Dewey Beach#, ## Delaware (4)
FIG. 1A View of New Road Launch
FIG. 1B aerial view of the four Dewey Beach Launches
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The Dewey Beach launch is located at the northern end of Delaware Seashore State Park, and is actually four (4) launches all located within one mile of each other: (1) the New Road bay side launch, (2) Tower Rd Ocean side launch, (3) Tower Road bay side launch and (4) the Key Box Rd Ocean side launch, the most popular being (1) New Road bay side launch.
Directions: Take U.S. 50 East and cross Bay Bridge. At 301/50 split, remain on U.S. 50 East towards Ocean city. About seven miles later, at Jct Md Rt404, make a left hand turn at traffic signal onto Md Rt 404 E. Continue thru Denton, Md bypass into Delaware where it becomes De Rt 404. Drive thru villages of Bridgeville, DE and Georgetown, DE and continue on De Rt 404 East, (also referred later to as U.S. 9 east) and/or follow signs to Rehoboth beach. Upon reaching Rehoboth beach, you will hit Jct De Rt 1 (i.e, coastal hwy). Head south on De Rt 1 to and thru village of Dewey beach. The village of Dewey beach and the Launch are just south of Rehoboth on DE Rt 1 South. Watch your speed, especially in the village of Dewey beach!. Upon leaving the village of Dewey beach, you then enter the Delaware Seashore State Park. Although the park is about 7 miles long, the launch is less than or near 1 mile South of the village of Dewey Beach.
The most popular launch (1) can be found by taking the second right
hand turn after leaving the village of Dewey Beach traveling south. It is
marked by the sign "New Rd Sailing". The first right hand turn is Tower
Road (bay side) and the first left hand turn is Tower Road (Ocean side).
The Key Box Road launch is the southernmost of the 4 Dewey Beach launches and Tower
road (bayside) is the northern most of the four. The New road and Tower
Road (bayside) launches launch into Rehoboth bay, and the Tower Road Ocean side
launch provides a launch for windsurfers and kiters alike directly into the
ocean.
Comments: Excellent site for beginners at windsurfing. Shallow water for
quite a bit out, providing a great environment for beginners as well as people
learning how to waterstart. Although site can be used in the Summer, the
launch is greatest and can be a "best choice" in the early Spring and in the
Fall where winds here are stronger and are more reliable than the Chesapeake
launches. This is where I first got a board to plane! This is also where
many-a-clinics are held. It's worth the drive.
FIG 2. New Road Launch
Launch (1) and (3) faces West into Rehoboth bay. Good on any wind direction, but best
with west component. Nearest coastal site to DC/Baltimore area, wind speed
higher than in Chesapeake. Windsurf Jocks often choose the
Holts Landing launch over the Dewey Beach
launches when the winds are out of the East, and choose the Lewes launch when
the winds are out of the NE, as the Dewey beach bayside
launches are far from optimal on an East or NE wind. Consult a forecast engine, such as iwindsurf.com, before investing in hours to drive out and back. However,
on the whole, you are likely to conclude that it is well worth the drive.
All four of the Dewey Beach launches require an
$8 per vehicle fee per day for out-of-state people and $4 fee for DE residents.
Annual permits are available. Honors system in off season, therefore bring
correct change!
Best Wind Directions: For the bayside launches, the best winds are S, SW, W, NW and N. For the ocean side launches, the best wind directions are S and SE. When winds are E, the jocks go to Holts landing, when the winds are NE, they go to Lewes.
The Dewey beach launch has a shower facility at launch (2) Tower Road Ocean side. This is about one quarter miles north on Rt 1 from New Rd and a few hundred feet south of Tower Road bayside. The showers are only open the same hours as the parking/launch area. You need your parking pass to get in. Directions to the showers from the New Rd parking/launch area require you to head back out to RT1, turn left so you are heading North, and then take your first right about 100 yards up Rt 1. The shower water is heated.
The Dewey launches have become somewhat popular with
kiteboarders and thus the water could get crowded.
FIG. 3 Tower Road bayside Launch--Note that this launch is less crowded than the
New Road launch and has a paved parking lot
FIG. 4 Parking lot for the Tower Road Ocean Side Launch. Building has hot showers and
provides a wooden walkway to the Ocean beach. Note the tower in the background
to the left of the building
In a Nutshell: Local advanced sailors like to sail at Lewes for NE winds and sometimes on N and NW, go to Holts landing on E winds, go to Dewey Beach Oceanside for S and SE winds, to Assateague oceanside for S and SW winds, and to Dewey beach bayside for all other wind directions.
FIG. 5 Oceanside Launch @ Dewey Beach
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FIG. 6 view of one of the two towers in the area that "Tower Road" is named
after--these were built between 1939-1942 to observe any enemy vessels offshore