CCrane, are you still looking for inspiration? We moved our boat from a lake to Barnegat Bay and just completed our first full season there. Although we didn't get to sail very much last summer due to other life complications, we/I did get to take 5 separate overnight excursions away from our marina and as far as I am concerned, all of them were magical. You don't want to wait too long to make this happen! Sue was skeptical at first, but we had a plan and she followed thru on our visit to Chadwick Beach. We stayed at a marina, so Sue was happy with the facilities (even though it was not anything special). The whole trip was a huge success, though, and it cleared the way for more to come. Later (around Labor Day), we stayed at anchor at Barnegat Light. This was a nearby trip and the purpose was dinner with friends. It was a very pleasant evening but we knew a weather change was rolling through overnight. That overnight ended with some tension as we sailed on anchor in wind that was approaching 20 knots. The anchorage is completely enclosed by sandbar so there really was no danger. I certainly didn't want to drift into a sandbar in the dark, but the anchor held firm and we had no mishaps, until I started down the wrong channel on the way home. I wrote about that one already.
On 3 separate occasions, I anchored alone at Tices Shoal, and I've come to really enjoy the place, even though it has a very wide reputation as a party scene. I've found that the evenings settle down and it's a great place to enjoy peace and quiet even if it IS with lots of fellow boaters! It's basically an open roadstead on the east side of the bay, where a very narrow spit of sand separates the bay from the ocean. When it's quite, the sound of waves crashing into shore is unmistakable. On two occasions I sailed to anchorage on beautiful evenings with a glorious sunset followed by the rise of a full moon. The last occasion, on the 1st weekend in October, was a little different.
I went to the boat in the evening with the purpose of securing it for anticipated storms while we were to be away from New Jersey. Instead, I decided to anchor out and secure the boat the next morning. Of course, the weather was less than optimal, but I was up for a little change and I decided to head for Tices Shoal, about 8 miles distant, to anchor out. The wind was on the nose at about 20 knots, so I motored into the dusk. It didn't take long before it was total blackness, as there was cloud cover and the moon was either new or just a sliver (which didn't matter). The weather prediction was for improved conditions overnight so I was optimistic.
I only had my handheld GPS and my compass for guidance in the dark but it also had my tracks from the previous trip to Tices Shoal, which was easy to follow. It was almost a rhumbline anyway, but halfway there, sedge islands and the surrounding sand bars made it necessary to watch the depth. I just got past them, when the batteries didn't have enough juice for the backlight function ( I was checking my course a little too often, I guess). Also, it started to rain pretty hard. But the temperature was still warm, about 70, so I was comfortable. I made my way by compass heading and kept my eye on the depth instrument. When I estimated that I was close to my destination (and the depth was getting uncomfortably shallow), I stopped and anchored, to give myself time to go below and find new batts for the GPS. Let me tell you, it was dark! There was no light whatsoever anywhere near my destination along the east shoreline of the bay. Through the gloom, I could barely make out lights about 2 to 3 miles distant across the bay to Forked River. The light from Barnegat lighthouse was visible to the southeast, though, and pleasant to see.
Once below, I could see that I was just about 1/4 mile from my destination, and with fresh batts, I could see the GPS in the cockpit, so I proceeded to my anchorage. Once the anchor was set, I went below, closed everything up and changed into dry clothes. I fixed something to eat (called Sue), turned on some music and read my Kindle, surrounded in a little cocoon of light. Despite the wind and the sailing at anchor, I felt secure, since there didn't seem to be another boat on the entire bay and I would have to drag anchor for more than 2 miles across a bay that gets no deeper than about 12' before I could reach the far shoreline. The weather in the morning wasn't exactly pleasant, in fact it really didn't improve at all, but the wind did drop a bit and I also did locate a few persistent leaks that I'll need to fix. (I was surprised to find a leak dripping from the steering pedestal - after I removed the panel to look under the cockpit when I heard a persistent drip). Even that trip I was happy for!
I love that Block Island photo and I really look forward to the day we make it that far! This summer, we plan to make our first destination trip ultimately to Lewes, Delaware and back for a multi-stop trip. There is nothing to compare to the quiet scenes that you see from your sailboat in the evenings and early mornings!
