I've gotten lots of good advice and valuable opinions from HOW in the past on equipment, maintenance, upgrades and general sailing matters. I'm hoping that I can now get some help on another topic. My wife and I are thinking about packing up the kids and spending a week on a charter sailing in another place on the East Coast this summer as my wife doesn't want to spend a week aboard in the Sandy Hook Bay/New York Harbor area. So far, we're considering Maine, Newport, the Chesapeake and the Florida Keys as possible destinations. Someone else we know suggested Mystic, CT. As we're taking the kids, we're planning on spening every night (or almost every night) at a marina where we can dine ashore and throw in lots of other land-based activities. I'm hoping that I can get some views on these possible destinations and the nearby kid-friendly attractions, things-to-do and specific destinations that might be worked into a vaction around there. Thanks for the input. Tom FitzGibbon Plan B
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Not South in the summer.
I was stationed in Key West, the summers are miserable. Can't be of much help otherwise unless you want to try Lake Erie. Sandusky area has nice marinas. You can sail in the bay when it's blowing too hard and out to the islands the rest of the time. Even to Canada and the casinos. You can see some charter rates at my marina: http://www.harbornorth.com/
I was stationed in Key West, the summers are miserable. Can't be of much help otherwise unless you want to try Lake Erie. Sandusky area has nice marinas. You can sail in the bay when it's blowing too hard and out to the islands the rest of the time. Even to Canada and the casinos. You can see some charter rates at my marina: http://www.harbornorth.com/
You could try one of the islands..
Block Island [RI], Martha's & Nantucket [MA], Monhegan [ME]- Monhegan doesn't have game centers for the kids, but does have lots of places to explore...as for the others, they have everything, including the crowds...and don't forget Provincetown...a very unique experience with lots of protected natural beach... actually, we could go on forever - New England is a sailors dream... C&J s/v Syzygy
Block Island [RI], Martha's & Nantucket [MA], Monhegan [ME]- Monhegan doesn't have game centers for the kids, but does have lots of places to explore...as for the others, they have everything, including the crowds...and don't forget Provincetown...a very unique experience with lots of protected natural beach... actually, we could go on forever - New England is a sailors dream... C&J s/v Syzygy
Look at Virginia
We were stationed down in Hampton for a number of years and there are all sorts of things for the kids that would not be too far away. It seems there was somthing not too long ago about charters out of Deltaville. Colonial Williamsburg with all of the other stuff that has come in there is a great place to spend a day. DC is just a little ways up the road. Hampton Roads south from there has alot of things to see as well so on the days you do not want to sail you can bribe the kids with the other trips. If you are traveling there on a weekend get off of I95 onto 301 to 13 to avoid all of the other tourist traffic on I95 and I64.
We were stationed down in Hampton for a number of years and there are all sorts of things for the kids that would not be too far away. It seems there was somthing not too long ago about charters out of Deltaville. Colonial Williamsburg with all of the other stuff that has come in there is a great place to spend a day. DC is just a little ways up the road. Hampton Roads south from there has alot of things to see as well so on the days you do not want to sail you can bribe the kids with the other trips. If you are traveling there on a weekend get off of I95 onto 301 to 13 to avoid all of the other tourist traffic on I95 and I64.
The Chesapeake?
The wife and I are planning a 2 weeker in June on the Chesapeake. Our angle is a bit different from yours...kids grown, don't want marinas every night. However, there are factors we're looking at which you may want to examine. If you choose the Chesapeake, there's plenty of marinas in which to overnight, especially in northern bay. There's a cruising guide to the Chesapeake that's published...I can find out details if you're interested. It's got distances between ports which can significantly assist planning, unless you got a gps where you can do the waypoint thing. However, if you want to sail, avoid July and August (lack of wind). Another issue in summer is the jellyfish. The lore says they arrive in July, at least in southern bay. Other lore says they're seldom in places like the Corsica River (off the Chester)...we saw huge ones there, so that's a myth. At any rate...I hope you find the area you want. It sounds like fun. We wish we had been into sailing when the kids were still around...now we'll just have to wait for grandkids...
The wife and I are planning a 2 weeker in June on the Chesapeake. Our angle is a bit different from yours...kids grown, don't want marinas every night. However, there are factors we're looking at which you may want to examine. If you choose the Chesapeake, there's plenty of marinas in which to overnight, especially in northern bay. There's a cruising guide to the Chesapeake that's published...I can find out details if you're interested. It's got distances between ports which can significantly assist planning, unless you got a gps where you can do the waypoint thing. However, if you want to sail, avoid July and August (lack of wind). Another issue in summer is the jellyfish. The lore says they arrive in July, at least in southern bay. Other lore says they're seldom in places like the Corsica River (off the Chester)...we saw huge ones there, so that's a myth. At any rate...I hope you find the area you want. It sounds like fun. We wish we had been into sailing when the kids were still around...now we'll just have to wait for grandkids...
No Jellyfish in the Upper Chesapeake
Tom, You could spend the whole summer cruising the Chesapeake. Plenty of marinas, rivers, gunkholes, etc. Jellyfish mentioned earlier are more in the lower bay, where the water is more salty. The upper bay is always great for swimming. Visit www.baysail.net for info on chartering out of Havre de Grace. Smooth sailing. Eric Lorgus
Tom, You could spend the whole summer cruising the Chesapeake. Plenty of marinas, rivers, gunkholes, etc. Jellyfish mentioned earlier are more in the lower bay, where the water is more salty. The upper bay is always great for swimming. Visit www.baysail.net for info on chartering out of Havre de Grace. Smooth sailing. Eric Lorgus
Thanks to all
Thanks for the input. SWMBO decided we're going to Newport. That's OK with me since we'll be going in August and the winds in the Chesapeake from what I hear are iffy at best. Tom
Thanks for the input. SWMBO decided we're going to Newport. That's OK with me since we'll be going in August and the winds in the Chesapeake from what I hear are iffy at best. Tom
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