i am preparing to sail to norfolk from nyc sometime around mid october and wish to know if anyone has an idea how long it would take and is there a preferred route ive never been on the ICW and am not sure if offshore would be faster. i have some time but would like to get there within a week. i will be alone.on that note if there is someone whod like to come with me get in touch with me rodherb@gmail.com
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Bubba Smiff
Inside
Hi Eric, Given that you are single-handing, it'd be best to chart a course that has stops each night. In my opinion, you should go along the Jersey shore, up the Delaware River, through the C&D Canal, then down the Chesapeake. Get the charts, or a chart-book, and mark out the daily runs. I think the only difficult planning will be along the Jersey Shore and up into the Delaware, where anchorages are few, and making planned time between anchorages is important. There are many places to stop in the Chesapeake Bay. I live here and haven't been to 90% of them! I haven't done the trip in a sailboat, so take my advice with a grain of salt-water ... but look into it. Check out this blog, then email the sailors. They made the trip last year. http://scottsuesailaway.blogspot.com/2005/09/cape-may.html Bubba
Hi Eric, Given that you are single-handing, it'd be best to chart a course that has stops each night. In my opinion, you should go along the Jersey shore, up the Delaware River, through the C&D Canal, then down the Chesapeake. Get the charts, or a chart-book, and mark out the daily runs. I think the only difficult planning will be along the Jersey Shore and up into the Delaware, where anchorages are few, and making planned time between anchorages is important. There are many places to stop in the Chesapeake Bay. I live here and haven't been to 90% of them! I haven't done the trip in a sailboat, so take my advice with a grain of salt-water ... but look into it. Check out this blog, then email the sailors. They made the trip last year. http://scottsuesailaway.blogspot.com/2005/09/cape-may.html Bubba
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Jack Austin
Also interisted in doing this trip from Upstate NY
We have an O'day 25 which we have sailed up to Lake Ontario many times and are now planning on a trip south. Would like obtain info on this route. we would take the Hudson to NYC and down the coast from there.
We have an O'day 25 which we have sailed up to Lake Ontario many times and are now planning on a trip south. Would like obtain info on this route. we would take the Hudson to NYC and down the coast from there.
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eric
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Pete
Jersey Shore
Eric, Congrats in advance on the trip. I wish I could go with you. With a 25, I'd suggest going with the inside route to the extent possible. I don't know about your sailing skills, but they must be worth something if you're even thinking of a trip of this magnitude. Still, unless you're in a huge hurry (and a week sounds like plenty of time), I'd go inside. However, unless the weather is absolutely terrible, I wouldn't bother with the ICW in NJ from Manasquan south. You'll be motoring almost the entire way, with enough drawbridges to make you want to rip your hair. Stay outside as much as you can. The Jersey Shore part of the trip really only offers a few inlets worth considering for either an overnight stay or an emergency: Manasquan, Barnegat and Absecon (Atlantic City). Almost all of the others are strictly for those with local knowledge and/or a shallow draft. Manasquan is about 30 miles, give or take, south of Sandy Hook; Barnegat about 25 miles south of Manasquan. Depending on how long your want your days to be, you can easily make it from NYC to Manasquan in one stretch. Barnegat might be doable, but it would be about a 12 or 13 hour day. Inside Barnegat, you can make a left and you'll find Myers Hole, a popular and user-friendly anchorage. Be advised, too, that the winds along the Jersey Shore tend to be more or less on the nose when you're heading south. On occasion I've gotten lucky and enjoyed a nice beam reach, but mostly it's either motor-sailing or some very long tacks on close reach. Let me know on- or off-list if there's any other info you need that I might be able to provide. Pete s/v EmmieLou (Oday 322) Little Silver, NJ
