Customer Reviews

Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholer's Guide

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
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We have used it for 5 years and finally have visited each of the 5-star rated anchorages. They were all worth the trip.

We could not have entered many of the best without the specific "local knowlege" this book provides, and have amazed friends when we entered a tricky entrance, making all the right turns as though it was our home port.

It's more comprehensive than any other guide and has no advertising. Get the other guides if you're primarily looking for restaurant reviews and the like, since he only mentions a few of the most outstanding "finds", but if you're looking for pristine anchorages, or where the closest fuel, food, hurricane hole or pumpout is, this is the book for you.

This is a very comprehensive and informative book for anyone interested in finding those hidden away spots in the coves. the author has obviously been in every nook and cranny and has done a fine job of accomplishing what he has set out to do in authoring this book. The maps contained within should be used as a general reference only, as they do not provide the detail needed to navigate adequately. This is not a pictoral book and, as a result, has very few pictures.

In addition to telling you where facilities, anchorages, and other interesting local points of interest are, he supplies invaluable lessons only learned in the school of hard knocks. Valuable mariner lessons were included on weather prediction, inlet navigation, and other techniques tailored to use in the Chesapeake bay. The book was very well done, and I hope to set off on a cruise in the very near future.

I have two copies of the 2001 edition: one aboard my sailboat in Annapolis and the second in my office. Most of my use of the book has been in the middle Chesapeake. In crawling up and down the Magothy, Severn, South, West, Rhode, Chester, Wye, and Tred Avon Rivers this book has provided helpful insight into what I would find. This book and the Maptech chart book are all you need to find your way to and through the backwaters of the Chesapeake.

Seems to be a great resource. Well organized, with a trove of useful details. Have already learned about a few good places to anchor, etc. not very far from where our boat is docked that I hadn't been aware of. Only downside -- and it's pretty big -- is the age of the book. The latest edition was published in 2001, so the status of some business establishments listed in the book will have changed. For example, there's a rave review for a restaurant in our area that burned to the ground in 2003. Best to call ahead before heading out if you're planning on visiting a business establishment listed in the book that you're not certain is still around.

After using the other popular cruising guide for several seasons we bit the bullet and bought this one. Throw the other one away, this one has better descriptions of the places to go, how to get into the anchorages, what's there waiting for you, and where to anchor. Worth the $$.

Not to be trite, but this book is an absolute must for anyone who seriously cruises Chesapeake Bay including its approaches. Superb detail and illustrations compliment a clear, carefully worded text. I have and use two other cruising guides for additional information but always start and end with this book.

The book is very comprehensive so if that's what you want, this is for you. However, it is'nt in colour,and has a poor/non-exhistant mapping system so is not suitable for ordinary visitors to the Chesapeake. The Chesapeake Cruising Magazine's annual guide is a lot easier to use and has itineries to make life easy.

This 3rd edition (2001) of Cruising the Chesapeake: A Gunkholer's Guide is a good guide to out of the way places, but a bit dated related to shore facilities. This, however, is not an issue if you are looking for remote anchorages so worth having aboard. An updated 4th edition would definitely be a worthwhile endeavor and an excellent resource.

I bought this book because I wanted a complete description of the Chesapeak area to help us in a planned visit of the area. It has met or exceeded my expectations with excellent maps and complete descriptions of the navigable areas. It provides detailed navigation advice along with an overall description of what to see, facilities, history, etc...