Foggy Day to Cape May

Day 9  |  Chesapeake City to Cape May, NJ  |  63 Miles  |  8.75 Hours

The good news: there was little wind and wave action. The not so good news: the fog had rolled in and it was still chilly. The dense fog in the anchorage made for a picturesque start to the day. Too bad this initial view was about as colorful as it got for most of the day.

We exited the anchorage and began our trek through the C&D Canal to the Delaware River. Crossroads reached speeds over 10 knots (speed over ground) with the help of a 2.5 knot current. We passed under several bridges, each of a different design.

Before we knew it, we were out of the Canal and into the Delaware River. A blue heron sat on the jetty marking the Canal's entrance/exit as if to wish us Safe Travels. It seemed as if the sea anchor had been deployed as our helpful current disappeared and we were all of a sudden bucking an equally strong current. A short time later, we rounded the Salem Nuclear Power Station and entered Delaware Bay.

To our surprise and enjoyment, the wind was still minimal and the water was flat. This area is notorious for a rough sea state and white-knuckle voyages. We made our way past the Ship John Shoal Light (below left), shared the channel with several barges and freighters, and then passed Miah Maull Shoal Light (below right).

Thankfully as we entered the Cape May Canal, the sky began to clear and the sun peeked out every now and then. (I didn't put my sunglasses on once all day -- that's how dreary is was!) The seagulls took to the beach and we completed the final segment to Utsch's Marina where our first order of business was to fill up the diesel tanks. Two hundred and fifty gallons later, we were finally headed to our slip. Barry checked into the office and paid our bill which entitled us to a complimentary bottle of house-labeled white cranberry wine. Not willing to wait for it to chill, we headed over to the Lobster House for an early birthday dinner. It did not disappoint.

We've rented a car for tomorrow and will visit some friends, and Wal-mart, Home Depot and West Marine as well. The weather forecast has everyone worried and scrambling with weekend plans. There are at least seven active Loop boats here with us, all looking at how the track of Alberto will affect us. We think we have our plans and destinations in order, but will keep monitoring the forecasts.