Eric, Congrats in advance on the trip. I wish I could go with you. With a 25, I'd suggest going with the inside route to the extent possible. I don't know about your sailing skills, but they must be worth something if you're even thinking of a trip of this magnitude. Still, unless you're in a huge hurry (and a week sounds like plenty of time), I'd go inside. However, unless the weather is absolutely terrible, I wouldn't bother with the ICW in NJ from Manasquan south. You'll be motoring almost the entire way, with enough drawbridges to make you want to rip your hair. Stay outside as much as you can. The Jersey Shore part of the trip really only offers a few inlets worth considering for either an overnight stay or an emergency: Manasquan, Barnegat and Absecon (Atlantic City). Almost all of the others are strictly for those with local knowledge and/or a shallow draft. Manasquan is about 30 miles, give or take, south of Sandy Hook; Barnegat about 25 miles south of Manasquan. Depending on how long your want your days to be, you can easily make it from NYC to Manasquan in one stretch. Barnegat might be doable, but it would be about a 12 or 13 hour day. Inside Barnegat, you can make a left and you'll find Myers Hole, a popular and user-friendly anchorage. Be advised, too, that the winds along the Jersey Shore tend to be more or less on the nose when you're heading south. On occasion I've gotten lucky and enjoyed a nice beam reach, but mostly it's either motor-sailing or some very long tacks on close reach. Let me know on- or off-list if there's any other info you need that I might be able to provide. Pete s/v EmmieLou (Oday 322) Little Silver, NJ
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Jonathan
Inside 2
I would definately consider the ICW as much as possible as well, but when you go down the delaware, stop in Burlington, they have a great restaurant, and a interesting mix of people there. Once you hit the Chesapeake Bay, the sailing can get a bit rough sometimes, definatley keep and eye on the weather, I did a 7 hour sail from Deltaville, and boy was it no-fun, especially in SCA weather that popped up halfway down the trip. Did you have a specific Marina in mind when you hit Norfolk? Willoughby Harbor is nice, or if you want to be closer to downtown, Tidewater Marina is nice as well, though kinda pricey. John
I would definately consider the ICW as much as possible as well, but when you go down the delaware, stop in Burlington, they have a great restaurant, and a interesting mix of people there. Once you hit the Chesapeake Bay, the sailing can get a bit rough sometimes, definatley keep and eye on the weather, I did a 7 hour sail from Deltaville, and boy was it no-fun, especially in SCA weather that popped up halfway down the trip. Did you have a specific Marina in mind when you hit Norfolk? Willoughby Harbor is nice, or if you want to be closer to downtown, Tidewater Marina is nice as well, though kinda pricey. John
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Stu
ICW South
Hi Eric: I have done this trip before on a larger powerboat as far as the Chesapeake. A few pointers: At Cape May, (south of Atlantic City) there's a small, navigable inlet that leads to a canal that crosses the Cape May peninsula. It helps shave some time off the trip. There is a nice (or was) in the C & D canal at Cheasapeake City, by a large bridge. There was a nice little hole to anchor in and a restaurant there. The C& D canal museum was also nearby. Watch the C&D, big ships go through there on occassion. As far as the Chesapeake, the eastern shore os full of wonderful little gunkholes to anchor in and get shelter. Consult a good chart. The eastern shore is largely agricultural and rural. The western shore is more developed. A third of the way south is a channel on the eastern side before the bridge to Annapolis and a place called Piney Narrows. It has a smaller channel south that bypasses the main channel under the bridge. Piney Narrows has places to fuel, get provisions, and eat out if you like. I wish you all the best of luck on your trip. Bring plenty of contingency things! I'd love to hear how your trip went. Safe travels! Stu "Karakahl" 1979 O'Day 22 CB Centerport, NY
Hi Eric: I have done this trip before on a larger powerboat as far as the Chesapeake. A few pointers: At Cape May, (south of Atlantic City) there's a small, navigable inlet that leads to a canal that crosses the Cape May peninsula. It helps shave some time off the trip. There is a nice (or was) in the C & D canal at Cheasapeake City, by a large bridge. There was a nice little hole to anchor in and a restaurant there. The C& D canal museum was also nearby. Watch the C&D, big ships go through there on occassion. As far as the Chesapeake, the eastern shore os full of wonderful little gunkholes to anchor in and get shelter. Consult a good chart. The eastern shore is largely agricultural and rural. The western shore is more developed. A third of the way south is a channel on the eastern side before the bridge to Annapolis and a place called Piney Narrows. It has a smaller channel south that bypasses the main channel under the bridge. Piney Narrows has places to fuel, get provisions, and eat out if you like. I wish you all the best of luck on your trip. Bring plenty of contingency things! I'd love to hear how your trip went. Safe travels! Stu "Karakahl" 1979 O'Day 22 CB Centerport, NY
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