Hello fellow Hunter Owners! Im not sure if this is the right place to capture this question, but there were no other relevant forums. Plus, I get such good advice here I could not pass up the chance. Next weekend (5/20) is going to mark the departure date for my sail south (NY to Key West). The first leg will be a lazy sail down the NJ, MD, VA coasts stopping in Atlantic City, Cape May, Ocean City, Wachapreague, and finally Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth VA at mile marker 0 on the ICW. From there we will depart on the second leg (need crew!!!!). My question has to do with the Virginia coast south of Ocean City before Cape Charles. In particular, Wachapreague. All of my maps, the Internet, et. al. show a distinct lack of facilities in this area. In fact, all I was able to find was Wachapreague. There is no absence of inlets, or what looks to be like marsh land. Can anyone give me some background to this area? Specifically that area between Chincoteague Inlet and Cape Charles. I am anticipating having to stop to sleep in the Wachapreague area and want to know if there is anything closer to the coast. Also, anyone interested in crewing on the other legs of my trip south of Cape Lookout? Ive to a ton of openings all the way to Key West! Gerry s/v Persistence
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Bradley Cavedo
Look Out!
I dont think you can get up to the town, and unless you have a guide that says you can, don't try it. To my knowledge, there are NO facilities between Chincoteague and Cape Charles. All you can do is anchor in a very tricky cove behind the islands at the Wachapreague inlet. I have never done this but my father has. Water goes from deep to shallow very steeply. A number of boats he was with slipped anchor. Make sure you have a good set then back down on the line hard to really sink it in. Hope the wind is from any angle but East and you should be OK. The tide flows strongly through area and inlets. As much as 2 to 2.5 kts depending on where you are.
I dont think you can get up to the town, and unless you have a guide that says you can, don't try it. To my knowledge, there are NO facilities between Chincoteague and Cape Charles. All you can do is anchor in a very tricky cove behind the islands at the Wachapreague inlet. I have never done this but my father has. Water goes from deep to shallow very steeply. A number of boats he was with slipped anchor. Make sure you have a good set then back down on the line hard to really sink it in. Hope the wind is from any angle but East and you should be OK. The tide flows strongly through area and inlets. As much as 2 to 2.5 kts depending on where you are.
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Gerry Libertelli
RE: Look Out!
Really!??? Wow. That is a long passage from Ocean City down to Cape Charles. I can't believe that no one stops there. My maps (VNS 6.0) WorldMaps, show a 12 foot channel going from Wachapreague Inlet back to Wachapreague. Plus there are two Marinas there that support 5.5 foot drafts. So, I thought I was okay. Gerry
Really!??? Wow. That is a long passage from Ocean City down to Cape Charles. I can't believe that no one stops there. My maps (VNS 6.0) WorldMaps, show a 12 foot channel going from Wachapreague Inlet back to Wachapreague. Plus there are two Marinas there that support 5.5 foot drafts. So, I thought I was okay. Gerry
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Jim Ewing
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Paul Bednarzyk
Crew 2
Gerry, Let me know your time frame traveling through Georgia/Florida, I may be able to crew for you. By the way, if you end having to go down the ICW, there are no really good anchorages from Palm Coast to Daytona (approximately 30 miles) so plan on making the run from St Augustine to Daytona in one day. Paul Bednarzyk S/V Knot Again P.S You can e-mail me privately at pbednarzyk@earthlink.net
Gerry, Let me know your time frame traveling through Georgia/Florida, I may be able to crew for you. By the way, if you end having to go down the ICW, there are no really good anchorages from Palm Coast to Daytona (approximately 30 miles) so plan on making the run from St Augustine to Daytona in one day. Paul Bednarzyk S/V Knot Again P.S You can e-mail me privately at pbednarzyk@earthlink.net
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Jon Bastien
Time frame?
I may be interested in the end of your cruise- Say, Ft. Lauderdale to Key West (and I live in Key west- I know the waters pretty well...). How long before you make it down this way? --Jon Bastien jonbastien@yahoo.com
I may be interested in the end of your cruise- Say, Ft. Lauderdale to Key West (and I live in Key west- I know the waters pretty well...). How long before you make it down this way? --Jon Bastien jonbastien@yahoo.com
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Mark Mowery
Wachapreague Twilight Zone
I visited Wachapreague in my Hunter 28.5 in 8 foot seas. Intentionally, I left Ocean City at 5 PM because the run to the mouth of the Bay was about a day and one half. After getting bashed by 8 foot waves all night, I decided that I would declare an emergency and contacted the coast guard to guide my entrance. I am glad that I did contact them because there are no markers, just breaking waves to either side. I just kept having this image of me beaching the boat. In any case, once inside there is a little bay with plenty of room. When I asked the Coast Guard how to get to Wachapreague, he said "Son, just follow the path through the cattails!" We followed the path through the cattails for 5 miles and arrived at a small town that lives in the twilight zone - another time. We tied up at the restaurant, and asked how much the slip was and they said it was free if we ate dinner there. We got a hotel room 100 yards away for $40 and the showers felt good. When we returned to the boat it was lying in the mud - well maybe 3 foot depth. I would guess that the marina had some slips with 4-5 feet at low water but you can't count on it. Bottomline, you MUST enter and leave at high tide, then everything is OK. It is well worth the trip, but I would get the coast guard to get you in the inlet. Next day, we sailed down to Cape Charles, cracked out some Corona beer, and the dolphins meet us to jump through our bow wave! Good Luck!
I visited Wachapreague in my Hunter 28.5 in 8 foot seas. Intentionally, I left Ocean City at 5 PM because the run to the mouth of the Bay was about a day and one half. After getting bashed by 8 foot waves all night, I decided that I would declare an emergency and contacted the coast guard to guide my entrance. I am glad that I did contact them because there are no markers, just breaking waves to either side. I just kept having this image of me beaching the boat. In any case, once inside there is a little bay with plenty of room. When I asked the Coast Guard how to get to Wachapreague, he said "Son, just follow the path through the cattails!" We followed the path through the cattails for 5 miles and arrived at a small town that lives in the twilight zone - another time. We tied up at the restaurant, and asked how much the slip was and they said it was free if we ate dinner there. We got a hotel room 100 yards away for $40 and the showers felt good. When we returned to the boat it was lying in the mud - well maybe 3 foot depth. I would guess that the marina had some slips with 4-5 feet at low water but you can't count on it. Bottomline, you MUST enter and leave at high tide, then everything is OK. It is well worth the trip, but I would get the coast guard to get you in the inlet. Next day, we sailed down to Cape Charles, cracked out some Corona beer, and the dolphins meet us to jump through our bow wave! Good Luck!
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