Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholer’s Guide

Acknowledgments

Preface

How to Use This Book

The Regions

Anchorages

Ratings

Sketch Maps

Caveat Yachtsman

Introduction

A Bit about the Chesapeake

Navigating the Bay

Atlantic Coastal Region & Approaches to the Chesapeake

Hazards to Navigation

General Hazards

An Abbreviated Chesapeake Romance

Shellfishing

Fishing

Suggested Cruises

Northern Chesapeake Bay

Central Chesapeake Bay

Southern Chesapeake Bay

Harbors of the Chesapeake Bay

Region 1: Head of Bay to Pooles Island

Eastern Shore

Elk River

Sassafras River

Howell Point to Fairlee Creek

Western Shore

Northeast River

Susquehanna River

Spesutie Island to Pooles Island

Region 2: Pooles Island to Bay Bridges

Eastern Shore

Tolchester Beach, Swan Creek, & Rock Hall

Chester River

Western Shore

Gunpowder River

Seneca Creek, Middle River, & Back River

Patapsco River

Magothy River

Region 3: Bay Bridges to Little Choptank River

Eastern Shore

Kent Island (Bay Side)

Eastern Bay

Poplar Island Narrows & Poplar Harbor

Choptank River

Little Choptank River

Western Shore

Whitehall Bay

Severn River

Fishing Creek

South River

Rhode River & West River

Herring Bay to Plum Point

Region 4: Little Choptank River to Potomac River

Eastern Shore

Honga River

Fishing Bay

Nanticoke River

Wicomico River

Deal Island

Manokin River

Big Annemessex River

Little Annemessex River

Smith Island

Tangier Island

Western Shore

Plum Point to Patuxent River

Patuxent River

St. Jerome Creek

Region 5: Potomac River

Mouth of Potomac to Port Tobacco River

Lower Potomac River

St. Marys River

Coan River

Yeocomico River

Herring Creek

Lower Machodoc Creek

Nomini Bay & Creek

Currioman Bay

Breton & St. Clements Bays

Wicomico River

Popes Creek

Mattox & Monroe Creeks

Upper Machodoc Creek

Port Tobacco River to Washington

Port Tobacco River

Nanjemoy Creek

Potomac Creek

Aquia & Quantico Creeks

Upper Potomac River

Washington, D.C.

Region 6: Potomac River to Wolf Trap Light

Eastern Shore

Pocomoke Sound

Chesconessex Creek to Hungars Creek

Western Shore

Little Wicomico River

Great Wicomico River

Mill Creek to Fleets Bay

Rappahannock River

Piankatank River

Region 7: Wolf Trap Light to Cape Henry

Eastern Shore

Cape Charles Harbor, Kings Creek, & Cherrystone Inlet

Kiptopeke Beach

Cape Charles Channel

Western Shore

Horn Harbor

Mobjack Bay

York River

Back Creek to Salt Ponds

Hampton Roads

Elizabeth River (Norfolk & Portsmouth)

James River

Upper James River to Richmond

Hampton Roads to Chesapeake Bay Bridges

Cape Henry

The Atlantic Coast & the Delaware Bay & River

Region 8: City Island to Sandy Hook

City Island to New York Harbor Upper Bay

Gravesend Bay to Jamaica Bay

Western Lower Bay

Region 9: Sandy Hook to Cape May

Region 10: Delaware Bay & River

Delaware Bay

Delaware River

Region 11: Delmarva Peninsula

Wachapreague Inlet to Cape Charles

Chesapeake Bay Entrance

Appendices

1. VHF-FM Channels

2. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Information & Coastal Weather Broadcasts

3. Useful Waypoints

4. Partial Listing of Charter Services on the Chesapeake

5. Dockside Sewage Pumpout Facilities

6. Bibliography

Index