Route to St. Michaels

[jcollins]

This is a question for those more experienced that I about St. Michaels.
I've never been there by boat.
Since I'm coming from the North, I can see two ways to get there. I'm never in a real hurry, the route through Kent Narrows looks good on the map.

Any thoughts?

John

[loubennett]

John, the route through Kent Narrows is shorter. If you haven't been through there before watch the currents around the bridges. They can get strong and surprise you. If you want to leave on Thursday evening I can provide guest dockage in Annapolis for Thursday night. We can then head for St. Michaels Friday morning.

[jcollins]

John, the route through Kent Narrows is shorter. If you haven't been through there before watch the currents around the bridges. They can get strong and surprise you. If you want to leave on Thursday evening I can provide guest dockage in Annapolis for Thursday night. We can then head for St. Michaels Friday morning.

Thanks Lou. I've been through the Narrows a few times and your right. It can be tricky. Reminds me of Chesapeake City on the C&D canal.

As time grows near, if the work schedule allows, I'll take you up on that offer.

[jacknap]

Eastern Bay is just a little longer with no currents or bridge openings.

[jcollins]

Eastern Bay is just a little longer with no currents or bridge openings.

Thanks Jacknap. Since I'm coming from the north, I'll take the route through Kent Narrows. It's a nice cruise through there.

[Butch]

Funny how every time I left St Michaels for Baltimore or back to St Mikes, there was a current that took me into one of those bars at the Narrows. Never saw one around Bloody Point!!

[loubennett]

Check the Local Notice to Mariners. I heard a report of shoaling in the Northern approach to Kent Narrows. I think the reported depth was three feet. Shouldn't be a problem at high tide but could be at low.

[jcollins]

Funny how every time I left St Michaels for Baltimore or back to St Mikes, there was a current that took me into one of those bars at the Narrows. Never saw one around Bloody Point!!

Butch,
Be very careful coming into Middle River. There are strong currents that pull you into the Wild Duck, Carson's Creek Side, Riverwatch...

[GoFish]

John (or anyone else familiar),
How did the route through Kent Narrows work out? We will be travelling from Baltimore to St. Michaels in August. Kent Narrows seems like a much quicker route, but that area south of the narrows sure does look shallow on the charts....

Katie
"Go Fish!"

[loubennett]

Water depth on the South side is not a problem. The channel is well marked. The North approach can be a little tricky. I've heard reports of shoaling and the channel is narrow. Just go slow and stay close to the middle. Passing through the bridges can be interesting when the tide is running. The current gets quite strong. It's really not a problem going against the current but going with it makes steering rather vague. I've had times when I had to put the boat in reverse to stay under the 6 knot speed limit. The option is to exceed the limit by enough to have steerage. The roué is shorter than going around Kent Point, but you proably don't save much time since you have to slow to 6 knots through the narrows. Have a nice trip either way.

[RobS]

...I've had times when I had to put the boat in reverse to stay under the 6 knot speed limit. The option is to exceed the limit by enough to have steerage. ...

Reminds me of a dealing I had with strong current a couple weeks. I needed fuel and was at the Shinnecock Canal. Unfortunately, my schedule did not allow for me to head to the fuel dock when the locks were closed as I normally would. The locks were open so I was heading with the strong current. Would have preferred to have my bow into the current but doing a 180 was certainly out of the question. Since Albin so thoughtfully placed the fuel fill on the starboard side, the stern walk was my saving grace. I lined myself up parallel with the fuel dock about 15 to 20 feet out and held the boat in reverse with the right rpm to cancel all fwd & reverse movement. Then it was stern walk and some hits on the bow thruster and she slid in sideways like a POD driven boat would. The dockhand asked, “You have a stern thruster in that thing?”

If the fuel fill were on the port side I think I would have had to take my chances and run on fumes.

Now I don’t think I’d a pulled it off as calmly 3 1/2 years ago when I took ownership of her but 400+ hours and 3,000 naut. miles of training pays off..

[DougSea]

...It's really not a problem going against the current but going with it makes steering rather vague. I've had times when I had to put the boat in reverse to stay under the 6 knot speed limit. The option is to exceed the limit by enough to have steerage. The route is shorter than going around Kent Point, but you proably don't save much time since you have to slow to 6 knots through the narrows. Have a nice trip either way.

That's the problem with GPS and SOG. My view is, if I'm in neutral, and the current is 6kn, I'm doing 0! After all, the primary purpose of the speed zones is to control wakes. In days gone by they'd have been called "No Wake" zones, I'm guessing people found that too confussing. Of course the fun is when you're going the other way and need to move faster through the water to maintain forward progress.

Friends who don't boat just don't get this...

[RobS]

....Friends who don't boat just don't get this...

Now that statement can be apply to many many things us diseased boaters do!

[jcollins]

John (or anyone else familiar),
How did the route through Kent Narrows work out? We will be travelling from Baltimore to St. Michaels in August. Kent Narrows seems like a much quicker route, but that area south of the narrows sure does look shallow on the charts....

Katie
"Go Fish!"

If the Bay is decent I would take the route around Bloody Point unless you just want to cruise through the Narrows. I have now gone both ways. Uh...let me rephrase. I have taken both routes and although it is longer, as others have said, your not saving any time. The Narrows is a great place to stop and visit. But, if your destination is St. Michaels...
After we made the turn south at R6 at Tilghman Point Lou and I slowed down to about 8 knots. It was a very nice cruise down to St. Michaels.

If I recall it was about 13 miles longer via the Bay.