Wednesday June 8: Manisquan Inlet and the Glimmer Glass

     We set off about eight this morning, intending to get all the way through the rest of the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway.  This doesn't mean we're done with New Jersey - we still have about 25 miles offshore to cover to get to Sandy Hook - but this is as far as we can go inland.
     It's chilly!  For the first time since early December we are wearing sweatshirts and fleece and wondering where our mittens and warm hats are.
     The skies started clouding over about noon, and shortly thereafter the rain and wind drove us indoors.  The waves really started to kick up, but the tides and currents were with us and we wanted to take advantage, so we pressed on.

In shallow water, it doesn't take much for the waves to pile up.

     We made good time, reaching the Pleasant Point Canal about three pm.  By then the rains had moved through and the sun was out, but it was still windy and quite chilly.  I suppose it's time for us to get used to it.  

Pleasant Point canal.

     We selected as our anchorage a place called the Glimmer Glass.  This is a small basin up a small creek just inside the Manisquan Inlet.  We've heard about it from other cruisers: it's a favorite stopover when they travel up or down the coast of New Jersey.  There is one last bridge to go through before the basin, and this was the only one we encountered today that had a schedule.  It opens on the hour and half hour, and we arrived twenty-five minutes early, plenty of time to watch the whole opening operation.  It's a small bridge, lifted by a cable which is hand operated by the bridge tender.

With a strong current and a strong wind, its narrow opening is something of an adventure.  Not for the faint of heart.

Glimmer Glass bridge tender - Dan thought he looked like Vince Wilfork.

We are heading for the bridge.

     Once through the bridge you are in the anchorage basin.  There is almost no water to port, and a row of docks to starboard.  We drove our keel into the mud yet again (New Jersey will be forever known in our memories for going aground) but this time Dan managed to back out.  Undaunted, he continued farther into the basin where we anchored in about four and a half feet of water midway between the shoal and the docks.  Fortunately we are the only boat anchored here tonight!  

     The wind continues to howl.  We are considering turning on the heater!