# End of season Trip! Del Riv to Ches Bay Late Oct Early Nov.



## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Due to leg/back problems I wasn't able to head down to the Bay last week. I'm still limping but hope to get back on my boat this weekend. There is a race sunday, and a club race on the 20th. So... I should know real soon if I'm up to sailing my boat again! (GAWD! it's been like 3 weeks!) 

I hope to make my end of season trip soon! It will be over a weekend and I my only plans will be to go! I always stay at Chesapeake City on the way to and from the Bay. I will be out 5-7 days.

Anyone is interested doing the trip with their boat also Let me know. Part way, Meet up, let me know. I'm still in the planning stage.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Denise,
Depending on your schedule I'd pop out of the Sassafras and tag along for a bit. Let me know when you firm up your schedule and I'll see what mine looks like. I'm having some canvas work done in early November and the boat may be out of service a bit then.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

cool! 

I'll PM you when I get closer to my leaving date.


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## wumhenry (Mar 29, 2006)

*tide timing*

Do you time departure to catch a favorable tide, and if so, what is your target point?

I have felt the effect of tidal current in the C&D canal and have heard that it's also an important factor in the Delaware between the canal and Cape May. I was in the Summit North marina, in the canal, last week and would have liked to do a daylight run to Cape May the next day, last Wednesday. According to the tables, high tide at the approximate vicinity of Summit North would occur at 11:00 AM that day. If I postponed departure until, say, 10 AM to avoid an adverse flood tide in the canal and the river I'm not sure I'd have had enough daylight hours to get to Cape May before dark. A guy at the marina said that if you time your departure right you can ride a fair tidal current all the way. That might be true for power boaters but not for me in my 30-foot sailboat with its 16-hp diesel. I wouldn't have had six hours of fair tide after 11:00, because the time to the next high tide gets shorter as you go east. (Predicted high tide at Cape May last Wednesday was around 3 PM.) Possibly in an excess of caution, I ultimately decided to go elsewhere instead and leave Cape May for another occasion.

So what is the best strategy for going from a stopping-place in the canal to Cape May in a smallish sailboat at a time of year when daylight is on the short side? Leave at first light or tide-synch?


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

I would say tide-synch. Be careful in the Delaware bay. How big is your boat ?


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## Wayne25 (Jul 26, 2006)

Usually tide/current (Note: There can be a time lag between the two). Here is a neat link you can toy with, but check against other tables. http://www.fishweather.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=107&regionProductID=22&day=0&timeoffset=2
Also check the forcasted wind on the bay for your best point of sail. Wind against the current in the main channel of the Delaware can produce a steep chop.

Wayne


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## wumhenry (Mar 29, 2006)

Freesail99 said:


> I would say tide-synch. Be careful in the Delaware bay. How big is your boat ?


30 feet. It's a Bristol 29.9.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Aways come down river with the tide.. try to enter the canal on a rising tide. Stay at chesapeake city docks or drop the hook (free) Leave next morning or when the tide will take you out to the upper Bay. My boat is 30 ft with only 16hp will run with the tides 9-11 knots, against.. about 3.. duh.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

WumHenry...It is a very long day in a small boat even with the tide. I think you have to be prepared to enter the Cape May Canal in the dark either way. 
That said...I would go at first light to avoid as much big ship traffic in the dark as I could.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Well, as of today Oct 16th I'm just starting to think I will be able to get out of here next week! More at a 11! lol


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## speciald (Mar 27, 2007)

Heading down the Bay on 10/31 for my Jump-off to BVI's.


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## Jotun (May 4, 2006)

Depending on when you are passing, I can pop out of the Bohemia and meet up for a short while.


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## btrayfors (Aug 25, 2006)

*C&D Canal to Cape May*

wumhenry,

It's 55 nm from the East end of the C&D canal to Cape May (actually, to the turning point south of Cape May....it's less if you're going into Cape May).

At 6 knots average, this is just over 9 hours. With a favorable tide, it's much less.

One strategy is to anchor just outside the East end of the Canal...out of the ships channel....and wait for a favorable tide. I'd leave about 1-2 hours before slack water on a flood tide in the Delaware River, so as to have the maximum length of assist as the current becomes favorable.

You don't need daylight. Just run near but outside the buoys; the ships stay in the channel. I'd run down the East side so you can see traffic headed your way. Ships going down the channel will be WAY to your West.

Bill


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## wumhenry (Mar 29, 2006)

btrayfors said:


> wumhenry,
> 
> It's 55 nm from the East end of the C&D canal to Cape May (actually, to the turning point south of Cape May....it's less if you're going into Cape May).
> 
> ...


Thanks, Bill. Makes sense. When you say I don't need daylight were you just referring to the run down the Delaware or do you also mean that approaching and transitting the Cape May Canal in the dark is easy for someone who's never done it before?


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

wmhenery I've made the trip sown the Delaware with an experianced friend at night .. no thanks! The canal is ok at night but you gotta be real sure of what your looking at. Those barges are big! Personally I don't see any reasons to run at night if I don't have to!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Denise. Let us know when you get firmed up on schedule. I am in Flag harbor, 10 miles north of Solomons. If I get the boat back in the water (don't ask) I'll take any excuse to get underway!

Best,
Freeman
WUMHENRY, mine is a Bristol 29, your older little brother.


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## btrayfors (Aug 25, 2006)

wumhenry said:


> Thanks, Bill. Makes sense. When you say I don't need daylight were you just referring to the run down the Delaware or do you also mean that approaching and transitting the Cape May Canal in the dark is easy for someone who's never done it before?


Assume you mean the C&D canal, not the Cape May canal. I prefer not to run it at night, and you can usually plan in such way that you don't need to. Currents are often swift, the barges are big (as Denise said), and why do it if you don't need to?

Running the Delaware River and Delaware Bay at night is no big problem. The ships channel is very well buoyed and marked with ranges, and it's easy to stay just outside so you don't have to worry much about ships running you down.

I haven't been into Cape May itself at night; I tend to pass it up, since my mast height won't let me get under the bridge anyway! Think I'd wanna plan to do it in daylight, though, since the shoals all around can be tricky.

Bill


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

That was my earlier point...if your timing is such that you can't make it down the bay WITH the tide then get started early so you can make it into cape may canal and approaches in as much daylight as possible


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

*Guess I better get of my*

tush and decide if I'm going or not! The weather this coming week is making me think a big YES!

sigh.. things to do... 

ck oil, diesel, filters, belt etc, 
water tanks, holding tank flush.
put the working jib back on, stow the 153 genny
print out the tide charts. 
pay the rest of this months bills  
shop for food, drinking water etc... (never forget coffee!) 
make sure the propane re-route works. (did ck that when I did it?) 
find more sailing adventure books to read! 
to take or not take the dingy.... better sailing without.. more access to some places with it.

(already loosing my steam )

sigh..


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Oh Well.. guess it's good I didn't go! Right about now I'd holed up due because of rain and cold. So.. guess it's going to wait til spring! Sigh..


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Denise,
Just got back from my boat this morning, it's not pretty on the Bay right now. Make a trip to the local Irish Pub instead, it may not be dryer but it'll be warmer.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Full marina here in NC...like July in October! Bad weather is good for business!!


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