Chestertown to Cape May

At 0900 on Saturday, July 9th, I released the dock lines at Worton Creek Marina. I knew Distant Horizon was ready to make this journey. All my doubts lead inward. I would be leaving by a channel marked with shoaling on the charts for waters known for strong currents, which I have never been in. Even my plan was variable. I didn't want to stick to a hard schedule. That can lead to bad decisions and disaster.

I was meeting my cousin Dave in Cape May three days after my departure. This leg of the journey should take two days, but opposing currents could make it three.

I left on a rising tide. If Distant Horizon encountered shoals in the creek, the rising tide could lift us off. I stayed close to the green channel markers and never saw depths less than 10 feet... perfect!

The weather was a gloomy overcast with a slight hint that the sun might break through to brighten the day. With the typical high humidity of the Chesapeake,  the visibility was moderately good, but hazy.

Along with that rising tide, came a current. In the creek the current flowed against us, but that was for just a couple of miles. Once we turned north in the Chesapeake, the current carried us along at a better than planned speed. By lunch time, Distant Horizon was entering the Elk River; the start of the C&D Canal. This canal connects the northern Chesapeake and central Delaware bays.

Chesapeake City Bridge

In less than an hour, we were approaching Chesapeake City. The current had accelerated us to over 6 knots. This was both unexpected and welcomed.

Chesapeake City, Schaefer's Marina

My initial plan had me stopping at this marina for the night. That is, if the currents were against me. I arrived so quickly, I had to switch to Plan-B and continue on to the Delaware Bay and anchor for the night.

The current stayed with me through most of the canal. Then it switched. At this moment, I was thinking everything had changed... including my luck. The boat speed dropped from 6.2 knots down to 4.6 knots. The alarm went off on the VHF radio, indicating a weather alert. A line of strong thunderstorms producing high winds, lightning,  and hail was approaching Reedy Point. I was approaching Reedy Point!

I could hear the deep reverberation of thunder long before I could see the lightning to the south. I was heading south.  I was able to stop Distant Horizon under the Reedy Point Bridge and hold her steady against the current as the  thunderstorms passed. Most people don't know their car is the safest place to be when there is lightning... not because the tires insulate you... but because the electrical charge cannot travel under your metal roof. A convertible is not a safe place! In this case, I used the bridge as my metal roof.

Thunderstorms have just passed south of us

Just as I started toward the Delaware Bay, another set of thunderstorms were approaching. The distant thunder actually shook the whole boat. According to the NOAA weather radio, these storms would stay north of Reedy Point, where I was currently located. However, another set was following the track of the first... and these were more fierce! The warning included cloud to ground lightning; golf ball sized hail; and 60 mph winds. I made the decision to try for my intended anchor location and be there before the storms. If I waited, it may be dark. I could never negotiate the unmarked channel safely in the dark.

I won that race... by a hair! After setting the anchor and ensuring it was set properly, I went below. It was not raining. When I reached bottom of the companionway steps, I could not see the island I was anchored behind. It was 1200 feet away. The rain hit the cabin top so hard it was like being inside a drum... it was deafening! The winds howled, and the boat turned; facing in a different direction four times. My main concern was whether the anchor would break free from being turned so violently. With these winds, I would have less than a minute to get above and control the boat with the motor before hitting the island. It was useless angst. The storm was moving so fast it lasted just 20 minutes. When everything settled down, I estimated the boat had moved about 12 feet.

Reedy Island with Salem Nuclear Power Plant in the distance

When the rain stopped and the thunder had passed, I went back up on deck to take a picture of Reedy Island. I sat there for a while to enjoy the clean, cool air. A waterskier went past several times. A few barges heading north went by on the other side of the island. It doesn't look like it provides much protection, and it doesn't from wind, but the island stops waves that are traveling up the Delaware from the Atlantic Ocean and wakes from the passing barges.

A Tug Boat pushing a barge north, on Delaware Bay

I spent the night here. It is almost half-way to Cape May. I did my plan for the next day. It looked good. The currents will be in my favour again. I slept well.

I rose at my regular time without an alarm; had my breakfast; and raised anchor. It was around 0730.

Sunrise: A small town on the mainland near my anchor position

One of the rules in the C&D Canal is: "No Sails"! So, I raised the mainsail with the boat drifting free with the anchor secured. Just south of where I stayed  anchored last night, there is a small cur through the island. It was a small section with 10 feet of water. It was not as wide as my boat is long. It was a challenge getting through; eyeballing the rocks on either side as the boat twisted and turned with the currents and eddies running though the cut. We made it safely to the deeper water.

Finally, with the mainsail up, I could set the job and turn the engine off! The winds were light. Still, with a current running with us Distant Horizon  was making good time; well over 6 knots. The current ran with us all the way to Cape May. The was shining. It was a glorious day!

I found it odd that most cruisers do not respond when you call them up on the radio. They are required to monitor Channel 16 at all times. I have had better luck talking with ships and tug boats than I have with cruisers! So, I was shocked when I hear that I am being hailed on the radio.

World Cruisers on S/V Pheonix

The call came from the Sailing Vessel Pheonix, which was slowly passing. The were curious where I was headed. So, we talked briefly about my long-term plans. They called because the recognized the boat was set-up for ocean cruising. They had just returned from a circumnavigation and were heading home to Maine.

Now, I reached Cape May while the tide was still falling. There are two bridges I need to go under that provide 55 feet of clearance each. My mast is about 50 feet tall and there are the wind instruments and a light on top of that. I estimated that I had an hour and-a-half before low tide. Low tide will give me the maximum clearance. To kill that extra time, I sailed down around to the Cape May lighthouse to take a couple of pictures.

Cape May Lighthouse

By the time I returned to channel inlet, leading to Cape May, it was low tide. Better yet, it was slack current! So, I didn't have to go against a current and I wouldn't have one pushing me too fast. When I got to the first bridge, it was a little scary. I can not tell how much clearance I have when I go under the bridge. It did not look like very much. I was going as slow as I could possibly go and still be able to steer. My radio antenna didn't hit. So, there was at least three feet clearance above the mast. I was through! When I came to the second bridge, I did it on faith. The Army Corps of Engineers measured both bridges to be the same. I went through the second bridge at 3 knots.

Once in Cape May, I found a slip at the South Jersey Marina. I had to go stern in (back into the slip). My Distant Horizon and boats like her, do not turn well when going astern (backwards).  There was no wind. So, I accepted this as a challenge. Let's say I got a 90% on that test and decked without any issues... thanks to the South Jersey dockhands who pulled me in the last 10 feet.

My cousin Dave will arrive tomorrow. I will give him an orientation of the boat; we will have dinner; and depart the following morning. Dave has taken sailing lessons and was looking forward to an opportunity to sail the Atlantic Ocean from Cape May to  New York Harbour.