Sample Itinerary

Sample 5 Day Chesapeake Bay Itinerary
the lesson

Day 1
    Meet with the group and spend the morning stowing personal gear, exploring the boat and all its operating systems. Learn nautical terms for parts of the boat and review the week's itinerary. Also discuss rules and regulations while on board and demonstrate location and use of all safety related equipment. Have a cookout for lunch at the marina.
    Assign all six students into three, two person "watches" and explain rotational duties for the week. During the week each will take turns being Captain, First Mate, Navigator, and Ordinary Sailor. Duties include meal preparation and cooking, cleaning, navigating, steering, boat maintenance, dropping and weighing anchor, lookout, and sail management.
    Cast off dock lines and explore the Coan River practicing steering and following channel markers along the way. Cross the Potomac and anchor in Smith Creek, Maryland for the night. After dinner on board there's free time for swimming, showering, board games, star gazing or videos.

the galley Day 2
Wake up, breakfast, chart and navigation class, weigh anchor, and leave for uninhabited Hollis Marsh (Sharks Tooth) Island to search for fossilized sharks teeth along the beach. Voyage to Hollis Marsh Island will include continued practice and development of sailing and navigation skills (introducing Distance/Speed/Time formula and compass variations based on true or magnetic North plus dolphin watching) and an introduction to meteorology through the analysis of down-loaded satellite images. Arrive the island late afternoon, anchor, and row ashore in the inflatable to search for teeth. Return to boat for evening routine (dinner, journal, and study time) to include star gazing and identification.

Test 3 Day
Morning routine followed by biology/chemistry class to study water samples taken from Coan River, Smith, and Hollis Marsh waters comparing salinity and pH levels. Up anchor and sail to St. Clements Island to search for buried treasure using clues and compasses. Practice tacking, jibing, sail trim, and MOB (man over board) maneuvers. Weather forecasting class will be held en route. Evening routine.

GPS Day 4
After morning logs and weather observations are completed, depart for St. Mary’s, Maryland. Drop anchor at Horseshoe Bend and dinghy ashore. Tour William Farthing's Ordinary, 17th century Godiah Spray Tobacco Plantation, get locked up in stocks at the courthouse, learn to make a fire from the indians, and go aboard the reconstructed three-masted Maryland Dove, typical of the vessels that brought colonists over from England.
Row back to boat and prepare dinner. Review events of the day and what was learned followed by journal entries and free time . Evening routine with continued practice of star identification. Lights out at 10:30 p.m.

Day 5
Morning routine followed by return passage to Coan River Marina, VA. En route, pass over sunken WW ll German U-boat. Later review the week's activities and topics with continued use of all navigational math required to return to Coan River. Upon arrival at the docks, personal gear will be packed, the boat cleaned, and certificates of completion will be given.

Note: This is only a sample itinerary. Changes in places visited are based on wind directions, weather conditions, and educational interests and goals of each group.

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