Question on trip south from Maine to Virginia with stop at NY

[Disielcustoms]

Hello all. I am planning a trip south from Maine to Virginia to leave my boat for the winter down there. I have a few questions. First as far as the trip south what are the best recourses for for information for the trip itself especially the ICW. I am not very familiar in traveling on the inside. I would like to maybe make some passages on the inside thru NY and I have never made that part of the trip. I would also like to make a stop at NY to maybe do a day in the city so what are my options as far as anchorages or marinas. I am not sure if the dingy I will have will be good for a long dinghy ride it might only have oars.

[CarlF]

Get going soon! As you get into October NE weather starts to fall apart and the winter gales begin. Because of climate change winter winds come sooner.

Three years ago I spent 5 days stuck in the last week of September on a mooring in Long Island Sound in 30-50kt winds, driving rain, and 50 degree temperatures. Fortunately I had heat. The NJ coast can be incredibly rough in a NE blow. The ICW doesn't really start until Norfolk VA so you are "offshore" until then. The part of the ICW north of Norfolk was never finished. Mile 1 is in Norfolk.

Certainly plan to go through the Cape Cod Canal, down Long Island Sound and through the East River. Going under the Brookly Bridge in a sailboat is a bucket list item.

Lots of good anchorages and moorings in Long Island Sound. Some with launches so you don't need a dinghy. I especially recommend a stop in Port Washington which has great, inexpensive moorings and a free launch if you are paying for a mooring.

From there go through the East River and anchor off Sandy Hook. Nothing to go ashore for but good protection. From there go to Barnegat Bay which has good anchorages and a great fish market/restaurant you can dinghy into for dinner. From there go to Cape May and anchor off the Coast Guard base. You can dinghy into any of sevreal nearby marinas.

From Cape May you are safely out of NE weather. Unless you get a lucky stetch of weather to go outside take the five days to go up Deleware Bay, through the C&D canal, and then down the Chesapeake. Many good anchoring option up small creeks where your dinghy will be fine.

Once to Norfolk you are in the ICW. Get the AquaMap app on a tablet and load the Bob423 tracks for the ICW which will keep you off the shallow spots. Also load the USACE army corp of engineers ICW soundings. Join the Bob423 ICW Facebook group which is full of information such as which bridge just got stuck.

Plan to do 100 miles every three days on the ICW. Two days of 50 miles and a day off due to rain, provisioning, or because you are sick of the motor sound. Waiting for bridge openings and frequent no-wake stretches make this a full day.

Understand that Virginia is not warm in winter. I once had to break through sea ice coming out of Manteo in southern Virginia on the ICW. If you want to have a comfortable winter get south of Charleston. If you don't have heat on board get south of Cape Canaveral.

[dlj]

Really great advice above!

I'd suggest you pick up a copy of the most recent "Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book". It covers everything you need to know through this area very well.

dj