I lived in Ocean City, NJ for 18 years in the Gardens area overlooking the inlet and saw many sailboats each summer and fall ground in the inlet. A few
lost their boats.The inlet is trecherous at best with moveable ball buoys which change on a daily / weekly basis so thy are not charted. It has shoals on either side of this wide inlet extending al out 1/2 mile out into the ocean. In the afternoon with the predominate onshore SE breeze the swells break and roll across the inlets in good size breakers on most days. An outgoing tide makes it twice as bad. The shifting winding channel is located on the southern side of the inlet. I have sailed in and out many times on a
hobie cat and gotten stuck on the sandbars. I would not transit this in a 50 foot sailboat with a deep
keel.with no local knowledge.
As far as anchoring, the Rainbow Channel is fraught with shoals also. This marshy area is also home to the NJState Bird the carnivorous greenhead fly. Lots of Mosquitos here
The Absecon Inlet Atlantic City anchorage area across the inlet from Clam Creek which is used by transmuting boats has a dredge pipeline across it last time iawas there and is not available although that is a good anchorage area. You can
anchor east of the bridge, but be warned it has a 4knot
current.
Cape Msy has a great anchorage off of the Coast Gaurd station. You will be up early in the AM as the sport Fishers and the canyon boats
head out.
We take a trip from the Chesapeake to the LISound every year (we are leaving August 16) . The only three safe NJ inlets are Cape Msy, Absecon (Atlantic City) ,and Manesquan. We do go in Barnegat which is dangerous also, but have good local knowledge. We NEVER go in Great Egg as its way to dangerous.
Feel free to PM me for more info.
Dave