Cape May, NJ to Portsmouth, VA
October 12 – October 19, 2022
Total Nautical Miles Traveled: 297.8 NM
- 10/12/22 Cape May, NJ to Georgetown, MD (91.5 NM)
- 10/13/22 Georgetown, MD
- 10/14/22 Georgetown, MD to St. Michael, MD (52.4 NM)
- 10/15/22 St. Michael, MD
- 10/16/22 St. Michael, MD to Solomons Island, MD (47 NM)
- 10/17/22 Solomons Island, MD
- 10/18/22 Solomons Island, MD to Deltaville, VA (56.6NM)
- 10/19/22 Deltaville to Portsmouth, VA (50.3NM)
The Calm Seas:
- The weather and ocean conditions, we know we will see bad weather but we have been blessed so far!
- Facebook Groups – information on where to stop and anchorages
- St. Michael, MD and Fogg Cove absolutely beautiful and a fun stop with lots to do
The Rough Waters:
- Tracy trying to understand technology on a boat! Android, IOS, 5G, Servers, Hotspots, Networks OH MY!
- Getting reminded from a giant cargo carrier that the channel is for them
The Sassafras River – Georgetown, MD
Next leg of the journey was traveling down the Chesapeake Bay. We left Cape May early on 10/12/22 and traveled up the Delaware River, across the C&D Canal, and started down the Chesapeake Bay. Our intention was to stop in the C&D canal at Chesapeake City, but the weather and marine conditions were beautiful so we continued on. We stayed on the Sassafras River in Georgetown, MD at Skip Jack Marina. The marina was very nice, best bathrooms we have encountered! Not a ton to do but we found enough to entertain us for two days. After biking to a farm stand we stopped at Fish Whistle at the Granary. Not only a beautiful location but the best crab cakes ever!
St. Michaels, Maryland
We read great things about St. Michaels Maryland and decided to add it to our agenda. It did not disappoint. A great coastal town with lots do, shops and restaurants. We anchored in Fogg Cove off Miles River outside of Inn at Perry Cabin. Lots of room and good hold, The Inn had a wedding and it was a bit loud but the DJ was good, so we enjoyed the music.
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum was worth the visit. The campus was nice to walk around. Exhibits were interesting and helped to understand where we were. The end of Thames St. is Eastern Shore Brewery, St. Michael Winery and Lyon Rum Distillery all on the same block. Visiting all three makes for a great afternoon.
Solomons Island, Maryland
Stopped at Solomons Island on Back Creek at Calvert’s Marina for a couple of days. It is a very nice marina and location with a large shopping center for provisions. Once again, went on dinghy rides, walks through local neighborhoods, the waterfront, other marinas, biked to Ace Hardware (parts for a water accumulator installation), toured Annmarie Sculptured Garden but missed the local brewery because of thunder storms.
Deltaville, VA
Just like the books suggest, Deltaville, VA is a perfect stop between Solomon’s Island and Norfolk. We anchored in Jefferson Creek outside of the Fishing Bay Yacht Club. There is not much to do in Deltaville but the location was beautiful for a restful night. We did go to shore and took a walk down ‘Lovers Lane.’ We visited Hurd’s Ace Hardware for a few items and Hurd really was the nicest guy. We bought oil and he offered to drive us back to our boat. It was only a mile and we need the exercise, so we thanked him and walked. The public dingy dock was about 6 feet above the water level with no ladders. UMM! That was fun!
Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA
Cruising from Deltaville to Norfolk/Portsmouth was a little change from the beautiful weather we have experienced. Although it was not bad; the wind was blowing and seas were about 2 feet. Cruising by Norfolk Naval Base gave us an up close look at ships and subs. At first we tied up at the High St. Landing Basin but quickly decided against it. The dock is directly against a sidewalk and road leaving you feeling like you were in a fishbowl. We moved over to Hospital Point and anchored. The anchorage is in a convenient location but is also busy with air and water traffic. Our intention was to visit Norfolk/Portsmouth for a few days. However, since we did not need anything, we decided to postpone exploring the two cities until our way up in the spring. We are still on the hunt for warmer temperatures.
