Reviews: Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

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Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

108 Bohemia Avenue
Chesapeake City, MD 21915
C & D Canal 13.7

Lat / Lon: N 39° 31.620' / W 075° 48.672'
Hours: 24
Contact: Jesse Cloud
Phone: (410) 885-5298
Email: [email protected]
Website: chesapeakecity.com

4.45

(20)

4.45 out of 5 stars

Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Capt. Mac Rubel on Oct 14, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 48'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 4

Having settled in for a lovely evening at anchor at Chesapeake City we suddenly noticed a larger boat leaving the free dock and we decided to make the move. The anchor came up and, within ten minutes we were tied to the free floating dock in 11' MLW water with a 30/50 amp power pylon within easy reach ($15 extra, $10 for water, payable by envelope at the town office.) We cannot say enough about the quality of this free dock. It is excellent. There is room for two 40+ foot boats on the face dock and there are three smaller slips on the back end of the dock that are not visible until you venture in to the fairway between the dock and one of the restaurants. Free stay is limited to 24 hours. The floating dock is open to the public but access requires some skill so the strolling crowd is mostly left in parking lot off the dock. You are "downtown" and it gets crowded and busy on weekends, but it calms down reasonably early. There are five or six restaurants within a half mile of the dock but the nearest grocery store is about five miles away. Cell service is very good. Chesapeake City is a great stop and the town has done an excellent job of providing an accessible convenience for the traveling boater. We will definitely stop here the next time through but we will try to avoid Saturdays and Sundays.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Paul Edelkamp Sr on Mar 15, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 37'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Absolutely love Chesapeake City so I took a visit there February 2024, they were dredging so our future for the next couple years should be good getting in and out of engineer Cove and I don't like to tell too many people about the free Doc because we all love free docks. The town is adorable. It's not a place to buy groceries but I actually stayed in town at the Rum bar, been gone there for 20 years to this town but this time we drove .

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Tom Taylor, Reliance, on Oct 17, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 1

I tried to get in at mid-tide level. Four feet draft. Approaching as recommended and near the dock, the boat quit drifting (I.e. dragging keel on bottom), depth sounder quit (indicating lots of particulate in water ), then wife yelled, "your kicking up a lot of mud". I backed out and went to marina on opposite shore.
Town office said it was going to be dredged next month.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Lawrence Stahl on Sep 2, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 45'
Draft: 5.8'

Rating: 4

This is a wonderful stop. The free dock is the best I've ever seen. Docking is free, but Water is $10 and power $15. Nice town. Restaurants, shops and lots of music. Even a small but interesting museum about the canal. I gave it 4 stars only because the harbor is desperately in need of dredging. I came in at high tide. I draw 5'9" and I stayed port as suggested but not far enough. The actual deeper water is within 20 feet of the bulkhead. Had it not been high tide I would have run aground. When I turned to the free dock I did touch ground. Fortunately it was loose enough to plow through it to the free dock. Plenty of water at the dock. I was closest to the canal and over 6 feet at low tide. I left at 2.5 feet tide above mlw by backing up towards the tiki bar and hugging the marina to get to the deeper water, hugging the bulkhead until out into the canal.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Peter Walton on Jul 30, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

As everyone says, great spot. However limited room and I've visited many times and found boats parked with large spaces between them so only two fit. Please tie up with your bow past the end of the dock, if second get your anchor close to the swim platform of the boat in front!
Three 40' boats can fit easily and 4 smaller boats can fit with courtesy . There are 4 power pedestals

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Melinda Zehr, Surface Interval, on Jul 14, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 3.8'

Rating: 4

We came in when the tide was just over a foot above MLW. We tried to hug the east side as others mentioned. But, the current was pushing us that way so it was a bit difficult to remain in a controlled state close to the east entry wall. Once inside, head south close to the marina docks before turning starboard and making your way to the free dock. We turned too soon and stirred up mud, but luckily didn't ground. With our near 4-foot draft, we tied up on the south end of the dock near the tour boat. Docks are floating with cleats…yay! We paid $15 at the nearby town hall for electric, and enjoyed the town, stopping for drinks, crab at the Tap Room, and then music later at the tiki bar.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Chris Ensing, Pau Hana, on Jun 1, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.4'

Rating: 4

Only room for about 3 or 4 boats (maybe). Weekends would be tough. As others have said, hug the east side of the entrance, the basin can get shallow at low tide.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Capt. Mac Rubel on May 17, 2023
LOA: 48'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

What is not to love about a floating free dock in good repair right in the middle of the city's historic district? And add shore power for $15 dollars a day on top of it? Chesapeake City Municipal Dock is all this. Enter the basin by favoring the east side of the entry channel as there is some shoaling to 5 feet MLW on the west side and, once inside turn around and head to the dock on the west side of the entry. You will find 7 feet MLW at the dock. There are 200 feet of dock space but about 90 feet is reserved for a tour boat operator so there is room for two 40' + boats on the dock. There are three spaces behind the south end of the dock for smaller boats but two of them seem to have permanent occupants. The docks are in excellent condition with rubber bumpers on the edges and sturdy cleats for your lines. To depart you will have to move straight down the dock paying attention to the 5' MLW hump between the dock and the channel. Internet service was very good for the major carriers and we spent a quiet pre-season mid-week night before leaving for the C&D Canal. If there is not room on the dock there is good anchoring in the basin for a large number of boats. There were eight boats at anchor when we were there and the was plenty of room for another ten.

