Once a year I turn into a bird and take my sailboat south for the winter. You can head down as far as the Keys in Florida, hang out in Key West, but for most sailors it's tough getting the time. I have found you can pop down easily to the Chesapeake in the Virginia/Maryland area and winter there. The sailing is great into December and I hear the waters don't freeze up like the Northeast, so you can keep sailing well after. You can find a new cove on every sail and explore to your hearts content. You have the Norfolk International Airport close by for your convenience. I also found N. Carolina inviting. It stays very nice thru the winter because the warm Gulfstream is just Offshore. There are numerous Marinas to stay at, from Dowry Creek in Belhaven to Oriental and Beaufort (Bow-Fort) where they found Black Beards' ship by the inlet. A museum is set up in Beaufort town with interesting artifacts & stories. In all these areas slip rates run about 7-8 dollars a foot per month. You can find cheaper and of course more expensive. So for a 40' boat you're talking around $280.00 a month/6 months $1680.00 and sail her back up north in the spring. What a bargain! Plus you get to go Sailing all winter! There are plenty of slips available, and with the Internet, it makes it even easier. It is easy to head down also. It is not traumatic, and once you do this, you'll be hooked.
From Montauk to the Chesapeake it would be about 54 hours (2-2 1/2 days). You can sail to Cape May Harbor first and anchor by the Coast Guard Station. That would be a 30 hour runNot too bad, right! Now you have an option. You can head Offshore to the Chesapeake taking about another 24 hours, or head up the Delaware Bay to the C & D canal, about 8-10 hours with the tide helping you. Stay at a marina on the C & D overnight & continue into the Northern Chesapeake the next day. Norfolk, VA., with the beginning of the ICW, is south. That would be longer, but more Inland. Taking Long Island Sound west to the East River and south to Cape May is also fine. I find heading Offshore takes some uncertainty out, by not having the Inland obstructions, tide changes, buoys, etc to worry about. Offshore you're just clicking the miles off and getting into your watch routines. There is an added bonus on your winter run off, to head south. You usually start off in October or November where your winds are generally coming out of the Northwest. This means the wind is coming off the land, giving you flatter seas & plenty of rip-roaring speed. With a rumbline to the Chesapeake, that would be a beam reach all the way down. Even with that Cape May stop over, the next day would have the wind aft of the beam.
Little Creek is a great protected harbor, just a few miles in to the south when entering the mouth of the Chesapeake. There are numerous Marinas, such as "Little Creek Marina", "Cobbs", & "Cutty Sarks" with slips at great daily, weekly, or monthly rates. Haul out for your bottom paint job at great pricesor you can do it yourself. The Airport is minutes away. Norfolk is not that far north, where the ICW starts. Everyone is so nice & helpful.well, it's Southern hospitality! Tidewater Marina in Norfolk has all the amenities.dock up or anchor just outside the marina, there's plenty of room! It is a hard decision to make when you think of exploring the Chesapeake or exploring the ICW on the way to N. Carolinaboth have wonderful little towns and coves. You will make boating buddies in these areas as the parade of boats from the North head South during this time. They have business like cards with their boats' Name, E-mail address & Phone numbers, so staying in touch with new found friends is easy.
I usually head south in October, keeping an eye on the weather. Hurricane Season is not over yet, so watching the Eastern Caribbean for new formations are prudent. Hurricanes forming in that area do not get to the Northeast in a couple of days, it sometimes takes weeks. So you have plenty of time to do your run to a good harbor in case of one. These two websites are great to assit you in your trip. The first is a global look at the weather by satellite: (http://www.goes.noaa.gov/g8hu.html). The other is a Wind/Wave site, showing Speeds, direction, heights, etc, giving you a weather window up to 96 hrs: (http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/marsh.shtml#wind). Very cool sites to explore..Never rely on 1 or 2 sources of information, always have an over abundance. Your VHF radio also tells you of any Formations or Disturbances in the Atlantic & Caribbean.
There's so much to explore, whether your trip is just for a long weekend or over the winter. But, who says you have to go home for the summer. Another adventure always lies ahead.
From Montauk to the Chesapeake it would be about 54 hours (2-2 1/2 days). You can sail to Cape May Harbor first and anchor by the Coast Guard Station. That would be a 30 hour runNot too bad, right! Now you have an option. You can head Offshore to the Chesapeake taking about another 24 hours, or head up the Delaware Bay to the C & D canal, about 8-10 hours with the tide helping you. Stay at a marina on the C & D overnight & continue into the Northern Chesapeake the next day. Norfolk, VA., with the beginning of the ICW, is south. That would be longer, but more Inland. Taking Long Island Sound west to the East River and south to Cape May is also fine. I find heading Offshore takes some uncertainty out, by not having the Inland obstructions, tide changes, buoys, etc to worry about. Offshore you're just clicking the miles off and getting into your watch routines. There is an added bonus on your winter run off, to head south. You usually start off in October or November where your winds are generally coming out of the Northwest. This means the wind is coming off the land, giving you flatter seas & plenty of rip-roaring speed. With a rumbline to the Chesapeake, that would be a beam reach all the way down. Even with that Cape May stop over, the next day would have the wind aft of the beam.
Little Creek is a great protected harbor, just a few miles in to the south when entering the mouth of the Chesapeake. There are numerous Marinas, such as "Little Creek Marina", "Cobbs", & "Cutty Sarks" with slips at great daily, weekly, or monthly rates. Haul out for your bottom paint job at great pricesor you can do it yourself. The Airport is minutes away. Norfolk is not that far north, where the ICW starts. Everyone is so nice & helpful.well, it's Southern hospitality! Tidewater Marina in Norfolk has all the amenities.dock up or anchor just outside the marina, there's plenty of room! It is a hard decision to make when you think of exploring the Chesapeake or exploring the ICW on the way to N. Carolinaboth have wonderful little towns and coves. You will make boating buddies in these areas as the parade of boats from the North head South during this time. They have business like cards with their boats' Name, E-mail address & Phone numbers, so staying in touch with new found friends is easy.
I usually head south in October, keeping an eye on the weather. Hurricane Season is not over yet, so watching the Eastern Caribbean for new formations are prudent. Hurricanes forming in that area do not get to the Northeast in a couple of days, it sometimes takes weeks. So you have plenty of time to do your run to a good harbor in case of one. These two websites are great to assit you in your trip. The first is a global look at the weather by satellite: (http://www.goes.noaa.gov/g8hu.html). The other is a Wind/Wave site, showing Speeds, direction, heights, etc, giving you a weather window up to 96 hrs: (http://weather.noaa.gov/fax/marsh.shtml#wind). Very cool sites to explore..Never rely on 1 or 2 sources of information, always have an over abundance. Your VHF radio also tells you of any Formations or Disturbances in the Atlantic & Caribbean.
There's so much to explore, whether your trip is just for a long weekend or over the winter. But, who says you have to go home for the summer. Another adventure always lies ahead.
About the Author:
Captain Douglas Malat is a co-creator of YachtAuthority.com, a website where you will find the sailing vessel of your dreams. Click here to submit article.
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