it. Another adorable town on the bay, we enjoyed walking the tree lined streets, taking in the old homes. Chad even talked the local antique shop owner into giving him a personal tour of the historic town!
After the weekend chaos on the bay subsided, we headed to our last stop in Maryland, Chesapeake City. We found a wonderful free dock in a charming city. Certainly a weekend hotspot, it was very low key on a Monday, perfect for us. We were preparing for our departure through the C&D Canal in the morning, making sure to time it right so we aren’t fighting the tidal current.
We depart on a rising tide, headed for Delaware City, DE. The marina there holds a daily briefing to prepare cruisers for the unique weather on the Delaware Bay. This bay is characterized by swift currents, exposed waters, and few places for a sailboat to duck out if weather turns poor. Weather looked good enough for an early morning departure down the bay. What started out as dead calm winds and water, turned quickly into a washing machine of nasty chop and strong winds. With no other option but to continue on, we decided instead of heading for Cape May, NJ we would shoot to the southern side of the bay and head towards Lewes, DE. Chad had identified some shoals we hoped to “hide” behind, reducing some of the chop. Ducking behind anchored freighters also helped calm things down, if only for a short time. Had we continued to Cape May, we would have had to head out into the Atlantic Ocean to approach, as our mast height was questionable for fitting under a fixed bridge on the canal side heading to Cape May from the Delaware Bay.
Lewes, DE turned out to be a very charming town full of great shops and restaurants, and one awesome farmers market that allowed us to restock our fridge and freezer. We spent several days here as we were waiting for the best weather possible before heading to the ocean. Lewes was also a town full of history, with several museums we got to check out. We took the bus to Rehoboth Beach, where we visited the Dogfish Head Brewery, complete with delicious beer and great eats!
Tomorrow we head out to the Atlantic Ocean!