Tag: Chesapeake Bay

Hampton, Virginia

Hampton, Virginia

Explore the Hampton Virginia port whose rich history includes both the famous and the infamous.

Hampton Roads Harbor is where the James River and Chesapeake waters mingle, and the ICW gets underway on the mid-Atlantic coast. At harbor’s entrance, the massive stone Fort Monroe lies to starboard with its “mini-me” Fort Wool to port. Daymarkers guide mariners past enormous ships of the Norfolk Naval Station to port. After a short jog to the north to flashing red “2”, the dogleg channel of the Hampton River leads to the very boat-friendly port of Hampton, Virginia which offers much in the way of history, boating facilities, and attractions. Over 400 years old, it is the oldest, continuous English-speaking settlement in the United States.

Forts Monroe and Wool protected Hampton Roads for many years. The famous 1862 Ironclad Monitor and Merrimac naval battle took place just offshore of Fort Monroe’s Old Point Comfort. Pocahontas was baptized at St. Joseph’s Church. Lincoln instated his Emancipation Proclamation at Hampton University, America’s first African American University, which has a fabulous museum.

Pirate Passing

Blackbeard Point is best known for the infamous pirate whose head was placed on a spike for all to see. As morose as that sounds, Hampton celebrates this event the end of May during the Blackbeard Pirate Festival as 50,000 marauders invade the streets. Restauranteur Carlyle Bland fills the streets with more contemporary events throughout the summer including rolling with the bulls and Tomatito with whiffle bat-wielding roller derby queens, Human Foosball, 1000-foot water slides, drag races with drag queens, and some 20 block parties. The 6th Annual Freaky Kon-Tiki River Raft Race takes place July 25th, and the longest-running powerboat race, the Hampton Cup Regatta, roars into town on Mill Creek August 8-9 with free admission for spectators, while the 33rd Annual Hampton Bay Days festival is September 11-13, a celebration of Chesapeake Bay through entertainment and art.

Historic Haunts

Even if you have alternate cruising plans for those dates, local historic sites provide insight throughout the year into our country’s beginnings. The Hampton History Museum is always a good place to start. Fort Monroe’s Casemate Museum offers free tours within the cannon rooms of the fort highlighting artillery advancements from the War of 1812 through the Civil War. Edgar Allen Poe served at Fort Monroe—the largest stone fort built in the U.S.—and Andrew Jackson was imprisoned there. A fun, three-hour voyage on the tour boat Miss Hampton II takes passengers to the tiny “crossfire” Fort Wool in the harbor. The double-decked boat serves reasonably priced cheeseburgers and cocktails at its snack bar and sails from Hampton Public Piers from mid-April through October.

A walking tour of Fort Wool conveys its years as an adjunct to Fort Monroe throughout several wars. (Private boats may dock at Fort Wool from May 1st through September, 9 AM to 5 PM.) Miss Hampton II captures a great view of the local waterfront plus up-close observation of Norfolk Naval Base activities. On one such voyage, for example, tugs urged a submarine into the open harbor, a warship chugged out of its dock and a blue-light security breach occurred when a cruiser ventured too close to the action. Miss Hampton top-notch narrator named every aircraft carrier in port.

Returning to the Hampton Public Piers, a genuine moon rock waits just a block away at the Virginia Air & Space Center. As a visitor center for NASA Langley Research Center and Langley Air Force Base, it’s an intriguing place to learn about space exploration with real spacecraft and hands-on exhibits. A 1903 Wright Flyer biplane and warplanes from several wars hover above visitors as flight simulators immerse all in the adventure of flight. The Little Wings play area allows the younger crew to build a plane, create an airport and climb into a cockpit. Several volunteers add knowledgeable tidbits just for the asking. A restored carousel sits just outside the center’s door.

What to do

Downtown Hampton Public Piers provides complimentary bicycles to visiting transients. (Docking stern-to is highly recommended due to its half finger piers). An Enterprise car rental facility is a few steps away for provisioning and exploring Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, or the Mariners Museum in Newport News.

A funky courtesy car from Venture Restaurant is also available for shorter trips. The Crowne Plaza Hampton Marina Hotel has a fine restaurant and bar, a fitness facility available to visiting cruisers, and the place is chock full of nautical décor including models of America’s Cup sailboats and the massive silver cup of the Hampton Regatta. Hotel rooms offer splendid harbor views of both pleasure and work craft underway, the Hampton University campus, ospreys, herons, and other seabirds.

