Circumnavigating The Delmarva

I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has sailed around the Delmarva Peninsula. My friends and I are planning to do this when I retire in a couple of years and we are collecting all the information we can from those who have done it. Thanks, Stephen

Stephen:

We did it two times back in 2000. Suggest going clockwise - nothing really that significant about the trip - just pay attention and stay out of the shipping channels in the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays and pay close attention to tides and currents.

Bobby
Martinique

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like quite a wonderful trip. Stephen

Made the trip in 2009. But, I went clockwise. No wind, motored most of trip. I agree with Hayden's description but I'd suggest Cape May instead of Lewes. It's a looong ride from Engineers anchorage at Chesapeake City to Cape May/Lewes. You must hope for a favorable current all the way. A good anchorage to consider is the Cohannsee River on NJ side, about half way down the Delaware. I anchored there in the past. It can be a fun trip, and I hope yours is too.
Skye

Stephen,

We're planning to do the Delmarva trip next year as a form of training to help prepare us for future more extended trips. We joined the Herrington Harbour Sailing Association because we heard they had done this recently and are hoping we can drum up enough interest to do another. I have a copy of the itinerary from their trip in June 2010 which I'll attach here. They included several over-nighters in the Atlantic and a stop in Chincoteague. There's also a map that shows where they stopped along the way. Looks like a pretty good plan to me. Hope it helps.





-Tom

I would recommend that if you are doing this as a training experience that you do it in one trip as non-stop from the time you leave your dock in the Chesapeake Bay till the time you come back in somewhere in the southern entrance of the Bay. Stopped on one trip at Cape Charles.

As a fun trip then it does not really matter.

Bobby
Bequia, SVG

Stephen,
Sonja and I did the DELMARVA Circumnavigation this summer in late June and had a wonderful trip. The winds are more out of the south that time of year. We left Deltaville and went south to Bay Creek Marina in Cape Charles for the night and final prep for the Atlantic. Left Bay Creek Marina at 9am and out the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel near Fishermans Island around noon and up the coast arriving at Ocean City MD at 6AM the next day. It was a beatiful overnight sail, even cold by 3am with the dampness and wind. Going in Ocean City can be an adventure with the strong currents. Just be prepared, it can be rough in the channel and extending into the ocean quite a ways. the trick is to say near the northern coastline (north of the channel) coming and going to avoid any standing waves as long as possible. Sunset Marina is a great place to stay, and be sure to catch a taxi to the boardwalk. Next we anchored in Breakwater Harbor near Lewes Deleware on the south side of the Delaware Bay entrance after a day of riding big swells on the beam, did not want to cross the Delaware that day. Nice anchorage. From there we motored three hours to the Atlantic entrance of Cape May, NJ. and spent the rest of the day sightseeing by rental car. Canyon Club Resort has nice floating docks. Left out of the western entrance into the Delaware Bay, and over to Brandywine Shoal light and a 9 hour dash up the bay and C&D canal to Cheseapeake City. We planed the trip around catching the current up the Deleware Bay & it paid off. We were doing almost 10 knots at times with a 15 knot SE wind behind us and 4 knots of current with us. The current is strongest in the deepest water in the channel but with so many ships it's hard to stay in the channel very long. Stayed at Ches City Inn Rest.& Marina, very good service. From there we went to Rock Hall Landing Marina for two nights and a relaxing stay and bike ride into town. Very good folks. From there we went to Solomans and stayed at The Blue Heron Inn B&B for a night with a free boat dock for guest. On to Herrington Harbor South for a night, and an anchorage in Ingram Bay on the Great Wicomico Rvr for the last night. then a short ride back to Deltaville to complete the trip. We did the trip in 12 days with two rest days built in. The trip was 443 miles. Going north in the Atlantic we had a .5 kt current againt us, but a 5-20 kt SW/SE wind behind us. We left on Friday June 17th (full Moon) and arrived home June 28th. This was a fun trip and would love to do it again someday. Like Steve Blakley, I've been preparing skipper and boat for three years. Replaced couple of critical items that were due to fail soon; raw water pump, alternator, main sail, and fresh filters and fuel. We've only had the boat 4 years and are confident now she is ready to go anywhere we are brave enought to take her. I can't go again next year (it's our 30th Anniv) but maybe in 2013. The most important issues will be currents at inlets on the Altantic, Delaware Bay, weather windows, and confidence in overnight sailing esp. w/o radar. We stayed 5-10 miles (east of the sea bouys) offshore to avoid traffic along the coast. The Va coast inlets require local knowledge from the Coast Guard as the shoals change often. I attended a Webinar by MD School of Sailing and it was very helpful to gain additional ideas and resources. the IPlist also was very helpful in providing advice. I agree with Bobby, if doing as a traning run, sail at night on the bay and ocean with enough crew to stay rested. Part of my goal was to strengthen my solo skills which I did with the help of an autopilot and my dear wife. Next time I would like to do this with another boat or two to make it more fun.

