Great Loop Statistics to date:
Statute Miles: 1615.1
Average Miles/Day: 52.1
Total Hours Underway: 224.4
Average speed (mph): 7.6
States Transited: 8
Total Days: 78
Travel Days: 31
Locks: 7
Fuel Purchased: 472.9
Miles / Gallon: 3.4
Nights at Extra Days
Marinas: 15 41
Anchor: 13 3
City dock: 2 0
Free Wall: 1 0
Mooring: 0 0
We left Annapolis before the Spa Creek locked down for the morning rush hour as we were at a marina on the other side. The newly-constructed marina was very nice, with a short walk across the bridge to get to the “crazy section” of Annapolis, but not have to stay right there overnight.
We entered the mouth of the Sassafras River and were able to confirm the many reports of numerous crab pots at the entrance. An 18kn wind on the nose made seeing them all that much worse. We made our way back to the marked anchorage where there was a nice beach and some sand cliffs. It was too bad it was so rainy, as it would have been a great place to explore on a nice day.
We did some research and were expecting to leave early to take advantage some favorable tidal current as we entered the C&D Canal. As much as 1.5 knots could be pushing us along due to an incoming tide if we timed it right. When we awoke, there was a thick fog and low, rainy clouds at the entrance of the river and out onto the Chesapeake Bay. We waited and hour to see if it would lift, but nothing changed. Instead of slowly making our way through the fog, straining to see crab pots, and probably missing our tidal current advantage, we decided just to sit tight for a day a leave early the next.
We did, in fact, get good advantage from the current going through the C&D Canal the next day. We made good time, and only had to pass one 600ft barge mid-channel. Luckily there was plenty of room at one of the turns for us to ease over to the side and wait for the pass. There was a surprisingly small wake from the 600ft boat making 12 knots…..
As we exited the canal, it was only just before noon. We could have turned and headed down the Delaware River to make some miles towards Cape May, but that same current that helped us through the canal was also coming up the Delaware River at this time. We would have been fighting against 1.5-2 knots of current. Instead, we opted to travel just across the River to Salem, NJ where there was a marked anchorage in a protected bend in the river.
Having researched the tides previously for the C&D Canal, we knew that a VERY early departure would provide us with 2+ knots of favorable current on the ebb tide for at least 2 hours of our trip down to Delaware Bay.
Our timing worked out perfect and we had over two knots of current in our favor for the first 3 hours down to Cape May. We averaged over 9 knots in those first three hours in what typically would have been 6.5 at our engine RPM setting. We saw 11 knots SOG at one peak. This matters a lot to a normally-6 knot boat. It reduced what would have been an 8+ hour travel day to just under 7.
However, it does not take much wind blowing against a 2+ knot current to kick up some chop (nothing is free). With only a 5 knot wind blowing up the river we had o1-2 foot very short waves to punch through for those early hours.
There was heavy commercial ship traffic on the Delaware River. We ran just outside the main channel markers most of the way to give them plenty of room. There was plenty of water depth outside the channel for us in most sections.
Cape May Canal into the Cape May Harbor was a complete zoo on this sunny Sunday afternoon. The traffic and inattentive/inconsiderate boaters rivaled Miami or Jupiter, FL on a weekend. Again, if you can help it, don’t travel these areas on weekends.
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Great Loop Travel Days (GLTD):
028: Chestertown MD from Annapolis MD
029: Betterton MD-Sassafras River from Chestertown MD
030: Salem NJ-Salem River from Betterton MD (Sassafras River)
031: Cape May NJ from Salem NJ (Salem River)
Map of our Overall Great Loop travel:
GLTD028 Chestertown MD (from Annapolis MD): We left Spa Creek early to make one of the last 2 half-hourly bridge openings of the Spa Creek Bridge before it locked down for morning rush hour.
The sun was shining by the time we approached the Chesapeake Bay Bridge out on the open water.
“When it opened in 1952, the Bay Bridge was the world’s largest continuous over-water steel structure. It is named after former Maryland Governor William Preston Lane, Jr., who was instrumental in obtaining approval for and starting of the bridge’s construction. Exploring the possibility of building a bridge across the bay began with preliminary studies conducted in the 1880s.”
“What is now the eastbound span opened to traffic on July 30, 1952.” The 2 spans are almost 4.5 miles long -- the longest fixed-water crossing in Maryland.
“On an average Friday during the summer, more than 56,000 vehicles cross the eastbound span and more than 36,000 cross the westbound span.”
One of the cicadas which were prolific in Annapolis tried to hitch a ride with us.
And the only lighthouse we saw on this leg — Sandy Point Lighthouse, constructed in 1883. The station was automated in 1963. The lighthouse was sold for $250,000 in 2006; the owner must allow the Coast Guard access to the structure for periodic maintenance of the light (still active).
🟠 Life Afloat Tip: Your life is not normal when you are cruising full-time.
