Yesterday (Wednesday) we set out from Cape May at 7:00 am after arriving there just 12 hours earlier. We just anchored off the Coast Guard station with a group of other cruisers all waiting for a run up Delaware Bay to the C&D canal and across into Chesapeake Bay. Because of the strong tides, we have to time our run up or it would be very slow going indeed. So we raised our anchor just before 7:00 am to be out in the mouth of the bay as the tide changes. There is a canal that creates a "back door" exit out of Cape May avoiding the big shoals off the cape, but for some reason, they built a bridge with 55' clearance over it. All other bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) are 65', and with our 60' mast we are fine. But not in Cape May. We headed back out the main channel and began working our way through the unmarked Cape May Channel, passing shoals with waves breaking on them just boatlengths away and in a fog that dropped and rose as we went, but made it safely through. And two hours after raising our anchor, we were meeting boats that had just left the anchorage and taken the 10 minute run through the canal. From there we headed up the very shallow bay that funnels into the Delaware River. Because it had the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia on it, there is a lot of commercial traffic on it, but we just ran up outside the channel. By mid-morning the sun had burned off the fog and the day turned suddenly very hot, so we were heading for the shade with our books. With the strengthening current, we made good time, arriving at the canal just as its current was changing in our favour, so that we were swept through the canal at 8 knots... great speed for us! Out of the canal, we turned into the Bohemia River, just at the head of the bay, and anchored just behind a group of cruising boats that seem to be traveling together. That's too complicated for us, so we prefer to be on our own. Then supper of the remains of our Spaghetti Bolognese, and bed after three long days. But from here we will slow down, poking into creeks and rivers as we work our way down the bay. Today (Thursday) I will hose down the boat. It is covered with salt from our run down the coast, and salt water never really dries. But up at the head of the Chesapeake, the water is fresh, so I can use it to wash off the boat. Then, my repai list has a few new items on it that will take me most of the morning. But first, Banana and raisin pancakes for breakfast!