Chesapeake Bay or Pamlico Sound?

[kito]

I am going to look at a Islander 32 MkII and a Hunter 36 Cherubini on Sunday. They are both located in Chesapeake Bay area marinas. I live in central NC and was wanting to keep my boat in the Oriental NC area in the Neuse/Pamlico Sound area to save some driving time. It's a 3-1/2 hour drive to Oriental which is quite a drive anyway. The Hampton Road Va area is 4-1/2 hour drive. I have only sailed on inland lakes and would like some input on the differences between Chesapeake and Pamlico. Which is better for sailing, scenery, places to go, anchorages etc? Is Chesapeake Bay worth the longer drive?

 

[Ross]

Just looking at the charts will tell you a lot. The Chesapeake Bay has about 8,ooo miles of tidal shoreline and 58 named rivers. It is nearly 200 miles from Hampton to Havre de Grace. The water ranges from ocean salt to river fresh.

Edit to add; There are town and cities not much more than 20 miles apart on both sides of the bay.

 

[KD3PC]

I would opt for the Chesapeake. Especially if you are going to Hampton, just a few miles to the Atlantic, plus all the things around the bay would be the major draw.

Not sure about traffic though, it has been a while since I drove in and around Hampton, but the bridges and interstates are awful at rush hour times. I have done the drive to Oriental many times from SW Va, and it was always a much less stressful drive.

Tough choice, let's see what others say?

 

[Ross]

You could spend a month anchored in a new place each night and never run out of new places.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Having sailed both, I'd opt for Pamlico at first. Much decent sailing there, including up the Neuse to New Bern. Up the Bay River to Little Washington, then Okracoke, Manteo, and the entire outer banks area would lead to the Albemarle Sound, and Alligator river.

Oriental is most definitely a sailing town.


Once you explore all of that, THEN look into Hampton and the Chesapeake

 

[kito]

Having sailed both, I'd opt for Pamlico at first. Much decent sailing there, including up the Neuse to New Bern. Up the Bay River to Little Washington, then Okracoke, Manteo, and the entire outer banks area would lead to the Albemarle Sound, and Alligator river.

Oriental is most definitely a sailing town.


Once you explore all of that, THEN look into Hampton and the Chesapeake

I never thought of the traffic around Hampton. That 4 hour drive could turn out to be 5 or 6. The Islander 32 MKII is in Urbanna Va. on the Rappahannock River. Is this a nice sailing area? How long you reckon it would take to sail/motor down the ICW to Oriental?

 

[Gunni]

How long you reckon it would take to sail/motor down the ICW to Oriental?

2 days, nice trip.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I would bet that a lot depends on your preferences. It seems to me that you could find a lot more seclusion, more wilderness scenery, more consistent wind conditions, and a longer season on Pamlico Sound.

You'd find far more interesting towns, cities and anchorage options on the Chesapeake.

But lucky you! You could easily try both locations within a year to see what your preference is! Why not spend the fall on the Chesapeake, since you may be buying the boat there, and move her to Pamlico for the winter.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

2 days, nice trip.

TWO days??? What are you running?

My log book shows roughly 311 miles from Deltaville (South of the Rappahanock), to Oriental. AND you have to transit the locks at Great Bridge. so that could take a while ( they were broken from Irene when I got there last- took two one half days of waiting).

I'd plan on at least four days with out killing yourself. That's about 75 miles a day- 10 hour days at 7.5 knots, which you probably won't maintain.

Would take me at least four days at my 5 knot cruise.

 

[Ross]

My experience on the Chesapeake says 40 to 50 miles is a pretty good day and 30 makes for a leisurely day.

 

[kito]

I am glad I posted this. I figured a one day sail from Urbanna to Hampton Roads. Another to motor to lower Albemarle Sound. And the third to make it to Oriental. Sure glad I have 3 weeks vacation left

 

[Gunni]

TWO days??? What are you running?

My log book shows roughly 311 miles from Deltaville (South of the Rappahanock), to Oriental. AND you have to transit the locks at Great Bridge. so that could take a while ( they were broken from Irene when I got there last- took two one half days of waiting).

I'd plan on at least four days with out killing yourself. That's about 75 miles a day- 10 hour days at 7.5 knots, which you probably won't maintain.

Would take me at least four days at my 5 knot cruise.

