Cape May to Atlantic City Inside

[Roger Long]

Has anyone heard anything recently about the reliability of the railroad swing bridge in Atlantic City? The tides look good for another NJICW transit from Cape May to Atlantic City. I'd hate to get all the way up there and have to go back as happened to some people a couple years ago. Don't bother with comments about how difficult the rest of the route is, I've done it twice, unless you have some specific recent experience. Informed comments on how accurate Navionics Sonar Charts are on that route welcome.

 

[psneeld]

I looked online and see the opening schdule but nothing dating its status.

I would google Sea Tow Atlantic Citg and call them for the status or phone number.

Next I would try USCG Sector Delaware Bay in Philly.

 

[BandB]

I'd call the bridge tender.

 

[Steve1.0]

Why not run outside, weather permitting?

 

[psneeld]

Some people actually LIKE running the ICW for sights and opportunities.

Not everyone thinks it's a big deal with the right experience and boat.

 

[Steve1.0]

Some people actually LIKE running the ICW for sights and opportunities.

Agreed.

The delivery skipper in me speaks out of turn sometimes.

 

[Roger Long]

Some people actually LIKE running the ICW for sights and opportunities.

Not everyone thinks it's a big deal with the right experience and boat.

That would be me. Outside seems to last forever as the view never seems to change. I like to navigate shallow intricate waters the way I like sailing.

Thanks to all who pointed out the usual sources of information I'm familiar with after 17,000 miles and 20 East Coast transits. What I'm looking for is someone local enough to have heard how many times this bridge has gotten stuck due to mechanical issues recently. Any bridge can fail at any time as has happened to several on the ICW in the last couple of years. It's always paying the odds. I'm just trying to get a better idea of what they are. The person who answers the phone at the railroad dispatch center god knows where in the middle of the country where they open and close the bridge isn't going to know anything beyond whether a train is coming.

 

[psneeld]

No one would know better than the Sea Tow guys (never did like the BoatUS operations there). Certainly more than a part time boater (maybe).

I worked a lot of times with the bridge repair crews on various bridges that knew things the tender didn't know yet.

As far as train schedules, they go through regularly each day, might even be hourly. Near term there is some track work being done and no train service from Philly on those days. Sea Tow may even know that, the bridge not closing at all during some periods.

A quick call before you pass Great Egg inlet can't hurt.

 

[BandB]

No one would know better than the Sea Tow guys (never did like the BoatUS operations there). Certainly more than a part time boater (maybe).

I worked a lot of times with the bridge repair crews on various bridges that knew things the tender didn't know yet.

As far as train schedules, they go through regularly each day, might even be hourly. Near term there is some track work being done and no train service from Philly on those days. Sea Tow may even know that, the bridge not closing at all during some periods.

A quick call before you pass Great Egg inlet can't hurt.

I always have found tow captains seem so willing and happy to share local information. Now, I do want to ask you, psneeld, from the other side, are you really as happy to field those calls as it seems or do they get bothersome? I've never felt we're infringing or posing a problem and have asked, but hope it's really the case. We are members of both services and always thank the captains profusely, but never actually meet most face to face.

 

[psneeld]

Nope, ecept when tbe boss wanter me to explain to a new boater how to exit the inlet with bad current and drawbridge wbile I was in the middle of a difficult tow/salvage task.

Really never got that many calls.

If I had time, I would tell the boater if they had the time and a few cold beers I would meet them and tell them every detail including sand bar shifts, etc for my area of current knowledge so they could mark their charts or pkace waypoints. But I am old school and free with time and knowledge. ..well for the price of a vouple beers and good company.

 

[High Wire]

From Active Captain:
Atlantic City Beach Bridge

Last Updated:9/21/2020
39.36444° N, 74.44541° W
Summary

Bridge

Also known as New Jersey Transit Railroad Bridge

Contact Information

Phone:201-246-2228
VHF Channel:13
Email:
After Hours:

Navigation

Depth (low water):Unknown
Tide:Unknown
Current:Unknown
Bridge Type:Moveable
Bridge closed height (at high water):5 Feet
Restriction Notes:Shall operate as follows: (1) Open on signal from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. From 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., the draw shall open on signal from 20 minutes to 30 minutes after each hour and remain open for all awaiting vessels. (2) Opening of the draw span may be...

