New York Harbor to the ICW

[Courageous]

Hi, we managed to move our boat from Lake Ontario down to New York Harbor area over the past couple of weeks. We plan on heading out into the ocean around the 21st of Oct and make our way around Cape May, up and across the C&D then down the Chesapeake to the ICW. This will be the first time for my wife to be out in the ocean so we would like to be a little cautious and plan stops along the way especially if the weather turns on us. We thought a good agood idea would be to head to Sandy Hook the first day to get a taste of ocean then start down the Jersey coast the following day. We are working our way through tides and currents charts to figure out timing to be in our favor and will wait for a weather window. We would appreciate thoughts on the plan, locations to stop at in reasonable distances assuming we will be travelling 50 – 70 miles a day (or should we bite the bullet and try the run right around Cape May then find a spot to stop), things to watch out for etc.

Cheers, Wayne

[skipmac]

I made a similar plan for my trip south, anchor behind Sandy Hook and leave early for the trip south. I didn't look too closely at the interim stops as I planned to go straight to the Chesapeake. Also the first stop was so far south it seemed easier just to make an overnighter of it and go.

If I recall I think the first possible stop on the way south would be Atlantic City/Absecon Inlet, about 75-80 miles. If you go up well before dark to depart Sandy Hook you might make Absecon before sundown. The whole trip to Delaware Bay is about 120 miles so I figured leave early to midday from NY, enjoy a daylight departure and allow the crew to get their sealegs, easy sail down the coast and make Delaware Bay 20-24 hours later.

I did the same from Delaware to Cheseapeake instead of doing the canal I just did another overnight down the coast.

The main thing is to make sure you have a good weather window before departure. If it doesn't look good or isn't to your taste for the trip, stay put.

[skipmac]

By the way, when I made Delaware Bay I stopped on the south side at Lewes DE for fuel and a lunch break. I have to say one of the friendliest little towns I've ever been to. Then anchored at the mouth of the bay in the Harbor of Refuge for an easy start the next day.

[SailFastTri]

To be considerate of your wife, I would recommend the following:

1. Leaving NY harbor, try to time it so the current and wind are in the same direction. Wind against current can make Lower Bay and the area south of the Varrazano into a washing machine with large steep waves.
2. Stage in Atlantic Highlands (municipal marina has moorings) or anchor behind Sandy Hook if you need to.
3. Time your run along the Jersey shore when a cold front has come through so you have NW winds. You can run within a mile or two of shore and have flat water with perfect reaching conditions. Wind speed in the 20's, maybe gusts to 30's but perfect sailing in smooth water if you're properly reefed.
4. One day run to Atlantic City (all weather inlet)
5. Next day (a short one) to wait out the cold front in Cape May or Lewes DE so you don't have a headwind up the Delaware River. Delaware River is also known to have a nasty chop if you run with wind against current.
6. The canal can be run day or night. It's lit up like Times Square on New Years Eve.

Considering your wife, don't head along the Jersey Shore if the wind is from the S or has an easterly component. Have a great trip.

[Kettlewell]

Another good stop is Great Kills on Staten Island--better all-around shelter than at Sandy Hook if it comes in hard from the north. Always wait for good weather to do the Jersey coast as most of the inlets are treacherous with a strong onshore wind, especially when the tidal current is going out. Atlantic City is considered to be an "all weather" inlet, but even it can be pretty hairy if a strong onshore wind is piling up seas against a strong outgoing current. Once inside you basically have to go to a marina unless you want to brave spinning around at anchor near the bridge in very strong currents with little shelter. Cape May is the best inlet, but again it can be exciting in an onshore wind/outgoing current situation. I have gone so far as to leave NY in the middle of the night with a favorable forecast in order to make it all the way to Cape May in one very long day. Usually it is an overnighter. If you can clear the low bridge, the short cut through the Cape May Canal saves distance and keeps you out of rougher water off the cape. Heading up the Delaware there are only a couple of decent stops, but the most used is the Cohansey River. Again, not great shelter, lots of current, and the anchoring space is small. Most will try to plan their trip to catch a favorable current up the Delaware and then through the canal. If you can sail/motorsail fast you can make it all the way to the head of the Chesapeake in one long day, usually arriving just after dark. Don't try to fight wind and current up the Delaware--some consider it one of the nastiest pieces of water on the East Coast. Of course, most of the time it is not a problem, but I have seen 8-foot seas, short and square, out there, when the wind was opposing the strong current.

[Courageous]

thanks for the comments and ideas, lots to think about and hope the wind gods are on our side...

[Kettlewell]

By the way, I forgot to mention this important point. If for some reason you decided to go into one of the Jersey inlets, be very careful to check bridge clearances inside. For example, the fixed bridge just inside Atlantic City is only 60 feet and the bridge over the Cape May Canal is 55 feet.

[Courageous]

i'm 60' so your important point is vey key, thanks

[CarlF]

The last few years I've been stopping at Barnegat Bay instead of Atlantic City. Much prettier spot and a better half-way stop. While I wouldn't want to try the entrance in a 50 knot NE storm, it's no problem at all in normal conditions. No bar to speak of. Plenty deep.

