A Delivery Charter from North Carolina to New York
The Best Kept Secret in the charter industry. I am here to let the cat out of the bag, to tell the secret of the Delivery Charter to the world. We started this story in the last issue, the tale of the beautiful yacht Viaggio and her voyage up the Atlantic Seaboard from Ft. Lauderdale to New York. We ended last time in Beaufort, N.C., and will begin our journey there.

Re-positioning of the charter fleet occurs each spring, as the vessels leave the warmth of southern waters to spend the summer in New England, retracing their steps when the leaves begin to change and palm tress beckon. This migration of the yachts becomes the perfect chance for you to experience a charter like no other…a Delivery Charter. This charter has a different destination each day, each leading you further from your everyday life. Typically priced less than the published rate, the Delivery Charter gives you the opportunity to enjoy off-the-beaten track villages, solitary anchorages, and open seas that before now were available only to an owner or his delivery crew. Talk to your charter agent about this opportunity, then work with the captain of your charter yacht to come up with the perfect itinerary for you.

Heading North from Beaufort, N. C., you have three choices: the Quick Way, the Leisurely Way, or the Leave me Alone, I’m not in a Hurry. Your choice will depend on the yacht you choose, and how far you plan to go on your Delivery Cruise. Viaggio, the yacht we were on, is a new 75’ Sportyacht that cruises at 25 knots. Our final destination was Sag Harbor, with a “regular” charter starting the following week, so we opted for the Quick Way, and ran outside in the Atlantic Ocean the entire way, with stops along the way to keep things interesting. Spending days on the open sea sounds a bit boring, doesn’t it? And yet, nothing could be further from the truth. We were lucky and the seas were calm as Viaggio sliced neatly through them, leaving only our foaming wake to mark our passage North.

There is a mystery to the open sea. The color and texture of the sunlight as it plays across the water, shifting from the silvery grey of early morning to the white-hot light of noon, and finally the golden glow of evening. The constant changing patterns to the waves at the breezes brush the top of the water. The sea life that comes to greet you, dolphins frolicking in Viaggio’s wake, flying fish skittering out of our way, sea turtles raise their heads to glare at us as we dash by. Boring? No way.

We on Viaggio hurry up the coast, with few stops along the way. Leaving the lovely village of Beaufort behind, we swing east into the ocean to round Cape Hatteras. The water is shallow here, sometimes no more than 15 feet deep or so, which is why when the wind whips up, it is so dangerous in the area, and makes the inside passage a better option. Our days are perfect though, and we dash along with barely a breeze to ruffle the top of the water. We will make Ocean City, Maryland in plenty of time to explore the fun of its Boardwalk. Ocean City is like Atlantic City, only less hoopla and more manageable. The Boardwalk is a 2.6 mile long smile, with sand and ocean to one side and the other side lined with tacky souvenir shops, carnival amusements (when was the last time you ran through a House of Mirrors?), rides and all the stuff that your mother would shudder about if she knew you were eating it. The roller coasters are grand, screaming fun, the Ferris Wheel high enough to see tomorrow from, and then there is the miniature golf course with its “Arctic” theme. Good stuff. If you have a voice like mine, you might want to refrain from singing “Under the Boardwalk” while you stroll along, lest your companions show their disapproval by taking away your saltwater taffy!

The following day we were up early, leaving the delights of Ocean City behind us as we began the day with the sun just starting to peep over the horizon, a big red ball in a field of grey. Definitely worth getting up for. We had considered stopping in New York and enjoying an evening at Chelsea Piers, but have instead decided to head on up to Sag Harbor, a delightful village on the north end of Long Island. These long runs are possible on a planing yacht like Viaggio, because she cruises at such a high rate of speed, on a displacement yacht, cruising at 12 knots, or a sailboat, sailing at 6 knots, shorter distances are covered each day, which makes a Delivery Charter on one of the inside routes a more preferable choice. Viaggio’s high speed is perfect for the flat water we encountered, but if weather conditions were different, Capt. Chris would have headed inside and taken one of the inside routes, simply for safety sake for the guests, the crew and the yacht. No matter what you decide to do, your captain will always have the final say. He will try to fulfill your requests, but will also have your safety and comfort foremost in his mind.

