Up the Chesapeake - Down the Delaware
The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary: a body of water where fresh and salt water mix. It is the largest of more than 100 estuaries in the United States and third largest in the world. The Bay itself is about 200 miles long, stretching from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Havre de Grace, Maryland.
Our Chesapeake Bay Adventure started when we exited from the Dismal Swamp and got dumped right into the South Branch of The Elizabeth River. Here we encountered what looked to us like the Port of Long Beach California, where we spent so many years on the Mei Wen Ti. It was bustling with tug boats and container ships. The USS Iowa in San Pedro, would fit right in here. This, is the Navy Shipyards on CRACK! I was amazed! So many huge war ships, aircraft carriers, and a submarine! I was happy to see the US NAVY Hospital Ship “Comfort” This is literally a floating Hospital that responds to disaster areas to render medical care. So cool!
A short jig and a jag and our first marina on the Bay was Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, Virginia. We arrived in the early evening after a very long day on the Dismal Swamp. We got settled, and I walked to their restaurant called “ Fish and Slips” . I got us some dinner and we were done with our very long day on the water. We chose to stay another day to recover, plus, it was Fathers Day. We walked through the city and celebrated Jim With a breakfast in town. They have a floating pool on the docks, the first we’ve ever seen. It’s been so humid and hot, so marinas with pools are a real bonus for us. Later in the evening we got an Uber and hit a meeting. We are enjoying all the different meetings we have been able to attend.
Next stop, Cape Charles, Virginia and the Oyster Farm Marina. Navigation is a bit trickier in the Chesapeake Bay. We are no longer in the Intracoastal Waterway, so the red and green markers have changed and there are so many rivers coming in and going out, Jim actually has to spend an hour or so plotting our route. Unfamiliar waters, along with shallow depths makes for stressful moments. This day the marina was way up the Cape Charles River smack dab in the middle of a clam farm. Don’t know why it’s called Oyster Farm Marina. I have to tell you, some of these marinas we stop at are in the middle of nowhere. There are no stores, no Uber, no people. I did some laundry and we went for a walk. I fished a bit, but not one bite.
Next stop, a 50 mile trip to Onancock, Virginia. Today Jim let me jump in the Chesapeake Bay. He shut down the boat and I held the stern line and in I went! It was fabulous!
Onancock is a sleepy little town. It’s quaint, and has waterfront homes worth millions. There is a Main Street and many little shops. The Marina itself was nothing to write home about, but it provided us with what we needed. Jim and I were in desperate need of provisions. We always have enough soup and we do have stuff in the freezer, ( we won’t ever starve) but we needed milk, and salad stuff, more water and coffee! The sleepy little town was really sleepy. No storefronts open. We were blessed with a list of people who were willing to take time out of their own lives to help transient boaters, like us, who need to provision. We called the first number and got Miss Nancy on the phone. She came to the marina, picked us up in her beautiful Cadillac, and drove us about 6 miles to the local Walmart. She stayed with us while we shopped. There was a DOWNPOUR while we were shopping. It was crazy! Miss Nancy lives in Onancock. She is a psychotherapist, a nurse, a real estate agent and a pub owner. What a lovely gal. After we returned and put our groceries away, we walked to her pub for a wonderful dinner. One block down, we went to a 7:30 AA meeting. It was a wonderful day!
Wednesday the 27th we crossed the Virginia - Maryland border into Crisfield. Another very tired town where the fishing and crabbing industry is it’s primary purpose and not doing well. The town is run down, store fronts are all but closed. It was a stormy day here, but, the marina did have a pool and we took atvantage of it. It has been, over most of our trip to this point, very, very, humid and hot, even in the rain. In fact, the rains are welcomed! We enjoyed a walk to the only thriving seafood restaurant in Crisfield, at least where we were, for a crab dinner. It was good, but nothing to write home about.
Onward and upward to Solomon’s Island Maryland. There is a storm a brewin, Dorothy! We, this far, have been on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Solomon’s Island is on the west side of the bay. Interestingly I have found in all of our travels that Jim charts out, you just don’t point your boat in the direction you think you are going. Traveling across the bay is a northerly trip first. So the body of water looks gigantic and then slowly you make your way to the west. We had to avoid an Army restricted area and dodge crabpots again. There was fighter jets and huge cargo planes maneuvering around the sky. This area is home to the Fort Patuxent Air Station. I also got this cool video of some Cownose Rays.
It was a nice day when we arrived to the marina. This marina also had a pool, so after we settled, we swam for a bit, returned, and I did a few loads of laundry. The weather forecast was slated for a 100% chance of rain this night and all day on Thursday, so we opted to stay another day in Solomon’s Island. Jim and I have made a pact that we just aren’t going to travel in bad weather. There is no need to put ourselves in danger.