I was summoned for jury duty! I spent over an hour trying the find the necessary forms to request excusal (since it would be nearly impossible for me to get back for it in time.) Once I found the forms and submitted them online, I promptly received a text confirmation of my excusal. Worry resolved! 😊
While I resolved the jury summons and a couple of banking issues, Ray captured photos of the Chester River, long and winding, up to Chestertown. Some of the farms had beautiful “amber waves of grain”.
A glassy Chester River:
We arrived at the newly built Chestertown Municipal Marina early afternoon and had a late lunch at 98 Cannon Riverfront Grille – on the deck, overlooking the marina.
The shipping saga continues: The package we expected to be delivered to the marina in Chestertown the day we arrived was delivered – to the wrongtown!! WHAT?!!! How to you send out a “proof of delivery” to a town different than the address on the package?
The package was delivered to a town 90 minutes away! So Ray spent over an hour on the phone, trying to formulate a plan to get the package delivered – to the right town this time – the next day.
It rained off-and-on all afternoon, so we stayed in the boat, catching up on chores.
We started planning for a possible family meetup, and started researching possible excursions for Cape may NJ, Upstate NY, and as far away as Niagara Falls.
For dinner, we went back to the same restaurant to hear the jazz duo that plays on Tuesdays.
The next day, Ray was held captive at the marina – waiting for delivery of the part, so he began route planning for the next few legs, which includes the offshore run from Cape May NJ to New York Harbor.
I roamed the cute little town to mail a package at the Post Office and do a little shopping and sightseeing.
Emanual Church, left, was built in 1772 as Chester Parish Church.
In 1780, in the spirit of the Revolution, clergymen met here and renounced the term “Church of England” in favor of Protestant Episcopal Church – a name later adopted across the United States.
The church was consecrated under its current name, Emanual Church, in 1882.
History: Chestertown was founded in 1706, then became one of just six Royal Ports of Entry in Maryland. As the colony’s second largest city, it sat on a much-traveled highway for people headed to Philadelphia. Today, Chestertown is also second to Annapolis in the number of still-standing buildings built before 1776.
This home at the corner of Cannon and Queen was once Worrell’s Tavern, probably built in 1770. A historical marker indicates this is where George Washington “dined and lodged on his return from Philadelphia, March 23, 1791, while he was President of the United States of America.”
By the time I returned to the boat around lunchtime, Ray had still not received the package. 📞 Future stay marina planning: I reserved a slip for 3 days in Cape May NJ. This is where most people wait for good weather to run offshore to NY.
👍 Shipment Received! By mid-afternoon, the package was delivered! We will not need to extend our stay!
Sightseeing: The intricate tower on the Volunteer Fire Co caught our attention. Fire company members started building it in 1908 from blocks they made themselves and completed in 1909.
The 65-foot River Packet, built in 1990 in the style of a 1920’s Packet Boat, and runs public cruises on the weekends, and can be scheduled for private events. It was berthed across from the marina.
Not to miss: We had a delicious (and reasonably priced) dinner at Retriever Bar & Oysters, owned by 2 natives of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. They both explored the food industry on the West Coast before returning to the Chestertown. Neyah White, the bar manager, has cocktail recipes in Food & Wine, and chef Thomas Kaylor worked under Gordon Ramsey for Kitchen Nightmares.
There were limited gluten-free options (besides oysters), but my bun-less lamb burger and the charred broccoli with Manchego, hazelnuts, & honey (that I substituted for fries) were excellent!
Chalkboard Fun: Someone at the Retriever puts comical observations on their chalkboard outside and posts them to Facebook. If you need a good laugh, take a few minutes to find them on Facebook and browse them.
Nature: We saw some beautiful, interesting plants on our walk back from dinner.
(I have not identified this shrub.)
Below, I think may be a Lacecap Hydrangea.
Not to Miss: We highly recommend a stop at Chestertown when you are touring the Chesapeake area. We have enjoyed the peaceful town every time we’ve been here.
GLTD029 Betterton MD-Sassafras River (from Chestertown MD): Even without an alarm clock, both Ray and I woke early. We were departing the Chestertown marina before 6:00 AM. Early enough to catch a little of the partial eclipse at right at sunrise.
The flat water on the Chester River created another beautiful backdrop for photos.
The homes along the Chester River simply gorgeous.
We were not the only people out on the water early.
We had a relatively easy cruise – except after lunch, when scouting for crab pots hidden in the waves as the wind increased.
As we turned into Sassafras River, the terrain was obviously different, with tall cliffs. And just as the reviews for the anchorage indicated, there bald eagles everywhere. NOTE: There are 2 eagles in the photo below.
⚓Anchored. A thunderstorm approached as we set the anchor in Sassafras River. Watching the flashes of lightning while perched on the bow is a little unnerving.
Milestone: We surpassed 1500 miles on the Great Loop!
