Visiting Solomons Island (“Solomons” for short), MD in any vehicle is sure to be a special experience but visiting by boat certainly adds to the allure of this charming town, situated on the shores of the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay. Equally located between Norfolk and the Chesapeake and Delaware (C&D) canal, it makes for a great stop for any boaters traveling up or down the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, it is really the only reasonable port and anchorage close to the main channel of the Chesapeake Bay, between Annapolis and the Potomac, as most other options are a long way up long, winding creeks.
Solomons didn’t used to be such a hot spot for water sports or visitors. It does however have a rich history on the water from local fisherman harvesting seafood to shipbuilding the local waterman’s vessels for fishing. Since the construction of the Johnson bridge in 1971, the island has become much more accessible to a wider audience, thus, making it the hotspot it is now for culinary delights and watersports alike. The economy in this region has always been centered around the water so being able to arrive by boat was really an experience in itself.
Arriving By Boat
We visited Solomons island in late June and we were certainly not the only ones on the water. Speed boats, sailboats, fishing boats, kayaks, every type of watercraft you could imagine was on the water this day. All this made for quite the entrance into the Patuxent River and channel into Back Creek.
Coming from the south the first indication of the Patuxent River will be the Patuxent Lighted Buoy #1 which is not only the channel marker for the main channel in the bay, but also marks the edge of a large shoal that extends out from the shore. You will want to keep this buoy to port if you are traveling north as visibility is low and there is a rip rap island inside the marker about .8 Miles that could be a hazard if not located. On a clear day, the island is visible and you can cheat inside the marker, just watch your charts and depths.
Once you have turned the corner, the next buoy you will want to locate will be Patuxent Light “3” which you will want to keep to port as it too is marking a shoal that extends out almost a third of the way to the middle of the river. Working your way up the river a bit you will have two options to enter the anchorages and marinas of the island.
The main channel takes you further up the river a bit and in the main traffic channel which can be busy at the entrance. For this route, just find the red buoy “6’ to starboard and follow the red day beacons until you see a split in the channel. Once you come to the split in the confluence of Mill Creek and Back Creek, Mill Creek will be to starboard. Mill Creek is a creek that meanders away from the town where Back Creek to port is the main drag for marinas, anchorages, and all things happening in downtown Solomons.
The alternative entrance goes inside of the shoal marked by the Patuxent River Lighted buoy “6”. It splits this shoal with the land on the North bank of the Patuxent River and keeps you out of the main channel and traffic. To locate it you want to hug Drum Point and Drum point light “4”. Once you have passed this look for the red and green day beacon on the North bank of the river and run red marker to red marker about a half-mile until you get back to the main channel into Mill creek and Back creek.
Anchorages
There are a number of anchorages around Solomons Island that can offer anything from tight and busy to secluded and protected. If you decide to head up Mill Creek you will have plenty of options and a reasonable depth of 10’-15’ all the way up the creek until Mill Creek Marine. Although there are a plethora of anchorages up this way, you are a pretty long dinghy ride back to the main town of Solomons.
Heading up Back Creek you will find no shortage of options for Marinas and mooring fields, however, anchorages are few and far between. The first anchorage as you move your way up the creek is behind the Zanhiesers mooring field and there is probably room for two to three boats. Further up the creek, you will find an anchorage out in front of the Holiday Inn and Solomons Harbor Marina. Here there is probably room for 3 to for boats on the short scope. The last anchorage up the creek is a really tight one with only room for one maybe two boats and is up the right fork of the creek moving away from the Holiday Inn.
Marinas
The options of anchorages up Back creek may be a little limited but the abundance of great marinas and boatyards that can fit any boater’s needs for not only an overnight stop but also repair fuel and all other things boat-related. While the options seem endless, here are a few marinas we have experience with and would recommend to any visiting boater.
ZANHISER NOW SAFE HARBOR ZANHAISERS
Zahniser’s is about midway up the channel of the back creek on the port side and the slips are easy to access right off the channel. They offer both transient and long term slips and can accommodate vessels up to 140’ with their large T-Docks. Along with wet slips they also offer a mooring field that is just north of the docks and allows you to use their dinghy dock for easy access to their facilities and downtown Solomons.
We opted for the mooring field just north of the marina facilities to save a little coin. The dinghy dock was easy to find and puts you right into the heart of all the action. The grounds of the marina are great for dog walking which we took full advantage of when walking our two pugs. Grabbing a mooring ball also allows you to access all of the amenities that Zanhisers has to offer, which is a nice perk if you’re needing a quick stop and a hot shower. Zahniser’s is definitely the choice of many boaters that visit Solomons by boat.
To learn more about Zanhisers click here
SPRING COVE MARINA
Another popular and great marina option is the Spring Cove marina located just north of the Zanhisers mooring field. It offers a full-service boatyard, slips for most boats and includes a variety of covered slips if your boat can fit. Along with a full-service marina and boatyard, the marina has a pool and large treed grounds which are great for keeping cool during the hot summer months or walking the dogs.
We utilized the fuel island during our stay and were greeted by friendly dock hands to help tie up and fuel up. The fuel island is conveniently located on the main channel on a T head with, in our case, plenty of room to maneuver or turn around completely to tie up for fuel. Spring cove is another great option and a little quieter based on its location further up Back Creek.
To learn more about Spring Cove click here
CALVERT MARINA
Located across Back creek, this simple but historic marina provides all the amenities a transient boater would need, including easy to access slips right off the creek and a more spread out feel than the other marinas that may feel a bit cramped on the other side of the creek. It does not offer a boatyard but the listed options above would suffice. What it does offer is a lot of walking room with the property sprawling over 70 acres of wooded property that spans all the way out to the point of the western shores of Back Creek.
Take a stroll out to the point and you will be greeted by the “On The Watch” monument, which has been put in place to commemorate the people and work at the Solomons Amphibious Training base. This was the first base of its kind, training soldiers during World War II to make beach landings which would have been utilized and vital for landings in places like Normandy, North Africa and the Pacific Solomons Island. From 1942 to 1945 around 68,000 sailors, marines, coast guardsmen and soldiers trained at this facility.
To learn more about Calvert Marina click here
Regardless of which marina you choose, all will have something unique for the visiting boater to enjoy and will certainly make your visit memorable like it was for us.
Restaurants
The abundance of great restaurants is apparent in town and you can’t really go wrong with anyone you choose. The best advice we can give is to go ashore and just set out on foot, the town is not too big or not too small and has something for everyone to enjoy. Some of the town favorites are CD’s cafe for lunch, the Pier for a drink and a view, and Kingfishers for everything seafood, especially crab. You really can’t go wrong, they say you could eat out every meal for a whole week and still find something new.
Other Attractions
CALVERT MARINE MUSEUM
The Calvert museum is a must-see for any visitor whether you come via boat or not. But it should especially be a must for the visiting boater. This all-immersive museum offers anything from concerts to boat tours to watching scientists work paleontology prep lab and pretty much anything else Chesapeake Bay boating can be found at this museum. Unfortunately for us we visited in June of 2020 and the museum was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Accessing the museum from any one of the listed marinas is either a quick walk or dinghy ride away and a great starting or ending point to a day exploring Solomons Island, MD.
Visiting Solomons Islands, MD by boat is an exceptional experience and one that should be had by and visiting boater. Whether it’s the world-class seafood, wonderful sailing on the bay, great marinas, or awesome historical sites, Solomons Island, MD has something for everyone to enjoy.
