Information as to the inland waterway

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hwclark

Veteran Member
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May 3, 2018
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Vessel Name
Lazy Grady, Man O War
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1992 and 1994 Grady Whites 24’ Explorers
7/30/23Need information as to traveling with my 24' cuddy cabin from Mateo to Hampton Yatch Club at the lower Chesapeake? Need distance, stop overs, restaurants and accommodations if any? Suggested route is appreciated for two, male seniors in good health who are novices at this type cruising. Plans are to traverse the Chesapeake western and eastern shores over a couple of weeks.
 
Do you mean Manteo?

The short version is Manteo across Albemarle Sound to the North River, past Coinjock, across Currituck Sound to the North Landing River, into the canal and through the lock at Great Bridge, Elizabeth River to Hampton Road, up the Hampton River to destination.

The long version is a) invest in the Waterway Guides, including the one for the Chesapeake, and b) acquire and become familiar with the necessary charts.

If you don't have stellar charting equipment installed, some tablet apps can be useful. (We use Aqua Map as one of our backups.) Assumes decent depth sounder and decent VHF.

-Chris
 
Is your boat a fast 24' boat or a slower one? We met a group of folks one year in Coinjock that departed from the Norfolk area & doing the loop (VA cut South then Dismal Canal Route back up) in a 22-25' pontoon boat. They of course needed overnight accommodations so they booked a room at Coinjock and then a hotel in Elizabeth City. They said they'd done it several times before. Depending on your cruise speed, I'd say book a place at Coinjock and then one at Waterside in Norfolk or across the River in Portsmouth, and then on to Hampton Yacht Club. It's possible to do it in a day if you have a fast boat ,but remember, the Centerville bridge and I think Great bridge bridge shuts down to marine traffic during rush hour 7-9 & 4-6 (I think those are the hours).
Also, the Albemarle will toss your 24' boat around if the weather is snotty, as will the Chesapeake, so keep on eye on the forecast. Like Chris said above, buy a Waterway guide! Actually , you'd need 2 of them for your trip; a Chesapeake guide and a Norfolk to Jacksonville one. Maybe you could just use a smartphone Waterway Guide app, but I like the printed version.
Have fun & do it!
 
accommodations

thanks, what type overnight, land side accommodations at Coinjock
 

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Mateo to Great Bridge Run

7/31/23 If I run from Manteo (south Albermarle Sound in North Carolina) to say orfolk/Portsmoth Area of ICW:

1. how many statute miles
2. are there any landside accommodations on the route, if so, where and how ar along

I will be traveling on a 24' cuddy cabin boat and do not want to have to stay on the boat if possible?
 
hwclark said:
7/30/23Need information as to traveling with my 24' cuddy cabin from Mateo to Hampton Yatch Club at the lower Chesapeake? Need distance, stop overs, restaurants and accommodations if any? Suggested route is appreciated for two, male seniors in good health who are novices at this type cruising. Plans are to traverse the Chesapeake western and eastern shores over a couple of weeks.
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Simplest method is to download Aquamaps on a gps equipped tablet (most Android tablets or iPads withSim capability but don’t need cell service) or any smart phone. That will give you all the charts, all the crowd sourced reviews (Active Captain & Waterways Guide) re: fuel, marinas (& anchorages) bridge heights & openings plus contact numbers etc. plus wind, currents & waves for only a few dollars. Most importantly, it displays AICW distances, as you go and wherever you view on the chart. It’s our primary planning tool and an excellent back up to our chart plotter
 
If leaving today, the amount of planning possible is so little, just go and ask along the way.

I don't condone total boating "adventure" (little or no planning) trips as too many things can go wrong, but at some point in life I guess everyone may do one.

I just hope there is a lot of experience between the two boats.

One small detail that makes planning a big deal.... I saw a waterway announcement that the Great Bridge lock might be closed. May want to call the Army Corps of Engineers and find out or scrap the route suggested and take the Dismal Swamp route. It probably be more fun in your sized boats except you have to go slow for 22 miles...but it still would only take a day in a Grady....assuming you don't blast well over 100 miles out of the way only to find the "road closed" running to the Great Bridge lock first. Things like this make planning a good part of every ruise.
 
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hwclark said:
1. how many statute miles
2. are there any landside accommodations on the route, if so, where and how ar along
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All info you can get from the Waterway Guide.

-Chris
 
Said he was leaving today.....hopefully he can buy one someplace in Manteo.

It at least will give the phone number for the ACoE to see if the Great Bridge lock is open, and if not tell him the procedures for running the Dismal.
 
psneeld said:
Said he was leaving today.....hopefully he can buy one someplace in Manteo.
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He seems to start each message (here and on other fora) with "today's date" so I dunno if that means when he wants to leave or not...

