Beacon - Annapolis Yacht Club

Chesapeake Destinations
Solomons Island on the
Way to Points South
Tom Corboy, Chairman
Cruising Fleet Committee
Solomons Island is a tendril of land two miles long
and half a mile wide that curls with a strangely languid
and voluptuous look of tension, like a finger arched
in ecstasy or death into the estuary of the Patuxent River.
—J. R. SalamancaSouthern Light 1986
Photos courtesy of Peter Thornton.
One of the most memorable themed events was Pirates
of the Chesapeake, the Fall Rendezvous in 2007.
Held on Quarter Creek at the home of Jay and Kai
Marchant, the weekend featured a lecture and book signing
by the author of “Rumrunners of the Chesapeake,”
activities of power-walking, knot-tying, and purse-making,
and then a costumed extravaganza under the tent.
A Cajun band and “low country boil” were the
themes of the 2008 Fall Rendezvous at the home of Raymond
and Susan Williams on the bluff overlooking the
confluence of Luce Creek and the Severn River. Friday’s
“starter party” featured Cajun dance instruction in preparation
for the Saturday event. Folks gorged themselves
on the crawfish and other seafood and vegetables were
prepared in big steaming pots and then poured onto the
tables for finger-picking consumption. Then it was an
evening of dancing the two-step to a Cajun band from
Atlanta. Spicy food and sore feet—it doesn’t get better.
Solomons, some 45 nautical miles south of AYC, is
a natural stopover for Annapolis cruisers and sailors
venturing to or from the southern Chesapeake.
Its robust maritime industry provides several options for
those requiring marina accommodations as well as quiet
anchorages on its many creeks. Its boatyards are capable
of any and all types of repair should the need arise.
Chandleries, grocery stores, and an emergency medical
center are all within walking distance from the majority
of the marinas.
Heading south past the Horn Point shoal pole, one
steers a few degrees to the east of Thomas Point Light,
then parallel to the shoreline, passing the South and
West Rivers. Past Shady Side and Deale, the next point
of reference along the shore is the Chesapeake/North
Beach area with its resort buildings and a bit farther the
old Navy installation with its antennae farm. Soon the
massive fuel storage tanks at Cove Point come into view,
long before passing Calvert Cliffs and its nuclear power
facility. After rounding Cove Point, its picturesque Coast
Guard Station and massive fuel dock, one begins entering
the confluence of the Patuxent River and the Bay,
heading northwest toward Solomons.
When entering the Solomons harbor area, one has
the option of making a slight left turn toward Back Creek
and its many marinas, or a slight right turn to the quiet
anchorages of Mill Creek. Favorite marinas are Zahnheisers
(great facilities and restaurant) and Spring Cove
Marina (wooded picnic area and ample cooking grills).
Although a 45 mile day tests the limits of comfortable
sailboat cruising, Solomons and its many options make it
the perfect jumping off destination for points south and a
welcome respite before pushing on home to Annapolis.
VOLUME 1, NO. 2
AYC BEACON
17