Advice on passage from Chesapeake to New York

[Clamdigger]

Originally Posted by rfkneller

If you anchor at Horseshoe Bay on the bay side of Sandy Hook, be aware that depending on the tide you could run aground. I did it and my draft is 4.5 ft. You can also anchor on the other side of the bay at Atlantic Highlands Marina.
Atlantic Highlands
New Jersey
40.418085, -74.021276

You can also rent a mooring from the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club. Then you have use of the launch and can go into town for dining and supplies. Dock Phone 732 291 3232

There's a thread from a year or so ago on 'Atlantic Highlands' NJ. As a resident I am glad to assist any Cruisers Forum members who stop in to visit AH. My contact info is in that other thread, or one can PM me here. I only check my PM's here on a weekly basis, so try and catch me a bit in advance for your visit.

rfkneller, are you at Baker's Marina? I get over there a few times during the month. I enjoy meeting other Cf'ers in person. I live up on Chapel Hill Road off King's Hwy East, the big farm on your right coming off K'H'E', forest and hay as far as your eyes can see LOL!

If the weather is going to be mild for a few days anchoring past the AH Mooring field is ok Jeb. You can then dinghy to AH or Highlands from there.

Also, the USPO is easy walking distance from AH harbor in the event anyone needs a package sent to them or shipped home. AH is Smalltown USA, come enjoy it! 'Carton Brewing Co' gives beer drinkers a tour! Great food at lots of local places! #1 pizza maker in USA is here too...'Una Napaletano Pizzeria' is only open Fri, Sat, Sun, 1400hr until he runs out of dough! Worth the walk up from the harbor.

If you go into the AH Laundry, one of the first businesses you'll walk past leaving the Harbor, go inside, my info is on the bulletin board.

[altinr]

I have done this passage many times.
Chesapeake City is definitely a nice and secure anchorage. I have always anchored here.

It is an easy day to the Cohansey if the weather and tides aren't favorable, or a longer day to Cape May. I have anchored several times in the Cohansey about 3/4 mi in, around the first hard bend to the left. Leave plenty of chain out .... strong currents. Also, put the screens in! Lots of greenheads (man-eating mosquitos)!

In Cape May, you have to go into the harbor to have a secure anchorage. Holding is only fair, so beware. Most people anchor near the Coast Guard Station.

Atlantic City Inlet is not bad in most weather. You can anchor just before the bridge on the port side near Harrah's, or take the small creek on the starboard side just before the bridge, Rum Point, and there is a nice anchorage. Stay to port through the opening! Watch your chart.

I sailed an IP 350 out of Barnegat Inlet for many years, but not since 2018. It's ok with benign conditions, but don't try to run the inlet when the 3 knot tide is running out and the wind is blowing anywhere from the east! You'll have breakers and it will suck!!! There's a nice anchorage when you bear to port at the lighthouse towards the town of Barnegat Light.

Atlantic City to the NY area is a good 75 mi, a lonnnng day, or an overnight. Barnegat is much easier.

I have anchored west of Sandy Hook (ok in settled weather, but the ferries to Atlantic Highland have mean wakes!), Great Kills on Staten Island (not much room to anchor, but lots of commercial facilities), and Coney Island Creek (easy entrance, great location by the Verrazona Bridge, but you have to ignore the "neighborhood". I didn't worry much, since there was a 1/4 mi of water between us.

The East River is fun if you are riding the 5 knot current! Read your chart carefully. I usually hug the Brooklyn shore to avoid the ferries and shipping.
A few hours up is Manhasset Harbor, which had 2 nights of free stay on their moorings a few years ago, and plenty of room to anchor. There is a water taxi, and a supermarket and restaurants near the harbor.

Enjoy!

[Mark Fontaine]

When I go on the leg from Atlantic City to Sandy Hook, I overnight at Shark River about 20 miles South of Sandy Hook. Go in and anchor just before the rail road bridges. Watch depth as there are many shallow spots, my 6 six foot draft is ok. Only problem is the charter fishing boats returning in the evening and leaving in the morning, their wash causes rock n roll.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

After cruising Chesapeake Bay for the past month or so, I'm getting ready to continue North. I am single-handing on a Hunter 410, and trying to plan out the next few stops. I'm planning to transit the canal into Delaware Bay, then out to Cape May, then up to New York. Because I'm single-handing and these are busy waters, I'm trying to keep each sailing day to 10-12 hours, and find opportunities to anchor each night.

The best plan I've come up with so far is this:
1. Head into the canal to Chesapeake City and overnight.
2. Long day out the canal all the way to Cape May, timing the current so that I enter the Delaware a bit before slack, and ride the outgoing tide for as much of the day as possible.
3. Anchor off Cape May overnight
4. Relatively short day up to Atlantic City
5. Very long day to New York?

I'm not totally happy with this plan, so looking for advice on how to avoid long days with no bail-out opportunities.

Specifically:
Chesapeake City to Cape May could end up being really long if I get opposing chop slowing me down in the Delaware. Is there anywhere to bail out into if it is going badly and I need a rest?

In order to hit the current right in the Delaware, I will likely have to leave before sunrise from Chesapeake City. How sketchy will it be trying to navigate the canal in the dark?

