ANNAPOLIS TO PORTSMOUTH, VA

ANNAPOLIS, MD TO PORTSMOUTH, VA

OCTOBER 31 TO NOVEMBER 3, 2017

We departed Bert Jabins Yard, in Back Creek, Annapolis on October 31^st bound for Norfolk.  The distance from Annapolis to Norfolk is 140 miles.  Since most sailing yachts will not be able to make this distance down the Chesapeake Bay because of Tidal Currents and varying wind conditions, it is done with an overnight stop somewhere along the way.  We chose Calvert Marina at Solomon Island’s Back Creek.  This marina has some of the best berthing rates around: $1.00 per foot!  It’s a great marina with a loaner car to boot for grocery shopping.  We arrived at 1615 and ended up staying for two days because of a cold front that was passing through the area.  We tried to leave but were drive back by SE’ly winds 15-20 kts on the nose.

On November 2 at 0830 hrs we departed the marina in calm winds.  In the yachting world the winds go from “feast to famine” during the passage of frontal systems.  This means motoring.  At 1808 hrs we dropped anchor off Gwynn Is. (37-30.599’ N; 076-18.451’ W) in 19’ of water depth with 80’ of chain out.  This is a nice alternative to the Deltaville anchorage and very pleasant.  The distance from Gwynn Is, out the Piankatank River, to Norfolk is about 45 nm.  We departed the anchorage at 0812 and arrive at the Ocean Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, VA at 1715.  If there is room, we usually take a free bertn at the Portsmouth North Landing dock which is free.  This time around, there was no room at the inn.

We had wanted to sail on the outside around Cape Hatteras to Beaufort, NC or possibly Southport, NC.  It’s all weather dependent and the predicted weather was not good for an outside passage so we resigned ourselves to another ICW passage until weather conditions permitted us to exit and sail on the outside.  The ICW has a controlling depth of 12’ but there are places where it is less and more.  Inlets coming into it from the sea tend to produce shoaling; hurricanes change the channels; floods add debris.  It demands constant vigilance and helming.  It can only be safely navigated during daylight hours but heavy steel tugs and barges use it during the night.  It is quite beautiful, in many parts, with lots of wildlife and birds.  We saw several bald-headed eagles and ospreys.