Locust Point Marina Group Trip *

June 16, 2000

Destination Rock Hall & Annapolis

It was a pleasant early summer Friday when Keeper, Escape Hatch, Debbie, Gabriel's Angel, and Happy Forever left Locust Point Marina on the scenic upper Elk River for two nights on the middle Chesapeake Bay.  Locust Point Marina is a small, very clean, family run full service marina.  As part of the marina community activities, several group trips are run down the bay.  This is a great way to get some water time on the lower bay without the worry of losing your engine and being stranded.  On this Friday, Rock Hall was the destination for an overnight stay at Osprey Point Marina.  Weather was sunny, with some clouds just parting.  The travel south was calm.  Calmer than may be expected at the confluence of the Elk, Bohemia, Sassafras, and North East Rivers.  Often this point can turn the most seasoned boater green.  Pressing on through calm seas did not give any indication of the Bay being up to its old, unpredictable nature.  But as can be the case, current conditions gave way to a rather rough ride just north of Poole's Island, where the flotilla had to slow itself down when big seas made their appearance.  Fortunately, this was the worst of the weekend trip.  Although the weather man had been calling for thundershowers all weekend, the worst on water conditions were left behind as the group turned around Swan point Bar and started north up the channel, past Rock Hall Harbour, and into Swan Creek.  This channel can get narrow, but copious buoys are present to provide navigational aids.  Of course, the shear beauty of this little harbour area can steal your eyes and the most watchful seaman can get off track.  Coming around the north point, a line of daymarkers leads you right to Osprey Point and other very scenic locales.

Osprey Point Marina is just about at red daymark "4"  Two floating docks separated by an opening on your starboard side as you head up the channel lead into Osprey Point Inn, and Bed & Breakfast.  Passing into this opening, each boat found its slip and easily tied themselves up for the evening.  A little rest, some relaxation, and the group got ready to head into town, about 1.5 miles away, for site seeing and dinner.  Luckily, the town shuttle makes a stop in the Osprey Point parking lot, so not everyone had to take the rubber soled express into town.  About the time everyone left for dinner, the last members of the weekend trip (ourselves in Carried Aweigh), pulled into the marina and found their slip.

By all accounts and appearances the Osprey Point Inn serves a fine dinner.  Looking at the patrons as we visited the marina office made us think that next time we come we'll have to bring a change of clothes.  However, the marina operators tell me this is a marina Inn and casual boat wear is perfectly acceptable, so drop on in!  Unfortunately, we were too late to get cleaned up and it was getting late, so we had a light dinner onboard and watched the stars.  As a light breeze blew, I was standing on deck looking down into the cabin.  Suddenly, I felt a presence behind me.  As I turned my head, there standing at the dive platform, was a large Blue Heron.  Watching him, it looked like the dock was part of his nightly territory patrol.  He looked back, then continued his patrol down the dock.  I never appreciated how big these birds until I got this close up look!

Coming under the Bay Bridge we encountered the busy Annapolis boat traffic.  Kind of funny how sail boat races can jump right out of no where.  Pulling up to the Severn, we headed for our port for the night Chesapeake Harbour Marina (CHM).  CHM's inlet is right off the Severn River just south of Annapolis.  Its marina basin is set in the middle of a large condominium complex of the same name.  As we pulled near, Bill raised the dockmaster on the VHF and we slowed to await our slip assignments.  Once we got into the queue, boats started pulling in two at a time.  As we pulled in the busy dock hands were there to take the lines and get everyone tied up.

Chesapeake Harbour Marina is a clean marina that is home to some large boats and is just a hop skip and a jump form the Sailing Capital of the U.S. which is Annapolis, MD.  In addition to two pools, one of which overlooks the Bay, CHM has SAM's Water Front Cafe, an outside dock bar, and two heads.  A water taxi service runs to the city docks about every hour, but be sure you make return arrangements as this service ends around 4:30 pm.  CHM is about 3 miles from downtown Annapolis, so a long walk is possible.  Better still, take a number for one for one of the local cab companies and your cell phone.  If you are need a place to eat, SAM's restaurant is a 3 to 4 star experience.    So unless you want to hit the bars or shops of Annapolis, there is no real need to leave the marina.  On the down side, be sure to bring everything you need as CHM does not have a ships store or convenience store on the premises.  There are also none within a short walk, so this is a bit of a negative mark on CHM.

Once we were all situated, Bill made arrangements for a water taxi to town.  At this time everything was sunny and warm.  As the taxi pulled into the Severn, black clouds were on the horizon.  Even the least observant person could see something brewing.  Too bad the water taxi was out of the basin by then, going back was not an option.  Once at the City Docks the group split up as we all went looking for lunch and shops.  As we sat in the restaurant the clouds opened up and a terrific (and deadly as we later found out) thunder and lightning storm let loose.  A weather trend that would continue until the next morning.

We eventually found a cab back the marina, but could not avoid a 100-yard dash through the rain to make it to the docks.  Once back at the boats we found we were all caught off guard with open hatches, portholes, and camper tops that were left down.  In short, nearly everything, including ourselves, was soaked.  With the off and on rain and 100% humidity nothing was going to dry out anytime soon.  So we turned on the A/C and made the best of it. 

After a night of watching lightning, we rose the next morning to mixed forecasts. On the one hand they were calling for thunderstorms all day.  On the other hand winds were expected to be minimal making for flat seas.  Once everyone was up, plans made, we shook hands and got ready to leave.  We got on the water heading back to our marina around 9:30.  As it turns out it was a gorgeous day for boating and the thunderstorms never did materialize.  The lesson learned here was never place too much faith in forecasts.  Respect the weather, but weather forecasters are frequently conservative in their work and completely wrong at other times.

* Marina pictures used by permission of the owners.  Comments and observations are solely those of the author for the enjoyment of the reader and are not necessarily shared by others, Locust Point Marina, Osprey Point Marina, or Castle Harbour Marina or any other party.  No pictures may be reproduced or used without the written consent this web site, or the owner of the Marina Web site.  No compensation in any form was received for the publishing of this web page, comments, and pictures within.

Copy Right 2000 by Scott Morgan, The Novice Boater Resources.