Long Island to Annapolis

[Surboum]

I may be delivering a new to me Mainship 43 from Long Island (south shore) to Annapolis MD in early April or May.

Looking for advice about best routes to take, best places to stay overnight, number of days it will take, potential weather conditions, and other planning considerations.

I have extensive sailing experience on the Chesapeake Bay, but limited trawler experience and no experience with the area between the Chesapeake and Long Island.

Plan to cruise about 6 hours a day which I assume will give me a daily range between 50-70 miles. Willing to mix anchoring and marina stays.

 

[DavidM]

Depending on where you start on the south shore your first stop will be in NY Harbor or Manasquan Inlet. You can anchor behind the Statue of Liberty along side the park in NJ. Don't know about Manasquan but there are lots of marinas there. See https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-US/Map

Atlantic City is a good next stop, either get a slip at the marina just inside or anchor off to the right of the entrance channel in a protected cut.

Then get a slip in Cape May for your next stop. You can also anchor in Sunset Lake, a few miles NE of the inlet.

Then a long haul up Delaware Bay and into the C&D Canal. Find a convenient marina along the C&D.

Then you should be able to make Annapolis the next day.

Use Active Captain, see above, for marinas and anchorages.

Need any help? PM me. I live in NW Connecticut.

David

 

[Hippocampus]

Have done similar multiple times. Easy trip except along Jersey shore if the weather is up. That stretch is shallow and totally open as regards fetch from the east. Like to stay 5-15m out. Getting into any of the Jersey harbors except cape may can be interesting if it’s strong from the east. We generally stop in Atlantic highlands and next stop is cape may. You can anchor in cape may if you don’t want a slip. Going up the Delaware and through the C+D is boring. If the weather is good leave Cape May and go via the bridge tunnel to Annapolis. If you need to a stop at Bluewater has been good for fuel or repairs or just a break. Their restaurant is quite decent. Have friends in Annapolis so may stay on their slip or mooring but staying on a mooring right in front of the naval academy is fun as well.

 

[ranger58sb]

We've been to Cape May, seems like it'd be a good stop-over on your route.

Decent marinas near the C&D Canal include Delaware City, Summit North, and Chesapeake City. Former and latter both have a small town around you, so things to do/see.

-Chris

 

[cafesport]

We do that run in the fall season as we have a friends in annapolis and the weather is usually beautiful. Since we are 7+ knot boat, we found that by using the tides we can do the whole run in 30 hours running straight from port Washington. It’s a good 275 nm run from the moorings there to annapolis harbor south, but with a better than 9 knot avg sog its not too taxing. if you do break it up and only run with favorable tides you’ll do even better.

 

[psneeld]

I would definitely take the DelBay and C&D Canal to Annapolis that time of year. The temps are better and weather outside can be iffy. The run outside IF you go into Chincoteague Inlet isn't too bad but still some 60+ miles to an anchorage (unless you want to brave an uncharted inlet in between). That run is something like 250 miles versus the 120 via the canal.


If you leave Cape May shortly about 3 hours after low tide, you can ride the current all the way up the river and through the canal (currents can reach almost 3 knots in places) to the Northern Chesapeake. That area is pretty scenic to many people, the offshore run has little to see unless you hug the beach ad see some wild horses. The southern Chesapeake is almost ocean like in terms of weather/seas and wide enough there isn't much to see just transiting.


If you are taking your time and cruising to see stuff....then both routes have stuff to offer, I just think that till late may, better to avoid the southern Chesapeake and offshore run.

 

[johnma]

Atlantic City and Cape May are the only really good inlets on the Jersey coast. The others are risky at best unless you’re really familiar with them. You can anchor or get a slip in Cape May. You will definitely want to run with the incoming tide from Cape May to the C& D canal. It’s best to stay out of the shipping channel. The northbound ships are running 10-15 kts and be on you before you know it. If you time it right you can catch the current through the canal also. Once in the canal there are only two places to stop. Summit North and Chesapeake City. At Chesapeake City you can get fuel at Schaefer’s. If you don’t need fuel you can drop the hook in South Chesapeake City. Be very careful of the current at Schaefer’s.