On Saturday morning the weather had improved and we traveled 53 miles to Annapolis Maryland. There was a huge music festival going on in town and it was centered directly in front of the marina we stopped at. Music blaring, and so many people. Drinking, loud people! You guys, it is almost like culture shock for me when we roll up on a crowd. I swear, my life is so small right now. It’s me, Jim and our boat. People and large crowds feels overwhelming. Plus, let me tell you, I’m having a hard time walking on land. So is Jim. We weave and bob about. I feel dizzy and and lightheaded. I’ve shared in my meetings that I used to love that feeling. Now, not so much. I’m most comfortable on the boat.
We sprung a leak on the boat and had water coming in through an exhaust vent on the port side of the boat which caused water to come into our bedroom. We needed to figure out a fix for this pretty fast. The stuff we needed to at least try to stop the water from coming in was at West Marine. The West Marine was 20 miles away. Ugh! We called a Lyft and Miss Keona took us for a ride and gave us a short tour of downtown Annapolis as we drove. Such a pretty place. This is another city I’d love to visit for a few days. Lots of history here. I was able to snap a photo out of the window of the Naval Acadamy.
Jim was awesome as he jumped in our dingy and applied the mixture of “SplashZone” on the problem of the day. I’m so grateful Jim is the Captain of this adventure. He can fix anything!
We had a beautiful sunrise as we left early the next morning for our next adventure. Crossing to Delaware on the Famous C and D Canal
The Chesapeake & Delaware Canal is a 14-mile-long, 450-foot-wide and 35-foot-deep ship canal that connects the Chesapeake Bay with The Delaware River in the states of Maryland and Delaware.
This was the next big adventure for us. It was a very long passage. 75 miles to Delaware City. Traversing the C and D Canal is something most loopers have to do in order to get to the Atlantic Ocean so you can continue up north to New York. Some loopers cut up the Potomac River and go to Baltimore. We are going to the Hudson River so we have to be able to get to the Ocean. I had read some stories about the canal and how it is kind of scary, with currents that are confused and heavy traffic of big ships and barges. This canal is a huge shipping lane. We traveled on Sunday and seriously it was uneventful and I was relieved. We crossed into the Delaware River in Delaware City where indeed, the currents got crazy. We got to our marina for the night and I kid you not, the dockmaster literally turned our 42 foot boat around using one line and the river current. It was amazing!
Deleware City is adorable. A river walk and small streets lined with cute storefronts and pretty houses with gorgeous gardens. We ate dinner at Crabby Dicks and took a walk. We retired early, for we had a very big journey on Monday morning where we had to leave early, with the correct current direction, the right wind direction and the tides needed to be in our favor for our trip down the Deleware River and Bay. We also are pleased to have met Keith and Kay on their boat Sea Tiger. They too, are loopers who started a bit late, like us. Nice to make new friends who understand just what we are doing.
So, yesterday, Monday the 25th, the weather window was about as good as it gets for our trip down the Delaware River into the Delaware Bay and into Cape May New Jersey. It was WILD! I’ll post the video and just know that our ride was like this for a very long 7 hours, 65 miles. The currents are so strong our boat actually “surfed” along the currents. Sometimes it increased our speed by 2 miles an hour!
We made it safely to Cape May New Jersey!
The friends we met in Delaware City, who we traveled with to Cape May shot this video for us. Thanks Kay and Keith!
Cape May is a beautiful place! The couple up above are Bruce and Buffy Miller. They are the Harbor Hosts for Cape May. Our Great Loop organization is amazing. I emailed this couple a week and a half ago to see if they would be willing to have our mail forwarded to them. We knew we would be stopping there. They accepted my request with open arms. When we got to our marina for the night, they arrived with our mail, spent some time with us giving us instructions and their wisdom on our impending ocean run to Atlantic City, and allowed us to use their personal truck so we could go to an AA meeting in town and to Walmart for a few things. They own a restaurant here in Cape May called FishCakes. If you are ever in the neighborhood stop by and tell them we say hello! Jim and I are grateful for the Harbor Hosts! When I grow up and finish our Great Loop, I want to be just like them and pay it forward!
Today is June 26, 2018. We left Cape May at 7:45 am with a good weather window, as we prepare to head now for New York. We have plans to be in the New York City area by this weekend. My brother Kelly lives in New York. We are going to be able, weather permitting, to spend the 4th of July with him and his wife Joni. How cool will that be. 4th of July in New York!
Getting to New York is a process. We have to go in the Ocean for about 165 miles. We will do it in a 3 day period. Today, Cape May to Atlantic City New Jersey. Then to Manasquan New Jersey. Then to New York City.
Here is a time lapse video of us leaving Cape May this morning and entering the Atlantic Ocean.
And this one of us cruising closer to Atlantic City on the Happy Destiny.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
It has been a very eventful 9 days since last you heard from us here. We traveled the whole Chesapeake Bay, crossed the C and D Canal, traversed the Deleware River and Bay, and are now headed to New York. We Left Florida 36 days ago and have cruised 1,663 miles. We have stayed at 33 different marinas and have been to many AA meetings in lots of different cities.
We are still in love and neither of us has threatened to throw the other off the boat, yet. 😂
Thanks for peeking in on us. I hope you are enjoying the ride.
Until next time,
peace and our love ❤️
