Holts Landing Launch  (Indian River bay, Delaware)
Used on an East wind and perhaps a NE wind when
Dewey Beach is less than optimum

  
FIG. 1A Indian River Bay from the Holts Landing Launch
(to view a land photo:   if browser is Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), use
"control =" to zoom in by hitting the "=" key while the ctrl key is depressed. 
To zoom back out, use "control -".  If browser is Netscape or Firefox, simply
 right click on the photo and then select "View Image")
 
FIG. 1B Aerial view of Holts Landing Launch area
 

Directions:  From Dewey Beach, take De Rt 1 South 10 miles
and turn right onto DE Rt 26 West in Bethany Beach. From
Ocean City, MD, take the Coastal Highway North into Delaware
(becomes Rt 1 North).  Make a left hand turn onto Rt 26 West
in Bethany Beach.  Once on Rt 26 West, travel 4.8 miles and
take a right hand turn onto Irons Lane at the Hudson General
Store.  Travel 1 mile north on Irons Lane to a stop sign and
turn right onto Holts Landing Road.  After 0.9 miles on Holts
Landing road, make a left hand turn to remain on Holts
Landing Road. Travel 1.3 more miles on Holts Landing Road
 to toll booth at the entrance of the park.  Pay the fee ($6 for
non DE residents, $3 for DE residents), and drive to a
T intersection.  Make a right hand turn at the T intersection
and travel to end at parking lot and boat ramp.

Fees:  $6 for out of state residents, $3 for Delaware residents
for a day.  Annual passes are available for everyone.  This
launch is outside the Delaware Seashore State Park

Best Wind Directions:  Launch faces North.  So any wind
direction absent a South in it is best.  Since Dewey beach
is near by, Holts landing is generally used when the wind
is out of the East or NE. 

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.

Amenities:  Restrooms.

Comments:  You can rig on the pavement of the parking lot
or on the grass near by. Beach is very cramped and tiny.  Except
for the tiny beach launch, the entire shoreline is lined with
large rocks to prevent erosion.  Thus, the launch area is very limited. 

FIG. 2 View of the tiny windsurf launch from a floating dock
(to view a photo:   if browser is Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), use "control =" to zoom in
 by hitting the "=" key while the ctrl key is depressed.  To zoom back out, use "control -". 
If browser is Netscape or Firefox, simply right click on the photo and then select "View Image")

Holts Landing has been a popular launch among windsurfers for
 years or even decades.  Despite being tiny, it offers a wide
expanse of water that works best onEast winds and well on
NE winds when Dewey beach is not at its optimum.  However,
 due to its cramped launch and no area in the water to stand up
 in, the site is best for windsurfers who are proficient in waterstarting. 

Launch offers little privacy as cars and large SUV's are continually
driving to the launch, taking a look, turning around and leaving,
and thus you are continually on display.  Also, the launch is
next to a boat ramp as large pickup trucks are constantly
launching and retrieving their motor boats and jet skis.

FIG. 3 View of the Parking Lot @ the Holts Landing Launch

Just to the east of the launch is Tuckahoe Acres, a development
with a beachwhere it is possible to rest while standing up, but
the land is private property.

FIG. 4 map showing directions to the launch 

FIG. 5 close-up map of directions to launch