 

[High Wire]

You can anchor for the night behind Sandy Hook State Park near the CG station the first night if you want skip the NY Harbor drama. Or choose a marina in Point Pleasant/Brielle. The current though the marinas is not pleasant though.

Atlantic City then Cape May to wait for a good weather window for running up Del Bay.
From the entrance of the C&D Canal at Reedy Point to Annapolis is only a 4 hour run at 20 knots.

 

[TJM]

Where are you departing from on the South shore ? Are you taking the boat out anywhere locally before you leave ? The Great South Bay is very shallow in places.

I have done that reverse trip a few times. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

 

[FF]

Beware, If anchoring in Cape May much of the anchorage area was used as a dump point by the CG for old buoy cable etc.


Be sure to rig a trip line to be able to recover your anchor should it foul in the junk.

 

[Porgy]

I wonder how true that still is. The last dozen times we’ve been through CM that anchorage area was chock full of boats. Maybe it’s a roll of the dice whether you’ll need a diver when you leave.

 

[psneeld]

Probably depends exactly where you anchor.

Down in the southwest part...probably not bad but there are a lot of old buoy sinkers and maybe car blocks still there from old moorings.

Along the south rocks, east of the USCG piers, maybe still a lot of old chain and cables....yet maybe they have finally turned to rust flakes.

Last couple of trips through, I would anchor just northeast of red 14, the Danmark that marks the turn towards the canal and the channel to town. Looks exposed and is, but for a late afternoon arrival and early morning departure, none of the bottom concerns as it has been dredged several times. Not a great summer Anchorage for visiting Cape May though. Many transients take a day to restock and visit town.

 

[Woodland Hills]

We have had bad luck finding a place for us in the CM anchorage. There never seems to be room for a 70’ boat to fit in. After a long days run from Sandy Hook on a short fall day, the last thing you want is to scramble for a slip in a marina as night falls.

 

[Datenight]

Here is a screen shot of where we anchored in Cape May in June 2020. We had a 24 kt. wind but the anchor held great. No problems with snags. We had a much better night then the sail boat behind us. Only kidding. He was already in that position when we arrived.

Rob

 

[Captain Sweetpea]

Did the trip in reverse about 4 years ago. Anapolis to Patchogue in then new to me Mainship 390 Trawler w/ single cummins. 3 long cruising days - 32 hours of cruising total. Anapolis to N. end of Delaware Bay to Manasquan to Patchogue.

 

[oscar]

Going up the Delaware there are (nice) anchorages indicated behind Reedy Island. A good place to stage for the Canal BUT: Be aware of the long thin shallow that runs South from the island..... There's quite a few skippers that "bought it" there, including this one.....

 

[psneeld]

It's a submerged breakwater I believe of rocks. There are a few scattered up and down the Delaware. Its charted, but doesn't show on all layers of vector charts...shows up fine on raster charts... the Reedy breakwater is a long one.

Not positive, but it might be the same Nordhavn that my old boss was salvaging when a ship's wake swamped the stern and sank her.

 

[Hippocampus]

As an aside we had occasion and time to checkout Baltimore before hitting Annapolis on one trip . Was pleasantly surprised by how nice the place is after all the work they’ve done. Lots of services, places to visit and even concerts you can hear from the boat if you want. Prior thought it was a dismal town in progressive decay. Was completely wrong. My view from only knowing the John Hopkins neighborhood was quite misleading.

 

[DavidM]

Baltimore Inner Harbor has been a nice place for some time now. Twenty years ago I anchored just west of the submarine and had a front row seat to a rock concert being held outdoors. The restaurants and stuff immediately around the inner harbor are rather touristy, but the Fells Point/Canton area is a real residential area with lots of good restaurants around. The Anchorage marina is in the middle of that area or you can anchor in the gaps between marinas. There is a Safeway and a West Marine within easy walking distance of the dinghy dock.

David

 

[High Wire]

I wonder how true that still is. The last dozen times we’ve been through CM that anchorage area was chock full of boats. Maybe it’s a roll of the dice whether you’ll need a diver when you leave.

