Chesapeake / Potomac Cruising Guides

Entlie · 07-03-2007, 15:45

We are proceeding with our plans to take Sunspot Baby to DC this August (Whew! We're sweating already) to meet up with the kids and grandkids and do the DC thing. Our home port is New Bern, NC and we are looking at Cruising Guides - ours only go as far north as Norfolk.

We prefer to anchor when we can, but we have a dog who likes to go ashore so sometimes we opt for a marina.

Has anyone used "Discovering Tidal Potomac?

Looks like "Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholers Guide" hasn't been updated in a while.

How about "Guide to Cruising Chesapeake Bay", published by Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Is this all advertising? Pricing at over $30!

We would appreciate any information. Think we're going to stay at Capital City Yacht Club in DC - We got great information on this on another thread.

Thanks in advance -

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

Ler0y Jenkins · 07-03-2007, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Entlie

We are proceeding with our plans to take Sunspot Baby to DC this August (Whew! We're sweating already) to meet up with the kids and grandkids and do the DC thing. Our home port is New Bern, NC and we are looking at Cruising Guides - ours only go as far north as Norfolk.

We prefer to anchor when we can, but we have a dog who likes to go ashore so sometimes we opt for a marina.

Has anyone used "Discovering Tidal Potomac?

Looks like "Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholers Guide" hasn't been updated in a while.

How about "Guide to Cruising Chesapeake Bay", published by Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Is this all advertising? Pricing at over $30!

We would appreciate any information. Think we're going to stay at Capital City Yacht Club in DC - We got great information on this on another thread.

Thanks in advance -

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

I have the 2004 edition of the Chesapeake Bay Crusing Guide (by Chesapeake Bay Magainze) and I think it's great. It has a good amount of advertising but it also has a lot of great info. It is especially helpful when entering an unknown destination because it does a good job at pointing out potential dangers such as unmarked shoals, etc.

**Pblais** · 07-03-2007, 18:16

The Bay Guide is the best guide for about any part of the world. Just go and buy it. A year old is OK. Chuck full of a lot of stuff that is all important to Crusing. Anchorages on the Chesapeake are often a bit complex getting in and out and the Guide does a great job when it's your first time some place. Shallow water and details are important so a guide in this part of the world is important.

The Potomac is not the easiest place to to travel. Lots of legs with out places to anchor so you need to plan it out. The "middle" part of the Chesapeake is pretty void. The mouth of the Potomac is and can be a very nasty place. We had 30 knots gusting to 40 last fall. That makes a 6 to 8 ft chop about 60 ft in frequency.

On another trip in July it was the only place we sailed well on a 15 day trip was there. So you can get a wild ride at times.

Get a Bay Guide and look at all the places there are and with a decent sense of planning you can make it a great time. Plan for many places and take advatage of favorable winds when you can should you be sailing July and August.

We have friends that stayed at the Capital City Yacht Club (we have reciprocity with them). It's the best!

Entlie · 08-03-2007, 06:06

Thanks! Looks like the Chesapeake Bay Cruising Guide by CB Magazine is the one to get, and we'll order one.

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

Richhh · 08-03-2007, 06:48

The Chesapeake Bay Cruisers guide is very soon to release a new edition ...

Another very good guide to the Chesapeake is "Gunkholers Guide to the Chesapeake" by Shellenberger. The CB Cruisers Guide is usually the most up to date ... Hurricanes Floyd and Isabelle changed a lot of the bottom contours and depths in the smaller creeks.

Auspicious · 08-03-2007, 10:08

I agree with Rich. Shellenberger's guide is the bible for the Chesapeake. I keep a copy on the boat and one at my office. He does have a web site (can't find the link) with updates from changes due to storms over the last few years.

07-03-2007, 15:45	#1
Entlie Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Bern, NC (Fairfield Harbour) Boat: Sunspot Baby - 1994 Prout Manta Catamaran Posts: 136	Chesapeake / Potomac Cruising Guides We are proceeding with our plans to take Sunspot Baby to DC this August (Whew! We're sweating already) to meet up with the kids and grandkids and do the DC thing. Our home port is New Bern, NC and we are looking at Cruising Guides - ours only go as far north as Norfolk. We prefer to anchor when we can, but we have a dog who likes to go ashore so sometimes we opt for a marina. Has anyone used "Discovering Tidal Potomac? Looks like "Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholers Guide" hasn't been updated in a while. How about "Guide to Cruising Chesapeake Bay", published by Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Is this all advertising? Pricing at over $30! We would appreciate any information. Think we're going to stay at Capital City Yacht Club in DC - We got great information on this on another thread. Thanks in advance - Entlie Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby __________________ "Never a ship sails out of a bay but carries my heart as a stowaway." -Roselle Mercier Montgomery"

07-03-2007, 18:16	#3
Pblais Moderator Site Helper Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hayes, VA Boat: Gozzard 36 - Bright Eyes Posts: 4,517 Images: 7	The Bay Guide is the best guide for about any part of the world. Just go and buy it. A year old is OK. Chuck full of a lot of stuff that is all important to Crusing. Anchorages on the Chesapeake are often a bit complex getting in and out and the Guide does a great job when it's your first time some place. Shallow water and details are important so a guide in this part of the world is important. The Potomac is not the easiest place to to travel. Lots of legs with out places to anchor so you need to plan it out. The "middle" part of the Chesapeake is pretty void. The mouth of the Potomac is and can be a very nasty place. We had 30 knots gusting to 40 last fall. That makes a 6 to 8 ft chop about 60 ft in frequency. On another trip in July it was the only place we sailed well on a 15 day trip was there. So you can get a wild ride at times. Get a Bay Guide and look at all the places there are and with a decent sense of planning you can make it a great time. Plan for many places and take advatage of favorable winds when you can should you be sailing July and August. We have friends that stayed at the Capital City Yacht Club (we have reciprocity with them). It's the best! __________________ Paul Blais s/v Bright Eyes Gozzard 36 37 15.7 N 76 28.9 W

08-03-2007, 06:06	#4
Entlie Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Bern, NC (Fairfield Harbour) Boat: Sunspot Baby - 1994 Prout Manta Catamaran Posts: 136	Thanks! Looks like the Chesapeake Bay Cruising Guide by CB Magazine is the one to get, and we'll order one. Entlie Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby __________________ "Never a ship sails out of a bay but carries my heart as a stowaway." -Roselle Mercier Montgomery"

08-03-2007, 10:08	#6
Auspicious Registered User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chesapeake Bay Boat: HR 40 - Auspicious Posts: 172	I agree with Rich. Shellenberger's guide is the bible for the Chesapeake. I keep a copy on the boat and one at my office. He does have a web site (can't find the link) with updates from changes due to storms over the last few years. __________________ S/V Auspicious Where the boat is Pay it Forward

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08-03-2007, 06:48	#5
Richhh Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Boat: Tayana 37, M-20/I-20 Scow Posts: 249	The Chesapeake Bay Cruisers guide is very soon to release a new edition ... Another very good guide to the Chesapeake is "Gunkholers Guide to the Chesapeake" by Shellenberger. The CB Cruisers Guide is usually the most up to date ... Hurricanes Floyd and Isabelle changed a lot of the bottom contours and depths in the smaller creeks.

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