There's a very pretty anchorage to left beyond the entrance. It's marked on Active Captain. There are some tricky shoal spots approaching this anchorage (after you are safely in the harbor) with a confusing set of buoys. Stay close to the deep water of the marinas and docks on your left until you figure it out. Or call BoatUS on the radio once you get in for directions. Great outdoor/take-out seafood place at the head of the harbor by the scallop draggers and head boats.

Do wait for the weather window. The NJ coast is the only part of the trip south that I've had a really bad time - the seas can be just plain nasty. A NW wind is ideal but in this area I'll gladly motor on a calm day (and even night) to get it behind me.

Carl

[CarlF]

Do stop at Cape May (note, because of your mast height you can't go out the Cape May Canal and will have to go in and out the same entrance).

It's a pretty town. Well worth a walking day to explore as a reward for being past the toughest part of the trip. Good anchorage near the Coast Guard station.

The reason you should stop in Cape May is there are few good anchorages in the Delaware and it is not a small piece of water. Don't try to fight the tide here. Most people go to Chesapeake City which is a great stop but it can be a very long day from Cape May. For a shorter day, look at the Cohansey River on Active Captain. Isolated and beautiful. The tide will swing you around so anchor carefully or use a 2nd anchor. From here it's often easy to ride one tide through the C&D canal and out into the Chesapeake.

Carl

[Hudson Force]

In addition to CarlF's Cohansey choice above, you might consider Reedy Point. Also, though it doesn't suit the OP with his 60' ft clearance, others should be careful with the charted 55'MHW for the Cape May Canal bridges. I've often seen it down to 53' and waited to pass under with my 54'7". I've also gone inside at Manasquan during bad weather and come back outside at Absecon Inlet, but this is with a 4'3" draft. There's some soft mud between the Point Pleasant Canal and Mantoloking that will be noticed with a 4'6" draft.

[smoothsailing]

Originally Posted by Courageous

Hi, we managed to move our boat from Lake Ontario down to New York Harbor area over the past couple of weeks. We plan on heading out into the ocean around the 21st of Oct and make our way around Cape May, up and across the C&D then down the Chesapeake to the ICW. This will be the first time for my wife to be out in the ocean so we would like to be a little cautious and plan stops along the way especially if the weather turns on us. We thought a good agood idea would be to head to Sandy Hook the first day to get a taste of ocean then start down the Jersey coast the following day. We are working our way through tides and currents charts to figure out timing to be in our favor and will wait for a weather window. We would appreciate thoughts on the plan, locations to stop at in reasonable distances assuming we will be travelling 50 – 70 miles a day (or should we bite the bullet and try the run right around Cape May then find a spot to stop), things to watch out for etc.

Cheers, Wayne

Very good posts..Enjoy the trip.

For the question "locations to stop at" Join, for free, ACTIVE CAPTAIN at this link:

https://activecaptain.com/

Here you can search Marina's down the coast and for your whole trip. They will be rated and have reviews on them.

ACTIVE CAPTAIN is an inter-active site with a wealth of info for every marina shown on the chart. It also shows dangers to avoid.

If you see something special you can add it to ACTIVE CAPTAIN.

Sign up for for the free news letter also.

Question,

Has anyone here used ACTIVE CAPTAIN and what do you think of it?

Regards

Bill

[Courageous]

Thanks again for the advice, I have active Captain on the ipad and will surely be using it.

What is the typical safe route down the Jersey coast, I've heard stay at least 3 miles off the coast to get away from the fishing boats and less than 12 miles to keep away from the s hipping channel. Does this make sense?

Cheers

[Kettlewell]

What is the typical safe route down the Jersey coast,

I pretty much go sea buoy to sea buoy, which is right about where the 3-mile line is on the charts, but I will angle out more at night in order to have a greater margin for safety. If you can catch that NW breeze off the beach, stay in as close as you dare in order to stay in calmer water. Beware of the extensive shoals running offshore from a lot of the lesser inlets. For example, off of Hereford Inlet the shoals extend out far enough to be practically on the rhumb line between the Atlantic City entrance and Cape May. There are often fish traps offshore too, which I have run into at night--completely unlit and not well marked. You will see a lot of pleasure and commercial fishing craft off the coast, even quite far out, but you are right that the big commercial stuff--tugs and barges mainly--stays well offshore.

[hellosailor]

Wayne, there's nothing dangerous about your trip, but give the Jershey shore great respect. Most of the inlets are impassible when wind and current are opposed, or in rough weather. And the way the bottom comes up brings rough water, much rougher than you would expect, along the coast. Making it a very dangerous lee shore, much more so then a casual glance at the charts or a ride in good weather would seem.

I knew someone who got too close in bad weather, boat sank, he was presumed lost at sea solo. USCG and NJSP couldn't launch any assets until the next day, because the inlet was impassible and choppers can't fly in storms.

So err on the side of safety if you must, Jersey has teeth.