We left Cape May at 8 am and transited the short canal into Delaware Bay. The wind and waves would be with us all morning. Quartering waves from astern eventually gave way to a manageable 2 foot chop, as Delaware Bay became the Delaware River. As we made our way north at 10 knots, we completely missed the entrance to the C&D Canal amid an array of confusing buoys, did a U turn after a hundred yards and got it right on the second try.
The C&D was our first experience managing canal traffic, particularly overtaking slower (sail) boats. Protocol suggests calling them on the radio and letting them know which side we are going to pass on, then proceeding slowly past to minimize our wake. This only works if they have their radio on and we wound up just moving far away on the other side of the canal. This was a scenic ride and our first taste of what the ICW would be like.
We started to get discouraging weather information in the early afternoon. High wind and rain had crept into the forecast for early evening, throughout the night and most of the next day. And so… a change of plans from anchoring in the Sassafras River (along with the Xaviers, who are very familiar with the area) to travelling farther up the river and getting a slip. Powering up to 12 knots, we docked at 4:30 at the Sailing Associates Marina…what a great place and a hundred miles farther down the road. We were met at the dock by the owner, Patrick, and checked in with his wife, Patty. The Xavier’s arrived at 6 pm in pitch dark and rain.
On Tuesday, Kathy & Sue took a 2 hour walk to a fresh food market while Bob and I talked about all things ICW and planned our route for the next two weeks. We also made progress setting up this blog, walked a little and had dinner with the Xavier’s at The Granary. Nice restaurant with good company.
Thank you for sharing your adventures along the ICW. Cheers to you both 💕