Up the Chesapeake, Down the Delaware

. . . ONE'S A BOATER'S PARADISE. THE OTHER IS. . . NOT

Most people have heard that the Chesapeake Bay is a sailor's paradise. After getting past the big waves and winds at its broadest, southern-most point, we agree. It's a place we'll return to, maybe even bringing a smaller boat here to do more sailing and gunk-holing (shallow-water exploring).

Hardly anyone has heard about Delaware Bay. It's sort of the Rorshach test view of the Chesapeake, and it's not boater friendly. But Loopers have to travel up the length of the Chesapeake and then down the length of the Delaware on our journey.

Sunset on our first day on the Chesapeake, a 50-mile travel day. The landscape began to look more like Tennessee. Winds were 25 mph and gusting, and we had uncomfortable following seas (seas that hit us from behind the boat and at an angle). We used to like following seas until we had heavier versions on the turnaround trip on North Carolina's Alligator River and on the first part of the Chesapeake.

When the weather is good, we anchor out. When not, we find a marina or really protected anchorage. The weather hasn't been very good lately. After anchoring out the first night, we learned of a front with high winds and rain heading our way and that led us to discover Ingram Bay Marina, a small, relaxed marina just south of the Potomac River. Think campground and not stuffy resort marina. Their loaner car is a red pickup truck. We were soooo happy to have a loaner car, errrrh. . . truck to get provisions.

Captain Billy (left) and Jane share something in common -- both graduated from the University of Alabama and are still huge football fans. Captain Billy and his wife, Mary, own and manage the marina and some 17 acres of farm and field around it. He has a busy fishing charter business, too. He is one of the most helpful, sincere, positive people we've met on our trip. We felt at home at Ingram Bay Marina and will be back. 

A swallow claimed the boat line to the dock next to Carina. He/she was there night and day when not out hunting bugs.

After leaving Ingram Bay, we came across several wonders along the Chesapeake, such as this gigantic channel mark for ocean-going vessels. That was its original purpose. It's used most often as a cormorant wing-drying station with an osprey family in the penthouse apartment.

We thought these poles were a derelict dock, but Captain Billy told us they are a pound net to catch fish. Look closely to see the nets strung among the poles. A fish swims into the outside net and is funneled by a series of nets into the center. One of the oldest ways of catching fish, pound nets were used by Native Americans for centuries. Pound nets are common in the area around the Potomac River.

The number and variety of lighthouses were a surprise. This lighthouse was on the way to the Solomons after leaving Ingram Bay. These lighthouses were staffed years ago. We think we know what the little house was used for that's perched half off the platform. What do you think?

Friends of ours described the Chesapeake as being "like a mirror" when they crossed it. We didn't understand at first. It was pretty rough to us at the start. Then, the Chesapeake showed us it could be calm. A third of the way down in this picture is a horizon. The water is so calm and perfectly reflecting the sky that the two blend into one.

U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen stow the jib after a sail on Chesapeake Bay. Annapolis, where the academy is located, is about midway up the bay. The cargo ship behind them is anchored and is no danger.

After Tropical Storm Andrea moved through the Annapolis area, we met up with Joey and Jim (who are sandwiching Kent), friends we met in Marathon. They left the Keys to sail to the Bahamas for about five weeks. When we passed through, they kindly showed us Annapolis, Md., part of their favorite sailing area. Days later they took us on a tour of Cape May, N.J., near their home.  We met at the tiki hut at Boot Key Harbor and were in many conga lines together there. They clean up so well!

Annapolis is all about the harbor and being on the water. It's about state politics because it's the state capitol. And it's about the U.S. Naval Academy.

The Chesapeake is the place to go to see all sorts of sailboats, large or small, wooden or fiberglass, ketch or sloop or cutter.

After leaving the Annapolis area, we sailed a little farther up the Chesapeake and turned right (East) onto the C&D Canal. The first stop was Chesapeake City, a very pretty anchorage and town on the man-made ditch between Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay. Another rain front was predicted to pass through.

Kent had a line out for crab during the rains at Chesapeake City when he caught this catfish. As happy as he looks, he released the little fellow a minute later. 

Most marinas are nice Motel 6s, some a nice Marriott. They are just a place to stop on the way. The marinas that help us in our travels like Ingram Bay Marina on the Chesapeake and Delaware City Marina are those we value. Corey and Delaware City Dockmaster Tim turned Carina on the dock to help us leave easily the next morning. Tim also holds an evening get-together about how easy -- or hard -- it will be to travel on Delaware Bay the next day. Most
marinas don't provide advice like that.

After months of Loop travel alone (after Hamp and Denise stayed at Thunderbolt Marina), we finally met a couple of other Loopers -- TerrMar IV and Down Time at the Delaware City Marina. Carina is the peanut in back. Dockmaster Tim also helped us get rid of Carina's ICW mustache from Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina water.

Delaware Bay has the reputation of being a nasty piece of water to cross. Tim said that no one would have white knuckles if they sailed/motored down the Delaware the next day after we arrived. He was right. Not only did we have a tidal assist in speed, but the wind and waves helped, too. At one brief point in the 50+ mile day we reached 12 miles an hour (the number in the upper left corner). Typical traveling speed is 6.5 or so. 

Another striking lighthouse, this one on the Delaware Bay.

In one 50-mile day, we traveled the entire length of the Delaware Bay, arriving at Utsch's Marina (pronounced Uh-chiz) in Cape May, New Jersey, near our friends Jim and Joey. Live eels, anyone?! Cape May is a huge fishing area, and eels are great bait, so they say.

Some things we learned about Cape May are: The Abbey is one of hundreds of beautiful Victorian buildings and homes in Cape May. The community covenants make sure new buildings conform to the look and feel of the Victorian era.

Victorian-looking homes along the harbor fit in with the older homes in downtown Cape May. 

Cape May is the oldest seashore community in the U.S. with beautiful golden sand, blue water and warm sun . . . after May, of course.

The Cape May Lighthouse became operational in 1859 and is still active to alert mariners today. It's a more traditional lighthouse than the others in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.

By the time you read this, we will have left Cape May and entered the Atlantic Ocean, our first outside crossing. After a stop or two, our ultimate destination is New Yawk City -- as the salsa commercial says. 

We've crossed the shallow Gulf. This will be our first step into the deep, unpredictable Atlantic. Please wish us luck. Whether we need it or not, we truly thank you for it.

.