Marinas on Barnegat Bay

[jimmcgee]

I'm considering leaving my marina on Long Beach Island New Jersey.

If I do I'd like to go north to Barnegat Bay where the water is deeper, the sailing is better and there are more on-water restaurants.

Can anyone recommend a marina -- or are there any marinas you'd stay away from?

I have a Catalina 30 that draws about 4 feet. We primarily day sail the southern bay from our marina now, with occasional trips out into the ocean, and we'll anchor out for a day or two now and then.

Floating docks are preferable, dockside water, power, cable. Must have clean bathrooms/showers. We're looking for a place with a laid back vibe, not the party till 3am crowd every weekend. And we'd like to find a place without a ton of dockside politics. Like I said we're looking for a laid back vibe.

The wife insists that marina not be "buggy"

Thanks,
Jim

 

[JohnT1594]

Forked River

We have kept our boat in Forked river for the past ten years. There are lots of marinas there serving both the power and sailing crowd. Our boat is currently at Southwinds Marina (mostly power) and we are happy there despite the fact that it is somewhat pricey and with an increase each year. A little further up the river is Silver Cloud/Tall Oaks that caters mostly to sailors. Rick's marina, Tides End, Captain's Inn and the State marina also have slips available. That part of the bay is wide and mostly over 10-12'. Tices Shoal is a favorate day destination with free pump-out boats on weekends. It is a great place to stay overnight in anythig but a west wind.
There are other marinas at the lower end of the bay and also up on Toms River.

 

[Mulf]

Mariners Marina in Barnegat (the mainland, not the light)

We sold our house in Waretown in '96 so it's been a while since I've been there, but I always thought this one was a nice sailboat marina. It is family run and they really care about their boaters. I recommend you check it out.
http://www.marinersmarinabarnegat.com/photoGallery/photogallery.html

 

[JohnT1594]

Bugs

"The wife insists that marina not be "buggy"

I doubt if you will find a marina anywhere that does not have "bugs". There are a lot of wet/tidal lands up and down the bay and they have their own insect populations. As you know, sailing down near LBI the infamous green fly can ruin your afternoon. But we don't have them in an around the marinas. Out on the bay, there is a population of small black flys that are bothersome in light winds. Our Forked river marinas have no-see-ums around Memorial day, then mosquitos at sunset for most of the summer. We spray the dock and ourselves and manage to spend some quality time on the dock with friends. You can probably smell the Citronella for miles.

 

[jimmcgee]

We're spoiled where we're at now. We haven't put the screens in in two years and have never really had a bug problem.

Green heads when sailing below the 72 bridge is a given, and has been especially bad this year.

I do want to avoid going into a marina where you can't leave the boat without deet.

 

[jimmcgee]

High Bar Harbor

Is anyone on this forum familiar with High Bar Harbor?

 

[Breal]

Check out Cedar Creek Marina in Bayville, NJ. It's a small sailboat marina and they are more affordable than the ones in Forked River and closer to the open water. They have clean showers and bathrooms and the people are laid back and friendly. You got Toms River to the north and Forked river to the south. About 2 hours to the BB Inlet.