Not exactly. My summer boat is in the marina directly across from the anchorage area. I have Side Scan sonar on it and routinely drift fish for flounder along the bottom. Flounder like junk on the bottom. There are only a couple places for snags. The old remnants of the old CG motor life boat sheds and pilings in close to the concrete rubble sea wall that the demo crews did not haul out 0-100 ft off the wall. Your chart plotter may still show them existing. Look closely at the chart by DateNight. It is clearly marked RUINS. Well, right there is were you will find the snags. If you are concerned stay closer to the channel drop-off.
Also in the past ten years or so, in Spring, the harbor fills with dredging equipment used to replenish the coastal beaches. They occasionally drop stuff overboard that they don't retrieve. That stuff can be anywhere over the harbor/inlet area, generally between the inlet and G"7".
Never seen any old buoy parts or stuff like that.

 

[Annapolis Skipper]

I've done the trip perhaps 30 times since 1997 in power and sail in both directions and would pretty much agree with everything said above. When the ocean is nice, you have over 100 miles along jersey. Beware ot the shoal off brigantine. Sandy Hook or Atlantic Highlands Navesink or Staten Island are ok. Shark River is a bit intimidating at first but it works. Same for Manasquan and Barnegat --just beware of currents. Atlantic City is ok but be careful when you make the sharp left South turn into the harbor just before the USCG. OBEY the buoys there and in all inlets as most are not charted but are moved all the time! Go in between the Nun and the iron bulkhead where people fish. Then it opens up. I never had a problem anchoring in Cape May, but try canyon club or Utsch's. The Del Bay is long and boring except for the lighhouses...stay out of the ship channel and edge it where needed..and it can have adverse currents and weird square waves. You can go into Cohansey and Maurice river if needed. The advice to go along the coast and up through the Chesapeake makes no sense--it is waaaaay longer. Pay attention to tides at all the trip.
Im in Annapolis too!

 

[Pathfinder]

Fun trip! We did Newport to FL and Bahamas in our Mainship 400. Pathfinder's Log - Trawler Cruising Blog

 

[FIRE]

I may be delivering a new to me Mainship 43 from Long Island (south shore) to Annapolis MD in early April or May.

Looking for advice about best routes to take, best places to stay overnight, number of days it will take, potential weather conditions, and other planning considerations.

I have extensive sailing experience on the Chesapeake Bay, but limited trawler experience and no experience with the area between the Chesapeake and Long Island.

Plan to cruise about 6 hours a day which I assume will give me a daily range between 50-70 miles. Willing to mix anchoring and marina stays.

Surboum - I’m on the SouthShore as well and looking to gain bigger boat cruising experience. Let me know if you need a deckhand.

 

[High Wire]

Going up the Delaware there are (nice) anchorages indicated behind Reedy Island. A good place to stage for the Canal BUT: Be aware of the long thin shallow that runs South from the island..... There's quite a few skippers that "bought it" there, including this one.....

Yes. Not only is it shallow but there is a concrete seawall in there. That Nordhavn is sitting on Reedy Island Dike. It’s a couple miles long and submerged on all but low tide. It’s marked on charts with small dashed lines. Not obvious at all on some digital charts.
Northbound just follow the red buoys around the nuke plants and you will be ok.

 

[JESSEDIVER49]

Recommend Utsch’s Marina in Cape May. Family run and a 5-min walk to the Lobster House restaurant for dinner and breakfast. In the C&D, I’d stop at Chesapeake City for your overnight.

 

[Jelliott]

Did this last fall

I am a bit late but I might add helpful notes. I went all along the south side of the island from Shinnecock Bay to Jones inlet. There are two places where the chart showed less than 5 feet, I draw 4.7. For both places I called Tow Boat US, in advance, and spoke to a captain who gave me step by step instructions on how to stay in the deepest channel. So I had no groundings and a nice voyage. You have lots of advice for New Jersey.

 

[contingensea]

Navigation suggestions

Check out Bob423 for downloadable gpx routes:
Bob423 ICW Tracks and Routes

Join AGLCA, https://greatloop.org
Many members travel these waters.

I may be delivering a new to me Mainship 43 from Long Island (south shore) to Annapolis MD in early April or May.

