Depart: Atlantic City, NJ (Brigantine Anchorage) 10:36
Arrive: Cape May Anchorage 3:45
Distance: 50 nm
SW Wind, clear skies
With a relatively short distance to travel today, we saw no rush to jump out of bed early. We had a leisurely breakfast and then got underway.
The below photos were taken from the Brigantine Anchorage at Atlantic City ...
Our travel on the ocean today was the opposite of yesterday where it started out calm and got nasty; today it started out nasty and eventually settled down. As we entered the ocean we had 4-to-6-foot seas. Sadly, like yesterday, the waves came close together, so we pounded over them. The wild ride makes getting from the upper helm to the head (toilet for landlubbers) an interesting adventure.
Perhaps because of the dismal weather, we have seen fewer boats on the water so far this trip south than usual. As we approached Atlantic City yesterday, we did have company for the wild ride after Barnegat. A small, 20-something foot boat was bouncing along in the ocean a mile or so east of us. I was glad I wasn't in that boat.
At some point, the owner called us, announced himself as Perseverance (a most appropriate name I thought given the situation), and asked if we had any idea regarding what the remainder of the trip to Atlantic City held in terms of seas. Clark replied that he expected "more of the same". He called us a few times during the trip. I think he was happy to have someone nearby in case things got even dicier than they were.
Although Perseverance had the ability to speed up, he stayed relatively close to us until the Absecon Inlet into AC came into view then he took off like a shot. When he got to the Farleigh State Marina, he tried haling them for several minutes to no avail. Unfortunately, it was after 5:00, so apparently they had gone home for the day. Finally, Clark called Perseverance on the radio and told him where he thought he should tie up for the night. He appreciated the advice. Since Perseverance is also headed towards Chesapeake Bay, perhaps we will see him again.
Unlike yesterday, when we increased speed to reach the anchorage before dark, Clark throttled back today to take the waves at a slower speed. That helped tremendously as far as comfort! Some things shifted around inside the boat or toppled over today; whereas yesterday, as Clark put it, "we trashed the inside of the boat". It was nothing like when we used to "trash" the insides of Sea Moss, but still, we are not used to having to clean up inside Sunset Delight after a voyage. As the day progressed, the sea declined, and we had a somewhat more pleasant 2-to-4-foot seas experience.
Finally, after over four hours of being tossed about, we arrived at the Cape May inlet. Clark commented, "Wow! Now, this is calm water." He noted that after the 6-foot waves, the 3-footers had felt calm. Once inside the inlet, we remembered what calm really felt like!
We saw a lot of commercial vessels out and about in Cape May - mostly tour boats and one large fishing-boat-for-hire. I found it interesting that, on the more populated boats like the Whale-watching tour boats and the fishing boat, I saw no one wearing masks. On the smaller boats with half-a-dozen people on board, like Wilderness Adventures, everyone was wearing masks including the pilot. All of them were open boats.
We found space at the anchorage near the US Coast Guard station. Clark circled around to check out the depths and space and then dropped anchor for the night. Sitting in the anchorage, we could hear the troops drilling at the Coast Guard station - hup, 2,3,4 ...
Unusual for us, but by "Looper's Midnight" (9 p.m.), we were tucked up in bed. I read for a couple of hours, but Clark was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Clark said we should not rush out this morning because he wanted to hit the Delaware at slack tide. We timed our departure accordingly to leave just after 9:00. As I got ready for the day, I heard music coming from the Coast Guard station. It started just before 8:00. I thought that they would be playing Reveille to start the day, but I swear I heard Taps! Next, we heard the Star Spangled Banner!
When we arrived at the anchorage yesterday, we had three hours until low tide. We saw only the top of the mast of a sunken sailboat that has been there for a while. However, when we pulled up anchor today, it was low tide, and we got to see a lot more of the sailboat than I have ever noticed before.
 |
| Old, slimy, sunken sailboat at Cape May, NJ anchorage |
Our route today took us along the Cape May canal into Delaware Bay up the Delaware River and along the C&D Canal. The weather was dreary, but the wind was negligible, and the seas were the flattest one could ever imagine. I told Clark to take a couple of pictures as proof!
 |
| Lighthouse at Miah Mall Shoal Note the flat water! Like glass! |
 |
| Company on Delaware Bay - again, note flat water! |
We saw little boat traffic today as we headed up the Delaware. We passed one trawler. Two speedier boats, traveling together maybe, passed us on their way to stay at Shaeffer's Marina for the night. At one point, on the C&D canal, Clark looked back and said, "Wow! That's one big boat coming up behind us!" He looked at AIS to get the stats and found it to be the Grand Neptune at 656 feet long, 105 feet beam (wide), and a 29-foot draft (water required not to run aground). Huge!
Since Grand Neptune traveled at 10 knots compared to our 8.5 knot speed, we knew that eventually he would catch up and pass us. Fortunately the C&D canal is wide enough for safe passing even with a vessel that size. It is intimidating though!
 |
| Grand Neptune coming up behind us |
Clark wanted to get some pictures as he passed us to show perspective of size.
Our hopeful plans for the night were to tie up at the free dock at Chesapeake City. This is always a crap shoot as there may or may not be space available. Clark tried to call ahead to get the inside scoop, but all avenues failed. He called the tour boat company that ties up on the dock; only to find out that due to yucky weather, they stayed home today. He haled one of the two boats that passed us heading for Schaeffer's and asked if he could give us a shout back about status. When he called us later, however, all we got was static roar and therefore remained clueless as to availability.
After waiting what felt like forever for the Grand Neptune to pass us, it appeared that he would finally do that just as we needed to cross over to scope out the Chesapeake City docks. We hoped he would get going and be gone. Instead, he called us on the radio to say he would be slowing down to change pilots.
Given that, we slowed way down to pass behind him. When we came up on the other side, the pilot boat had already dropped off the pilot and was heading away. Fast! Too bad we did not get to the other side soon enough to see the guy climb the ladder on the moving vessel. From what I could see, it looked like he'd have to crawl into the access space to get onboard.
 |
| Pilot has been dropped off ... Black line up to rectangular opening is the ladder (glad that is not my job) |
As we watched Grand Neptune continue on her way, we saw she was approaching a bridge and wondered how much, if any, clearance the boat would have.
 |
| Gosh! Will it fit under?? |
 |
| Maybe! Probably! |
 |
| Oh! Lots of room to spare! |
When we got to the free dock, we could not believe our eyes - no one was there taking up the free space! We tied up as close to the canal as possible with our nose sticking out beyond the floating dock a bit to allow space for at least two more boats. Just as we were tying our lines, a sailboat came in and tied up behind us. He said he was concerned, when he saw us come in, that we would take up the last available space, but we were both lucky today.
The lousy weather held off until we got tied up, and then it started to rain. At a very safe distance, we talked to our new, temporary neighbors for a while, exchanged names and boat cards, and then we went our separate ways to get in out of the rain.
A picture of one of the things we talked about is below - a "1947 Trumpy" The website says that this is a luxury charter yacht starting at $36,000 per week. Any takers?
 |
| BB Luxury Charter Yacht |
Clark was excited that we would either have a short trip tomorrow or stay at the free dock a second night, so he could stay up late. (Like a little kid!) With earlier football games, the news and everything else on TV afterwards was seriously delayed. I left him to it and took my book to bed with me.
No comments:
Post a Comment