How to get to us by water

If you already know Jackson Creek, skip to "Getting to the Museum"

Look on your NOAA Chart #12225 at the west side of the Chesapeake Bay and find the Mouth of the Rappahannock River. At the south of the Mouth (Yeah, I know!), tucked around the back of Stingray Point, you'll find the Jackson Creek entrance. Getting into Jackson Creek can be a little tricky but there is plenty (6'+) of water, so just take it easy.

The entrance is shaped like a fishhook, with you entering at the barb between markers G1 and R2(not shown), so G3 and R4 are northerly and almost on the hard. You will swing west at G3 and curve around G5. Stay at least 6' off all your markers. There is some silting.

If you are going on into Jackson Creek itself, keep curving south around Green 7, favor Green 9, then favor Red 10. Past Red 10 you have some choices. There are two forks to Jackson Creek. If you want the North Fork, turn right/west past R10. You will see Deltaville Marina & Boatyard to starboard, just past the dock for the Jackson Creek Condos (Green metal roofs, 2 stories). DBY&M is a full service facility with fuel, ice, ship's store, pump-out, dockage, pool, and some great folks. There is plenty of water and anchorage, if desired, in the open water just past the fuel dock. DBY has a floating dinghy dock just west of the travel-lift slip. They also have complete certified repair and maintenance facilities. If you want to continue up the Creek past DBY you will need to head toward the south side where you see the piers. There is a sandbar that makes off the land on the north. I would not continue into the tail to the north without local knowledge.

To enter the South Fork of Jackson Creek, simply go straight at R10. You will see the docks of Fishing Bay Yacht Club ahead to your left. Favor the Yacht Club, as there is a sandbar making off the point between the North and South Forks, and the point with the lighthouse replica. Just past the Club is an open area popular as a cruising anchorage. To the north you will see the town dock which is at the end of Lover's Lane in Deltaville. This lane ends in the center of town. There are restaurants, an excellent hardware store and shops. You may tie up at the town dock, daytime only. The overflowing water tanks you see on some of the docks in this fork are soft-shell shedding tanks, one of the local aquaculture industries.

There is another excellent anchorage area straight ahead (W) where the South Fork splits in to a right and a left branch. There are small Marinas on both forks, and, if you favor the piers, there is plenty of water. Once again, I would not carry much draft past the docks on either split.

Getting to the Museum

Now that you have the vagaries of Jackson Creek straight (or already know them) and want to get into Mill Creek to visit the Museum, take a look at the 1st satellite photo. The average tide range in Mill Creek is 1.5'. I take the Iva W. drawing 5' 6ish, in and out at high tide with no problem. If the tide is low you should figure 4' or less. You can tie up 5'-6' at the Pierwalk if there's room. After you have passed G5 coming into Jackson Creek, stay straight toward the Harbor House bulkhead. If you are coming out of Jackson Creek, stay straight at G7. As you approach Harbor House you will see a white finger-shaped sign, with DMM written on it, to your NNE marking a sand island. As you approach the sign you will see the Mill Creek entrance to your left. Harbor House has a bulkhead, pavilion roof and marina on the left side of the entrance. All the Museum marks shown on your satellite photo are 2” white PVC pipe painted red or green on the top. They are not numbered except on the picture, for your convenience. See enlarged photo below.

The first mark you will see is the Red (2) marking the sandbar across from the pavilion and bulkhead. Please, please enter this area at caution speed. There are often residents of Harbor House fishing off this bulkhead, backing their boats out of their slips, or using the boat ramp. These folks are good friends and neighbors to the Museum. Courtesy is the byword. After leaving Red 2 to starboard, favor the left side of the creek and keep your head for Green 1. As you approach G1 the turn to your right will be obvious, running between G3&5 and R4&6. You may cut R6 as tight as you want at the turn. Stay between G7 & R8. As you pass G9, you will see a Red mark in the little bay to starboard. This was placed as a range marker to mark the deepest channel to the Museum dock. Put your stern to this marker, your bow on the end of the Museum pier (the one with all the boats) and you are in the channel all the way to the "Pierwalk." Note the overhead power line at 32' off High Water.

Once you get to the Museum, you are welcome to tie up anytime from dawn to dusk at the Pierwalk, if the Museum Flotilla isn't "hoggin'" it, or at the 150' dedicated small boat and dinghy dock on the south side of the Pierwalk. This is a floating pier, so it's easy in and out, and carries 4' outside (small boats) and 3' inside (dinghies).

Welcome to the Museum and Park. Ya'll come back soon!