BoatBanter.com - Your Thoughts for 2004 Cruise?

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Jere Lull wrote:

In article ,
(anchorlt) wrote:

I am weighing whether to take boat (Eastbay 43) by truck from near Ft.
Lauderdale to either Chesapeake Bay or to Long Island Sound for
extended summer cruise. Some of my considerations: (1) crowdedness in
good anchorages and in marinas; (2) hurricane damage repair (markers,
changes in depths not newly charted) in Chespeake Bay; (3) relative
merits (not a provacative question!).

I concur completely with Jere's assessment. The only difficulty with
the Chesapeake for the other people who have posted here is because
they've just answered a question from someone who detests motoring and
wants a good breeze to sail every day. There will be some hot
windless days in the Chesapeake. But it is nearly always possible to
sail - especially if you aren't restricted to 2 or 3 weeks - during
the summer you'll have plenty of sailing days.

3) I believe Cruising World did a comparison of the two areas. The gist
of the differences was that the states, cities and people on the
Chesapeake are much more closely connected to the water. That makes a
qualitative difference.

For instance, Annapolis is the MD state Capitol, so when the Bay comes
up, they need only look out the window... and it shows: They have some
VERY fine state-run facilities. and they're inexpensive.

There is 200 nm of Bay with good quiet anchorages no more than 15 nm
apart usually; often there are a dozen in that distance. Fog is not an
issue; navigation is usually eye-ball; the bottom's usually soft, so is
forgiving if you bump and when you anchor; you can find anchorages that
seem unchanged from Colonial days. (We've visited a few that feel
positively primordial.)

2) Virtually no real Isabelle damage. The problems were from flooding,
not winds. Normal winter storms do more damage to markers and such, so
they'll be okay.

1) Crowded is a relative term. Just about any place is relatively empty
Sunday night through Friday afternoon. That's when we visit the tourist
traps (Baltimore, Annapolis, St Michaels, etc). On weekends, we can find
anchorages as secluded as we want. With Shellenberger's "Gunkholer's
Guide" in hand, you'll be able to enter anchorages where you're likely
to be completely alone -- other than crabbers who are everywhere.

In fact, I suggest getting the Gunkholer's Guide and comparing what it
describes to any (or all) from LIS.

grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id2.html