I'm planning to sail my Seidelmann 295 from Beach Haven, NJ to the Chesapeake over Memorial Day Weekend (5/25, 26, 27) My planned route is Atlantic City to Cape May in the ocean, up the Delaware Bay, then thru the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, ending up in Rock Hall, MD. I'm looking for another boat to join me, i.e., I don't need crew, but I'd like to have another boat for safety's sake. Let me know if you're interested.
NJ to Chesapeake May 25, 26, 27
- Thread starter jdrinker1
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As long as the weather is decent it's an easy, but long run. Based on your boat I would think you'd be happy to average 6kts. The run from AC to Cape May will take apx 6hrs. You can cut the corner off CM by using the CM canal. From the De Bay side of the CM canal take a heading of 330 and it will take you to the entrance to the C&D Canal. Do your best to catch the tide north as it can give you a 2-3kt lift. It's hard to ride it the entire way though so expect to buck it on the northern end of De Bay. Hope for winds with a southerly component and under 15kts. De Bay can get very snotty with oppossing wind and tide. Even with winds with the tide it will kick up once they get into the mid teens and above. The run from the CM Canal to the railroad bridge in the C&D will take you apx 9 hours. There are two marinas in the C&D canal. The first is Summit North which is on your right just past the R/R bridge and tucked in out of site. It's quiet, has a nice restaurant, new floating docks and the a good choice for fuel (diesel or gas). The second choice is Chesapeake City apx a hour past Summit North. Tiki bar, multiple restaurants, floating docks, but can be noisy as the go fast and power boys like to hang out there. From Chesapeake City to Rock Hall will be another apx 7 hrs. You'lll want to catch the tide on the Chesapeake if possible which will likely mean leaving at an odd hour. You'll enjoy Rock Hall. Many marinas and restaurants. Make sure you stop by Durdings Old Drug Store for an ice cream/root beer float. Good luck and enjoy the trip.
Mike
Mike
Would love to do the trip with you but im working 2 of the 3 days. Mike B pretty much covered it. I do ac to cape may in 5-6 hours depending on wind.
If you decide to stop in AC, our marina (and the entire area) is very accessible, more so than most of NJ. give me a shout and I'll meet you there if you make the stop.
If you decide to stop in AC, our marina (and the entire area) is very accessible, more so than most of NJ. give me a shout and I'll meet you there if you make the stop.
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We take this trip from the Chesapeake to Long Island Sound and back every year following this route sing Barnegat Inlet as a stopover.. I also live in Ocean City , NJ for 18 years before moving here and kept my boat in Barnegat Bay for 5 years.
Here's what to expect. With a 2 cylinder Yanmar expect to averge at best 5 knots. Trip from AC to Cape May is 35 miles. Predominant winds are S to SE. Figure on this trip taking between 7 and 8 hours. Stay at Utsches. Good restaurants like Luck Bones close by. Family and friendly marina. No place to anchor til you get to Cohannesey River or the C&D Canal.
The next day is a game of playing the current and tides. If not you will move no where fast or go about 3-4 knots and the nuke at Salem will be omnipresent in front of you for 8 hours. 52 miles to east end of the C&D Canal. 15 miles of Canal. Looking at the current for May 26 it starts northward at about 6 AM at the west end of the Cape May Canal. It will last till 2:30 PM up by the Canal entrance before flowing against you South again.
If you play the current right you will travel at 7-8 knots average Vs usual 5. If you left at 5::30 AM from Utsches, motor the Cape May Canal (55 ft max mast height) you would keep the current all he way up and make the Canal entrance by 2, right before the tide and current change. This also allows you to have the current through the Canal which will turn against you at 4:15 PM. Another couple of hours south (13 miles)you can anchor in Sassafras at Betterton or Turner Creek by 6:30 total of 13 hours. Go 3 more miles takes you to a nice StillPond. Figure on motor sailing the whole way.
If you choose to sleep and left say at 8 from Cape May you would fight the current for 2 hours in the Delaware, make the eastern C&D Canal Entrance at 5, fight the C&D currents for 3 hours to make a crowded Chesapeake City and be lucky to find anchoring room amongst the Memorial Day Saturday partiers there in the 18 ft runabouts. Next day you have a good longer ride too to a Rock Hall. I would stay in Delaware City if you chooses this. And do the Canal the next day with the current.
If you sleep you pay the next day with a long one. If not you get extra miles and save time with the current
Rock Hall is 59 miles from Delaware City, 47 from Chesapeake City, 42 miles from western entrance to the C&D or 8 hours. 27 from Sassafras or 24 from Still Pond.
Feel free to PM me for mor info on any of this , anchorages ( there are other alternatives once put of the C&D Canal) or restaurants etc.
The trip from Cape May up the Delaware is easier than the trip back as you will only get th Delaware currents for 5.5 hours going South so you want to set yourself up for the run to Cape May in Delaware City or Reedy Point anchorage.
I wouldn't even think of anchoring at Chesapeake City let alone on a holiday weekend. The cove gets crowded and has notoriously poor holding. Ask me how I know 
Should a storm roll through there will be people dragging anchor all over the place. I'd push on to the Bohemia River, Sassafras or the best spot Still Pond. If you choose Still Pond tuck as far in as possible to avoid being exposed to the wakes coming off commercial and pleasure boats. Good luck
Mike
Should a storm roll through there will be people dragging anchor all over the place. I'd push on to the Bohemia River, Sassafras or the best spot Still Pond. If you choose Still Pond tuck as far in as possible to avoid being exposed to the wakes coming off commercial and pleasure boats. Good luckMike
So very true. Especially in the back where te is a 2 knott current by the road and bridge. We avoid Chesapeake City. Bohemia you will find very shallow except the south side of the entrance of the river. Sassafras first stop is Betterton. A little exposed to the west and north west. Further up Turner Creek is nice. If you do that you might as well do Still Pond. My experience there and we go there to anchor and swim a lot as there are no nettles is is protected, the wakes are small, except from the west north west.I wouldn't even think of anchoring at Chesapeake City let alone on a holiday weekend. The cove gets crowded and has notoriously poor holding. Ask me how I know
Mike
My main idea on opting was to get you o consider using maximum use of the currents. Without doing tht you waste hours. Just an example. Last year we left Utsches in Cape May at 5 AM and hit every Delaware / CD Canal current at max. We made it home ( rock creek) which is same distance as Rock Hall by 8 PM. We averaged 7.25 knots. For 15 hours.
Dave
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