We took the outside, go-fast route, but from Beaufort north, there are two other choices for you to make. One is the ICW, the Intracoastal Waterway, the other is a route that is often called the “Delivery Captains Route”. Taking the ICW north from Beaufort to Norfolk is a study of rivers. This route makes use of the many rivers that snake through the area, with such as Goose River, Neuse River, Pamlico River, etc. Let your captain do the navigating while you relax and watch the world go by. There are only a couple of towns along this route, Belhaven and Oriental, but plenty of places to anchor for an evening and enjoy the serenity, silence and starlight that is often missing in the larger ports. The “Delivery Captains Route” keeps you inside the necklace of barrier islands that make up the National Seashore. Your captain will head north from Beaufort up through the Pamlico Sound into the Albemarle Sound and most likely out through Rudy Inlet, to avoid the locks at Norfolk. This route allows you to stop at Roanoke Island, where English colonists led by Sir Walter Raleigh tried to establish the first permanent settlement in the New World.

As you recall from your 4th Grade history lessons, it simply didn’t work. However, there is a small town there now by the name of Manteo with a wonderful marina, the Pirate’s Cove. North of Norfolk, Chesapeake Bay becomes the inland route, with such a plethora of places to visit that you might want to spend your whole Delivery Charter between Norfolk at the South end and the C & D Canal at the North end. The James, Elizabeth, Hampton, Nansemond and Lafayette rivers all converge into a large natural harbor called Hampton Roads. The name also applies to the towns situated on this harbor: Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News, Hampton, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The English settle here in1607. The site of the famous Naval battle of the Monitor and Merrimac in 1862, Hampton Roads’ strategic position was assured. Plenty to see and do in this area, especially for the history buffs. Kids on board? They will probably be impressed with the cannonball still embedded in the wall of St. Paul’s Church in Norfolk, shot there by the British in 1776. To spend a whole day in another era, experience Colonial Williamsburg, it is always wonderful, but especially in the spring and in the fall when the crowds of people are gone. Perfect timing for the Delivery Charter!

Yorktown is the next logical stopping place. History comes alive in the Chesapeake, in fact, you might just want to watch “The Patriot” before you go, just to get you into the correct state of mind. The surrender of Yorktown by the British to the patriots on October 17th, 1781 marked the official end of the American Revolution.

Understandably, most of the activities around here center around the Revolutionary War, so be prepared to immerse yourself in history. A quick stop by the Yorktown Visitor Center is probably the best way to sift through the myriad of places to visit which are too numerous to mention here. Hungry after all that history and not ready to return to your charter yacht? Nick’s Seafood Pavilion, same menu, same décor since 1944. Obviously, they are doing something right.

This entire area is filled with coves and secret anchorages, to be enjoyed at your leisure as you continue your trek through Chesapeake Bay. - Next stop: the ports of Maryland. First stop: Solomons Island. This charming village has plenty of room for large yachts, but welcomes everyone with its laid-back atmosphere. A good stop for the kids, Treasure Island Mini Golf has an 18 hole miniature golf course, plus a raceway, plus laser tag. Okay, so maybe the adults will like it as much as the kids. Next, cross the Bay to the Eastern Shore and visit beautiful little Oxford. Tranquility is this town’s main appeal, so stretch your legs by wandering down the picturesque lanes admiring the old home, rent a bike, or have the chef pack you a picnic for in the park.

