Jump to navigation. From the freshwater river sources to the salty sea at the Capes, the Chesapeake Bay has varied atmosphere and character. The Upper Bay has activity galore, and the hustle and bustle of modern life is never far.
The Southern Bay is thoroughly different. Huglett Point Park beach on the Southern Chesapeake. Photos by Tom Hale. South of Solomons, the Bay changes. South of the Potomac the Bay widens. In the center you may be out of sight of land on a hazy summer day. There are hundreds of creeks to explore, but if you are looking for marinas, the daily runs between destinations are a bit longer than up north.
There are fewer boats. It is easy to get a marina slip reservation or find an anchorage with no other boats. The shores are less developed, and anchorages are secluded.
Often there are no houses in sight, so the nights are darker and the stars brighter. You will usually find a better breeze and will be comfortable sleeping at night at anchor. The water salinity increases as you head south, so the trees hang back from the shores a bit leaving the Bay rimmed with sandy beaches.
There are deserted beaches with seabirds nesting in the sand because there are no humans to bother them. Pelicans and dolphins will frequently be your companions. By the time you get south of the Rappahannock, the salinity may get high enough that you are rid of sea nettles and able to swim once again.