I thought he was coming from Hampton not the Rappahannock. When we do this trip we do it with standing watches in two days with maybe one 8 hour anchor. Add a day if I was coming from Deltaville. Estimate total distance Deltaville to Oriental at 280 miles. If you time your trip to ride a NE'tr the trip is fast.

 

[Ross]

You can take the express or the scenic trip. The problem with the interstate highways is you can cross the country and never see anything.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

You see more on an interstate than you do on a cross-country airline flight on a cloudy day ... but I admit that I like a long flight on a clear day. I like to impress Sue with my ability to pick out landmarks from 30,000 feet up.

 

[Ross]

Take one of the old US highway routes for a day and you may give up on the interstates completely. Sailing should be all about the tri not the destination.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

I am glad I posted this. I figured a one day sail from Urbanna to Hampton Roads. Another to motor to lower Albemarle Sound. And the third to make it to Oriental. Sure glad I have 3 weeks vacation left

I like to anchor either in Willoughby Spit, or at Hospital Point. Hospital gets you further south and closer to the bridges and locks, and past the Navy piers. Don't recall if those bridges just south of Newport News are timed or not though. Could make a scheduling difference.

 

[rgranger]

I would bet that a lot depends on your preferences.

I think T-Bird has it.

In your original post you asked about scenery and places to go. Well I've sailed both and I prefer the Albemarle/Pamlico over the Chesapeake Bay but they are both GREAT!

What I found in the Albemarle is little towns tucked away that have free bath houses, for a nice shower and a short walk to a burger joint, secluded (I mean totally empty) anchorages with 100 year old virgin cypress trees... spanish moss dripping into the water. I've also sailed Oriental to Ocracoke... and Swan Quarter. I anchored two days in the South River of the Neuse and didn't see another boat. It is amazing. You can sail all day and only seen one other boat. But the trade-off is that you can go an entire day's sailing and not get to an interesting town. You sometimes have to anchor all alone someplace. If that sounds nice to you then N.C. has it. But if you like to harbor hop, the Chesapeake Bay has a lot to offer. I've been to St. Micheals,...AMAZING seafood and a Maritime Museum, and I've done the trip to Tangier Island... very interesting place. BUT the Bay is crowded. Everyplace I've ever anchored in the Chesapeake bay, there were at least two other boats. There is constant chatter on the VHF and you run into other boaters everywhere you go. But boaters are usually cool people so if you like the socializing that happens at marinas and the interesting things you can see harbor hopping, then the BAY is probably a more interesting place... if you are looking to escape and unplug then I'd stay in N.C.

 

[kito]

Great information here...thanks to all!. If I should buy the Islander 32 in Urbanna, the slip would available until he moves his new 39 footer up from Florida so I would have time to check out the area this fall. The 33' Cherubini is at Salt Ponds Marina in Hampton. Looks like a pretty cool marina but mighty pricey as far as slip fees. Either way I would be able to sail the Bay this Fall. The seclusion that Pamlico has to offer appeals to me but I bet the Admiral would prefer the Bay with more places to stop and just more activities. Another thought is water freezing in the Rappahannock River in Urbanna...not sure if that's a problem. I would imagine that's not a problem on the Neuse River. It looks like the Pamlico is much shallower than the Bay and heard winds can blow it out making it even worse. It's nice to have this kind of decision to make. I'm just looking forward to actually doing some real sailing instead making circles on a lake. To actually sail to a destination sounds wonderful......instead of sailing in cirlces.

 

[CCHer]

I'm about 30 minutes north of Urbanna in a cove off Ingram Bay. We've only gotten a little skim ice very occasionally in the 8 years I've been here. Also my insurer allows the boat to be in the water year around if that's an indication. As to the commute to Urbanna from central NC, I recently did the drive to Raleigh for a business trip: an easy 4 hours and Urbanna would be less than that. Also check out Deltaville at the mouth of the Rappahannock (Stingray Point): sailboat oriented, many marinas and boatyards, lots of marine services and easy access to the Bay.

 

[Benny17441]

As far as better sailing I would take the Chesapeake hands down. The Pamlico Sound is quite shallow and any breeze churns the waves up into a frenzy. The Bay offers better sailing waters and many daytrip destinations. Do mind the traffic in Virginia.