Good News For Chesapeake Bay / Choptank Boaters

R

rpmerrill

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2016
Messages
608
Fluid Motion Model
C-28
Vessel Name
BAY RANGER
Tonight's local news did a story about Knapps Narrows channel at Tilghman Island. The channel is being dredged FINALLY and will be done sometime in May. 100,000 cubic yards being removed to fix the channel !

Woo hoo!
 
That is great news, although we have never had any trouble going through Knapp’s Narrows with our 2 foot draft I know many boats have. If you are going north on the bay which we do often, going around the south of Tilghman Island adds a fair amount of time to your trip. Thanks for the update.
 
My first time I drove through I rubbed. Just a couple clunks.
I've also heard, last year, that the Eastern channel was messed up by the oyster bed construction project. It was supposedly fixed?
 
I did not know about the oyster bed development and did not see an announcement in notices to mariners or navigation alerts. I am aware of the development around Popular Island and went through that many times last year. Could you please let me know the location of the oyster beds.

Thanks, Dick
 
Dick,
Leaving Knapp's Narrows going east, the channel is pretty long and thin. Luckily it is pretty straight.
From our local paper I heard that they were placing some of those concrete balls and putting down a bed of stone and oyster shells just to the north of the channel. However some stone and chunks of concrete ended up in the channel, or too close. (I think it was early in the spring when there were a lot of watermen and not a lot of pleasure boaters. ) Some watermen experienced some pretty severe damage and were suing for bunches of dollars for lost time on the water.

That is all I remember, but last time I went thru I was slow and straight. No prob.
 
Thanks for the information on the oysters beds in Harris Creek. This is a favorite spot for crabing so I can understand why watermen are upset. I always pick up the first marker heading west into Knapp’s Narrows and stay close to the markers which keeps me away from the entrance to Harris creek. That area has always been fairly shallow so I am surprised that they put oyster beds in that location. Maybe markers should be posted when bottom structure changes are made in the shallows where fishing activities take place. I guess that will be settled in court.
 
Where to you keep your boat? I've only seen your listing as Ocean Pines. Are you going to the Knot in June?
 
We keep the boat at the Cambridge Yacht Club. Yes, we are scheduled for the knott so hope to see you there. We previously had a C-Dory and went to the first knott in Oxford. We have been to the last 2 knots and in 2016 traded our C-Dory for our current RT from Pocket Yacht.
 
I'll be looking for Dream Chaser in June. We spent a night at CYC last summer. Didn't see you.
Do you know Jim and Mary Campbell? Neighbors down the street.
We are from Easton and tied up at Port St in Easton.
Do you know CLF? Now has an R-25 up in Trippe Creek.
 
It will be good to meet other RT owners on the Choptank, we’ll be looking for you in June at Herrington Harbor. I don’t know Jim and Mary or CLF. By the way are Jim and Mary associated with Campbell’s boat yard in Oxford? We winter DreamChaser at Bachelor Point. We will pick the boat up sometime after mid April, then back to CYC slip K15 for the summer. We must have been on one of our trips last summer when you stoped at CYC. Hope you stop by again this summer.
 
Not a Campbell boat yard family member as far as I know. It is a nice marina but not very sheltered from the weather.
Good floating dock protection however. We'll talk.

I was a share partner in a Hunter 33 sailboat for a number of years at Bachelor Point. A nice little harbor.
 
Maryland as part of the Chesapeake Bay Restoration along with Virginia have agreed to each rebuild 5 oyster reefs in different tributary’s of the Bay. The first in Maryland is in Harris Creek just north of Knapps Narrows. The reef was built with both natural (oyster shells) and artificial materials. The next two reefs are in the Tred Avon and Little Choptank. The proposal for remaining two reefs is in the Potomac the first at the upper reaches of the St. Mary’s Rive and the other in Breton Bay. All of these reefs are designated as sanctuaries and not open to harvest.

The surveys of the reef in Harris Creek have been positive, however the waterman dispute those results. Also, parts of the reef were higher than planned and there have been some claims of damage to boats.

Oysters are critical with their ability to filter 50 gallons of water a day. Today they are only 1 % of the historic levels.

I have gone through Knapp Narrows for lots of years in deep, 5 foot, draft sailboats and have to admit that last summer’s trip with a 28” draft was a lot less nerve wracking.

Jim Demerest
2010 R 29 Chessie
 
Just noticed the conversation. Look forward to meeting one and all at the Knott in June if not before.

We are excited to be putting Tranquility in the water this coming Friday. She should be on Trippe Creek either Friday afternoon or Saturday.

Don't know if it might appeal to any of you, but I thought I'd create a little map to record places I like to go...others welcome to share....

Here is the link to the map: http://bit.ly/RangerTugChesapeake

Map Access requires entering the password: RangerTug and then click on the "unlock" button.

The service allows for additions to include photographs, video and lots of other information.

See you on the Bay!
 
Jim, thanks for the information. I was looking at the bed plans for Harris Creek and it seems the intire creek bottom was covered by oysters and reef material. It’s no wonder there were some high spots. I’m in favor in working to get the Chesapeake Bay back and healthy. I remember boating in the bay starting in 1954 and the grass it was so think and would foul our props and water clear. I know I will neve see it again that way but I hope my grandchildren will.

Craig, good to see there is another RT25SC on the Choptank. Congratulations on the new boat and hope to see you out on the river.
 
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