Precision Sailboat Rendezvous
June 2010

After looking at the different marinas both in Swan Creek, Rock Hall Harbor, and on the Chester River side of Rock Hall, it was determined that keeping the venue as close as possible to Rock Hall made the most sense.

The Sailing Emporium is in Rock Hall Harbor, and offers launch and docking facilities, trailer parking, a pool, barbecue facilities, a marine store, bicycles for slip renters, ice, gas, diesel, laundry, shopping, a library, and even a putting green. Also, the North Point Marina Motel is right in Rock Hall, Additionally, the management at Sailing Emporium expressed strong interest in hosting the event.

Here's a link with information on the location, website and GPS coordinates for the Sailing Emporium (these can also be found in the 'Links' and 'Locations' sections of this site): Sailing Emporium Location Information

Headquarters and docks

Sailing Emporium Headquarters

Sailing Emporium's Pool

Nearby Swan Creek offers an excellent anchorage sites for folks not wanting to rent slips, and is not far from Rock Hall or The Sailing Emporium. Rock Hall itself offers restaurants, (some right on the harbor), a beach on the Bay, cafes, shops, and even a West Marine branch.

One of our main considerations was deciding to have the main venue be in an area of “protected” water, i.e. a cove or river off of the main Bay. This selection would seem to ignore that consideration. We did consider marinas on the Chester River for primary site selection. However, when we reviewed historical weather data for that area of the Chesapeake Bay, we found that the most probable wind speeds during the Rendezvous timeframe would be around 10-12 MPH. Had this been 15-20 MPH we would not have selected a site directly on the Bay. For more information, see the article on this site titled Analyzing the Chesapeake's Weather

This does not mean that those who do not want to take any chances cannot use one of the Chester River marinas; there are two nice marinas on Long Cove and Langford cove on the Chester River, and there’s even a trolley service into Rock Hall.

One of the Sailing Emporium's Docks

Of course, we are still working on the agenda which will include a dinner (perhaps a cookout), an overnight trip to Saint Michael’s, and informal race, and of course lots of free sailing. Now that we have a primary site selection, these plans can solidify.

Rock Hall Trolly

St. Michael's Waterfront

So, what happens next? Well, we are finalizing the arrangements with the Sailing Emporium, and then it’s up to us. We’ll need accurate counts of who will be attending, who will be anchoring or renting a slip. Since we anticipate not everyone will require a slip, but will want to participate in cook-outs, and impromptu gatherings at the Sailing Emporium, we’d like to let them know what to expect. Finalizing participation will also help us get group rates on slip rentals.

This site will be updated with information regarding further specifics of the Rendezvous, and will in all likelihood be modified to perform registration for the event.

Please register to receive updates, and thanks to all who provided comments, suggestions and continued feedback. And of course, we hope to see you on the Chesapeake this Summer!