A Circumnavigation Expedition

Consider a week of SAILING.  Seven days.  Underway...riding the wind.  Starting from northern portion the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay and reaching all the way to the Potomac River on the Western Shore.  We won’t be trying to reach a particular destination because the wind is our transportation and the journey will be our destination.  No matter how long the journey, it always seems to end too soon.  Perhaps if we start from the end and work back to the beginning, the trip will last longer. We will carry smiles in our cars along with our bags as we head home.

It is not very far from Annapolis to Rock Hall. A timely departure in the morning will insure that we get the boats back to Rock Hall on time. We will duck under the Bay Bridge and point northeast towards the lower end of the Swan Point Channel. We will need to avoid the long shoal trailing down from Swan Point. We can pick up the channel into Rock Hall at C"1" or C"3". This would be a good day for a west or southwest wind. It is always nice to have an easy sail back on the last day. Tired but well satisfied smiles will be packed away in our cars along with our bags as we head home.

Our last night will be at a marina in Annapolis will be fun. We can take a water taxi to downtown to dine and socialize there. It will be a night to review and remember our seven-day adventure. Of course, you will have the option to stay aboard and just relax after a full week of sailing. Annapolis is a major yachting center for the east coast. It also plays a role in Rob’s family history. That story will be at the ready for any who might express an interest. We will have come to Annapolis from Baby Owl Cove off the Choptank River.

It has been some time since we have been in Baby Owl Cove. On the chart it looks small but once inside, there is room for several boats and it is nicely sheltered from all but the south. You may spot a duck blind or a family of swans swimming in the calm waters. We will raft our little fleet here for the night. Laughter and the aroma of shipboard meals will float across the water with the ripples from our bobbing vessels. There is likely to be the inevitable singing and telling of sea stories. Baby Owl Cove is 33 NM from Solomons.

We will stop back through Solomons on our return from the Potomac River. This time we will stay over at Zahniser’s Marina. They never fail to show us unequaled hospitality. The facilities are nice and it is a moderate but refreshing walk to restaurants and stores. If it is still warm, I am sure the pool will feel good. If you don’t mind paying a bit of a premium, there is a restaurant on site overlooking the marina. Perhaps we will enjoy a round of drinks at the poolside bar before heading off to dinner.

(Source: http://www.zahnisers.com)

Reaching south from the Patuxent River, we will navigate into Smith Creek on the Potomac River. We have only been here a handful of times but the serenity and natural charm of this quiet stream continues to bring us back. It is a little tricky navigating the shoals at the mouth of the creek but just follow along behind the leaders and you will have no problem. It is about 32 miles down to Smith Creek. Along the way, we will pass Point No Point and Point Lookout. The lighthouse at Point No Point is now privately owned. It may be rented...such as for honeymoons or getaway weekends. However, you will have to tolerate the fog horn in the event of limited visibility!

Before we head south to the Potomac, we will spend a night somewhere along Mill Creek or its tributaries, just off the harbor in Solomons, Maryland. On our way into the Patuxent River, we will very possibly see Navy aircraft flying into and out of Pax River Naval Air Station. Then we will find a quiet place to anchor back among the trees. Captain John Smith explored the full length of the Patuxent River in his second voyage of discovery in 1608. What new things will we discover on this voyage? New sites? New foods? New friends? The only thing that will limit you --- is you.

The night before we head to the Pax, we will spend the night at Knapps Narrows on Tilghman Island. It is about 32 miles down the bay from Rock Hall to Knapps Narrows. Enroute we will pass several famous and attractive lighthouses. In order, they are Baltimore light, Sandy Point light, Thomas Point light, and lastly Bloody Point. Only Baltimore and Sandy Point are similar brick structures on caissons foundations. Thomas Point is clearly the most famous lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay. Ask your skippers. Each one has a story to it and one is more colorful and surprising than the last. Tonight we will take slips at a marina on the bay side of the Knapps Narrows drawbridge. We can dine in one of the local eateries tonight.  Tilghman is more of a working man’s town than a yachting center. We will be among working watermen here.

Like many of our journeys on the Chesapeake Bay, we will begin our adventure from Haven Charters in Rock Hall. We will take the biggest yachts that we can so that we will be as comfortable as possible for our weeklong expedition. As always, Dave and Rob will be ready and available to teach you new techniques or help you practice old skills. To us these trips are all about shared experiences and learning new things. We never fail to learn new things about ourselves and this beautiful bay that we love to sail.

We will start by offering 10 berths on our two boats. Each berth will cost $750.  This includes the yacht charter, all marina fees (except fuel and pump-out), and a $200 cash card for provisioning for each boat. Sign up and join us for a week of good sailing and good company. If you are skipper qualified and want to bring your own crew, get in touch with us so we can explain our pricing options for you. We welcome boats that want to join our flotilla.

You can reserve your spot with a deposit check of $150 made payable to Custom Float Plans. Send your checks to Rob Chichester, 487 East Main Street, Somerville, NJ 08876-3128. A second payment of $300 is due on or before May 24.  A final payment of $300 is due on or before July 24, 2008. Cancellations after May 24 result in a loss of the $150 deposit.  Cancellations after July 24 result in a loss of all monies paid unless we can fill the berth.  If we can fill the berth, there will be $50 administrative fee.  If you wish to reserve an entire boat for your group, contact us for information on doing that. If you are skipper qualified and wish to sail your own boat in our flotilla, send your sailing resume and contact information and we will explain our pricing option for skippers if you qualify. Charter boats may be limited so you should contact us early.

Date:  September 6-12, 2008. Pre-boarding September 5.

Price:  $750  per person double occupancy with a minimum of 5 paying clients per boat. This includes your berth on one of our boats, slip fees at the marinas , and a $200 cash card to provision each boat. Additional food, fuel, and pump-out are separate expenses to be shared by the entire crew.

Deposit:  $150 will reserve your billet. Individual cancellations after May 24 result in a loss of the $150 deposit. Cancellations after July 23 result in a loss of all monies paid unless we can fill the berth.  If we can fill the berth, there will be $50 administrative fee. Final payment is due 45 days before departure.

Reservations :  Please complete the form below.  We will hold your reservation for 7 days or until we receive a deposit check covering everyone in your party, whichever comes first.  Once we receive your reservation, we will get in touch with you to confirm your information and answer any questions. Alternatively you can call Dave at 973.479.3346 or Rob at 908.672.3609.

Name:
Number in party:	1 2 3 4 5 6
I am qualified to skipper a 36-foot sailboat.
Email Address:

Any questions? Send us an email or call us at 908.672.3609.

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