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Any Cheseapeake Bay boaters. Any one get caught in that fog 2 weeks ago beside me

I am a Chesapeake boater. Did not get caught in the fog though. We hang mostly at Hart-Miller Island and Fairlee Creek. How about you?

SMALL WORLD, WE HAVE OUR BOAT DOCKED AT ALANTIC MARINA RESORT, WE FREQUENT HART & MILLER ISLAND AND ALSO FAIRLIE CREEK, WHEN WE GOT CAUGHT IN THE FOG WE WERE RETURNING FROM
FAIRLIE, WE WILL BE GOING TO HEART & MILLER FOR TEH WEEKEND

Is it me or is anchoring in Fairlee Creek a bit of a challenge? Three times before it bit and then it only held for an hour (hmm, either that can moved, or we did...). Three tries and no luck, it took moving to another spot an another three times to get it set again.

Any suggestions on eliminating wander when anchored? We were swinging around a fair amount even with quite a lot of rode let out. There was a fair amount of current (tide?) and wind but it looked like other single boats weren't swinging around as much.

That entrance to Fairlee is something else. It's a bit unnerving to be THAT close to shore with a bunch of other nitwits cranking way too much wake in their "hurry" to go burn a bunch more fuel...

Bill -- I was a little bored today and was going through the old post and read this one. We use to go to Fairlee a couple time a year, but they roped off the area were we use to moor. It was around the entrance to the creek. I loved to watch all the boat traffic coming and going. We never had an issue anchoring but I think the island was blocking a lot of the tide.

How was Fairlee this year?

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

I spent at least a night at Fairlee all summer long. They only rope that area off a week or so before the 4th of July so they can fire the fireworks off from the barrier spit of land. We had a great time on the 4th! The fireworks were pretty impressive. This summer wasn't that great depending on how you look at it.. a lot less boats. This was due to the fact that they made it so you can't anchor right behind the tiki bar. They added some water toys back there. Evidently they wanted to keep people out of there because they were just drinking their own booze and not patronizing the tiki bar. So that killed it for everybody that doesn't have a dinghy and don't want to swim across. I started making more trips over to HMI about midway through the summer.


One busy Saturday in Aug, a large blowboat got stuck going in. It's pretty tight coming in from the bay so this guy was hung up and swung around perpendicular to the channel. A LOT of boat traffic backed up on either side. A 20' bowrider was trying to pull him free but couldn't budge him. Hours later the first towboat US showed up and couldn't free him. They had a second towboat hook up to him and they finally freed him. They towboats were both all in it too, they were both just pouring out huge clouds of thick, black diesel exhaust. I had some girls waiting for me at the dock and they overheard somebody saying they had offered to help pull him out and the angy old sailor barked back "stay the hell away from my boat!"

I met a middle aged couple with a nice 06 328. My g/f and I went over and they gave us a tour of their boat. I told him to check out ifourwinns but I dont know if he ever came on here.

mkivbren -- thanks for the report and the update. i will have to give it another try next year. HMI is a little to far for us to do a lot of weekend trips. i have a slip in the North East River. Right at the head of the Chesapeake. hopefully the gas prices will stay down and we can get around the bay a little more.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Ok, I'm in the Bush River. Maybe I'll see you out there this summer. It's pretty close for me - almost a straight shot across the bay. I REALLY hope these gas prices stay down!!! I'll be doing much more exploring next year if they do.

The new baby kept us from taking many trips this past summer. But in the past we've liked making trip to Fairlee at least once a month. It's a bit of a haul up from Annapolis but worth the trip. We bring the dinghy. But most guests love to repeat their stories of swimming across the channel to Jellyfish Joels. Haven't stopped at HMI, yet. As the little guy starts to crawl more we'll have to stop at more of the sandy beach anchorages.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I can't believe that anyone would swim across the channel.... Seems a little crazy unless you've been drinking a lot... Then it seems more crazy...

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Oh there's many good stories that came out of swimming across that inlet!

I had one friend of a friend whos very out of shape (in his early 30's though) swim across. He didn't want to but gave in to the peer pressure. This guy just about purple and was puking by the time he made it to the bar. We still laugh about that. Another time a bunch of us hopped on somebody's unpowered little inflatable boat. My buddy (who's an excellent swimmer but was also pretty lit) swam us across. He was swimming underwater and pulling us with rope when he swam right into the other side. He put a nice cut right at his hairline and still has a little scar.

There hasn't been any incidents since we use the dinghy now but the DNR popped me for about 100 bucks for not having enough life jackets on the dink this summer.

When there's little traffic it's no big deal. It only takes a minute or two to get across the travel part of the channel. I certainly wouldn't try it when there's more than one transiting the area. It's tough enough on a captain to maneuver with other boats, trying to avoid swimmers does not make it any easier. The best bet is usually to get to the sandy spit and then swim across to the roped off area. But then you have to get over to the beach first.

We've dodged any issues with the DNR when using the dinghy. I got the triangle-shaped bag that fits in the bow. It holds four 'Mae West' PFDs. That and the clamp-on lights. You never know when you'll be on-shore long enough to need them.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Bill -- Quick question... I have a 8 foot dingy... I suppose along with the Life Preservers, Maryland requires me to register the dingy (even though it is motorless), correct? And display the registration numbers on the "vessel".

If this is true, it is probably something I can take care of this winter.

Cheers,

Scott

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

I'm no maritime lawyer but I seem to recall if it's under a certain size and DOES NOT have a motor then you do not have to register it. But have you actually rowed the typical dinghy? It's a pain in the ass. They're pretty ungainly to row. Yes, it CAN be done. Then there's the general deficiencies of the oarlocks on most of them. Some are plastic and will actually break under any sustained use. Just warning you ahead of time.

I put my reg numbers and stickers on one of those plastic numbering boards. I then tied some cord to the boards and attached them to the dinghy. The glue-on numbers or board-holder pockets are often more trouble than they're worth. But if you do decide to glue anything to the dinghy make sure you're doing it in a warmed room. Or pay someone else to do it (like Airworks in Annapolis)

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Believe me, I've rowed and it is really no fun. We were moored in St. Johns Creek (off of the Elk River) and my son and I decide to go check out the rest of the creek... by the time we got back (both of us rowing) I was done with it... I am looking for a small electric motor, to run around in it next year. I'll take your advice and put the number and a plastic numbering board.

Only 5 months left till we are wet again. By then I should have ever topic on this forum read.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"