The Chesapeake Bay is an American treasure, a natural wonder and a sailing paradise.   Many people are pleasantly surprised when they find out what makes the Chesapeake Bay a unique and special water body.   I would like to share with everyone five key reasons that make Chesapeake Bay a great place to sail, visit and preserve for future generations.

Fact #1:   The Chesapeake Bay is the Largest Estuary in the Entire USA

An estuary is a waterbody where salt (ocean) water and fresh water mix together on a coast.  The Chesapeake Bay is the 2nd largest estuary in the entire world (The St. Lawrence Seaway wins the honor as largest).  The Chesapeake Bay has a navigable surface area of 5,000 square miles fed by a 64,300 square mile drainage basin with approximately 12,000 miles of shoreline. This means endless locations for sailing, chartering day trips, overnights, week-long excursions and more.

Fact #2: The Chesapeake Bay is a Drowned River Valley

The Chesapeake Bay is drowning?! No, the river valley is drowning!   A drowned river valley is is opened to the ocean and as sea-level rises, the valley is flooded with seawater.   The Chesapeake Bay is actually the flooded portion of the Susquehanna river valley; the unflooded portion starts in central New York State and flows through Pennsylvania into the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace, MD.  The bay holds 18 trillion gallons of water. The Bay provides 250 miles of sailing from North to South and ranges from 3 – 35 miles wide with thousands of harbors, inlets, coves and towns to enjoy your sail on Shardana.

Fact #3:  An Asteroid Slammed into the Virginia Portion of the Chesapeake Bay

Yes—you read that right!  35 million years ago, an asteroid impacted what is now the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay.  This asteroid created a crater as large as Rhode Island and as deep as the Grand Canyon.  You can even see evidence of the impact on a map.  Notice how all the rivers located in Virginia portion of the bay curve in a similar direction making a circle. Neat, eh?  Don’t worry about being slammed by a meteor now, but you can contemplate the cosmos at anchor on a sailboat with an incredible view of the night sky.

Fact #4: Chesapeake Bay is the Largest Single Source of Blue Crab and Striped Bass in the World

The Chesapeake Bay is the single largest producer of Blue Crab in the world!   Its scientific name is Callinectes Sapidus—”Beautiful Savory Swimmer”. One notable fact is scientist are predicting that climate change will actually improve Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab stocks.  The bay also is responsible for the 80% of all striped bass (rock fish) spawned in the world.  Who knew?  Catch your own and dine onboard or sail to any one of the dozens of restaurants offering Blue Crab, Rockfish and other fresh-of-the-boat seafood wonders.

Fact #5:  Chesapeake Bay is a Recreational Paradise

There are so may recreational opportunities on and around the bay it would take several lifetimes to experience them all.  Start with a charter on Shardana and enjoy the bay at your leisure.  Camping, fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, hiking, horseback riding, skeet shooting, visiting historical sites, star-gazing, and digging for fossils are just a few of the amazing activities people enjoy on the Chesapeake Bay.

Enjoy Exploring The Chesapeake Bay—it will take a lifetime! Join in on Shardana’s Sensational Summer of Sailing on Chesapeake Bay, Click here to find out more about our private sailing charters.