Dean B wrote:
I ... would like to
charter a boat on the east cost ... next summer.
I am looking for a place with wind; more than anything else ...
I expect to anchor every
night and don't intend to go on any offshore passages. Cute little
ports are nice if you need to pick up groceries or a little
resturaunt food. I also like anchoring at state parks that have
day hikes.
Chesapeake Bay looks promising or Florida may have something to
offer as well but I have little idea about the wind and park
situation.
So far mentioned are Buzzards, Long Island Sound, the Maine coast,
Chesapeake Bay, and perhaps a few others. You haven't given many details
(experience, length of cruise, crew, boat size, when in the season, etc.) so
it's hard to pin things down. Even so, some valid generalities are
possible.
For beauty (when you can actually see it) the Maine coast is perhaps at the
top of the list, but this depends to some extent on one's preferences. The
Chesapeake Bay _in_season_ is to many folks the best looking place to
dawdle. Certainly there are more nooks and crannies on the Bay than in most
other places, but the Bay may not meet your sailing expectations depending
upon when you visit. Southern New England is fine looking to my eye, but
except for Gay Head there really aren't many spectacular or "charming"
vistas compared to other locales. Different strokes.
Long Island Sound is notorious for calm winds in season. Even the daily
thermal sometimes doesn't appear. I'd say the most common sight on LIS in
summer is a sailboat scurrying east or wet under power. That's been my
experience over the last 25 or so years. Mind you, I'm not a resident.
Southern New England (aka "Buzzards") can be relied upon for wind (sometimes
more than necessary). The problem for me is that, although there are many
places to stop, actual anchorage is not always available. Many of the
overly-used harbors are filled with expensive moorings, and crowds are
guaranteed in places like Marthas and Nantucket. Same for Newport, the
Elizabeth Islands, and so on. Of the lot, Block Island will usually offer
room to anchor, and even in mid-season it may not _seem_ crowded. But Block
is a place to sit for most folks, not to merely overnight. It's a
destination rather than a stopover in that limited sense. Depends on your
taste.
Above the CC Canal, there's perhaps not enough variety to satisfy some
tastes until you get to the Maine coast. I have been in most of the harbors
on Mass Bay and Cape Cod Bay. I like them quite a bit, but often enough
there's not the wind you seem to require. Also the scenery when crossing
Cap Cod Bay isn't in the same league as further north and east. That's also
the case on LIS.
Then there's Maine. Maine for many folks begins east of Muscongus Bay, and
gets better the farther east one goes. The problem with this coast is that
(a) it takes a more experienced hand (and a better prepared vessel) to
really enjoy it, and (b) sometimes you cannot see it. I know many folks
who've spent 2 full weeks in fog on this coast. I know just as many who've
had clear weather for their entire cruise (well, not _that_ many). I am a
Maineiac and have been for some time, but I can understand why some folks
would not agree. I go on my own boat and never have anything that resembles
a schedule.
I would say your short list should include Southern New England and
Penobscot Bay, depending on the specifics I mentioned at the beginning of
this post. Look for a copy of Bill Robinson's "Places to Cruise." It
covers just about all the possible spots on the East Coast (plus some other
well known areas). It's long out of print but often available in local
libraries. He says it a lot better than I have, although I suspect our
conclusions are not very far apart.
--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.tripod.com