Delaware Bay: going west of Reedy Island Bar?

[arjand]

Hi there, we hope to sail from Annapolis to Sag Harbor this week. According to the charts it should be possible to go on the inside of the Reedy Island Bar when coming out of the C&D channel. This would be in the lee, away from the big boats and hopefully w less current against us. Does anybody have experience with this? (Our draft is just under 6 ft). Thanks! Ari

[jkleins]

Go to the opening between the markers to the south of Reedy. Approach from directly 90 degrees or south of that line to avoid a little shoaling that is occurring from the north but you will find good water all the way in. With the usual current it seems a little hairly but it really isn't bad when you get there. The anchorage is a great overnight stay but you do lay to the current not the wind.

We are heading that way tomorrow as well so we may see you there.

Jim

[Sparx]

That pass at the north end is narrow and outside the pass gets very shallow very quickly. With your draft I would be going south of the island to find the red and green markers.

Once inside the rock wall there is plenty of water.

There is also room to anchor just north of the C&D canal breakwater in Delaware.

My preference would be to time the C&D canal transit to catch the tide down Delaware Bay. Anchorage on the Chesapeake side are much nicer than on the Delaware Bay side .

At the end of this day Lewes is a very nice destination, either anhored in the Cape Henlopen hook or up the little canal into the municipal marina. We were recently in Cape May on the weekend, and will avoid that in future transits.

[bensolomon]

Originally Posted by Sparx

That pass at the north end is narrow and outside the pass gets very shallow very quickly. With your draft I would be going south of the island to find the red and green markers.

Once inside the rock wall there is plenty of water.

There is also room to anchor just north of the C&D canal breakwater in Delaware.

My preference would be to time the C&D canal transit to catch the tide down Delaware Bay. Anchorage on the Chesapeake side are much nicer than on the Delaware Bay side .

At the end of this day Lewes is a very nice destination, either anhored in the Cape Henlopen hook or up the little canal into the municipal marina. We were recently in Cape May on the weekend, and will avoid that in future transits.

I usually stay just outside the channel while parallelling the channel all the way down. I was concerned about running aground as the water gets thin towards the South on that side. I usually stay outside on the north side of the channel and start to angle towards cape May after Mia Maul shoal light. I have taken the along the beach route at cape May heading north as well as outside the shoals. You save an hour along the beach, BUT....you have to have daylight.

[arjand]

Thank you all so much! Truly appreciated! It is my very first time and I have to admit that I will be happy when we reached the Atlantic!

[boat driver]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

I usually stay just outside the channel while parallelling the channel all the way down. I was concerned about running aground as the water gets thin towards the South on that side. I usually stay outside on the north side of the channel and start to angle towards cape May after Mia Maul shoal light. I have taken the along the beach route at cape May heading north as well as outside the shoals. You save an hour along the beach, BUT....you have to have daylight.

Proceeding east in the canal carry the the tail of the flood at chesapeake city and exit canal at reedy pt on the beginning of the ebb on the delaware side.
As mentioned- the north entrance just behind the canal jetty is local knowledge and shoals to go behind the reedy island dike . abeam the island is a well marked break in the rocks with 20' plus behind in the anchorage.
remember the tide is almost six feet.

when heading south stay out of the main channel -ideally run outside the reds and then at marker 32 just keep heading to Cape May.
excepting a couple of well marked shoals the transit is 10 mllw feet plus entirely. the charts are accurate.

most important- particularly at night- the commercial traffic is constant- monitor channel 13 and have a good idea what buoy you are near. if you travel in less than 20 feet of water you will be fine.
The commercial traffic is moving 12-17kts plus and the radio chatter is often humorous if you are not the subject being discussed.

as mentioned the inside channel <1/4 mile from cape may pt is a speedy way to cut off ten miles. At six feet draft it is easily passed.

If you have AIS it is really easy and well appreciated

[Offshore1960]

Monitor channel 13 on your VHF, as mentioned above please. there is plenty of water on either side of the main channel for a vessel of your draft. Large ships and deep draft tug and tows (one of them myself when I'm doing my "day" job) need to stay in the channel and depending on our draft close to or on the centerline of the channel to avoid bank suction and cushion. Deeper draft ships and tows can be drawing 40'. At that draft stopping distance is measured in miles.

Have a safe and enjoyable trip.

[MSVAthenea]

All right ... I'm here ... hook is down ... just how wide is that opening to the South? I came down through the mud in the north end from the canal. Not bad but definitely the Helen Keller School of Navigation.

[jkleins]

I actually took the Blake Channel to the west of the main channel yesterday for the second time and I think I like it better. You don’t have to mess with the big ships in the narrow areas and the water is deep and I saw no crab pots. Is that usual or are the pots a nuisance most of the time? Any reason not to take this way?

[MSVAthenea]

Originally Posted by jkleins

I actually took the Blake Channel to the west of the main channel yesterday for the second time and I think I like it better. You don’t have to mess with the big ships in the narrow areas and the water is deep and I saw no crab pots. Is that usual or are the pots a nuisance most of the time? Any reason not to take this way?

Answering my own question: The inlet south of Reedy Island is 60-70 feet wide and had a working depth of 11 ft at 2 hours into flood. Question was important to me with a 30' beam. Depth was consistent under both hulls with slight shoaling noted on side- scan to the north side of the inlet before and after the marks.