Boating the Upper Chesapeake

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Had an excellent day with great friends yesterday! Hung out all day at Sand Island. Rode out a couple storms that just skirted us. Went to Susky grill, letdown on the service but we will still go back.

BTW, did anyone know that Joe-a-palooza was back on this year, it was this past Saturday!

Man, I can't wait until next weekend!

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

I heard there should be a band at Sand Island this Saturday(August 6). Does anybody know what time they start? Two years ago I think they started around noon.

Scott, sorry I could not remember the name of the event. We were there for most of the afternoon. They did not seem as organized as two years ago. I'm not sure if it's the same band or not, but the playlist was similar. We bailed on Sunday due to the weather, we are fair weather boaters for sure. We should be down again this coming weekend somewhere in the Sus/NE area.

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Had an excellent day with great friends yesterday! Hung out all day at Sand Island. Rode out a couple storms that just skirted us. Went to Susky grill, letdown on the service but we will still go back.

BTW, did anyone know that Joe-a-palooza was back on this year, it was this past Saturday

Scott, I had that same problem last year at the Susky grill, the food is OK, but the service is slow and normally I have 4-5 kids with me that are hard to entertain for 45 min while they are waiting for the food. I think last year it took almost 2 hours from the time we sat down, and that was without desert. We started going to Jumbo Jimmies on 222 just up the hill from Port Deposit. They have a beach volleyball area that keeps the kids busy and the service is much better and the food is just as good.

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Scott, I had that same problem last year at the Susky grill, the food is OK, but the service is slow and normally I have 4-5 kids with me that are hard to entertain for 45 min while they are waiting for the food. I think last year it took almost 2 hours from the time we sat down, and that was without desert. We started going to Jumbo Jimmies on 222 just up the hill from Port Deposit. They have a beach volleyball area that keeps the kids busy and the service is much better and the food is just as good.

We like JJ's too!

To be honest, the best place is the Promenade Grill, order at one window, and pickup at the next. NEVER had bad food or slow service!

 

[tr_guy79]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Bill,

Check out the raft up thread....

 

[Philster]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

I posted this on FB, but FB blocked my account again and I still don't know why (I keep getting logged out and then they tell me I have to wait 48 hrs to log in)...sooo, anyway....

Anybody ever launch as far south as St Michaels and that general area? If so, is there a good ramp to launch a 27' I/O Scarab?

 

[arks]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Anybody ever launch as far south as St Michaels and that general area? If so, is there a good ramp to launch a 27' I/O Scarab?

Yeah, many years ago we spent a long weekend at St Michaels. We launched our 23 footer from Kent Narrows at the county-owned ramp next to Piney Narrows Marina. Very nice ramp with lots of room. Navigating down to the Miles River was easy (even in the pouring rain we had). As I recall you need a Queen Anne Permit to launch.
Beautiful area- and you've GOTTA do the Wye River loop.

Rob,
I want to thank you again for recommending Matt Ford.

You're welcome. That's what friend are for!

I was sad to see Mr Al's boat with the canvas off yesterday, at first I thought we'd be saying hi to him, but apparently his sale went through. I'll miss him, he is a super nice guy!

Yeah, he sold "Tranquility". Everyone on Pier 6 will miss Al. He told me it was tough to sell because that boat was his dream, but he got his price so we all understand. He's now looking for a 20-22' fishing machine.

 

[Philster]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

arks, that is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I visited the marina website to see the lay of the land and now know where the ramp is and where I plan on launching from. Looking forward to seeing that area and have it noted that I must do the Wye River loop. Lots to see down there and explore. Gonna call up one of the local shops that issue launch permits and get squared away with Queen Anne County.

.

 

[Philster]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Here I go with another question (you guys never let me down, so I comes back for more).

I want to hit the upper bay this Saturday with the kids (and likely hit the Bohemia), but don't want to launch all the way at the eastern end of the C/D Canal where I live (Delaware City). Can I launch close to Chesapeake City or something like Elk River Park? Or.... other suggestions nearby?

