ALCCA wrote:
Hi everyone. We are planning taking our boat to the Chesapeake this
summer. We would like to leave the first week of May from Palm
Beach and make our way North through the ICW. We are not in a hurry
and would like to enjoy the cruise without any kind of schedule.
Our concern is that if we really take a very slow approach we may
be increasing our chances of being in the path of a hurricane and
secondly that we may miss a lot of the great cruising grounds in
the Chesapeake by running out of time. We would like to start
heading back the first week of October. One approach we have began
to discuss is to try to get to the Chesapeake by mid to June and
then take our time coming back. Does any one have any suggestions
which one may be the better approach? Thanks ALCCA

This seems to boil down to when you actually want to arrive at Chesapeake
Bay. Fall cruising on the Bay is considered by many as the ideal time, with
early spring second, and mid-summer a dead last. If I were doing this as a
one-time event, I'd try to get on the Bay no later than mid-May. If you
figure about 2 weeks from Fernandina to Norfolk (which is not really a bad
estimate), and then factor in the miles from Palm Beach to Fernandina, and
the miles from Norfolk to, say, Baltimore, you can get at least some idea of
a possible schedule.

Many folks prefer to get out of Norfolk not later than mid-October, but I
have left there as late as November 1 without too many problems. I think
the real downside to a cruise such as this is having to endure a typical
August on the Bay. It _can_ be done, but sometimes not very pleasantly. In
any case, once you leave Norfolk southbound, you can luxuriate on the way
back to Florida without too much worry. As Rosalie indicated, don't waste
time "scheduling" hurricanes. Just have a plan, keep an eye on the
weather, and get an idea of the various "holes" on the route.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com