Getaway cruise to Annapolis

hack4alivin

Active Member
TECHNICAL Contributor
Apr 18, 2008
2,518
Joppa, Maryland
Boat Info
320 Dancer
Engines
Twin 350 V Drives
We went to Annapolis over the weekend for a MarineMax Getaway. We left on Saturday morning and had a great cruise down. It was a bit foggy but still had good visibility. Went into the Annapolis Yacht Basin for the weekend and had a great time. For those who plan to go to Annapolis the Yacht Basin is a great location for your stay.

When we got up Sunday morning it was pouring down rain, so I turned on my weather radar on my C80 and the cold front that was pushing the rain in front of it was directly on top of us. The rain would be over in an hour or so. The problem was the wind behind the cold front coming from the north by northwest, directly in our path for the way home. We waited for the rain to stop, which only took an hour and decided to hit the bay for the run home.

Leaving Annapolis to the Bay Bridge we had a good cruise, we were making about 25 knots. As we got to the bridge La Dolce Vita radioed back to me, he said “looks like things are going to get interesting”. I saw white caps ahead. Well it started with first the 2 footers, no big deal. But the further north we got the worse it got. The 2 footers turned into 4 foot and sometimes bigger waves. Now it is down to 10 knots with water breaking over the bow. Then I saw the familiar lights of the Craighill channel, and radioed to La Dolce I was making for them. Well we made back safe and sound but I felt really bad for the group from Delaware that left out right before us. They had to have a rough ride and one them was in a 260, brave chap.

This is not the first time I have been in heavy seas out on the bay, but it sure does give me a lot of respect for those on venture out in the Ocean. Somebody wants to take a bow rider to the Bahamas??
 
Saturday I was on the upper bay @ Turkey Point and we had 2 to 3 footers, crazy we had a head wind coming and going.
 
We went to Annapolis over the weekend for a MarineMax Getaway. We left on Saturday morning and had a great cruise down. It was a bit foggy but still had good visibility. Went into the Annapolis Yacht Basin for the weekend and had a great time. For those who plan to go to Annapolis the Yacht Basin is a great location for your stay.

When we got up Sunday morning it was pouring down rain, so I turned on my weather radar on my C80 and the cold front that was pushing the rain in front of it was directly on top of us. The rain would be over in an hour or so. The problem was the wind behind the cold front coming from the north by northwest, directly in our path for the way home. We waited for the rain to stop, which only took an hour and decided to hit the bay for the run home.

Leaving Annapolis to the Bay Bridge we had a good cruise, we were making about 25 knots. As we got to the bridge La Dolce Vita radioed back to me, he said “looks like things are going to get interesting”. I saw white caps ahead. Well it started with first the 2 footers, no big deal. But the further north we got the worse it got. The 2 footers turned into 4 foot and sometimes bigger waves. Now it is down to 10 knots with water breaking over the bow. Then I saw the familiar lights of the Craighill channel, and radioed to La Dolce I was making for them. Well we made back safe and sound but I felt really bad for the group from Delaware that left out right before us. They had to have a rough ride and one them was in a 260, brave chap.

This is not the first time I have been in heavy seas out on the bay, but it sure does give me a lot of respect for those on venture out in the Ocean. Somebody wants to take a bow rider to the Bahamas??

I envy you being able to boat near Annapolis. Beautiful down there!

-VtSeaRay
 
This is not the first time I have been in heavy seas out on the bay, but it sure does give me a lot of respect for those on venture out in the Ocean. Somebody wants to take a bow rider to the Bahamas??

Only on a good day and never on a "got to get home day".:thumbsup:
 
We sat on the deck and watched the boat bounce on the pilings. Too crazy out there for me. If you ever get stuck out there again and need to duck and cover try our creek. Pass the Range Marker Lights and the first three legged marker. Follow them in to Bodkin Creek. Inside are safe anchorages. There is Wharf creek to the port, Back Creek to the Starboard and Main Creek(our creek) ahead and around the bend. Pleasure Cove Marine is up our way and they have a watering hole and some food.
George
 
We sat on the deck and watched the boat bounce on the pilings. Too crazy out there for me. If you ever get stuck out there again and need to duck and cover try our creek. Pass the Range Marker Lights and the first three legged marker. Follow them in to Bodkin Creek. Inside are safe anchorages. There is Wharf creek to the port, Back Creek to the Starboard and Main Creek(our creek) ahead and around the bend. Pleasure Cove Marine is up our way and they have a watering hole and some food.
George

Thanks for the tip that would have been the thing to do. The winds seemed to calm a bit in the afternoon. We should have stayed in Annapolis and left later in the afternoon. We thought if we left earlier we could beat it. Wrong!
 
Hi Bill!

Thanks for sharing the experience definitely something to learn from for me for sure. I looked at the tides on Sunday and they were rising coupled with a N-NE wind confirmed for me to expect some steep chop to kick up on the bay, especially above the bridge where is starts to funnel the bay...

Well hindsight is 20/20 and I learned from your experience and looks like I missed out on a great trip to Annapolis!!!!
 
Hey Bill - great to meet you on the trip!

