First Cruise Tips: Sassafras to St. Michaels & Annapolis

[AndreasW]

I am planning my first cruise with our new 320 Sundancer. We have our boat up in the northern Chesapeake (Sassafras River) and I want to go down to St. Michaels then over the Annapolis and maybe stop in Baltimore on the way back. I am thinking a weeklong trip. Let me know if you have any suggestions for marinas and restaurants. We will be traveling with our two boys 6 & 9 and a marina with pool would be key...

 

[Four Suns]

Shock collars for the boys...

 

[AndreasW]

Shock collars for the boys...

What voltage do you recommend? :grin:

 

[AndreasW]

Right now I am thinking :smt024:

1. Leave Skipjack Cove for Rock Hall for lunch on day one and then down to St. Michaels.
2. St. Michaels Marina (check out Wye River) 2 days
3. Annapolis Yacht Basin or Mears Marina 1 day
4. Baltimore Inner Harbour (with aquarium visit) 1 day
5. Back to the Sassafras River

 

[tcason]

While at St Michaels, make sure you go uo the Wye River. It is beautiful and underdeveloped in portions.

 

[RiverGalsMan]

Andreas,

Yacht Basin doesn't have a pool. Other than Mears, try Port Annapolis or Annapolis Landing. Both on Back Creek and both have pools. You can water taxi downtown from either of them.

In St. Michaels, you can also try Harbour Inn Marina and Spa if they don't have room at St. Michaels Marina. It's got a pool, too, and only a couple of blocks further from town. I actually prefer it.

 

[Yaraes]

Recommend getting a copy of the "Doziers Waterway Guide" Mid Atlantic version,, $39.95 (West Marine, Borders Books, etc,)

It has every marina on the bay and lists all of their amenities, things to do in the towns, apporaches, etc, etc. I started using mine recently to plan trips and it is fantastic. Don't leave port without it.

 

[johnsross3]

Andreas, we did a similiar trip last year, and we're also at Skipjack (G dock). We stayed at the following places. St Michaels: St. Michaels Marina (pool on site, as well as two restauarants, and an easy walk to town) - we liked it there. In Annapolis, we stayed at Yacht Basin which is next to the Marriott and an easy walk to town, no pool, nice marina with some real moneyed slipholders there. In Baltimore, we stayed at Hendersons Wharf which is in Fells Point - an OK marina, no pool, bathrooms are really aged, we chose it for convenience to town, but no where near the amenities we have at Skipjack. In Rock Hall, we docked in the public harbor (its free but no electric) and stayed at a realtive's home.

Frankly, I find Annapolis over rated, too many junky souvenir shops on the main drag and you probably need more than a day there to seek out more worthwhile things to do. I also found 1 day stays too short since you're typically not able to check in until noon, so you spend your morning getting there, and by the time you're in your slip more than a 1/2 day is gone. This year we're doing 2 day minimums at each of our stops (which will be the Middle River for the dinghy poker run, Mears Point, Cambridge Hyatt and then Tilghmans Island).