Downriver, Bluewater Yachting Center’s full-service marina offers a complimentary shuttle service to downtown. It has two boatyards with complete indoor facilities, laundry, showers, a swimming pool, and the Surfrider Restaurant—order the crab cake served with an enormous broccoli head.

Both the expanding Hampton Yacht Club and the Old Point Comfort Yacht Club offer reciprocity arrangements for visiting members of other bona fide yacht clubs. The Hampton Yacht Club is situated on the Hampton River between Bluewater Marina and the Hampton Public Piers. Old Point Comfort Yacht Club uses the Old Point Marina at Fort Monroe and has a clubhouse. Paradise Ocean Club is a very active beach club with a restaurant, Tiki Bar, live music, a pool, and private beachfront. It’s an easy walk away from it and the newly opened restaurant Deadrise located within the marina. Rental bikes are available.

Local Knowledge

The commodore of Old Point Comfort Yacht Club, Bob Killebrew, provides helpful local knowledge. “There are no particular hazards in the waters of Hampton. The ship channel is 65 feet or more and average depth within the Roads is around 20 feet.” He adds that there are some bars to be aware of, but channels are well-marked with day beacons. Currents can be tricky past Fort Monroe during the outgoing tide (2-3 knots) and between forts when the tide is coming in and the river is flowing out. Local sailors avoid coming directly into the Hampton Bay Channel and “creep along the shore past Fort Monroe, then skirt around the corner into the Roads.”

There is substantial commercial traffic in the area that needs wide berth; call them on VHF channel 13 if you’re uncertain how or when to pass. Killebrew highly recommends obtaining Guide to Cruising the Chesapeake Bay and says there are many marinas and full-service boatyards but advises calling for information and reservations ahead of time. His favorite anchorages in the area are the Hampton River in Hampton near the Hampton Yacht Club, Mill Creek off Fort Monroe, and just off the Old Point Comfort Marina and his yacht club.

“In a few years, we expect the Fort Monroe-Hampton area to be a major destination for sail and power boats on the Chesapeake Bay. Sailing and boating on the Southern Bay are very close to an open-ocean experience, with the added attraction of great marinas and support facilities, historic sites and other rich and varied attractions ashore.

—CRUISER RESOURCES—

MARINAS
Bluewater Marina
(Virginia Clean Marina)
15 Marina Road, Hampton, VA 23669
(757) 723-6774; (757) 723-0793
bluewateryachtsales.com
frossi@bluewateryachtingcenter.com

Downtown Hampton Public Pier
(Virginia Clean Marina)
710 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, VA 23669
(757) 727-1276; (866) 556-9631
hamptonpublicpiers.com
dockmaster@downtownhampton.com

Old Point Comfort Marina
(Virginia Clean Marina)
100 McNair Drive, Bldg 207, Fort Monroe, VA 23651
(757) 788-4308
oldpointcomfortmarina.com

EATERIES
Conch and Bucket
13 E Queens Way, Hampton, VA 23669
(757) 864-0865

Paradise Ocean Club
490 Fenwick Road Hampton, VA 23651
(757) 224-0290; paradiseoceanclub.com

Surf Rider at Bluewater Marina
1 Marina Rd, Hampton, VA 23669
(757) 723-9366; surfriderrestaurant.com

The Point
30 E Mellen St, Hampton, VA 23663
(757) 224-9299; facebook.com/ThePointAtPhoebus

By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine, July 2015

Groovin’ in the Park concert series in Deltaville

The Maritime Museum located in Deltaville, Virginia, on Mill Creek just off the Chesapeake Bay will host its Groovin’ in the Park Concerts on the fourth Saturday of each month from 5PM to 8PM through September. Groovin’ is the museum’s casual outdoor music series held on the stage at its waterfront park. Bring your own chair, cooler and picnic to Holly Point Park, and in the case of inclement weather, head inside to the new 300-plus-seat pavilion.

To get there by boat, upon entering Jackson Creek at the entrance of the Piankatank River, follow the Mill Creek entrance to the right just after passing green Day Marker #5. Holly Point Park offers walking paths, a kayak landing, waterfront pier, and picnic areas. The park is dog friendly, but pets should be on a leash.

Music Fest in Annapolis
Eastport a-Rockin’ will return to the Annapolis Maritime Museum on Back Creek, June 20th from 11AM to 8PM. Three stages will host more than 25 bands featuring up-and-coming local bands with a wide range of styles including rock, folk, roots, blues, jazz, bluegrass, and funk. Attendees will also enjoy mouth-watering favorites such as local seafood, BBQ, gyros, shaved ice, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, smoothies, and coffee drinks. A kids’ area will offer moon bounces, face painters, tattoo artists, and other family-friendly activities.

