Question On Cape May Canal & Inlet Entrance's

Rich Stidger · Jul 31, 2011

Having never been there prior to going around Cape May the first time, I think I stayed about 5nm offshore to avoid any possible shoals- maybe it was more. I draw five feet.

However, I just looked at my electronic charts (Mapsource) and it appears that you can run about 1/2 mile offshore and still be in 8-15 feet of water.

If you had local knowledge, I think you could avoid that large detour. And the canal was not remotely possible with my 63' mast PLUS antenna.....

Given my electronic charting capability and a more accurate GPS than I had previously, I think I would opt to run close to shore and watch my depth finder and chartplotter like a hawk. Avoiding the 5+ nm out and back could easily save a couple of hours.

Your boat, your skill, your choice.

BTW, the best anchorage is right off the CG station.

RichH · Jul 31, 2011

In settled weather and mild to moderate current flow at the cape, you can come in quite close to the point of the cape; there is a passage very close to the beach. Dont do this in large tidal flow or when there is a heavy sea/easterly swell running, but go around the shoals that extend up to several 'miles' off the cape. The close to the point of land passage is only for fair weather only.

There are inexpensive marinas inside Cape May harbor ($1.75/ft): Utches Marine, etc.

If you anchor behind the CG station invariably you will be hassled endlessly by the 'classes' of newbie guardsmen on practice training missions in small boats .. requiring you to anchor progressively closer and closer and closer to the shore (keeping the extremely wide channel clear of anchored boats .... best is pretend to speak only an intelligible foreign language and they will simply shrug/'give up' and immediately go hassle other anchored boats) ... AND the same folks at the onshore 'USCG training center' will be up at all hours of the night with extreme noise and cacophony (called 'chicken-$#!t) to intimidate & humiliate the recruits with sirens, bells, horns, etc. etc.

31seahorse · Jul 31, 2011

Hello,
We enjoyed Utches in 2009. Included picnic tables and bikes to go to town & lighthouse. Worth the price for those and other amenities.

We also were concerned about mast height (of a boat that accompanied us) and planned our arrival/departure for low tide. The canal was a challenge with ferry dock, tidal flow, and an "inconsiderate" powerboater.

Best Wishes, Phil

dparilla · Jul 31, 2011

Utsch's was fantastic when I went through there last summer. Off shore I would stay 1 mile clear to avoid jet ski, current, and coastal traffic. Its an easy transit and we measured the bridge at around 57feet by laser range finder at low tide. We cleared the ferry landing 1/2 hour past lower slack water, and rode a nice current until about the c and d canal. Saw a 2.5 knot ebb as we entered the canal. Took us around 10 hours to Chesapeake Maryland basin. Our mast is 50 with Windex and aerial. No clearance issues and the bascule bridge is normally open.

Benny17441 · Jul 31, 2011

We did that coincidentally on an h34. We had to wait for low tide until adequate clearance under the bridges was attained. There are no places to tie up on the Canal and you cannot anchor there so I would advice that you time your arrival to coincide with low tide. As low tide approaches the current flows quite strong from the Canal entrance out to the basin so be careful when you approach the bridge to check for clearance. I wanna say we waited until we could see 58' on the bridge marker before commiting to the crossing. Once under the 1st bridge we had straight clearance into the basin. It would have helped if we could have done this during daylight hours rather than almost midnight. Our mistake was that we did not anticipate that we could not tie up in the Canal and hence did not consider the need to arrive there at a specific time. We timed our departure from the C&D Canal based on convenience rather than the need to arrive in a time window. A week latter we returned and had no problems as we left from the basin right at low tide.

Mike B · Jul 31, 2011

Both bridges in the canal are 55' as you stated. I would not try to cheat by running at low tide. Even at low tide the power boat traffic can be wicked. The last thing you want is to be marginally close and get lifted by someone's wake. If you go around you can cut inside of the shoals by following the deep water. As Rich H stated I would not try it in rough seas. If you choose to go around the shoals expect it to take a while as they extend out quite some way. Be patient you'll be rewared with a great little town. We always stay at Utchs and then walk into town. One of our favorite resturants is the Island Grill. It's next door to Colliers Liquors which is good as it's a BYOB. Dock Mike's is good for breakfast and a short walk from Utchs. Lot's of other places for any type of food you could want. We were planning on heading there this September but may just cruise the bay for the week.
Mike

sailorskier · Aug 1, 2011

Around Cape May

Joe,
I have made this passage many times. You need to stay within 1/2 mile of the beach for the best passage. As mentioned, you want to be here around slack water and enter the Delaware Bay on a flooding current. Remember, we are talking current tables and not tide tables. Enjoy your trip.
Bill Creadon
s/v Water Racket 38CC Morgan 1995 #45

Joe Mullee said:
My mast with the antenea is 56'. Reading the charts for the Cape May Canal the two fixed bridges are 55' at MHW so I'm probably going to go around into the Cape May Inlet. The charts show some shoal area's around the point at Cape May. For anyone who's done this, assuming fair weather, can you advise how far I should stay off the shoreline when passaging thru this area?

Thanks.

sailaway78 · Aug 1, 2011

I went through there a few years ago

With a 55' mast. Went through at dead low tide, and drug the antenna on one of the bridges.