Chesapeake City was still in the process of opening for the season so a lot of restaurants and shops were closed during the week, opening Friday through Sunday. We did make it to the C&D Canal Museum, located around the back side of the basin, about a half mile walk from the dock. It well worth the walk as there is great information on the history of the planning, building, and operations of the canal. The most interesting exhibit is the preserved pump house, containing the preserved engines and waterwheel that was used to maintain water levels in the canal when there were locks at both ends.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Keith Duncan, M/V Pelican, on Jan 8, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

We enjoyed an excellent stay here in early January 2023. We draw just about 3 1/2' and had no problem approaching the docks at low tide.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Susan Viltrakis, LimitLess, on Oct 10, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 60'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Awesome place to stop but you have to be there early to get place on the dock. We got there at 12:30 and took the last stop. There is a nice anchorage right near by if the docks are full. There were only 3 power hookups. The Tiki bar that was very close had amazing Crab and Shrimp nachos! Beware that the middle of the channel can be very shallow. We will be stopping here whenever we can.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Kelly Thorp, Lynx, on Sep 30, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

As others have said, great spot to spend the night. Dockage is free, electric $15. You can only stay one night. Space is very limited. We stayed here in August 2022 and one of the electric pedestals was not working. We were fortunate to arrive early in the day and could choose our spot next to a functioning pedestal. The staff was very helpful, and the restrooms were clean. Restaurants are within walking distance.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: David Rowe on Sep 5, 2022
LOA: 38'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 4

A favorite spot! Nothing like a free dock. Add power for cheap money. Chesapeake City is a nice place to grab a walk and enjoy a picture-perfect, historic waterfront town. Not a great location if you need shopping for anything except touristy tshotshkes like Old Bay t-shirts and such—a few nice restaurants, but the only stores are gift shops. If you need groceries or a laundromat, you will be out of luck.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Teresa Scott, Vayu, on Aug 4, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Free dockage and $15 for electric. No problem getting in but did stir mud. Dock has space for 2 or 3 boats if everyone tucks in close and uses all available space. There is a charter vessel that takes up a portion of the dock. When we came in there was one boat already tied up that left at least ten feet in front of him. We managed to fit in behind him and in front of the charter.
The town looks like it would be fun to explore if it wasn't so hot. Nice ice cream shop right on the water for a treat with a view.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Gaylen Smith on Mar 14, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 37'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

5.5' draft and made it easily on to the end of the dock after running aground trying to enter the anchorage. Easy access to restaurants, shops, and bars. Had to stay an extra day because of weather and the town office was accommodating and understanding, even though others had just been kicked off for taking advantage (it was also February, so not a lot of traffic). Very nice town.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Robert Lentz on Sep 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 47'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Enjoyed the free dock ($15 for electricity). Makes visiting easy. We were waiting out weather and the town allowed a second day, as there is a 24 hour limit. We usually anchor our here but the dock was open when we arrived.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: John Rockwell on Nov 3, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Usually I don't like to give five stars to a basic municipal dock. But this one has Chesapeake City. Besides being free, it's a floating dock that is easy to get in and out of. But be advised that there is really only space for 3 transients. So if it's full you can spin off to the Chesapeake Inn Marina or the Chesapeake Anchorage Marina (failing that you can anchor in the super protected anchorage). The village is a collection of houses from the 1800's. There is about 3 or 4 places to eat. I ended up at the Tap Room, the local dive bar and crab house par excellance, for a great burger. There is also a small antique shop on the main drag filled with treasures and books to read while travelling. Finally, a great coffee shop in the heart of "downtown." (Also a couple of gift shops.) All within walking distance.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: John Rockwell on Nov 19, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Easy on-off to the canal, side tie up, has water and electricity at a small fee. Town is nice for a walk.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Tom Hickey on Aug 29, 2018
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 34'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Very friendly town with 24 hour free dock, $15 for electric, $10 for water. Enjoyed Cafe on the Bay, for coffee and sandwiches, great service and food.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Chris Caldwell, AskCaptainChris, on May 2, 2017
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 44'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Wonderful setting, downtown in a quaint village setting near a gazebo that features musicians in the evening. Borrow bicycles from the library to ride in the farmland. Slow down, enjoy the country.

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Review for Town of Chesapeake City Municipal Docks - MD

Reviewed by: Chris Caldwell, AskCaptainChris, on Jul 19, 2016
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 44'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Wonderful setting, downtown in a quaint village setting near a gazebo that features musicians in the evening. Borrow bicycles from the library to ride in the farmland. Slow down, enjoy the country.

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