Bryan at the Beach
Due to overwhelming demand, country music fans have two opportunities this year to see Luke Bryan perform at the Farm Bureau Live amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has performances scheduled for June 24th and 25th. The amphitheater is a short distance from transient docking options in the beach town’s inlets.

Sailing on the Elizabeth
The annual Cock Island Race sponsored by the Portsmouth Boat Club offers sailors a fun racing activity—though not a CBYRA-sanctioned event—this month near the mouth of the Chesapeake. This year’s 28th annual race and pre- and post-race parties are scheduled for June 19-20 with registration due by June 17th. There will be “hardcore” monohull racing in Classes A, B, and C as well as PHRF Non-Spinnaker (single headsail) and a “softcore” class for non-rated boats. Race organizers have added a multi-hull class this year. The start/finish line is on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, just off the Portsmouth Seawall near Tidewater Yacht Marina. For more information and an entry form go to portsmouthboatclub.org.

Narrows Fireworks Return
Fireworks return to the Kent Narrows this year for one of many Fourth of July celebrations along Chesapeake Bay waterways. County commissioners voted to reinstate the fireworks after they were cancelled in 2014 due to budget constraints. The Narrows is a boating mecca during the summer months with many dockside eateries in the slice of water that connects the lower Chester River with Eastern Bay. Festivities usually begin around 6PM on the waterfront grounds of Chesapeake Exploration Center, located on the northwest side of Kent Narrows off Piney Narrows Road.

 

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating June 2015

New app records your catch and helps manage fish in Maryland.

Oregon Inlet bid process delayed
The bidding process for a 10-year contract to run the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center on North Carolina’s Outer Banks has reached a standstill. Mariners looking to use the Center should find business as usual this year, but that could change next year. The National Park Service granted the current operator a yearlong extension with plans to reevaluate the process. After 40 years of running the marina the board of the Fishing Center had to bid for a 10-year contract to operate the business, which was originally created in the 1960s by local charter boat captains. The Park Service is the owner of the facility within Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the north side of the inlet. The Park Service had extended the solicitation period for its prospectus. After reviewing one bid the service offered a contract, but it has not been signed. The bidding document included a requirement that insurance coverage would have to increase from $300,000 to $6 million. “The contract that they presented has quite a few differences in it than in the past,” said Kenneth Brown, vice president of the Fishing Center’s board. “We are in the process of trying to find a common ground with the Park Service to try to keep Oregon Inlet Fishing Center a viable business.”

Chesapeake Catch is a new online app that acts as a personal log to record your catch, post photos and help managers keep track of the Chesapeake Bay’s most popular fish—rockfish (striped bass), redfish (red drum), speckled trout, croaker, yellow perch, and shad. Chesapeake Catch is a local affiliate of Angler Action, which pioneered the system for collecting data from anglers to inform fishery management. The national project first launched in Florida with an app and website for recreational anglers to log data about snook catches. The data helped managers at the Florida Wildlife Commission to advance snook recovery in the state.

Chesapeake Catch is led by Bay area anglers to gather data so that natural resources personnel can make informed fisheries management decisions and policies, and it puts fishermen in touch with other local anglers to chat and to learn. “Anglers have a huge investment in good fisheries management, because we want more fish to catch for years to come,” said Ed Liccione, former chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland. “Chesapeake Catch helps us track what we’re catching and connect with other anglers but also makes our catch count in decisions about conservation and management.”

Bill Goldsborough, Director of Fisheries, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, added, “Good data makes for good management, and both make for better fishing. We can all have a voice in better fisheries management with Chesapeake Catch, and I encourage all anglers who care about the future of fishing in Maryland to download the app.” Fishing guides, recreational fishing bloggers and other anglers involved in organizations such as the Maryland Sportsman Foundation, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Environmental Defense Fund, and Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association participated in the working group behind Chesapeake Catch. Download it in iTunes or the Google Play store. chesapeakecatch.com

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating February 2015

Hand-drawn Maps of Your Favorite Cruising Grounds are Perfect Holiday Gifts

It’s gift-giving time and the new Coastal Art Maps designed by owner Joseph S. Tarella are one idea likely to please frequenters of the Chesapeake Bay. The hand-drawn maps offer a unique colorful perspective of the “Great Shellfish Bay” and its natural environs. Tarella has released the first 3 of a projected 10 maps depicting the bay: the area from Havre de Grace to Middle River, Middle River to Sandy Point, and Sandy Point to Herring Bay. Each map is oriented horizontally to illuminate the contrast between the densely populated western shore and the sparser, more bucolic, eastern shore.

