Day 61 - Brigantine, NJ
27 May 2015
Day 61 - Wed 27 May 2015
Anchored - Brigantine, NJ
[photo: one of the low bridges along the NJ ICW we had to wait for]
Cutting to the chase, as of 1400 we were securely anchored in a protected cove in Brigantine, subjected to minimal wave action but very strong winds. Now, how we got here...
The evening was pleasant and the wind abated enough to keep the inevitable boat noises to a minimum. We arose at 0530 and without rushing, decided that we could leave at 0615. The tide would be dropping to low about 1030, and the wind would almost certainly build throughout the day, with forecasts for the ocean waters to be a lot rougher than we want to brave right now in this boat. With the former sailboat, we certainly could, would, and have, but not this time.
We set out to travel the NJ ICW knowing that it was a torturous route with a lot of doubling back, probably as bad as the ICW in GA. The safest bet is to wait for the tide to come up off low and be rising throughout the entire passage, but that would have been awkward. Our day started to go wrong with the port engine overheat alarm sounding on the flybridge, so I quickly shifted into neutral and shut it down. I could have turned back at that point, and if we were 'outside' in the ocean, I probably would have, although fighting waves on the bow with one engine might have been almost impossible. Having run the boat for several days with one engine on a previous occasion, I decided to continue on.
It really didn't slow us down too much having just the one engine because there were a lot of no-wake zones where you need to keep your speed down. Secondly, because I elected to go with a low tide, we were seeing a lot of places with less than 5 feet of depth (our boat draws 2.5 ft), and I automatically slowed way down in those areas. Thirdly, we had to wait for 3 bridges to open and lost well over 30 minutes with that, so the overall speed suffered in any event.
The good news is that the tough part of the NJ ICW is behind us and we can say we did it. We did not touch the bottom, although I am sure we came close a number of times. The route also had a lot of interesting things to see, especially the variety of homes and bungalows built close to the water in many places. The bad news is that it took us 7.3 hours to go 43nm, which is very slow.
The challenge for me, besides watching the depth sounder every 5 seconds and ensuring I was in the deepest water I could find, was some close-quarter maneuvering with just one engine running. In fact, I asked Diane to start the port engine once at a bridge where we had to wait and I had no room for error in keeping clear of everything around me. The second time was when we entered the Rum Point anchorage and, again, I needed all the maneuverability I could get. For those short durations and power settings, the engine never got hot. The fierce winds (15 kts gusting to almost 30 since about 1030) were not making this any easier, I can tell you that.
When we anchored, the windage (force on the boat from the wind pressure) was so great that the anchor chain was bar tight as the anchor set. It was straining the windlass, so I had Diane power forward until I got the bridle on the anchor chain and made fast to the cleats. I really love this 55 pound Rocna anchor, and it is one thing I can thank the previous owner for.
The Bimini top (canvas awning) was shaking fiercely in the gusts so I elected to fold it up for the first time. All it takes is the release of 4 pins while standing on the foredeck and the whole frame folds up nicely. It took a little experimentation to figure out that we should both be on the deck when we released the pins to make this work, but it turned out fine. Rather than try to handle the zippered cover in the 30 kt gusts, Diane got me a dockline and I secured the assembly that way. Diane suggested (very prudently) that we take all the cushions from the flybridge and transom bench inside in case the gusts would carry one away. They got piled in and around the salon table for the night. I kidded her that she just didn't want to lose to me in Mah Jongg again tonight.
After relaxing by making all my log entries, it was time to tackle the port engine overheating issue. When Diane had started the engine twice for me while underway, and I was totaling consumed with the navigation, I had asked her to compare the cooling water flow out the exhaust from both engines. She reported that the port engine water flow was perhaps a little less than the starboard, but definitely substantial. I opened up the inspection cover to find nothing obvious, so I have decided to run on one engine to Beach Haven tomorrow where I will have a better opportunity to troubleshoot. It should only be 3 hours to get there.
With all that behind us, it was time for me to join Diane with a post-arrival beverage. Once again we are very thankful that we have been able to meet the challenges that have arisen so far. We are glad we left the Chesapeake when we did, and happy that the weather cooperated just enough to let us get down the Delaware Bay to Cape May. Now, we are happy that we made this run today and are safe and mostly comfortable in Brigantine.
Following a few hours of relaxation, I started our supper as another personal challenge to make a one-pot meal. We enjoyed spicy Italian-style chicken sausage medallions with onions, peppers, and a tomato/wine sauce over penne pasta. It was a unique preparation for us that will become a repeat, for sure. Making supper in the galley for over an hour and eating the spicy food made me ready for some fresh, cool air, so I retired to the flybridge while Diane did her part with the cleanup.
When dark arrived, the buildings in Atlantic City lit up as expected. There is absolutely nothing about the gambling world that we like, but all the glitz does make for an entertaining skyline at night. We plan to weight anchor before 0700 tomorrow and be in Beach Haven around 1000 for 2 days in a marina.