Mill Creek of Ingram Bay
Last visit: 11/15/2023
We often cruised past this area of the Chesapeake on our way to the Rappahanock or Deltaville when going south or Solomons when going north. I had been looking at this anchorage and reading comments for a few years and decided to give it a try as we began our southerly trip in the fall of 2023. The conditions were absolutely perfect, so this review cannot make any reference to what this anchorage would be like in poor or windy weather.
After passing the mouth of the Potomac (where the conditions were also perfect), we tracked to the west and immediately found ourselves in a minefield of crab traps. We wended our way through the traps and made it to the channel that takes you into Ingram Bay, Reedville if you turn to starboard and Mill Creek if you turn to port. If I go in again, I will go a little further south before turning to starboard so that I can avoid some of the traps. There were very few boats on the water and with the calm conditions it worked pretty well. We followed the markers and the charts carefully as it looked like there was some very skinny water if you wandered.
Last visit: 11/15/2023
We often cruised past this area of the Chesapeake on our way to the Rappahanock or Deltaville when going south or Solomons when going north. I had been looking at this anchorage and reading comments for a few years and decided to give it a try as we began our southerly trip in the fall of 2023. The conditions were absolutely perfect, so this review cannot make any reference to what this anchorage would be like in poor or windy weather.
After passing the mouth of the Potomac (where the conditions were also perfect), we tracked to the west and immediately found ourselves in a minefield of crab traps. We wended our way through the traps and made it to the channel that takes you into Ingram Bay, Reedville if you turn to starboard and Mill Creek if you turn to port. If I go in again, I will go a little further south before turning to starboard so that I can avoid some of the traps. There were very few boats on the water and with the calm conditions it worked pretty well. We followed the markers and the charts carefully as it looked like there was some very skinny water if you wandered.
Once you enter the anchorage area, you see some oyster beds to the south and east. We stayed well clear of them when dropping the hook. There were a few homes around the perimeter of the anchorage and what looked to be a summer camp. There is a large farm with barn on the eastern shore of the anchorage. The farmer was using some large equipment in the field when we arrived. There were boats at some of the docks, but no one was using them. Not one boat came by while we were anchored.
The mud is pretty thick here, so the holding is good in about 10 or 11 feet of water. We had a very clear night and no wind at all. The stars were out with almost enough clarity to see the Milky Way as I did as a kid. The water was so still you could see the reflection of the stars. It was a cool evening, but very nice for the middle of November. This had to be one of our top five nights on anchor ever. The tide changed, but was not an issue.
The mud is pretty thick here, so the holding is good in about 10 or 11 feet of water. We had a very clear night and no wind at all. The stars were out with almost enough clarity to see the Milky Way as I did as a kid. The water was so still you could see the reflection of the stars. It was a cool evening, but very nice for the middle of November. This had to be one of our top five nights on anchor ever. The tide changed, but was not an issue.
It was beautiful sunrise, signaling another good day of cruising. We headed southeast as we left Ingram Bay and encountered far fewer crab traps.
