End of season Trip! Del Riv to Ches Bay Late Oct Early Nov.

[deniseO30]

Due to leg/back problems I wasn't able to head down to the Bay last week. I'm still limping but hope to get back on my boat this weekend. There is a race sunday, and a club race on the 20th. So... I should know real soon if I'm up to sailing my boat again! (GAWD! it's been like 3 weeks!)

I hope to make my end of season trip soon! It will be over a weekend and I my only plans will be to go! I always stay at Chesapeake City on the way to and from the Bay. I will be out 5-7 days.

Anyone is interested doing the trip with their boat also Let me know. Part way, Meet up, let me know. I'm still in the planning stage.

[teshannon]

Denise,
Depending on your schedule I'd pop out of the Sassafras and tag along for a bit. Let me know when you firm up your schedule and I'll see what mine looks like. I'm having some canvas work done in early November and the boat may be out of service a bit then.

[deniseO30]

cool!

I'll PM you when I get closer to my leaving date.

[wumhenry]

Do you time departure to catch a favorable tide, and if so, what is your target point?

I have felt the effect of tidal current in the C&D canal and have heard that it's also an important factor in the Delaware between the canal and Cape May. I was in the Summit North marina, in the canal, last week and would have liked to do a daylight run to Cape May the next day, last Wednesday. According to the tables, high tide at the approximate vicinity of Summit North would occur at 11:00 AM that day. If I postponed departure until, say, 10 AM to avoid an adverse flood tide in the canal and the river I'm not sure I'd have had enough daylight hours to get to Cape May before dark. A guy at the marina said that if you time your departure right you can ride a fair tidal current all the way. That might be true for power boaters but not for me in my 30-foot sailboat with its 16-hp diesel. I wouldn't have had six hours of fair tide after 11:00, because the time to the next high tide gets shorter as you go east. (Predicted high tide at Cape May last Wednesday was around 3 PM.) Possibly in an excess of caution, I ultimately decided to go elsewhere instead and leave Cape May for another occasion.

So what is the best strategy for going from a stopping-place in the canal to Cape May in a smallish sailboat at a time of year when daylight is on the short side? Leave at first light or tide-synch?

[Freesail99]

I would say tide-synch. Be careful in the Delaware bay. How big is your boat ?

[Wayne25]

Usually tide/current (Note: There can be a time lag between the two). Here is a neat link you can toy with, but check against other tables. http://www.fishweather.com/windandwh...0&timeoffset=2
Also check the forcasted wind on the bay for your best point of sail. Wind against the current in the main channel of the Delaware can produce a steep chop.

Wayne

[wumhenry]

Originally Posted by Freesail99

I would say tide-synch. Be careful in the Delaware bay. How big is your boat ?

30 feet. It's a Bristol 29.9.

[deniseO30]

Aways come down river with the tide.. try to enter the canal on a rising tide. Stay at chesapeake city docks or drop the hook (free) Leave next morning or when the tide will take you out to the upper Bay. My boat is 30 ft with only 16hp will run with the tides 9-11 knots, against.. about 3.. duh.

[camaraderie]

WumHenry...It is a very long day in a small boat even with the tide. I think you have to be prepared to enter the Cape May Canal in the dark either way.
That said...I would go at first light to avoid as much big ship traffic in the dark as I could.

[deniseO30]

Well, as of today Oct 16th I'm just starting to think I will be able to get out of here next week! More at a 11! lol