Delaware City Branch Canal

[evansrr]

I'm planning a trip north to Philadelphia through the C&D canal in a few weeks. Have not been that way before but looking at the charts I see that the Delaware City Branch Canal cuts the corner and provides a short cut up to the Delaware River but I don't see any depths. Has anyone been through this area? Five ft. Is my minimum comfort level. Any other info on this route?

 

[caltexflanc]

First, there is a fixed six foot bridge halfway up. Too shallow unless they have dredged it recently: 6ft centerline depth shown on chart.

 

[psneeld]

yep...impassible except rowboats and canoes.

Even this spring the entrance to Delaware City was so shallow on a blowout Nor'wester...I had to delay my departure by 2 hrs.

Could'a stayed on my nice almost free dock in Chesapeake City that's way nicer in our eyes and still made the run down the Delaware at the same time allotted.

Too bad the cutoff is closed...would be nice.

 

[johnma]

Once you are heading north in the river, keep Pea Patch Island to port and stay in the channel all the way up. there are some submerged dikes north of Pea Patch that can ruin your day if you stray too far west.
John

 

[psneeld]

If you are in the channel...keep a lookout ahead and behind like your head is on a swivel....amazing how fast the big boys travel in such a narrow river.

A boat left Delaware City just before me and a little later I heard on the VHF..."vessel passing Reedy Point, you DO see that 200,000 ton ship in front of you I hope"

May have not been the most professional radio transmission I ever heard...but it ranked up there with the funniest.

 

[High Wire]

Once you are heading north in the river, keep Pea Patch Island to port and stay in the channel all the way up. there are some submerged dikes north of Pea Patch that can ruin your day if you stray too far west.
John

There is another one on the NJ side just south of the Del Mem Bridge. They used to give us plenty of interesting rescue work!

 

[High Wire]

Let me expand this a little. There are 4 very dangerous jetty/dikes in the Delaware River between the Del Mem Bridge and the head of the Delaware Bay. Reference Chart 12311. From north to south:
1) Pennsville Dike. A submerged rock and pile jetty on the red side of the channel just south of the DMB. Submerged at near high tide and dead ahead if you miss your turn southbound in Cherry Island Range.

2) Pea Patch Island Dike. Extends north of PPI around the bend of Bulkhead Bar Range. Submerged concrete dike at near high tide. Large round cofferdams at the northern end made of corrigated steel sheetpile also are submerged. The chart shows these as "obstructions". That is an understatement! They uncover at low tide. Don't even think about shortcutting from Del City over to the DR main channel without local knowledge.

3) Reedy Island Dike. Submerged concrete dike south of Reedy Island at near high tide. Dead ahead if you miss your turn at the bottom of Reedy Is Range, Baker Range or the north end of Liston Range.

4) Hope Creek Jetty. Submerged rock jetty at near high tide has caused fatalities by northbound vessels running outside the main channel.