Tarella, an architect by trade, uses pen-and-ink and watercolor washes on vellum, which give his maps a tactile quality. He started mapmaking as a hobby after he built a house on Long Beach Island and couldn’t find any maps of the area that he liked. Friends and family asked for copies and his labor of love evolved from there. The first three Chesapeake Bay maps were launched in September and another group is expected to be available in the spring. coastalartmaps.com

Sailors participating in J World’s Coastal Navigation Seminar in Annapolis. The next seminar is on December 13th from 9AM to 4PM. Photo: J World

Winter Seminars

Winter in the Mid-Atlantic region is a perfect time to pick up new boating knowledge and perhaps, plan a long-distance cruise for warmer temperatures. Maritime museums, yacht clubs, professional training companies, and groups like the U.S. Powerboat Squadrons are some of organizations that host educational events. J World in Annapolis hosts a Coastal Navigation Seminar from 9AM to 4PM on December 13th, a comprehensive classroom course on coastal navigation and piloting. The curriculum covers charts and features, compass errors, plotting, triangulation, dead reckoning, route planning, tides, current vectors, aids to navigation, and an introduction to electronic navigation. The course text will be U.S. Sailing’s Coastal Navigation book. It’s an ideal course for anyone who wants to develop a solid foundation in navigation principles. The course includes U.S. Sailing certification if qualified. jworldannapolis.com

Time to fish

The 2015 version of the Maryland Fishing Challenge is under way. The free, year-round tournament is sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and partners, and offers cash and prizes for anglers that reel in citation-worthy fish. Each September qualifying anglers meet at Sandy Point State Park for the finale party held in conjunction with the Maryland Seafood Festival. At this year’s final event, over $70,000 in cash and prizes were awarded. The grand-prize winner was Pennsylvania resident Rick Snider, who collected a boat-motor-trailer package from Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats. Bobby Gibson of Church Hill, Maryland, won an all-expense-paid fishing trip to The Bahamas. If you register a citation-size fish from Maryland waters from now until next Labor Day, you too will be invited to Annapolis next year. dnr2.maryland.gov

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating December 2014

Rocksgiving tournament helps fund two great causes.

Anglers have another opportunity this month to score large migrating striped bass and win large prize money at the inaugural Rocksgiving Tournament on November 15th. The tournament is headquartered in Annapolis at the Chesapeake Harbour Marina, which accommodates boats up to 110 feet in length and has a basin-wide depth of 8 feet (MLW). Any angler who is lucky and skilled enough to reel in a Maryland state record fish during the tournament will win the Grand Prize of $100,000. The tournament is also offering $10,000 to any angler weighing in the first striper more than 55 pounds. More modest yet substantial payouts are also planned for winning fish. Sam’s on the Waterfront will host an awards party from 4-8PM.

Tournament entry fees will fill the prize money pot and also help fund two local causes: The Bowen Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Trust. The mission of the Bowen Foundation is to raise awareness and funds for the prevention, treatment, education, and research efforts related to autism spectrum disorders. The Chesapeake Bay Trust is a nonprofit, grant-making organization focused on the preservation of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in Maryland. Call (410) 268-1969 or visit rocksgiving.com.

Carolina angling

This month the water temperatures are cooler, the crowds are gone and the weather is usually still nice with daytime temperatures averaging in the 60s. Fish are also more active making them easier to catch; the shallow-water bite is particularly exciting this time of year. North Carolina’s coastal rivers, estuaries and sounds are typically filled with stripers, redfish, spotted sea trout, king mackerel, and more. Many charter boats offer both half-day and full-day runs, and the captains can put you on fish fast. It’s a prime time to catch and release, or take home the legal catch limit.