The pace is slower here, the perfect escape from your usual hectic days. Further on up the Eastern Shore lies St. Michaels. Small and serene, there are a couple of fun museums here to explore. St. Mary’s Square Museum is on the town green and is filled with colonial artifacts such as farming tools, shotguns, and authentic bedroom furniture. Want something more off-beat? Check out the Museum of Costume which showcases two centuries for garments, from ballgowns to lingerie. I don’t think Victoria’s Secret comes here for inspiration, though.

Now that you are thoroughly relaxed, it is time to step up the pace a little with a visit to Annapolis. History buffs will think they have died and gone to heaven as soon as they leave the yacht. With its cobbled main streets and tree-lined, brick sidewalks, Annapolis breathes history and charm. Home to the U.S. Naval Academy, no visit to Annapolis is complete without a visit to the grounds (called “the Yard”). Academy trivia: all midshipmen live in Bancroft Hall, a dorm that contains five miles of corridors. Not sure if you will ever have that question in Jeopardy!, but at least now you know the answer. Annapolis is known as a sailing town. Arrive by motoryacht and you will be welcomed, arrive by sailboat and you will be welcomed with open arms. Note: Wednesday evenings are the “beer can” races, with the boats often finishing under spinnaker at the Eastport Bridge. Simply spectacular. If you want to eat and drink with the locals, McGarvy’s is the place.

Next stop: Baltimore. Don’t fool yourself, no matter how much time you give yourself for this stop, it won’t be enough. History buff that still hasn’t gotten enough? Museums for everyone! The Civil War, B & O Railroad, firefighting, dentistry (ouch), lacrosse, you name it, it’s there. Or, how about the National Aquarium of Baltimore or Maryland Science Center with its hands-on exhibits, planetarium and IMAX theater. Okay, so the shoppers in the group haven’t been able to exercise their credit cards? Here’s the place, whether it is the Harborplace and the Gallery, Lexington Market, or the unique shops at Fells Point, if you can’t find something to buy here, you aren’t trying.

You will hate to leave Baltimore behind, but you decided you wanted to take the Delivery Charter from Beaufort to New York, and it is time to head north again. From Baltimore, your captain will go on up the Chesapeake Bay and transit the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal to Delaware Bay. The C & D Canal is a 19.2 mile-long, 450-foot-wide canal that connects the two bays. By the time you are through it, you will be glad that the captain is in charge of driving the yacht and you are in charge of relaxing. One thing is for sure, you will see big ships up close and personal, just remember that you are having a lot more fun than anyone on board one of them is having!

Down the Delaware Bay you will go, swinging out around the southern end of New Jersey, perhaps spending the night in the hamlet of Cape May. This delightful village is recognized as a National Landmark, known for its Victorian-style architecture. The houses here seem to compete with each other as to which has themost gingerbread in fanciful colors. Up the coast lies AtlanticCity, which is rather like OceanCity onsteroids. Moreof everything: more boardwalk, more miles of sugary-whitesand beaches, more bad-for-you-wonderful-tasting-food,plus casinos and golf courses. The golfers in the group are going to be happy they dragged along their clubs…because at last count there were 23 golf courses to choose from.

How much more time do you have? Time enough to stop at Manasquan, the laid-back fishing village that lies about 35 miles north of Atlantic City? On the to-do list here: beachcombing, fishing on the jetty, watching the Labrador Retrievers splashing in the shallows, admiring the colorful clam shacks. Perhaps this is the perfect last stop on your Delivery Charter, a quiet place to reflect on everything you have seen and done in the past days. Or maybe, you don’t want a quiet interlude, but prefer to charge right on up to New York City and dock at Chelsea Piers.

So, which charter do you desire? The Quick Way, on a fast planing yacht like Viaggio, the Leisurely Way or the Leave me alone, I’m not in a hurry way? That is the beauty of the Delivery Charter. There are so many yachts making the migration that your choice of vessels is almost unlimited, as most people don’t know the secret of the Delivery Charter opportunity. Now you do, so why not give it a try for your next holiday? The only thing you will regret is that you didn’t do it before!