Sitting on the Dock at Cape May

Sat-Mon, June 17 to 19
Cape May, NJ

Somebody had a great day fishing

The weather window to get out of Cape May was slow to arrive. So slow that Jean of Time Out wrote new words to a classic song--"Sittin' on the dock at Cape May". Several boats waited 5 days so they could travel up the coast out in the ocean to Atlantic City. So we went sight seeing.

Cape May Lighthouse

WWII Bunker on the Beach

On Tuesday we decided to travel the New Jersey ICW. It is shallow, but traveling at mid-tide rising it should be deep enough (well almost). We found the shallow spots in 2 different places, but it is soft mud. Wait about 10 minutes and back off and try to stay in the channel. We need a forward looking depth finder!!!

Drawbridge on the NJ ICW

This is shallow!!

Atlantic City Casinos

Several other boats - Time Out, The Journey, and Captains Choice - ran out in the ocean the next day and anchored in Atlantic City. We passed them on our way north! Wednesday afternoon we could see the dark clouds but they appeared to be passing south. Then the clouds moved closer and closer. We pulled out of the channel at Surf City and quickly let down the anchor. We sat in the boat and watched the winds and rain. Sometime through that storm we lost a large fender, but no damage.

Here comes the storm!

Sunset after the storm

We stayed anchored for the night, very little rain or wind. Up early the next morning to take advantage of the rising tide and get to the northern end of the NJICW at Manasquan. 

Sunrise over New Jersey

Traveling was easy until we got to Point Pleasant Canal. Wow, what a fast current through this 60' wide canal! Everyone including a tow boat towing a vessel was going fast! We were bouncing all over! 

Point Pleasant Canal (a true washing machine!!)

The New Jersey ICW ends at Manasquan, so we had no choice but to travel in the ocean. Just another mile and we were out in the Atlantic Ocean. It was a beautiful day for a ride in the ocean. Nice easy swales to glide over. 

Avon-By-The-Sea Beach NJ

We made it to Great Kills Marina in lower New York City bay by 5 pm.