Day sails near Annapolis, MD

[mellenburg]

I'm looking for some good day sails to do in the Annapolis area, specifically out of an returning to Back Creek.

One type of trip I see us doing is a morning sail of 2 to 3 hours followed by lunch and a restaurant that has dock space, then an afternoon sail returning to Back Creek between 5 PM and 6 PM.

Another type of trip is a morning sail of 2 to 3 hours followed by anchoring in or near a good swimming location. By good swimming location, I mean like a beach, somewhere safe. We would have lunch on the boat, then sail in the afternoon returning to Back Creek between 5 PM and 6 PM.

We will not have access to a dinghy. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thank you,

Matt

[Ex-Calif]

Hi Matt,

I see no one has responded to your request.

I am not in the Chesapeake are and have only sailed there once. Also did a Grand Banks trip for lunch and that was fun.

[Hud3]

Sail up the the Magothy River, and anchor right inside the sandbar at the entrance (the southern tip of Gibson Island). Nice spot for a picnic and a swim.

[mellenburg]

Thanks Hud, just to verify, are you talking about this area?

39° 3'36.12"N 76°26'4.54"W

[Hud3]

Yup, that's it. It's been a few years since we stopped there, but it was a nice spot. If you find a pair of binoculars on the bottom, let me know. When we raised the mainsail to leave, the leech dropped into the companionway just as the sail was going up, snagged my binocs, which were hanging there, and flipped them neatly over the side.

[Rhosyn Mor]

Back Creek, up the severn, lunch in Round Bay and then Back, or over to the South River, the West River, any of which make a nice short sail,
Where are you on Back Creek? I am on the Ketch with the Red Duster next to Eastport Yacht Center/Davis Pub

[Hud3]

Round Bay was where I had my first sail. On my Uncle's Comet. I was seven years old, and I was hooked!

[mellenburg]

Originally Posted by Rhosyn Mor

Back Creek, up the severn, lunch in Round Bay and then Back, or over to the South River, the West River, any of which make a nice short sail,
Where are you on Back Creek? I am on the Ketch with the Red Duster next to Eastport Yacht Center/Davis Pub

We're with JPort, just next to your area, I think.

[sandy daugherty]

The stinging nettles are now out in force around the mid bay area, which rules out swimming for the rest of the summer, unless you go further up the Bay than Baltimore.
Here is a suggestion. Get a NOAA chart of the mid Bay, 12225 for example, and draw a couple of circles around the mouth of Back Creek spaced about how far you expect to sail to windward in an hour with winds between 6 and 12 knots. The borrow a copy of Chesapeake Bay Magazine's Cruising Guide to the Chesapeake, and highlight all the locations in those circles that have transient docks and restaurants. Then you have your on tour guide. If the wind is out of the SSE at 8, you would probably head towards Bay Bridge Marina, for example.
I like to pack a lunch of cold finger food, or a heavy salad, and sail for a few hours before dropping an anchor in a protected cove, which can be found in many directions from Annapolis. The Key to maximizing the adventure it to never go back to the same place in a single year. This will polish your skills at navigating, anchoring, and eating! It will make your very conscious of water depths, and teach you the value of anchoring in a rising tide! Get Tow insurance. It will pay for itself the very first time you get stuck.