Some Info
Mike, I can't comment on a good place to anchor as the boss insists we overnight at a slip or on a mooring, but I can give you some info on the rest. Your draft is fine. Unlike Barnegat Bay further south, there is plenty of depth in most of Sandy Hook Bay and its conjoined sibling Raritan Bay. If you are a yacht club member, there are several yacht clubs in the area that offer reciprocal privileges to members of many other clubs - Raritan Yacht Club (where we're members) in Perth Amboy (northwest part of bay) definitely does and Keyport Yacht Club I think does. There are also lots of municipal and private marinas around that offer transient slips and moorings. Also lots of pump out facilities all over the place. I'm more familiar with the southern part of the bay as we keep our boat in Monmouth Beach, accessible down the Shrewsbury River the entrance to which is just down (south) the coast from Sandy Hook itself. (If you or your kids need a break from the boat, the beaches at Sandy Hook are nice and it has a small museum and there are some neat ruins from when it was an active military installation. It's part of Gateway National Park and info can be found on the web.) There are sevaral decent restaurants right on the water, although they are usually very crowded during the weekends. Barr's Landing (I think it's in Atlantic Highlands, but I am not 100% sure) on the Shrewsbury is very popular and is accessible without going under any bridges. The food is good and I believe they also have overnight marina accommodations. I'm sure there are more water-side resturants in Atlantic Highlands near Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina and in Keyport. If you don't mind bridges, go under the northern bridge (Highlands Bridge). The Navesink River and the Shrewsbury split a little south of that bridge. West down the Navesink is Rumson and a couple of other nice towns. Again, lots of marinas and waterfront resturants. Probably also some good spots to anchor. To get to our current marina, The Channel Club, you need to go down the Shrewsbury (keep going south where the Navesink and Shrewsbury split) under another bridge (the Sea Bright Bridge). It's nice (pool, pool bar that serves food and drinks, fun NY deli-style restaurant, clean showers, walk to grocery and liquor stores), but not worth dealing with the second bridge. By the way, last time I checked (boat was dry docked last summer) both bridges monitored channel 13. Opening was on demand off hours and at :15 and :45 weekends and holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Finally, most of the folks I know who fish go out into the Atlantic right around Sandy Hook. Good striper fishing. I hear there is also good fluke and blues fishing in the bay, but I don't know any specifics. If you're around on a weekend, watch the power boaters as there are lots of them who like to move way to fast for the crowded conditions. If you decide to stop by Raritan Yacht Club on a weekend, let me know and it will be my pleasure to buy you a beer (or a few of them). Tom FitzGibbon s/v Plan B
