Ok.

Up at the crack of sparrow fart, as we used to say, and on our way at 06h30. We got incredibly lucky and caught the tidal current through the C&D Canal which burped us out into the Delaware and started our trip down the bay. For the first part we were pushing a bit of a current but for the last part or nearly eight hours we had the current at our backs and Nelleke was rocketing along at 8-9 kts. Then we popped out into the Atlantic and into the confusion of wind and lunar tides which comprises Cape May fully 2 hrs ahead of our estimate. We were able to sneak inside the shoals and decided to come into the harbour for the night. The regular anchorage is taken up mostly with dredging gear so we bit the bullet and came into a marina.

Looks like our decision not to stay offshore tonight was a good 'un. Here is a severe thunderstorm warning out so I am beset with the wonderment if we will even get away tomorrow.

We have some good news. We have heard from our friends aboard Moonlight Maid. They are at Morehead City after a 500 mile offshore voyage totally hand steered as their new autohelm kept blowing fuses. They are definitely hard core sailors. I would have put in to one of the numerous bays but what they did allowed them to avoid all of the skinny, poorly dredged portions of the ICW. They need a rest.

One thing about being in a marina is that we are on shore power and we can reactivate R2. Damn that AC is wonderful.