Delaware City to Cape May – Crossing Delaware Bay

Nuclear Power Plant or at least the bottom part

At the weather briefing held by Tim in the marina office, six boats, 5 trawlers and a sailboat decided today would be an excellent day to cross the Delaware Bay about a 60 mile cruise. The Delaware River is the upper section with fast currents and the bay section is open to the southeast and a long wave fetch to Africa(The longer the fetch the larger the wave). It is necessary to cruse the river with the tide since the current can reach 3.0 knots. For a 7 knot boat that is the difference of traveling 4 nautical miles per hour and 10 nautical miles per hour making the trip as short as 6 hours or as long as 15 hours. To take advantage of an outgoing tide we departed at 5:00 this morning. Our first and second hour were at 10 miles per hour and 9 miles per hour. Then we slowed some to 6 mph, but as predicted by Tim we were pushed by the flow of rain water running down the bay that was stronger than the incoming tide. So toward the end of our trip we were back at 9 and 10 mph. The winds were predicted to be less than 5 knots and in fact we experience very flat seas and much fog. The sun appeared just as we were in sight of the Cape May Canal. We arrived in the harbor at Cape May at 1:00 all in all a fairly fast and pleasant crossing.

We travel out of the channel, to provide room for ships

This is a very maritime weather center, several fronts that have been passing through the Midwest are now moving through NJ. The wind picked up this afternoon and the fog rolled in from the ocean, then a front passed with some rain and a wind shift. We expect another front to pass this evening, the temperature will drop and the wind will shift to the northwest overnight, more challenges for tomorrow.

Calm and foggy, the horizon is there, I'm sure

Cape May Canal, near the ferry dock, that's "Choices"