Cape May, NJ, to Rhode River, MD

Sunday, 13 September, 2015

It is remarkable how much my life is timed by weather, tides, and currents.  There was a small craft advisory in effect for increasing afternoon winds out of the NW.  The current was flooding during the morning.  Timing for the Delaware Bay and the C & D canal were examined closely.

The most important things that I look at, is how to time the current at the mouth of the bay so that it is not opposing the wind, and at the funnel of the bay, I want the current pushing me.  

I eased out of Utsch's Marina at about 0410 and ran the canal in the dark.  Once away from Cape May, there isn't as much surrounding lighting to mess up navigation.  The opening in the railroad bridge was an area I was worried about, and it is actually easier to spot in the dark!  The roughest part of the trip was the hour after leaving the Cape May Canal into the Bay, and heading to the northwest.  We crossed the lower bay before too much current was running, and then rode the current all the way up, through the Delaware Bay, and through the C & D Canal.  As the winds increased, from the NW and West, we were tucked out of the wind, and enjoying a huge current push.  We rode the current to almost Annapolis before eventually losing the push.  

We eased down the coast to tuck up in Rhode River to anchor for the night.  N38 53.446'  W076 31.965'  It was about a 120nm day.

Chesapeake City, MD to Cape May, NJ

Sunday, 28 June 2015

Notes for boats:  

If possible, go with the current going down the Delaware River.  The lower end of Delaware Bay can be rough, so I try to avoid currents opposing winds in the bottom of the bay.  (I know, perfect world...)  If I'm going to have a period of opposing current, I prefer it to be in the upper end,

There is no need to follow the ship channel to keep the high ebb push.  We followed a straight line track from southwest of the power plant, east of the ship channel, down the ship channel, west of Ship John Shoal, and east of Cross Ledge and Miah Maull shoals.  We turned towards red #8 of the Cape May canal after clearing the 12' contour 2.5 mi NNW of the #8.  We never crossed a 12' contour (shallower than 12') on that line.  The only moves I made off that line were to dodge crab floats. 

The 12' contour after the last turn appears to be deeper water than charted.

Watch out for the Cape May-Lewes ferries.  Remember, they come from both directions.  Do not meet them in the western end of the canal.  

Pay attention to the markers entering the canal... red is on right entering the canal from the west, even though today that markers was in the center of the canal.  Shoaling was to the south of the marker.  Pay attention to where the markers change in Cape May, since you will be exiting a different channel.

If you choose to anchor, there is an anchorage well easterly of the USCG docks, to the south of the channel.off the USCG base.  

From Chesapeake City Dock to Cape May anchorage was 63.0nm.

Journey:

This morning I awakened before daylight and watched the pouring rain.  I noticed with interest that there was no wind.  I scrambled through a dozen internet weather sources, as well as a list of current wind directions and speeds.  I had already familiarized myself with the currents in the C & D as well as the Delaware River, and decided it would be a good idea to head out for Cape May.

Unfortunately, last thing yesterday, my friends on REJOICE and on DESSERT 1ST had pretty much decided to sit tight for another day, waiting for that weather window.   I couldn't let the sun come up, and them find me gone!

I talked to Casey when I saw him, and sent a text to Rejoice, and before I knew it, Rejoice and Mercy were underway down the C&D canal.

The rain had flood warnings for much of the area, which although not affecting us, created these falls into the C & D.

We hung a right turn into the Delaware River, and had the wind, the seas, and the current, pretty much pushing us all day.  

This one isn't photo shop, just trying to get that right perspective for the big stack on the little tug!

The forecasted winds weren't quite the direction that had been projected, much to our delight.  Even so, we were glad to come into the calm waters of the Cape May Canal.  Rejoice went to a slip, and Wllen and I settled in an anchorage just offshore the Seamanship school for the USCG.  Seemed like a good spot to quit for the day.