We left Atlantic City at 6:15 this morning, and pounded through a few swells getting out the inlet. Once we got away from the inlet, the swells flattened right out, and we thought 'This might not be a bad day'. We thought wrong...by 9am it was drizzling, 50 degrees, and foggy. Not pea-soup fog, but fog. Only 9 more hours in these conditions. It was damp and cold, and not much fun...but we arrived at 5:45p, got the anchor down, went below where the heat was on, and poured a glass of wine. A good ending to a crummy day.
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Left Cape May at 7:30 this morning, and had a pretty short day up to Atlantic City. It was overcast when we left, with light winds and some pretty uncomfortable swells. About 2 hours into it, the swells began to subside, so the rolling around wasn't too bad. We did get rained on before we got here, but it was just a passing shower. All in all, not a bad day, but we've had plenty better!
Two days ago, while we were sitting in Cape May, it finally had to turn the heat on in the boat...I'm awfully happy we have it!
This is the first time we've come into Atlantic City and didn't tie up at the Trump Marina. There is a nice anchorage just off the inlet, but the channel markers to get into it aren't usually in place in the late fall or early spring. Lucky for us, they're in this time, so we were able to safely get into the anchorage. There is a sandy shoal that juts out into the opening, and we never wanted to take the chance of running aground trying to enter.
Tomorrow morning we plan on leaving here by 6am. It's at least a 12 hour day up to Sandy Hook.
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Oh, how I would love to be in Sandy Hook now!
Jack and Sue
Yesterday morning the wind had backed right off, so we were able to get the dinghy in the water and head into shore. Alan did some boat maintenance first, but by 11:00 we were off the boat. We dinghyed into Utsch's Marina and tied up there, and they also let us leave a couple of large bags of trash in their dumpster! Called for a taxi to take us to Walmart...a 10mile R/T...$23...to pick up my $4 prescription!! After that we went out for lunch at the Lobster House. We also needed to pick up a few groceries, so we were off in search of a food store. The first thing we came to was a WaWa, which is like an On the Run (gas station store). We were able to get the basics there, so by 3:30 we were back on the boat.
The wind was supposed to shift during the night, so Alan wanted to re-anchor. All the boats that were here Wednesday were gone, so we were the only one left in the anchorage...plenty of room to re-anchor. Of course, we had a hard time getting it set...tried 3 times. Finally got a good hold...but of course, once you've dragged somewhere, you're really nervous if you're going to hold in big winds, which is what was predicted for Thursday night.
Well, it's now Friday morning, and the winds haven't really picked up yet, but we are supposed to have 20-25 by noon, and the seas outside are 5-7 ft, so we'll be sitting here another day. Sounds like tomorrow we'll be able to get up to Atlantic City. Five other boats came in late yesterday afternoon, and they all seem to be staying put today also. I guess we'll have company up the Jersey coast.
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| From Upper Chesapeake |
On Tuesday, we picked up the anchor at 6am, hoping to catch a few hours of outgoing tide. Did we ever! Sailing along at 9-10 knots with the current, but it only lasted about 3 hours. Then we had a couple of hours of neutral current, so we made pretty good time down the Bay. By time we got to the end, the wind was blowing 20-25 knots, and we were down to a reefed main and staysail. Got into Cape May about 3pm and anchored among the few other boats heading as far north (or further) than us. One from Marthas Vineyard, 2 from NH, and 3 from Canada, and us.
About an hour after we anchored, we started swinging in a different direction, and we were a bit close to one of the Canadian boats, so we picked up our anchor and moved. Everthing looked fine, and the wind backed down overnight. This morning the wind had picked up out of the NE, blowing 20-25 knots...gust to 33. I was still laying in bed at 7am, when I heard the engine start...and Alan yelling at me to 'get up here'. I was already on my way. Our anchor was dragging and we were precariously close to running aground. I took the helm while Al got the anchor up, and we tried to re-set. It took several tries, but finally it caught. This is the first time our anchor has ever dragged, and it was a bit unnerving.
We had planned on going to shore today, but the wind is still howling and we are still worried that we could break loose again. So, here we sit on the boat in Cape May...waiting for better weather. It seems that's what we do when we are in Cape May. We have never been to shore here, because it's always bad when we are here, and as soon as it gets nice...we leave. But this time, we will stay, because I have a prescription that I have to pick up at a Walmart a couple of miles from here. I'll finally get to see Cape May.
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Yesterday, Sunday, we left the Great Wicomico about 6:45, and we were lucky enough to do a little sailing. We actually were able to sail on Saturday, too. By noon, the wind died, and we motored the rest of the day.
Sunday on the Chesapeake, in April, when the weather is 80 degrees, is busy, busy, busy with small fishing boats. There must have been hundreds just in the section of the bay that we traversed. Kind of a pain, because they are all trolling, they cross in front of you, and you have to change course so you don't tangle their lines. It's as if their boat won't go in a north/south direction...they all have to troll east/west...back and forth in front of you.
We stopped last night just shy of Annapolis in Herring Bay. Not much of an anchorage, but the wind was light so we didn't really need a cozy spot. Left at 6:45 this morning with Chesapeake City in mind for a stopping point. The current was in our favor all day, so instead of stopping there, we pressed on and got all the way through the C&D Canal. We are anchored about 5 miles south of the canal down the Bay behind Reedy Island. It's a crappy anchorage...lots of current, so the boat just spins in circles.
Tomorrow we head down the bay to Cape May NJ, and we/ve got an opposing current most of the day. That was the reason we decided to make today a long day. We did about 80 NM today. Tomorrow we only have about 50 or so.
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