We left classy Victorian Cape May for neon, glitzy Atlantic City on 7/13. We had another clear blue sky day with only 6 knots of NE wind and lumpy 1 foot seas so decided to go on the outside (Atlantic Ocean). One mile offshore the water depth is only 35 to 50 feet compared to the hundreds of feet at a similar distance in the Great Lakes. Another difference is the availability of towboat companies gladly waiting to help you if you get into any difficulty. Wouldn’t we love to have this option in Lake Superior where you really are on your own? Ocean water temps are only 60 degrees here. The entire Jersey coast is one long sandy beach crammed with luxury houses, condos and hotels.
We stayed at Gardner’s Bay Marina for $1.50 per foot (Trump Marina is $4.00 per foot) with free admission to the adjoining Atlantic City Aquarium. We took the Jitney bus downtown along the famous Monopoly streets and really enjoyed walking for miles on the boardwalk and beach. Trump did not get any of our money in his casinos either.
We left AC at 8am on 7/14 to go outside again as the predicted winds were NW 5-10 knots, but when we poked out into the ocean, we had 15 knot N winds with whitecaps. Our draft is only 3’9” so we had the option of taking the inside Jersey Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) route which is renowned for its low water depths and shoaling. We entered the ICW on a rising tide and with the marshland topography, we thought that we were back in the Carolinas.
We heard another Looper boat hailing Towboat US on Channel 16. They were hard aground with a boat draft of 3’6” about 1 mile north of us. Some of our confidence instantly faded, but never fear as Rick from Towboat US to the rescue. Not only did Rick adeptly pull them safely off the shoal, but he stayed with them and Baby Grand for 45 minutes helping us execute the shoaling intricacies from Marker 160 to 140 in the Little Bay area. Very commendable especially since we were being swarmed by greenhead flies big enough to pick up a boat and carry it away.
The Barnegat Bay section is relatively easy and we enjoyed the scenery and beautiful homes on canals like those in FL. We had a beautiful quiet anchorage at Bay Head Harbor. We left here on 7/15 for a calm peaceful ride up to Staten Island where we will be for 4-5 days at the Great Kills Yacht Club.
We stayed at Gardner’s Bay Marina for $1.50 per foot (Trump Marina is $4.00 per foot) with free admission to the adjoining Atlantic City Aquarium. We took the Jitney bus downtown along the famous Monopoly streets and really enjoyed walking for miles on the boardwalk and beach. Trump did not get any of our money in his casinos either.
We left AC at 8am on 7/14 to go outside again as the predicted winds were NW 5-10 knots, but when we poked out into the ocean, we had 15 knot N winds with whitecaps. Our draft is only 3’9” so we had the option of taking the inside Jersey Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) route which is renowned for its low water depths and shoaling. We entered the ICW on a rising tide and with the marshland topography, we thought that we were back in the Carolinas.
We heard another Looper boat hailing Towboat US on Channel 16. They were hard aground with a boat draft of 3’6” about 1 mile north of us. Some of our confidence instantly faded, but never fear as Rick from Towboat US to the rescue. Not only did Rick adeptly pull them safely off the shoal, but he stayed with them and Baby Grand for 45 minutes helping us execute the shoaling intricacies from Marker 160 to 140 in the Little Bay area. Very commendable especially since we were being swarmed by greenhead flies big enough to pick up a boat and carry it away.
The Barnegat Bay section is relatively easy and we enjoyed the scenery and beautiful homes on canals like those in FL. We had a beautiful quiet anchorage at Bay Head Harbor. We left here on 7/15 for a calm peaceful ride up to Staten Island where we will be for 4-5 days at the Great Kills Yacht Club.
