PHOTO ABOVE: Broken Anchor Swivel (See discussion below.) TWO WORDS: NOT GOOD!

Trip Data: Cape May, NJ to C&D Canal (mile 8, Summit North Marina)
Distance: 60.5 nm
Time: 7:37 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Slip A7, Summit North Marina
Lat/Lon: 39 32.850 N : 75 42.229 W
2010 Trip Log: 1520.4 nm, (1763.7 sm), 103 days since departure

Up the Delaware River to the C&D Canal and Chesapeake Bay

We left Utsch's Marina this morning (Wednesday, 9/29/2010) about 2 hours after low tide at 7:37 am. We had previously thought about anchoring out the last night in order to avoid low tide and possible problems with getting out of our slip but the marina staff was certain we would have no problems exiting the marina and getting safely into to Cape May harbor after 7 am. They were correct and we were lucky; very lucky or someone is looking out for us.

On Tuesday afternoon I was up on deck looking at the anchor arrangement. We have 2 anchors on SeaSafe rollers; a 60 lb CQR (starboard w/300' chain) and a 60 lb Lewmar Claw (Bruce look alike) on 100' of chain and 300' of ¾" line. During pounding seas the anchor shafts can slide off the plastic pads we have mounted on the bow pulpit and scratch the varnished teak. I was looking at ways to minimize the movement and reduce the scratching. I was down on my knees looking at the shafts and shackles on both anchors when I discover a broken anchor swivel pin on our primary anchor, a 60 lb CQR. Two words: Holy #$%^!

I am not exactly sure how and when this happened, but evidence points to the fact that we may have anchored with the broken pin before. Part of the swivel, where the long end of the pin was secured with safety wire, was bent slightly, indicating there was a load put on this shackle AFTER IT WAS BROKEN. The safety wire had held the pin in the shackle and the tension on the pin was not on the wire but the pin and shackle arm, so it held to the point that part of the swivel bent. But it was not going to hold forever, that is for sure.

I was unsuccessful finding a direct replacement at 4 marina supply stores in Cape May, so I simply attached the anchor to the chain with a standard, non-swiveling shackle so the anchor was available to use in the event we needed it during our trip up the Delaware River. After this experience I am adding inspection of the anchors, shackles and chains to my predeparture checklist. I should be able to find a quality swivel shackle with appropriate safe and working loads somewhere in the Chesapeake.

As Far Niente's mast is 58+' we were not able to transit the Cape May Canal to the west and enter Delaware Bay. The bridge clearance via that route is 55', so we exited out the east harbor inlet to the Atlantic. Now if you look closely at a navigational chart of that area it is striking how many shoals there are around the point of Cape May. There are a lot of wrecks too. So we exited the canal and headed in a southwesterly direction away from the numerous shoals for about 8 nm before we started a slow turn of about120 degrees to begin entrance into Delaware Bay. The seas had some 3-6' swells, but were not uncomfortable and as we made our turn toward the bay entrance we had the wind, guess where, right on the nose. Yani was going to get a workout today.

On the plus side we had timed our departure (day, month, time) just right. The tidal flood began right after 9:00 am and the bay/ river current switched to the northwest in perfect line for our transit. During the day we saw as much as a 2.5 knot push and the SOG read 8.8-10.1 knots during our entire transit. We also benefitted from light wind, less than 6 knots, for most of the day while the seas in the river fell to 1' or less. It was easy motoring. The weather was another story

During the transit we heard numerous discussions of the VHF between boats about where they were going to hunker down for the night. Wednesday was a one-day weather window to get out of the Atlantic and up into the Chesapeake and everyone was going. About noon, after we had listened to yacht after yacht change their plans to anchor in Chesapeake City or the Sassafras River and head to the Summit North Marina where we had a reservation, we decided to call the marina and confirm out reservation. The gentleman in the office who we spoke to told us we might want to think about heading back to Cape May due to a wave of incoming thunderstorms and tornados!

Sorry. No way. We were only 4-5 hours from the marina, with the flood and making over 9.2 knots consistently. Turning around would have actually increased our time in the bay and then the Atlantic, as we'd be fighting the current until we exited the Delaware Bay. Shortly after the call confirming our slip and its location we heard a call from the U.S. Coast Guard reporting on gale force winds and a tropical storm of the U.S. East coast. They requested that ALL vessels less than 150' in length that were more than 20 nm offshore contact them with their vessel i.d. and location.

We pressed on and watched the weather radar closely on our 3G Droid phones. Radar indicated a temporary lull in storm activity over the north end of the Delaware River and in the general area of the C&D canal. We hit the entrance to the C&D canal at 3:15 pm, shortly after the tidal flood had shifted the canal current toward the west which gave us another 2.5 - 2.8 knot push as we hot over 10 knots motoring down the canal. The weather also cooperated and we entered the marina at 4:00 pm with less than 3 knots of wind. Again, somebody must be watching out for us.

So we'll be here another 2-3 days as a massive storm moves up from the south Atlantic and Gulf and dumps 6+" of rain all along the eastern seaboard.

At least I don't have to take time to wash all the salt off of Far Niente!

Summit North Marina is a nice stop over point after transit up the Delaware Bay/River. The shallowest part is right at the opening to the canal where I saw about 6'-7'. As you move back into this large 325 slip marina the depth increases and was more than 10' at our slip, immediately across from the fuel dock. The slips here need some serious maintenance and one of the dock hands sand many of the fingers would be replaced this winter. Not too soon that is for sure. It is a very well protected marina and while there were 35+ knot winds during some of the rain/thunderstorms, we had minimal movement and no discomfort. The entire facility is surrounded by thick forest which gives it a nice earthy atmosphere. There was a courtesy shuttle to get you into town for groceries, etc. as it was much too far to walk. Right next to the center of the marina is a nice place for drinks and we were told good food, AquaSol. They had live music on their deck Friday evening.

The restroom and shower facilities get a D+. They need updated as well and more frequent cleaning would be in order. And there are only two at the office. We understand there were more and nicer facilities up at the AquaSol that we could have used but we did not try them out.