[Public-list] voyage to the Bay from NY

[Gordon White]

    If you have never sailed down the Jersey coast, I can offer a couple 
of cautions: The Intercoastal in N.J. is not very nice for sailboats. 
There are some heavy tidal flows, a lot of bridges, etc. We did it once 
and ever since have preferred to go outside. Atlantic City does offer  a 
reasonable overnight stop.  Cape May is another, with a caution about 
the Atlantic entrance if there is a sea running. It can get exciting,  
though not usually dangerous; not like Oregon Inlet at Hatteras.

    If you can go through the "back door" from Cape May Harbor - the 
canal into  Delaware Bay inside the Cape, do. It will save time & 
distance and I THINK the Alberg's mast clears the bridge.

    Going around Cape May outside, don't hug the Jersey side, even 
though the chart shows plenty (15 feet or more) of water under your 
keel. There are fairly severe tidal overfalls  just off Cape May and you 
won't enjoy the excitement there, either. Try to stay far enough off 
that you have 30 feet or so of water.

    Delaware Bay is unpleasant. The wind is either directly up or down 
river, usually counter to the way you want to go and whilethe Bay is  
wide, the channel is fairly narrow. Lots of shallow flats on each side 
and a lot of heavy ship traffic.  But if you can catch the tide right 
and the wind is behind you, you can carry the tide all the way to the 
C&D Canal.  Sorry to hear Schaeffer's is closed.

    Gordon White
Brigadoon II