The Field Guide to the Natural World of Washington, D.C. by Howard Youth is not only informative and practical, but also full of beautiful wildlife art. Photo: Johns Hopkins University Press

Books on board

Gift-giving season is approaching and the gift of knowledge is often a thoughtful choice. One recently published book by Johns Hopkins University Press is a great book to have on board. The Field Guide to the Natural World of Washington, D.C. by Howard Youth is not only informative and practical, but also full of beautiful wildlife art. It’s superbly illustrated by Mark A. Klingler and includes fine color photos by Robert E. Mumford, Jr. If you’re visiting D.C.—by boat, preferably—it’s a great guide to have on hand, since a stroll along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers can reveal bullfrogs, largemouth bass, ducks, snapping turtles, herons, and much more flora and fauna. Youth is a natural history writer and former associate editor and communications manager for the Friends of the National Zoo. Two other books by JH Press I have in my cabin and highly recommend are Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice and Robert Lipsson, and The Field Guide to Fishes of the Chesapeake Bay by Edward O. Murdy and John A. Musick.

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating November 2014

Cape Charles Megayacht Center is Now Open

Megayachts owners now have a place to dock at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. The Cape Charles (Virginia) Yacht Center—specifically designed to accommodate yachts more than 79 feet long—is open for business. The location along the Mid-Atlantic offers a deep, secure harbor with quick ocean access. It’s a welcome addition to the coast, with limited dockage between Florida and New England for large yachts in need of service or repairs. The proximity to the ocean is certainly convenient and offers a pleasant destination on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

The yacht center includes a marina, a 120-acre maintenance and storage area, a fuel station, and a 75-ton boat lift with a 300-ton lift in the design phase. The marina features 2,000 feet of dockage, 3-phase 480-amp power, pump-out facilities, and an 18-foot channel 12 miles from the Atlantic. The yacht center is a member of the U.S. Superyacht Association (USSA), and plans are in the works to ensure that yachts can clear customs in Cape Charles.

Crab nachos at Occoquan
Cruising mariners have another fine restaurant to visit on Chesapeake Bay. Chef Troy Clayton has opened The Landing Restaurant and Waterfront Bar at Occoquan Harbor Marina, located on a tributary of the Potomac River. Clayton, along with marina owners Dick Lynn and Richard and Lisa Krauss, have invested close to $1 million in renovations to create a Florentine-inspired space with indoor and outdoor covered and uncovered decks that seat 70, and a “front porch” area with lounge seating for an additional 70 guests. Inside, a formal dining room accommodates 60 people, while a private dining room holds an additional 50 diners. The restaurant also boasts a 50-seat, nautical-themed indoor bar. The menu offers traditional surf and turf dishes like calamari, crab cakes, lobster risotto, and thick steaks, as well as unique potato and crab nachos.

Lower tournament entry fee
The MidAtlantic billfishing tournament returns to Atlantic waters between Cape May, New Jersey, and Ocean City, Maryland, August 17-22. Known as the “richest marlin and tuna tournament in the world,” last year’s payout in prize winnings totaled $1,808,910. Organizers have lowered this year’s entry fee from $6,000 to $2,500 to make the tournament more accessible. The fee includes event admission and covers the costs for a crew of six for all dinners, drinks and entertainment for the week. The new fee structure splits the hospitality and other tournament costs out from the prize money, which will now be derived strictly from calcutta entries. All of the overall calcuttas will still have white marlin, blue marlin and tuna components. Last year, Sean O’Donell’s crew from Cape May won the blue marlin division and $236,522 by reeling in a 441-pounder aboard Got Game. ma500.com

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating August 2014

Hyatt River Marsh Marina

This marina houses 150 vessels at the luxurious Hyatt Resort on the Chesapeake Bay for comfort and convenience.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the U.S. with hundreds of miles of shoreline to discover and explore. Located between Virginia and Maryland, its natural beauty makes it a famous vacation spot for cruisers and anglers alike. If Chesapeake is your destination, tie up at the Hyatt Regency Resort’s River Marsh Marina on the Choptank River.

River Marsh Marina has 150 slips for vessels up to 150 feet with water, electricity, cable TV, and wireless internet services. The Quarterdeck Store sells supplies, apparel and a variety of refreshments and alcoholic beverages. Overnight guests can utilize the Hyatt Regency’s many highly rated amenities via the complimentary shuttle to the hotel grounds.

If you opt to stay in one the Hyatt’s 400 cozy guestrooms, you’ll find a plethora of activities to keep you entertained. The most notable attractions are the 18-hole championship golf course, salon and spa, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and volleyball courts, and game room. Watersports are also offered, as well as a nature trail to enjoy the local flora and fauna.

The Hyatt Regency has seven restaurants to appease your appetite, including the Blue Point Provision for succulent seafood and the Water’s Edge Grill for regional favorites. The hotel caters for special occasions using 35,000 square feet of event space.

By Daniel Wagner, Southern Exposure June 2014

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