Is there anywhere better to stage for the run to Cape May? Somewhere on the Delaware side of the canal would be better, but I'm not finding much that's protected and deep enough for me.

The anchorage off Cape May looks pretty exposed. Has anyone used it who can comment on how safe it is? I don't fit under the bridges on the Cape May Canal, so the other option is to go out and around Cape May in order to tuck in at Cape May Harbor. This out-and-around would make a long day even longer though, so I'm not sure.

Any good advice on where to anchor in Atlantic City? I draw 5.5'

Is it viable to stop anywhere between Atlantic City and New York? Has anyone gone in at Barnegat recently? It looks sketchy on the depth.

When I do get up to Sandy Hook, what would be a protected spot that I could reach easily at the end of a very long day?

Thanks in advance for any advice on this leg!

If the day is long from Cape May to NYC, if your lucky this time of year to grab a SE sea breeze.. If not, you can bail into Barnegat inlet. As you come through and by the Coast Guard Station, there is a channel(deep water) going deep back where the commercial fishing boats dock its a deep 10 to 12', water, sandy bottom anchorage. I've stayed there many nights before heading south to AC. You can also follow the channel back into the bay itself and there are several place to drop for a nite. BI is my home inlet.. typically safe on most condition, but will get narky in a big NE swell. I always enter from the north side which tend to have less swell breaking, approach from direct South on large days, sometimes gets breakers. Its a do-able trip. Hopefully a nice SE wind with you.

[prholzinger]

I dont think you'll fit under bridge in Cape May, go around then into CM anchor off CG station. The CD canal can be dangerous as ship traffic will push you nearly on the rocks to stsrboard if unlucky enough to encounter one. Reedy Island just south of entrance can be a alternative for an overnight. Id sail straight to Block forget the NJ stops is 36 hours approximately.

[Sailing August]

You can take the ICW nearly all the way up to Sandy Hook. Then its just a very short hop to NYC

[svjarahian]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

After cruising Chesapeake Bay for the past month or so, I'm getting ready to continue North. I am single-handing on a Hunter 410, and trying to plan out the next few stops. I'm planning to transit the canal into Delaware Bay, then out to Cape May, then up to New York. Because I'm single-handing and these are busy waters, I'm trying to keep each sailing day to 10-12 hours, and find opportunities to anchor each night.

The best plan I've come up with so far is this:
1. Head into the canal to Chesapeake City and overnight.
2. Long day out the canal all the way to Cape May, timing the current so that I enter the Delaware a bit before slack, and ride the outgoing tide for as much of the day as possible.
3. Anchor off Cape May overnight
4. Relatively short day up to Atlantic City
5. Very long day to New York?

I'm not totally happy with this plan, so looking for advice on how to avoid long days with no bail-out opportunities.

Specifically:
Chesapeake City to Cape May could end up being really long if I get opposing chop slowing me down in the Delaware. Is there anywhere to bail out into if it is going badly and I need a rest?

In order to hit the current right in the Delaware, I will likely have to leave before sunrise from Chesapeake City. How sketchy will it be trying to navigate the canal in the dark?

Is there anywhere better to stage for the run to Cape May? Somewhere on the Delaware side of the canal would be better, but I'm not finding much that's protected and deep enough for me.

The anchorage off Cape May looks pretty exposed. Has anyone used it who can comment on how safe it is? I don't fit under the bridges on the Cape May Canal, so the other option is to go out and around Cape May in order to tuck in at Cape May Harbor. This out-and-around would make a long day even longer though, so I'm not sure.

Any good advice on where to anchor in Atlantic City? I draw 5.5'

Is it viable to stop anywhere between Atlantic City and New York? Has anyone gone in at Barnegat recently? It looks sketchy on the depth.

When I do get up to Sandy Hook, what would be a protected spot that I could reach easily at the end of a very long day?

Thanks in advance for any advice on this leg!

I've made this trip in 2017 in my Endeavour 42 sailboat. Here's the details. I left Chesapeake City at 9:00 AM because that's when the fuel dock was opened. Did about nine knots in the canal (which, by the way, is lit up very well at night!). Motored down Delaware River and made it to Cape May harbor at midnight! Fifteen hours! Anchored by the U.S. Coast Guard Station. Very quiet and tranquil anchorage. Left at 7:00 AM shooting for Sandy Hook. There is a lovely anchorage on the bay side called Horseshoe Cove. Be sure to go in on the south side. There is quite a bit of shoaling on the north end. Go in on the side side and motor up north behind the shoals and drop your hook. I didn't do that! As I got to the tip of the Hook I saw the Verrazzano Bridge and just kept going! I arrived at Liberty Landing Marina at 3:00 AM the following morning. That was twenty hours!

Here's my recommendation. If you're stopping in Atlantic City, you may want to consider your next stop on the Manasquan River which runs between Point Pleasant Beach and Brielle. There is a marina on the Brielle side that is located outside the railroad bridge where you could get a reservation. I would not want to go through the railroad bridge opening with my sailboat! From AC to Brielle may be about 60 miles. Easy. Under NO circumstances should to try to get into Barnagat Bay. Too many tidal shifts going on there!