Our most recent Waterway Guide came from Amazon, 1 day I think... :)

-Chris
 
Plan is to do a two week trip from Ocracoke Island North Carolina up to and around the Chesapeake Bay the last 2 weeks in September. Sorry if I was not clear.
 
hwclark said:
Plan is to do a two week trip from Ocracoke Island North Carolina up to and around the Chesapeake Bay the last 2 weeks in September.
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I didn't mention it earlier, but that's a boatload of territory to try to cover in 2 weeks time.

Especially Rock Hall, but generally Annapolis, St. Michaels, and Oxford too. Stay 14 minutes in each... doesn't allow much time to actually seeing much of anything.

Even a nearer loop -- Cape Charles, Onancock, Crisfield maybe... and then over to the western side and maybe Tides Inn, Urbanna, etc.... could bring a boatload of fatigue.

We sometimes do a 10-day loop to just Cambridge, Oxford, and Deale... and spend some time in each of those... but then we don't have quite your speed... and we're old.

Your boats, your plan, of course...

-Chris
 
hwclark..... I would listen to Chris (Ranger58sb) he is definitely one of my goto guys for the Chesapeake.

But if you have time, based on the questions you are asking and my guess of your experience...... you need to get both cruising guides for the ICW and the Chesapeake and read the first part ASAP and then read well into the sections that apply to your next day trips each night.

They not only provide factual/navigational info...but they are also great for being a tourist in many areas you may enjoy.
 
ranger58sb said:
I didn't mention it earlier, but that's a boatload of territory to try to cover in 2 weeks time.

Especially Rock Hall, but generally Annapolis, St. Michaels, and Oxford too. Stay 14 minutes in each... doesn't allow much time to actually seeing much of anything.

Even a nearer loop -- Cape Charles, Onancock, Crisfield maybe... and then over to the western side and maybe Tides Inn, Urbanna, etc.... could bring a boatload of fatigue.

We sometimes do a 10-day loop to just Cambridge, Oxford, and Deale... and spend some time in each of those... but then we don't have quite your speed... and we're old.

Your boats, your plan, of course...

-Chris
Click to expand...
2 weeks is about our limit given "first time cruisers". Leaving from Ocracoke with a one night stay over in Manteo, any suggestions as to an itinerary are appreciated. I figure a cruising speed of say 20 mph on my 24' Cuddy Cabin I/O. We only want to sleep and eat on the boat as a necessessity! Old coggers,
 
hwclark said:
2 weeks is about our limit given "first time cruisers". Leaving from Ocracoke with a one night stay over in Manteo, any suggestions as to an itinerary are appreciated. I figure a cruising speed of say 20 mph on my 24' Cuddy Cabin I/O. We only want to sleep and eat on the boat as a necessessity! Old coggers,
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We've not stopped much down on the lower Chesapeake, other than Portsmouth/Norfolk.... so can't do great recommendations for down there.

OTOH, I do know the Chesapeake can sometimes be glass smooth... or it can sometimes launch you airborne, stuff your pulpit, and rattle your teeth... so my idea of caution is to bite off a little bit at a time, with built-in lay days in case weather puts the kibosh on movement.

Ideas:

If you've not been, I'd suggest staying over a couple days, maybe three, in Portsmouth/Norfolk... and so some tourist stuff.

Maybe Hampton area for a couple days; I've not been there but it looks good on paper.

Cape Charles ditto, ditto another stopover we've not yet made... but seems to get good reviews.

Note that I just covered approx 6-7 days.

Maybe Wiliiamsburg, via the James River? Or maybe Yorktown, with a side trip (Uber?) to Williamsburg?

That could easily eat up another 2-3 days...

If you come further north, we've been to Onancock and found it nice... and small. Still, it took us a couple days to exhaust stuff to see/do. (Decent irish Pub in town, very decent waterfront restaurant right at the town wharf.)

We've only stopped at the Tides Inn (Irvington) on the Rappahannock, and it was very nice... and also pricey. Our boating buds said they liked Kilmarnock, and I got recommendations for Urbanna too. Heard Deltaville isn't really walkable from the marinas, but that's second-hand info. Somewhere in there might make another decent stop, though.​

Or maybe just a stopover at Virginia Beach or Little Creek on the way back south?

-Chris
 
Since you don't want to spend the nights onboard unless necessary , it complicates things a little. I think once you get above Norfolk , you could run around to Rudee Inlet in VA beach. There , accommodations and restaurants are within walking distance. Or you could skip VA Beach & shoot over to the harbor of Cape Charles. Again, restaurants and hotels are within walking distance. The next stop north on the eastern shore with restaurants and accommodations would be Onancock (I think), Tangier Island (again, I think. More like a bed and breakfast), and Crisfield ,MD. From the reviews I've read lately, maybe skip Crisfield. It's been 15 years since I've been there so I can't really comment on what it's like nowadays.
The Western shore presents more of a problem regarding lodging if you cross the bay at the VA/Md line. As mentioned, you would have to travel 10-15 miles up the Rappahannock to find lodging at the Tides Inn on Carters Creek or farther west to Urbanna.
Deltaville might have food and lodging but the town isn't set up for foot traffic, IMO. Everything south on the western shore are restaurants but I cant think offhand of lodging close reachable by foot. Maybe Salt Ponds or Sunset Creek but again ,as mentioned numerous times, you would be best to buy a waterway guide to help with seeking the amenities you need.
All of this is dependent on the weather but you'll burn up 2 weeks up and back just staying on the lower bay.
 
