I've done the upper part of the Wicomico maybe 25 years ago. It's certainly very navigable as Salisbury has a ship building yard. Also, tugs and barges travel to Salisbury for the heating oil terminal. There is also a major marine construction company with tugs and barge above the draw bridge.
There is a city marina in Salisbury just below the draw bridge.
Ted
Yep. Thanks.
I'm pretty familiar with that area from the land side. I lived a few hundred yards from the river near Upper Ferry 15-20 years ago. For the sake of others reading this, if you are looking for a less well traveled destination where you can get off and wander, there are places to do that in an easy walk, but just ask about the correct direction (head toward downtown, and not the other direction, for safety). By that marina is an active bar / restaurant that's pretty active. Brew River. Or, a hole in the wall spot on the other side, short walk, called Market Street.
I'd be cautious about trying to anchor too close to the shipyard, as they have been known to fling some paint in the air in overspray creating a light misty coat on cars across the river. And as you point out the river has active commercial traffic in a narrow river, so be on guard for that and if the plan is to anchor be sure to account for that as you pick a spot.
The ferry crossings are active, or at least were. Small ferries that hold maybe 4 cars. They operate by pulling themselves along a cable in the water so don't crowd the ferry as it crosses, giving plenty of time for that cable to sink to the bottom again after a passing. Nothing to fear, but just don't crowd it.
Further down near the mouth is a crab house that is a favorite of locals, that is probably walkable but I've never looked at it for that possibility. The Red Roost. There is a dock bar where you would come ashore that I'm not familiar with.
I'll make that trip one day if for no other reason than to visit with old friends that today are too seldom seen.
For the same reason, I'll be going to Crisfield which I know has been your HQ on the Chesapeake. And probably Deal Island. Probably Cape Charles, just because I used to know it from the land side. Ditto Pokomoke ("Pokey Mokey") and Snow Hill ("Slow Hill")
One goal I won't soon do is to circumnavigate the Delmarva. On the ocean side, stops in Ocean City and Chincoteague are obvious. And when I do those it may take days for my liver to recover from recreation with friends. But I think I'd want an anchorage spot halfway between Chincoteague and around into the Bay to Cape Charles or over to Norfolk area. Any anchorage suggestions?