NJ-ICW

Marsh at Sunset

 

       We spent three nights in New Jersey.  Wednesday May 24th we moved from the Cohansey River and stayed along the shoreline all the way to the Cape May canal, with the last five miles or so really lumpy.  We were so glad to get inside New Jersey, out of the winds and current.  We debated anchoring in front of the USCG base there, but there is no real shore access in Cape May unless you stay at a marina, so we pushed on to Sunset Lake to drop the hook there.  We were one of two vessels anchored, the other was Jay on Nomaste (No Mast), a red lobster-boat trawler from Buck’s Harbor, Maine.  We visited with him for a few minutes before we went ashore for some supplies.  

We had contemplated a run up the coast to Atlantic City or beyond, but the weather was predicting strong, gusty winds for several days, with accompanying strong seas.  Many of the other Great Loopers we’d come to know were sheltering in place until a good weather window opened up.  We didn’t want to hang around, so we consulted the tide chart and decided to do the inside passage again.  Its best to take it at a mid-tide rising, but even then there are some spots that, on the chart, look too shallow.  We never found less than 7 feet, but it was still slow going because the run from Cape May to Atlantic City has many, many bridges, and lots of no-wake sections, as well as though iffy charted spots.  We didn’t make it Atlantic City until Friday, but by the end of the day we were anchored only five miles from Manasquan, in Applegate Cove.  A weather window was opening for Saturday and we were determined to take it, even if it did mean Friday was a twelve hour cruising day.  While we cruised I spent some of the time logging all the bridges.  We have the Boat Galley’s compilation of the Atlantic ICW, but now we have a comprehensive list of all the NJ bridges, complete with heights and opening times.  

Point Pleasant Canal

Fishing from the beach.

        

        We don’t know why people are adamant about not going inside New Jersey.  Sure, it can be slow, and it can be a little nerve-wracking in one or two places, but if you pick your tides and watch the buoys, you’ll also be treated to miles of marshland, many kinds of birds, fishermen in all sorts of craft, and little children eagerly waving to you from their docks or porches.  You’ll also avoid the snotty winds and lumpy seas.  But then again, if it’s a nice weekend or better yet, a holiday weekend, you’ll get just as tossed around by everyone determined to go as fast as possible in their pleasure boats.  That might be a good reason to wait and go outside!

Fishing from a kayak!