Back from Annapolis-Newport ...

[sneuman]

or, more specifically, Severna Park, MD-Newport, RI.

Since I had been talking about it for awhile, thought I'd give an update.

It was a few days of ideal sailing mixed in with some sloppy, uncomfortable weather, especially the second day offshore on the way up near Long Island - 10ft. quartering seas and 25-30kts. Fog and rain to boot.

Newport was great, Block Island even better. At BI we picked up a mooring for $20/day (it was the weekend before season started).

Saw some dolphins (spinner or white-sided - still not sure) and a sea turtle.

I installed an AIS receiver before we left and can offer my wholehearted endorsement. Especially coming around Cape May at night, it was wonderful. I almost wish now I'd bought the transponder.

Oh, and for anyone who thinks a Tayana 37 is slow -- we had a 130nm day under sail alone on a broad reach.

[pholzinger]

Interesting... I am doing likewise in one week. Leaving Kent Island, MD for Block. I did, however install the complete AIS system and am glad i did as I have had experience with the unit in the past. Do you have any tips for the Delaware Bay? I've decided to stage at Summit North Marina in DE rather than Reedy Island as I've been told the mesquitos are hellatious.

[4arch]

Sounds like a great trip and despite the bumpy ride you're lucky you got to do a lot of it under sail. We did a similar trip (Baltimore - Chesapeake City - Cape May - Block I. - Newport) about the same time last year and unfortunately it turned out to be about 85% motoring on flat water. Still would love to go back up and explore much more of that area though. Did you get to spend any time hanging out on Block or in Newport?

I second your thoughts about AIS. I imagine the prices for the transponders will continue to fall over the next few years.

[sabray]

Originally Posted by pholzinger

Interesting... I am doing likewise in one week. Leaving Kent Island, MD for Block. I did, however install the complete AIS system and am glad i did as I have had experience with the unit in the past. Do you have any tips for the Delaware Bay? I've decided to stage at Summit North Marina in DE rather than Reedy Island as I've been told the mesquitos are hellatious.

Fly spray

[chef2sail]

We arew doing this trip in a few weeks and spending 3+ weeks. Never had the problem with mosquitos at Reeedy Island and I jhave been using it as a jump of point for 8 years. You do have to be carefully about wtapping the anchor line around the keel when the current reverses.

The ride down the Delaware sucks. Thats because the New Jersey state bird is the green head fly ( I lived in Ocean City , NJ for 18 years). They bite till they die We carry flyswatters with us and keep count.. One year when we pulled up to the slip in Utsches ( Cape May and a greatplace to stop..they are personal friends), the fly guts covered the cockpit so bad they took a picture and were laughing so hard. We each had over 100 kills. One year we donned long clothes in 95 degree heat is was so bad and maddeningAvon skin So Soft helps.

Be carefull of the shoal when inetring the Summit North Marina. Also AIS is great. Those ships on the Delaware come at you at breakneck speed. However we are usually no where near the channel except in the Cross-Ledge portion. No need to be.

Dave

[jerrycd36]

In the 20+ times I have made that trip to BI from Rock Hall, I have anchored behind Reedy Dike many times without any difficulty. The entrance is difficult in periods of low visibility and a little scary with a strong cross current, but is easily doable. I much prefer it to the anchorage in Engineers Cove which can be airless, crowded and noisy.
It is best to transit the Delaware Bay with the current and in the daylight especially near the Salem nuclear plant because of several unlit marks and floats. If you chose to run against the current, you can run across the shallows from Ship John light to Cape May and avoid the worst of the counter current. The trip is long and boring and can be choppy if the wind is strong against the current.
If your mast is less than 60' you can cut through the Cape May canal and anchor off the Coast Guard station to take a break to rest.

[gettinthere]

We'll be going in a week or two.

Planning on stopping at Cape Henlopen, then Atlantic City before jumping off to Block Isl. My calculations are that Cape May/Henlopen is a two night sail and Atlantic City is only one night. We hate overnighters!

Chef2Sail, hope to see you this evening on the Magothy.

[gettinthere]

Is there cell signal all the way on a crossing from Cape May to Block Island?

[jerrycd36]

A good portion of the trip you will be out of cell phone range. The furthest distance off shore is about 60 miles at one point, be especially alert in the shipping lanes off NYC

[chef2sail]

The bridge on the Cape May Canal is 55 ft not 60. We have transited it over 30 times and only the last time did we almost touch as we put a 2ft whip on our 53 ft mast. Cape May anchorage off the CG station is a good anchorage. Expect to be awakened and rocked at 1 hour before dawn as the Canyon sport fishing boats head out. Good holding ground. You can cut close to the Cape and don't have to go to Cape Henlopen and save some miles. Also the anchorage at Cape Henlopen is behind a breakwater, it can be a rough anchorage as it s exposed from all side. Course in this heat the breeze there would have been welcome.

When I have jumped off from Cape May straight to Block it usually takes about 36-40 hours. ( 5 knot average) Traveling 35 miles north to Atllantic City will not cut 12 hours off of that. I would just head to Block straight from Cape May or Lewes if you were not planning on going up the NJ coast.

The approximate distances I have measured of my routes on my chart plotter ( I have done two of them personally) are

Atlantic City to Block- 180
Cape May to Block - 200
Cape Henlopen to Block 220

[jerrycd36]

I stand corrected, the bridges are rated at 55' clearance. I'm only 47' so I always save the miles and go through the canal. You won't need an alarm clock if you anchor off the CG station, since the heavy traffic early in the AM of fishing boats will rock you awake.

[gettinthere]

C2S

Atlantic City to Block- 180
Cape May to Block - 200
Cape Henlopen to Block 220

The 40 hours from Cape May puts us into a 10 pm arrival at 5 knots. We'll have to rethink this, maybe we can just make sure to run 5.5. The 4 hours less from Atlantic City means a 6pm arrival at 5 knots. Stuff to consider, thanks