the 2014 Chesapeake Cruise as envisioned by Uncle Al (and Hans)
click here for earlier updates

Participants.
Dick H. & Jane
Al & Hans
Kit & Mark (not firm)
Tom Goldsmith & Richard Watterson
AnnMarie Covington & Vickie Braxton
Jeff & Fran Kirk
Ken Butler 
Jesse & Carolyn Tate
Bill Harkins (not firm)
Nick & Mary Seraphinoff
Dave, Donna & Sam Laux (6.5 m shallow draft keel boat) 
Tony & Mary Krauss (day-to-day, Mary's shoulder injury)
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Charts: Which chart number(s) should I have? 

NOAA no.12230 is a smaller scale chart and therefore covers a much larger area than the larger scale no.12231.  Frequently I like to recommend this kind of chart because when sailing a dinghy in windy or wet conditions it is not always easy to be trying to shuffle between several charts.  For what we're doing the detail normally is sufficient.  However, no. 12230 doesn't take in the Virginia waters that include Tangier Is. and Watts Is.  That means you'll want to add nos. 12225 (small scale) or 12228 (larger scale).



Another way is to download the free NOAA Chesapeake Bay Chart Booklet designed as recreation navigation aids.  Originally this required printing out dozens of 8.5" x 11" sheets.  Tony and Mary Krauss did this and put them into a note book.  In my opinion this would be very awkward to work with and easily damaged by water.  Maybe that system has since been improved upon.

12228          12230          12231

What I use is a commercially produced chart book.  It covers the entire Chesapeake.  It's a ring binder with plastic pages 12"x 18" that are sturdy and waterproof. 
GMCO Maps & Charts, PO Box 460, Garrisonville, VA 22463,
1-888-420-6277     <http://www.gmcomaps.com/>
I purchased this book over ten years ago at a price of $60.  (Al's note: The
Chesapeake Bay Waterproof Chartbook  is still listed at $59.95)


DICK


Uncle Al talks GPS:     The GPS should never replace your chart and compass. But especially in the featureless shorelines of the Bay, I have found my handheld GPS, thelow-end Garmin etrex 10 GPS, to be very useful as my first line of navigational gear. In Canada, it now lists at $129.99. Over the years, I have created a set of waypoints that are useful for the area we will cruise. Click here for the PDF version.
  I can also email you the original Word doc if you would like.


CRUISE DATES: As things stand now I'm expecting all of us to depart Crisfield, headed either for Smith Island or Tangier Island Sunday morning weather permitting.

To further clarify the above let me say that the important thing is meeting the Sunday morning departure date. Actually, Jane and I probably won't arrive until late in the day Saturday.  We will be coming from my daughter's house in the DC area.  We plan to launch Blue Mist Saturday evening and be ready to go Sunday morning.

Also, keep in mind we typically don't make a final decision whether to sail first to Smith Island or head for Tangier until arriving in Crisfield.  The weather outlook for the week needs to be considered.  This is a group decision.

DICK    
...
the itinerary as envisaged by Uncle Al and Hans Gottschling

General: Weather permitting, we most often do the Triangle counter-clockwise: Crisfield > Smith > Tangier/Watts > Crisfield. At least Hans and I, will make every effort to make it to Onancock this year. This would make it a quadrangle: Crisfield > Smith > Tangier > Watts > Onancock > Crisfield. 

A likely itinerary will be as follows:
 

Excellent launch ramps across from the Marina


In 2012 this place, our favourite, was closed.

Fri 23 May 2014:  early morning departure (0800 hrs?) from Oakville - stop-over in or near Rock Hall?

Sat 24 May: arrive around noon at the Somers Cove launch ramp across the cove from the Somers Cove Marina > boat set-up and Marina check-in > group crab dinner in whatever restaurant has survived the hard times.
Accommodations:
Most sleep aboard in their Marina slip.
Hans and I are booked into the Paddlewheel Motel aka Capt. Tyler's  (
410-968-2220) which we find eminently acceptable: clean, very reasonably priced, right near the Marina.




Sun 25 May:
sail to Smith Island - stay at the Marina
Accommodations:
Most sleep aboard in their Marina slip.
Hans and I plan to stay in Pauli's unofficial B&B ((410) 425-4220  paulizk@verizon.net) at the Marina:
Smith Island Marina   410-425-2111 | 866-420-4220

Pauli points out there are other B&B's now available
near the Marina.
Note: We normally don't book until we are pretty certain the weather will permit us to be there, e.g. as we leave Crisfield in a decent breeze.



 
Mon 26 May: sail from Smith Island about 12 miles south to Tangier
Accommodations:
Most sleep aboard in their slip at Milton Parks' Marina 
757-891-2581   757-891-2567

B&B: We have usually had good luck getting rooms at

Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House
   757 891 2331   chesapeakehouseinfo@yahoo.com
Note again: We normally don't book until we are pretty certain the weather will permit us to be there, e.g. as we leave Smith in a decent breeze.

Tues 27 May: day trip for picnic lunch on Watts Island bird sanctuary:
Tangier > Watts Island > Tangier

Wed 28 May: sail to Onancock (map above) - beg Jeff and his motor to accompany us?
Those needing to depart the cruise early, can easily head back to Crisfield at this point - or even the day before. Hans and I have established that it is an easy day's sail back to Crisfield from either Tangier or Watts - always given at least a marginal breeze.

Thurs 29 May: main group returns to Crisfield (Paddlewheel again?) Likely need to split Nancock-Crisfield trip via a stop on Tangier if weather is any kind of a problema problem? No sign of amenities on east shore between Crisfield and Onancock :( 

Hans, Al et al? 
Hans and Al will have time to kill until they depart for the Mayor's Cup Regatta in Greensboro, NC on the morning of Thurs 5 June. Options for that time include:


Onancock to Tangier to Smith Point Marina on the Western Shore of the Bay back to Smith Island



  • Possible exploration of Smith Island for a day or two - by land or sea.


A run north to Deal Island and our 2013 stomping grounds?