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thinwater · 24-05-2021, 07:47

Fun trip. I've done it about 6 times, but I forget. This is one of many trip reports.

Sail Delmarva: Trip Report - 2009 Delmarva Circumnavigation.

I'm not much for rallys. They have a schedule to keep. Just take your time and pick your weather windows.

You can break up the Atlantic leg at Ocean City and Chincoteague, but only if the wind is off-shore. These entrances are NOT bad weather stops. You can do the trip either direction. The only current that really matters is the tide in the Delaware Bay and canal. Try to avoid head winds in the Delaware Bay, particularly against the tide.

glanrock · 24-05-2021, 11:50

We did this trip for the first time last year in September, we had a blast! We did the CW route, choosing to depart from Lewes DE into the Atlantic bound for Cape Charles. We ended up bypassing Cape Charles, but only on a whim, we simply wanted to keep going! Since this was our vacation, we planned several stops along the way on purpose. The coronavirus of course messed up a lot of the fun time plans but not all of them. My better half and I tried to make every stop a good time as we were able. I have a pic of our route and stops somewhere on a computer...
I am pretty sure we're going to do it again this fall!

Grandwagoneer0 · 24-05-2021, 13:13

2 onboard. Sailed from Baltimore to solomons 1st day. Left about 7am arrived approx 6pm. Anchored beside tiki bar and went in there til dark. Next day left 6am arrived at dusk kiptopeke beach anchored behind liberty ships. Little rolly but not to bad. 3rd day left at 830 am rode tide out of Chesapeake. Sailed all day all night arrived at cape henlopen (I think that’s the name) anchored by beach there about 11am. Slept til evening then ate went back to bed slept all night. I was really tired after being up all night. Left about 8am up Delaware bay to canal anchored Chesapeake city. Then next day to Baltimore arrived about 4pm. No marinas.

Grandwagoneer0 · 24-05-2021, 13:15

Glanrock I believe I met you in Chesapeake city in September. My wife and I were there for the fireworks and spoke with you

Grandwagoneer0 · 24-05-2021, 13:17

Oh we were about 18 miles out at the furthest but seemed to be 12 miles most of the time

thinwater · 24-05-2021, 13:57

I typically make about 7-9 stops, not because I need to but because that is the POINT of cruising this area. Just pushing straight through is ... boring! Some of the stops are multi-day, because we like where we are.

We've also had days well over 100 miles. I know how to sail fast.

No need to be in a rush. Think of how much you miss. No sailor can call himself a DELMARVA cruiser unless he can name 2-3 dozen nice non-marina stops off the top of his head.

[Chincoteague town dock]

glanrock · 24-05-2021, 13:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandwagoneer0

Glanrock I believe I met you in Chesapeake city in September. My wife and I were there for the fireworks and spoke with you

Were we chatting with you from dinghy? Is so, I remember! If not... well... I admit the photographic memory has been showing its age lately.

Dr. D · 24-05-2021, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandwagoneer0

2 onboard. Sailed from Baltimore to solomons 1st day. Left about 7am arrived approx 6pm. Anchored beside tiki bar and went in there til dark. Next day left 6am arrived at dusk kiptopeke beach anchored behind liberty ships. Little rolly but not to bad. 3rd day left at 830 am rode tide out of Chesapeake. Sailed all day all night arrived at cape henlopen (I think that’s the name) anchored by beach there about 11am. Slept til evening then ate went back to bed slept all night. I was really tired after being up all night. Left about 8am up Delaware bay to canal anchored Chesapeake city. Then next day to Baltimore arrived about 4pm. No marinas.

Thanks for posting all the info. Makes me more confident in my plan. As I will sail solo, I will skip the overnight sail.

Grandwagoneer0 · 24-05-2021, 14:03

Our issue was time. We saw a good weather window and at the most had 8 days off work. The boat was already prepared but i live 6 hr drive from my marina. And it’s about the closest on the Chesapeake I can get to my house. I am fortunate and get to cruise the bay quite a bit and have been to lots of places. Thousands more to see tho. I am not a marina person at all. I like hanging on the hook. To each there own on how they do their trips I feel very fortunate to have found the time to do it at all.

Grandwagoneer0 · 24-05-2021, 14:04

Yes glanrock that was us.

Grandwagoneer0 · 24-05-2021, 14:07

Also we saw some very cool stuff out there. A rocket launch at wallops island. Saw that. Really awesome to see from out in the Atlantic. Also saw Elon musks satelites go by in the middle of the night. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. The overnighter was really awesome.

Fishzine · 24-05-2021, 14:20

Thanks for the data points. 6 Days seemed quick for how I want to go. I am figuring 10-14 Days, but I am also planning on a much longer ocean leg heading out to the canyons about 70-100 miles offshore to hopefully snag a tuna or two. I am figuring I will need 48 hours for my off-shore leg alone. That said, not sure two weeks is doable for this year so might be looking to compress down to the 7-8 days too.

I would have loved to seen the Wallops island launch, I know they kept delaying it so wasn't something you could easily plan to seeing.

Grandwagoneer0 · 24-05-2021, 14:51

Yea we had no idea until nasa contacted us on vhf wanting to know our destination and route. We were cruising 5 kts and slowed to 4 and they were good with that. We were going to reef for the night anyway so it worked out perfectly.

Nicholson58 · 24-05-2021, 15:01

For all.

Check out the Salty Dawg Sailing Association.

There is a rally https://www.saltydawgsailing.org/delmarva-rally. Delaware, Maryland, Virginia.

This is a great group. We’ve been members since 2016. They provide planning, great assistance, community.