Barnegate Bay Inlet?

[Chris Patterson]

Hey folks, it’s been a long time. I’ve done all the ‘searching’ I could over the last couple of days with minimal results.

So the question is, is can I get a boat out of the inlet? I’ve got to move a boat out of Mariners Point marina that draws 4.5 feet. Do I need to go down to Egg or Atlantic city to get outside?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Well Hello @Chris Patterson ! It has been a long time! Mariner's is where @Ward H & I have our boats! We'd be happy to show you around. When are you going to be there? What boat are you moving? (I think I may know - now that I think about it!) (American Lady?)

The problem with Barnegat Inlet is highly over-rated. Little Egg (or Tuckerton if you will) is the long way to get out and probably not even as friendly as Barnegat Inlet. You can take the channel all the way to Atlantic City if you like ... it is a pretty ride. But Barnegat Inlet is not a problem unless you have particularly bad weather, in which case, Little Egg would be worse and you may not find it any different at Absecon Inlet.

From Mariner's you have your choice of channels to get to Barnegat Light. Double Creek has been dredged and I used it with my Starwind (about 4' draft). Oyster Creek is plenty deep for the most part and it is what I use now with almost 5' draft. There are a few spots to be careful about. (If you were to take the I.C. to Atlantic City, there would also be several places to be watchful, but you would have no problem).

Depth in the inlet is way deep enough - more than 20'. There is a sandbar out beyond the jetties but still within the markers. It gets to about 12' deep and the waves can get pretty bouncy there and it can be avoided. But the tidal range is small and current doesn't get much past 2.5 knots normally, so there are few worries. You just have to pay attention to where you are going and not wander around into trouble! Ward & I have been in and out several times and there are sailboats in and out at Barnegat Light on a routine basis. This is an inlet with heavy boat traffic, so it's not like nobody runs thru there.

 

[CarlN]

I agree with Scott. I frequently use Barnegat Inlet for my 55ft ketch for a half way break between Sandy Hook and Cape May. The only problem is weaving among the jetskis and overloaded 20ft fishing boats that tear in and out on a weekend. Of course, it would be dangerous in an Easterly gale - but only an idiot tries the NJ coast then.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Hey Fellers, thank you for a very detailed and thoughtful response. From the looks of that inlet on the charts, it did not look very pretty to me. But it sure would save me a lot of time driving down the ditch.

Scott, you are correct sir, that boat is the one I’m after. A friend of mine that you probably know named Jeff owns it, and the gist of it is, is I guess I’m going to buy that boat. Or have already bought it. I’ve only been on it one time about six months ago, and saw it was nicely done. Jeff is very meticulous and detailed, and one of the finest painters I’ve ever seen, which is the main driver behind me buying a boat mostly site unseen.

I plan to leave to come up there on Monday the 26th and spend the next day Tuesday for provisioning and just generally checking the boat out. I would like to have a full day of doing that, and then leave Wednesday morning if the weather and winds hold up..

 

[Ward H]

Hi @Chris Patterson
Jeff's a good guy, always enjoy talking to him. He's helped me with boat stuff several times over the years.

While Double Creek can save you time getting to the Inlet, I'd avoid that until enough traffic has gone through to report any shoaling over the winter.
Oyster Creek should be fine. A lot of twist and turns, just carefully follow the markers. It's easy to miss one and get stuck (BTDT) A lot of shallow water on both sides, there are no short cuts. This time of year there may not be TowBoat close by and at the ready as they usually are doing the summer.

The Inlet can be very bumpy when the current opposes the wind. There's a good anchorage just inside the Inlet named Myers Hole. A lot of sailors will overnight there so they can catch early morning favorable conditions out the inlet.

Other advice I've been given about the Inlet by the old timers is to watch for currents running parallel to the shoreline and don't cut it too close turning north. South isn't as bad.

Jet Skis are already playing in the Inlet.

If Jeff hasn't passed it along, Bob's Square Deal is the nearest place to go for marine supplies. It's about 15-20 minutes up the road from the marina.

I'll be at the marina Monday or Tuesday. I'll stop by to say Hi!

 

[Chris Patterson]

Hello again everybody. Well as usual, the plan has changed again. That’s nothing new for Sailboat. I’m going to be leaving down here very very early Saturday morning to be up there Saturday afternoon-ish. And then takeoff Sunday morning out the inlet. From right here and what I’m seeing the weather doesn’t look very pretty Sunday. I guess that’s nothing very new for us..

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I saw your new bottom and it looks very nice! I also saw American Lady in the water on Monday. If she hasn't sunk in her slip yet, she should be alright!

 

[jaysweet]

I saw your new bottom and it looks very nice!

Only on a sailing website can this not be misunderstood... I spent around 5 hours sanding my keel last weekend, soooo..... I'm with you.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Well, I got back Friday night. I hate I didn’t get to see any of you guys up there, but it was a nasty Sunday morning and there was literally no one on the hill. So I got out of there right behind that storm in that low pressure system because I wanted that big wind.
So, the ride across the bay was nothing, even the approach to the inlet was nothing to speak of. However the Barnegat Bay inlet is not for the faint of heart nor small boats. It didn’t really get any better till I rounded those sandbars outside of the jettie wall. We saw about eight or 9 feet of water I guess. I sailed south as far as Norfolk where there was a 25kt. head wind forced me into the ditch. There was no way I was going to tack through Hateras with the wind in my teeth. Albemarle sound was the worst though. That was one hell of a ride across the sound. The winds were blowing 30+ and gusting 50, so it wasn’t a very pleasant ride. Lotta salt water over the boat. Oh well, another adventure..

 

[Tom J]

Albemarle sound was the worst though. That was one hell of a ride across the sound.

We once had an exciting ride across Albemarle. Steep waves that built up quickly, and we were just trying not to broach as we dodged those damn crab traps. We were very relieved to reach Coinjock and tie up to the crab restaurant. Then we had to laugh when the crew of the 45' motor cruiser behind us knelt down and kissed the dock.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Well, I got back Friday night. I hate I didn’t get to see any of you guys up there, but it was a nasty Sunday morning and there was literally no one on the hill. So I got out of there right behind that storm in that low pressure system because I wanted that big wind.
So, the ride across the bay was nothing, even the approach to the inlet was nothing to speak of. However the Barnegat Bay inlet is not for the faint of heart nor small boats. It didn’t really get any better till I rounded those sandbars outside of the jettie wall. We saw about eight or 9 feet of water I guess. I sailed south as far as Norfolk where there was a 25kt. head wind forced me into the ditch. There was no way I was going to tack through Hateras with the wind in my teeth. Albemarle sound was the worst though. That was one hell of a ride across the sound. The winds were blowing 30+ and gusting 50, so it wasn’t a very pleasant ride. Lotta salt water over the boat. Oh well, another adventure..

Hey Chris,
I was working on my boat on Saturday and went over to look for you and Jeff before I left. I'm guessing you guys may have been out to dinner. Weather must have turned nasty overnight! There is a way to avoid that sandbar, I've learned but it isn't obvious. There is deeper water just past the north jetty wall if you take a dogleg to the north just after passing the marker at the end of the jetty. I've seen the experienced cruisers do that and I always figured that they were basically heading north anyway. But I think even if you are heading south, it is smoother to run straight out on the north side of the channel markers outside the jetties. You have to make sure you are clear of that north jetty wall though ... the end of it is just barely submerged and lots of boats have been on the rocks there. Even on a mild day, we've been pounded in the waves over that sandbar. It is unnerving to see depths less than 10', especially when there are waves!

You made good time for a long trip!