It was our first 'getaway' with our new (and first) 'Dancer that we brought home in April. Until the return trip, it was glorious! Annapolis is now one of my favorite cities. I must say that we were in the 260 - but only headed to Baltimore (the 'Brave Chap' was in the 240 headed to Gunpowder!).

SeaNotes handled her first substantial voyage nobly (until the 2's became 4's and the wind blew 20's (we started looking for king crab pots) ... and the kids got to try on their PFD's... and that one big slam when the door latch ripped from the fiberglass... and I wished I could get just a little bit closer to Chris in the 44' who told me to "stay in my wake and it will be a lot smoother" and who was now just a speck on the horizon...). The good news is that the low drive fluid alarm didn't go off until we were within crying distance of the fuel dock that - so kindly - kept a 6 pack of Corona waiting for my wife and I, which we consumed in its entirety in 4 minutes once our daughter (who didn't fare well on Royal Carribean, let alone Sea Ray) left to take our son to a lax game.

The great news is I stopped 'rocking' Wednesday morning and the service department called today to say I might get to use the boat again this week!

How cool iz dat?:thumbsup:
 
Hey Bill - great to meet you on the trip!

It was our first 'getaway' with our new (and first) 'Dancer that we brought home in April. Until the return trip, it was glorious! Annapolis is now one of my favorite cities. I must say that we were in the 260 - but only headed to Baltimore (the 'Brave Chap' was in the 240 headed to Gunpowder!).

SeaNotes handled her first substantial voyage nobly (until the 2's became 4's and the wind blew 20's (we started looking for king crab pots) ... and the kids got to try on their PFD's... and that one big slam when the door latch ripped from the fiberglass... and I wished I could get just a little bit closer to Chris in the 44' who told me to "stay in my wake and it will be a lot smoother" and who was now just a speck on the horizon...). The good news is that the low drive fluid alarm didn't go off until we were within crying distance of the fuel dock that - so kindly - kept a 6 pack of Corona waiting for my wife and I, which we consumed in its entirety in 4 minutes once our daughter (who didn't fare well on Royal Carribean, let alone Sea Ray) left to take our son to a lax game.

The great news is I stopped 'rocking' Wednesday morning and the service department called today to say I might get to use the boat again this week!

How cool iz dat?:thumbsup:

Greg,

Glad you made it back from this most excellent adventure basically still intact. I am glad the MM service department is taking care of you quickly; they have been a great bunch for me as well. Enjoy your new Sea Ray!

See you on the next one, also if you are interested we have a little group here in Gunpowder and we often plan trips and excursions on our own. There is a link to our website below.
 
As someone whos made that same trip in those same conditions in a 260 (a couple of times), I can tell you that they had a fun ride for sure. The boat handles the conditions just fine. Its the passengers and crew that need to learn to deal with it. Hehe...

Did you guys come through "the cut" sometime around lunch time? I was sitting on the bow (my boat is on the lower level of the racks right now) scrubbing the non skid (with Soft Scrub... great CSR tip, BTW... thanks guys!) when I saw what appeared to be a flotilla coming through the cut. There weren't many boats out, so any traffic was catching my eye.

Are you guys thinking of any trips through the C&D Canal? I was thinking about heading to Wildwood for a couple of days. I used to go there every summer with my folks as a kid. Only been there twice as an adult. I still love the place.

Michael
 
As someone whos made that same trip in those same conditions in a 260 (a couple of times), I can tell you that they had a fun ride for sure. The boat handles the conditions just fine. Its the passengers and crew that need to learn to deal with it. Hehe...

Did you guys come through "the cut" sometime around lunch time? I was sitting on the bow (my boat is on the lower level of the racks right now) scrubbing the non skid (with Soft Scrub... great CSR tip, BTW... thanks guys!) when I saw what appeared to be a flotilla coming through the cut. There weren't many boats out, so any traffic was catching my eye.

Are you guys thinking of any trips through the C&D Canal? I was thinking about heading to Wildwood for a couple of days. I used to go there every summer with my folks as a kid. Only been there twice as an adult. I still love the place.

Michael

As a matter of fact we were coming through the cut around noon or so.

Our group has a trip planned the 6th and 7th of June to Chesapeake City. It is the first time I have headed north for a weekend stay.
 
We sat on the deck and watched the boat bounce on the pilings. Too crazy out there for me. If you ever get stuck out there again and need to duck and cover try our creek. Pass the Range Marker Lights and the first three legged marker. Follow them in to Bodkin Creek. Inside are safe anchorages. There is Wharf creek to the port, Back Creek to the Starboard and Main Creek(our creek) ahead and around the bend. Pleasure Cove Marine is up our way and they have a watering hole and some food.
George

George,

We spent last weekend up at Pleasure Cove. We wanted a weekend away from kids, cell phones, and everything else so we went up there with another couple and their boat. Saturday night the storm came through but it was not bad there. Met the fellow with the 85 foot custom boat, good grief is swim platform is bigger than my boat. He is very friendly, but I guess if you have a boat like that you are happy all the time anyway.

Very nice cruise up the creek, all the time I was looking for your boat.
 

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