(27' Scarab, I/O)

THANKS!

 

[lime4x4]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

you could launch at rogue harbor (elk neck state park) there is a 11 dollar ramp fee thou plus you'll be launching into unprotected waters. Meaning if there is a big barge or ship coming up the river u may want to wait till it's wake is gone before launching. The mouth of the bohemia is 5 miles from there

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

If you are going to drive all the way to Rogue, you might as well launch at Anchor marina in NE, you'll drive right past it. Of course you will be at the top of the NE River, and on the other side of the peninsula. Some of us are meeting up at Sand Island Saturday afternoon...

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Here I go with another question (you guys never let me down, so I comes back for more).

I want to hit the upper bay this Saturday with the kids (and likely hit the Bohemia), but don't want to launch all the way at the eastern end of the C/D Canal where I live (Delaware City). Can I launch close to Chesapeake City or something like Elk River Park? Or.... other suggestions nearby?

(27' Scarab, I/O)

THANKS!

Ches City has a free ramp but I think your boat is too big. There is Stemmers run which is just south of the Bohemia or the Bohemia vista yacht basin 410-885-5402 has a ramp and should be just a short drive for you. I have never used any of these ramps but they are close to where you want to go.

 

[Philster]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Oooh.... Stemmers Run. Neat... and on the Sassafras. We have a place off the Sassafras in Indian Acres (and, yes, I still don't know the area!). Never knew about that ramp. Looked it up; saw the pics. Looks perfect. Now I've got to choose between three ramps, if we toss in NE, MD.

My wife is the long-time resident, but it's up to me to familiarize her with local boating.

This week: Upper Chesapeake, cutting out the canal run, thanks to excellent info received here. I've got the sand islands mapped in my brain charts since my on-board GPS screen is out. Got real charts too though. I can't imagine not popping by. We'll have all four kids on board, too.

Next week: Again, thanks to great info posted here, the wife and I are heading to Queen Anne County and launching down there to explore the greater St Mike's area.


Here is a visual of the Scarab, should you spot us:

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

It would be great to see you, we'll be out both days.

Here's ours...

 

[Billdc]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

I should be at sand island on Saturday around noon, until 3-4. then a couple hours of tubing. Sunday's weather does not look good, so that may be a washout. Philster, I will have 5 kids on my boat ages 8-14, so there will be other kids to play with. I can't find a better picture of my boat, so just look for the guy grilling right in the water with a grill stand stuck in the sand.

 

[Philster]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Great!

Well, our crew is:

girl 8
girl 9
boy 11
boy 13

I should buy a sailing vessel and put 'em all to work!

 

[Wingnutt]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

How far from Sand Island from Turkey Point? Is it near the Susky? We will be out for awhile this afternoon and need a destination.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

Was it just me or were the tides higher then normal this weekend? We ended up putting at rogue's harbor on thursday night. The water was almost over the docks.Friday morning we cruised to the delaware bay thru then c&d canal. Then came back and anchored at ski beach for the rest of the afternoon and evening. We went back out into the bohemia around 9pm to anchor for the night. There was some wicked wind for about an hour. According to the weather reports on the vhf there were gusts of 40 mph reported. Normaly when we achor in the bohemia i leave out about 30 feet of anchor line. This time i had to leave out just over 50 feet so that the bow anchor would grab and stayed in the mud/sand. I generaly don't use a stern anchor when staying the night

What direction was the wind blowing? A southern wind will push more water up the bay, while a northern wind will push it all out of the bay.

I remember last year we had really low waters for a while, because we had about a week of strong northern winds.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

How far from Sand Island from Turkey Point? Is it near the Susky? We will be out for awhile this afternoon and need a destination.

That is between a 10 and 15 mile run.

 

[skargo]

Re: Boating the Upper Chesapeake

How far from Sand Island from Turkey Point? Is it near the Susky? We will be out for awhile this afternoon and need a destination.

It is less than 5 miles.