So much has happened in the last several days, I don't know where to start. I guess I'll just go chronologically.
After the nice visit with my family in Annapolis, I cruised under the Bay Bridge and got to an anchorage across the Chesapeake Bay. It was about a 25 mile cruise in smooth water, which was a pleasant surprise. I anchored out in a big cove that protected me from the south. And, I was in a good position to get to the C&D Canal.
Of course the winds shifted and I was again exposed to some of the worst that the Chesapeake has to offer. Small craft warnings and a gale warning kept me on anchor for an extra day and awake all night.
The winds subsided on Wednesday (6/26/2017) and I was treated to a beautiful run up to, through, and out of the C&D. I got into the Delaware City Marina for the night. The marina it on a narrow channel that connects the C&D to the Delaware River. The single dock must stretch for 1/4 of a mile. The tidal current runs through the channel at an amazing speed. The guy who runs the place gives an extraordinary briefing on the expected conditions for traveling the Delaware River out into the Delaware Bay and on to either Cape May, NJ or Lewes, DE. He then gives you a departure briefing the following morning. He laid out my journey down the river and told me that I could expect to arrive in Lewes at 1530. He broke it down into segments that involved tide, current, and wind. He said the with a 6 knot boat and the tide, I'll be doing 8 knots for 2 hours. Then at slack tide, I'll be doing 6 knots. After that, I'll be doing 4 knots. And then, the tide shifts again and I'll be back to 8. He was amazing and I arrived in Lewes at 1530.
I had contacted a couple that I had met in Pensacola, in the RV park. Rich and Linda had been following my journey and told me to contact them when I reached Delaware. So, I did. They were nice enough to come and get me from the marina. We went out to dinner with another couple that I had met in P'cola. Linda did a load of laundry for me and I stayed overnight at their home. That was the most comfortable night I've had since visiting Connie and Stan!
After staying the night, Rich took me grocery shopping and dropped me off back at the boat. I headed out for a short cruise to Cape May Point, NJ. Another beautiful crossing. The bay was like a mill pond and I arrived mid-afternoon and anchored about 100 yards off of the beach. Again, I was well positioned for the following day's cruise, which would be through the Cape May Canal.
As you can see in the sunset picture, the water of the bay is already getting choppy. There must have been a big storm to the south because I was pounded by 4-5 foot waves all night long. I didn't get much sleep at all. The pleasant surprise is my anchor. Through all of this bad, overnight weather, the anchor hasn't budged an inch.
June 28, sees me through the Cape May Canal and well into New Jersey. It was a windy day cruising, but I got to a marina in Marmora, NJ. I got checked into the marina and I asked the young woman at the desk if there was any shopping or restaurants near-by. She said, "Yes, there is a restaurant about a mile or a mile and a half away. Depends on how fast you walk." I responded, "No, it doesn't." She said, "Yeah, I know. Nobody ever gets that!"
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had the inflatable fixed in Annapolis. But, they didn't have the seat for it. I had the seat on the tug. So, I took the opportunity to pull the dink out of the water, partially deflate the tubes, and insert the seat. I had sort of forgotten how light the boat is, so instead of towing it behind, I've mounted it on the swim platform. Although, there is a bit more wind resistance, I think there is less of a performance impact than when I'm towing it. We'll see how it works.
So, with the dinghy on the swim platform and a full tank of fuel, I set out for an anchorage in Beach Haven, New Jersey...
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| Under the Bay Bridge |
Of course the winds shifted and I was again exposed to some of the worst that the Chesapeake has to offer. Small craft warnings and a gale warning kept me on anchor for an extra day and awake all night.
The winds subsided on Wednesday (6/26/2017) and I was treated to a beautiful run up to, through, and out of the C&D. I got into the Delaware City Marina for the night. The marina it on a narrow channel that connects the C&D to the Delaware River. The single dock must stretch for 1/4 of a mile. The tidal current runs through the channel at an amazing speed. The guy who runs the place gives an extraordinary briefing on the expected conditions for traveling the Delaware River out into the Delaware Bay and on to either Cape May, NJ or Lewes, DE. He then gives you a departure briefing the following morning. He laid out my journey down the river and told me that I could expect to arrive in Lewes at 1530. He broke it down into segments that involved tide, current, and wind. He said the with a 6 knot boat and the tide, I'll be doing 8 knots for 2 hours. Then at slack tide, I'll be doing 6 knots. After that, I'll be doing 4 knots. And then, the tide shifts again and I'll be back to 8. He was amazing and I arrived in Lewes at 1530.
I had contacted a couple that I had met in Pensacola, in the RV park. Rich and Linda had been following my journey and told me to contact them when I reached Delaware. So, I did. They were nice enough to come and get me from the marina. We went out to dinner with another couple that I had met in P'cola. Linda did a load of laundry for me and I stayed overnight at their home. That was the most comfortable night I've had since visiting Connie and Stan!
 |
| Sunset on Delaware Bay |
As you can see in the sunset picture, the water of the bay is already getting choppy. There must have been a big storm to the south because I was pounded by 4-5 foot waves all night long. I didn't get much sleep at all. The pleasant surprise is my anchor. Through all of this bad, overnight weather, the anchor hasn't budged an inch.
June 28, sees me through the Cape May Canal and well into New Jersey. It was a windy day cruising, but I got to a marina in Marmora, NJ. I got checked into the marina and I asked the young woman at the desk if there was any shopping or restaurants near-by. She said, "Yes, there is a restaurant about a mile or a mile and a half away. Depends on how fast you walk." I responded, "No, it doesn't." She said, "Yeah, I know. Nobody ever gets that!"
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had the inflatable fixed in Annapolis. But, they didn't have the seat for it. I had the seat on the tug. So, I took the opportunity to pull the dink out of the water, partially deflate the tubes, and insert the seat. I had sort of forgotten how light the boat is, so instead of towing it behind, I've mounted it on the swim platform. Although, there is a bit more wind resistance, I think there is less of a performance impact than when I'm towing it. We'll see how it works.
So, with the dinghy on the swim platform and a full tank of fuel, I set out for an anchorage in Beach Haven, New Jersey...
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