 

[AnnapolisJoy]

New Jersey is why we are on a trawler

Numerous trips to the Vineyard from Annapolis via the New Jersey coast got us off a sailboat and on to a trawler. I do not like pain. Delaware Bay is a desert. The Atlantic coast is one treacherous inlet after another and a two day trip at 6 knots. The inside must be prettier but the flys! The biting green head flys. Biting your exposed skin while entering Manasquan and Barnegat. Inlets littered with small fishing boats in the channel. Sorry folks the run from Cape May to Sandy Hook in a day or overnight to Block Island is now my sail plan.

 

[psneeld]

Good .....more room inside for those who enjoy it......

 

[High Wire]

Running aground is not a problem. In an hour there will be enough green head flies in the cabin to lift the boat off the shoal.

 

[Roger Long]

No one would know better than the Sea Tow guys (never did like the BoatUS operations there).

IIRC, it was you who gave me the same advice when I asked about making the trip the first time 6 years ago. I called and the answer was, "Please call back and tell me what you saw when you have been through. I haven't been in quite a while."


I think this is why I put this answer out of my mind. However, I think it's a good one for the bridge since they will have needed to go through and will have heard traffic on the radio. I'll call.

BTW, the tides situation is perfect for the date we plan to go through. A friend who has done it three times reports the Navionics Sonar Charts for the route being quite accurate. I didn't have it available for my two trips and spend a couple hours waiting for water when there was 10 feet about half a boat length away. It will help a lot.

 

[psneeld]

True you won't always get a good answer...but based on what most "boaters" report in different "advisory" sites/pubs.... I believe less than a handful.

They are as bad as the guy I am towing off the sandbar to deeper water claiming HE was IN the channel and went aground.

So it boils down to a few calls to sort out what's what. If the towing companies don't know, for bridges, the USCG Sector Bridge office certainly should or possibly the CommandCenter...if not they should call or pass you along to the local boat station.

For sandbars, either towing companies or maybe a local fishing guide company might help...for bridges, probably any should but ya never know.

 

[jleonard]

Regarding green flies...I only went that route once back in the early 2000s. Yes the flies were bad when we got into that marshy section, but I realized that most of them sucked up to the bottom of the bimini and stayed there. If I sat down and ran the boat they didn't bother me. After about 30-40 minutes they all disappeared as quickly as they appeared. So all in all not as bad as legend told it.

Except for "slithering" out of Sunset Lake the only time I hit bottom in 3 trips thru the Jersey ICW was in Barnegat Bay. Heading south off the shore I realized my Barnegat Bay chart was back home in CT. (pre chart plotter era) Once I got inside a towboat Cpt gave me what I would call a cartoon chart with a path scribbled on it. That was good enough to get me thru to a friend's dock.
Coming out I scuffed a bar at idle speed just enough to let me know it and I was in deeper water by the time I could glance again at the depth finder. They were dredging the channel at the time and now I knew why.

 

[Tingum]

Been a while since I did it, NEVER again.

 

[psneeld]

WooooHooo!...more room for the aficionados of the Joisey inside passage.

 

[JESSEDIVER49]

Cape May to Atlantic City

I second the Sea Tow recommendation. No one knows their waters than them. I used them running all the way up the East Coast via ICW, from FL to NJ.

 

[Wayne.B]

I second the Sea Tow recommendation. No one knows their waters than them. I used them running all the way up the East Coast via ICW, from FL to NJ.

===

I also second the Sea Tow recommendation. We called them the first time we wanted to enter Barnegat Inlet. They were waiting for us outside the breakwater when we arrived and escorted us inside to an anchorage area. We're SeaTow members but that didn't matter to them. +1 for great service.

 

[ronobrien]

That would be me. Outside seems to last forever as the view never seems to change. I like to navigate shallow intricate waters the way I like sailing.

Thanks to all who pointed out the usual sources of information I'm familiar with after 17,000 miles and 20 East Coast transits. What I'm looking for is someone local enough to have heard how many times this bridge has gotten stuck due to mechanical issues recently. Any bridge can fail at any time as has happened to several on the ICW in the last couple of years. It's always paying the odds. I'm just trying to get a better idea of what they are. The person who answers the phone at the railroad dispatch center god knows where in the middle of the country where they open and close the bridge isn't going to know anything beyond whether a train is coming.

I have joined several crews that have taken boats up ICW to Norfolk enroute to New England. I specifically offer my help for the outside run. I am weird I guess. I have been on the ICW for various parts, but I love being on the open water.