Looking for advice about best routes to take, best places to stay overnight, number of days it will take, potential weather conditions, and other planning considerations.

I have extensive sailing experience on the Chesapeake Bay, but limited trawler experience and no experience with the area between the Chesapeake and Long Island.

Plan to cruise about 6 hours a day which I assume will give me a daily range between 50-70 miles. Willing to mix anchoring and marina stays.

 

[AlanT]

You can anchor for the night behind Sandy Hook State Park near the CG station the first night if you want skip the NY Harbor drama. Or choose a marina in Point Pleasant/Brielle. The current though the marinas is not pleasant though.

Atlantic City then Cape May to wait for a good weather window for running up Del Bay.
From the entrance of the C&D Canal at Reedy Point to Annapolis is only a 4 hour run at 20 knots.

+1 on anchoring behind Sandy Hook. ~Alan

 

[NCheaven]

Delivered from Bristol RI to Pamlico River NC in 2017, great trip! Stopped in Connecticut first night. We timed the trip to deal with Hellsgate tide in NY, refueled the afternoon before at City Island, the Bronx, NY, fabulous Italian dinner a few blocks away..... Left at first light to catch Hellsgate 45 min after flood tide, got a nice, increasing comfortable push all the way well out of NY harbor from that and the confluence of the Hudson. Manasquan inlet in a Camano was a little spooky for me as a new owner, but I had the seller aboard and he was quite the pro on this and Cape May inlet the next day. Great dinner at Cape May, too. The marina we used at Manasquan was the one on the north side - last one before the railroad bridge. Yes, we heard trains that night. Cape May to C&O canal was a long day with a strong wind and following seas the whole day - semi displacement, flat after section - your larger boat will do much better.

Advice: Make sure you have fuel polished and a new fuel filters before heading out. I didn't, had to switch to back up Racor under way. Not a problem to do that, but might have not been cool if the pressure gauge pegged in the approach to an inlet. Sloppy seas as the wind built coming down from NY stirred up sediment/particulate from the bottom of the fuel tanks - fuel pressure gauge had not budged in the 4 days before winds off New Jersey. MY ERROR in not having fuel polished as part of delivery commissioning. (Surveyor, mechanic who changed oil, adjusted excess idle RPM, etc., didn't mention, but I should have studied more about risk factors before shoving off.)

One more tip - When I change old fuel filters, I cut them open with a hack saw to get an indication of what's in the fuel tank besides fuel. Delighted that a thorough polishing - 3x until the polisher filters were clean the last time - first thing back home from this cruise, and discernment about where I buy fuel has kept filters looking amazingly clean when I change them. I'd recommend that to anyone to check old fuel filters ....

Delaware Bay - we ran either in the shipping channel when no ships were in sight, or just outside of the shipping channel both for reduced snag risk and for maybe a little better ride than shallower water in the 4'+ seas. Schaffer's was a great place that night - live band, great crab cakes, helpful dock attendants, clean facilities. High winds encouraged us to put in on the Sassafras River the next day - found a great marina there - free luau that night treating transients as members. Stopped at Reedville - boat yard there, and Point Lookout Marina (Sunset Restaurant - Chef Andy's crab cakes were the best on the entire trip) on the Potomac were additional stops before entering Norfolk Harbor. There we found drizzle and light fog, kids racing small sailboats in the shipping channel around Thimble Shoal Light, Coast Guard med. endurance cutter and tug/barge all heading in the same time as us, and USS Kearsarge (small carrier) coming out to sea - nice time to idle and wait. Went straight through Norfolk to Top Hat marina on Elizabeth River-North Landing River cut - nice place. Anchored short of Belhaven the next day - a very long day with the Great Bridge lock and bridge, and a 45 min. wait at the Alligator Bridge. River Forest for fuel and nice walk in town at Belhaven before turning up the Pamlico toward home port.

Oops....too much information for your trip. Kent Island marina is a good place for a stop across the Bay from Annapolis if you don't want to transit the mooring field at Annapolis after sunset.

Good luck! Fuel polishing and new fuel filters on a new to you boat is the best tip in this.

 

[sndbowen]

Waterway inside Jersey

Is there still a viable inside waterway thru New Jersey?