:iagree:

Another good source....
 
Some good suggestions above.

Just to mix things up I'd suggest you look at this from the reverse side. Instead of looking at it from the water toward land, look at it from land near the water. The enjoyment of your trip is going to be dependent on 3 things. 1) weather / waves / chop in your ride, 2) hotels that meet your expectations in quality and price, and 3) restaurants and bars. Throw in 4) tourist views at the stops.

No one here can speak to weather.

A google map search of hotels and restaurants and marinas will give you a short list to consider. As you sketch out a plan you think you might like you can then consult a chart.
 
boomerang said:
The next stop north on the eastern shore with restaurants and accommodations would be Onancock (I think), Tangier Island (again, I think. More like a bed and breakfast), and Crisfield ,MD. From the reviews I've read lately, maybe skip Crisfield. It's been 15 years since I've been there so I can't really comment on what it's like nowadays.
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We were just in Crisfield and Onancock a couple weeks ago. I think Crisfield is worth a look if somebody where traveling nearby, and the (MD) state-owned Somers Cover Marina is pretty good... but we don't now think of it as a destination for a special trip.

We took the ferry to Smith's Island, ditto. Didn't go to Tangier, but I'd expect ditto.

I think even Onancock would be stretching a 2-week trip from Ocracoke, and it's a tiny place... but we did enjoy our 2-night stay there. Can't say we'd make a special trip to go back there either, though..

OTOH, we were also thinking to explore some mid-Bay places that could make a good bail-out from a Portsmouth-Annapolis run, either for weather or to break up the 150-mile trip. Both Onancock and Crisfield seemed decent for that.

-Chris
 
Trailer to the Chesapeake for more time on the Bay!
 
Plan to go UP THE ICW TO PORTSMOUTH, VA THEN maybe DELTAVILLE up to solomans on the west side back accrOSS by way of SMITH AND TANGIER ISLANDS THEN TO ONANCOCK AND CAPE CHARLES THEN ON TO PORTSMOUTH (beginning).* Is this doable leisurely over 2 weeks or what do you suggest as to the lower Chesapeake?
 
hwclark said:
Plan to go UP THE ICW TO PORTSMOUTH, VA THEN maybe DELTAVILLE up to solomans on the west side back accrOSS by way of SMITH AND TANGIER ISLANDS THEN TO ONANCOCK AND CAPE CHARLES THEN ON TO PORTSMOUTH (beginning).* Is this doable leisurely over 2 weeks or what do you suggest as to the lower Chesapeake?
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That's way too much, in my opinion. Especially in a 24' boat. You've really got to make sure the winds and current is in your favor while crossing the Potomac.
If it were me, I'd plan on enjoying the VA cut and stick to the lower part of the bay for my 2 week adventure.
 
*PLEASE believe me when I say that I'm not trying to be the typical know-it-all forum pundit when I offer my opinion! I personally feel that your route is taking you across some pretty big water that can get uncomfortable in most any size boat. The York River can be a miserable crossing too, if the wind and current aren't agreeable. If you encounter crappy seas, I guarantee it wont be fun. I've had to abort our cruising plans because the Potomac or Mobjack Bay was too funky to cross, and some of those times were in a 43' Viking! I'm not saying it can't be done in 2 weeks in a 24 Grady, but you'll need darn-near perfect weather each day!
 
Suggestions out of Portsmouth for a 2 week adventure?
 
thinking cape charles, onancock, tangier, smth island then to solomans. not sure as to west side when I turn back south at solomans? suggestions given 2 week plan and what I listed so far?
 
hwclark said:
Plan to go UP THE ICW TO PORTSMOUTH, VA THEN maybe DELTAVILLE up to solomans on the west side back accrOSS by way of SMITH AND TANGIER ISLANDS THEN TO ONANCOCK AND CAPE CHARLES THEN ON TO PORTSMOUTH (beginning).* Is this doable leisurely over 2 weeks or what do you suggest as to the lower Chesapeake?
Click to expand...


Maybe doable, depending on weather. Not leisurely.

Solomons from Portsmouth is 100 NM. Crossing where the Potomac enters the Bay can be rough, needs weather/tide/current planning.

Portsmouth, Deltaville, Smith's/Tangier, Onancock, Cape Charles, Portsmouth maaaayyyy be more leisurely, and still weather permitting.

There's a tour "ferry" from Onancock to Tangier, maybe easier than going in on your own for your first time.

See also post #17 again.

-Chris
 
good thougts

maybe ditch solomans and go up a river on the west side? thoughts?
 
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