Thanks for an extensive and exciting reply. I have had to put off my accomplishing this for a year so it will now be 2013 before I can do it but it sounds like an exhilarating trip and I hope you can do it again. In the interim, I will be exploring the Bay further South than I have before as a preliminary step. Thanks again and best wishes to you. Stephen

Maybe we'll catch up on the southern bay next year. Lots of places to visit.

I did this last summer as part of the Md School of sailing 106 coastal navigation course. I'd describe it as "educational" but a lot of work. Of course the school designs this so that it has 3 overnight legs. We went Rock Hall to C&D canal and then C&D to Delaware Bay to Norfolk and Hampton Town Docks. Then another overnight to Annapolis and back to Rock Hall. One Canadian got so seasick that he left the boat at Hampton and took a taxi back to Rock Hall. He thanked the captain for saving him 1/4 million dollars by demonstrating his propensity for seasickness. We learned a lot on Delaware Bay at night about handling ship traffic at night and even more on the Bay about this where there's so many lights that are confusing. I'm sure if you did it without overnights it would be a lot more enjoyable but I doubt that there's a way to do the C&D-Norfolk leg without an overnight. I learned a lot but it was tiring.

Thanks for the helpful information. I can say that none of my projected crew get seasick as they have sailed with me for 20+ years. As for the overnight, I'm getting information from others who have done it in stages where they only had to sail during the days. I appreciate you taking the time and it sounds like it was indeed tiring but also rewarding. Stephen

There was a Delmarva 400 rally in 2003 or 2004 in which I participated which was a very good event organized by Jim Favors I believe. There appears to be a current rally operating that has a trip planned for 2013. Try this link for additional information:
www.delmarvarally.com/index.html

Stephen...Chess and Karen Harris here, with IP 380-88, The Belle of Virginia, based out of Norfolk. The 2013 Delmarva run is our plan. Maybe a link-up this fall or winter (2012?)...sail or land-yacht. We sail pretty much year-round on the southern Bay area.

Chess
thebelleofvirginia.blogspot.com/

I sent my info via email as posted. I'd love to join the rally

Stephen, Tom and Chess,

Liberty IP-37 53 is also looking at doing the Delmarva in 2013. Thinking about mid to late june before the tropics get cooking.

Bob

Hey you guys,

Are you talking about doing the organized rally in 2013 or heading out on your own? We are also planning to do the DelMarVa next Spring since our plans for this past year didn't work out. We looked into the rally and decided it wasn't for us. If you guys are not going with the organized rally then maybe we could plan to go together.

Chess suggested getting together. We're located in Herring Bay across from the Choptank River. We'd be interested in coming down to your area and discussing this with you. I'll be in touch via e-mail also.

Tom + Cheri Ward
IP420-35
"La Vida Dulce"

I'm willing to do either. I would just like to be in a group going outside. I live in NJ but frequent the area and don't mind making a trip in winter to meet up. Keep me in the loop.

Tom,

I think it'd be fun to get a bunch of Packets together for this. Mini-rendezvous?

Tom Ward
La Vida Dulce

Tom and Bob...sounds like the makings for a fun week for sure. Not interested in making this a race or a cruise with an accelerated schedule, but a fun run to enjoy the time.

Chess and Karen
thebelleofvirginia.blogspot.com/