After the storm passed us to the west, the sheer number of bald eagles in the area was soon evident. Despite continued rain, I could not stop chasing them with my zoom lens. 😊
Unfortunately, because it was cloudy, I could not get good, focused photos.
🛑 Weather Delay: We both woke up early – again – to pull up anchor, but only to find thick fog and more rain. We waited an hour, hoping the fog would clear. No luck. Another review of weather indicated it would likely stick around for a while along with lots of rain, so we decided to hang out in the anchorage an extra day.
We enjoyed a quiet, lazy, rainy day. Ray even took a nap.
📞 Future stay marina planning: I called the marina in Cape May NJ to let them know we had a 1-day delay. The helpful staff expressed appreciation for my call.
GLTD030 Salem NJ-Salem River (from Betterton MD-Sassafras River): Before hauling anchor, Ray used the saltwater washdown hose to rid some of the midges from the cockpit. There were a lot, but not as many as we’ve seen in the past.
As we reentered the Bay from Sassafras River, the clouds were unusually blue – considering the level of fog.
We saw Turkey Point Lighthouse – our last on the Chesapeake -- as we turned into the Elk River.
[Note: I’m learning that our new camera does not focus well in overcast weather.]
This was our view for most of the short cruise on this day – dreary and rainy.
We saw a few more bald eagles as the skies began to clear a little.
……and we saw a lot of ospreys living on the navigational markers.
The Chesapeake & Delaware (C&D) Canal was bordered by a trail for most of the way. It was busy with cyclists, walkers, and runners.
This “fixer-upper”, on the way to the Salem River anchorage, probably has a lot of stories to tell.
⚓Anchored. We wound our way through the reedy grasses of the Salem River, feeling out the depths slowly, to the marked anchorage across from the local boat ramp. It was not the most picturesque location we had ever seen, but it was protected, and we would be out for an early start the next morning to catch the favorable current from the outgoing tide on the Delaware River.
Interesting Fact: We travelled through 3 states today – Maryland, Delaware (briefly), and New Jersey.
We relaxed a while, then heated some chili from the freezer – one of our favorite meals at anchor.
On this weekend evening, most of the boat traffic wound down shortly after 9:00 pm. One boater was blaring his country music as he made his way back to the boat ramp around 9:30 pm, but “Remember When” by Alan Jackson is one of my favorite songs, so I didn’t mind too much.
Around 10:00 pm, I was awakened by fireworks – probably from Fort DuPont (across the Delaware). Fortunately, Ray slept through them.
GLTD031 Cape May NJ (from Salem NJ-Salem River): The Delaware River is known for strong currents, which can significantly increase speed for travel with the current – or reduce speed against the current. Ray planned an early departure from the anchorage to maximize our southeast-bound travel WITH the current, so we set an early alarm.
Before hauling anchor, Ray used the raw water washdown pump to hose down midges in cockpit. I was surprised to see them this far north!
Salem River was absolute glass as we left before the sun rose.
As we entered the Delaware River, there was an ebb tide (heading toward the ocean – southeast, in this case, the same direction we were heading.) With our engines set for our normal 7 knot boat speed, we averaged 8 – 10 knots with this favorable current. We peaked, momentarily, at over 11 knots! Wow! This was a sleigh ride!
🔷 Boater Tip: Pros and cons of travelling WITH the current.
The advantage of travelling with the current is increased speed.
The potential disadvantage of travelling with the current is increased chop when there is an opposing wind.
The weather station showed wind slightly off our nose (the bow) at 12 mph, but the 12 mph that our inexpensive weather station showed is “apparent” wind – which included our forward travel speed of 8-10 knots (the sensor assumes a stationary location).
So, even though wind was light, we had a slightly bouncy ride due to the fast-moving water flowing against it.
As the tide began to turn about 3 hours later, the current decreased (slack tide) – as did our speed.
After the tide fully turned to the same direction as the wind, the choppy waves on the river smoothed out – just as we entered into Delaware Bay.
To keep us awake, we had to keep an eye out for the barges and ships transiting the river. These ships create LARGE wakes.
One of the ships we passed was 693 feet long and travelling 14 knots – even against a 2 knot current! I wish I had the video camera ready for the huge wake we took.
Below is an example of the bow wake from one of the “smaller” ships.
Public Service Announcement: Marine pollution.
We saw several mylar balloons floating the Delaware River and the Delaware Bay! I’m no environmental scientist, but I’m thinking this is probably not great for the marine life.
Come on people, hold on to your party favors!
Thanks to several hours of cruising with a speedy current in our favor, we entered the Cape May Canal around noon.
“The Cape May Canal is a sea-level (no locks) man-made passage that runs from the Delaware Bay north of Cape May Point three miles east to Cape May Harbor.” Ref: https://marinas.com/view/inlet/2qiy_Cape_May_Canal_East_Inlet_Cape_May_NJ_United_States
Our timing for this cruise was great for weather & tide, but not so good for traffic on the Cape May Canal. Weekend traffic on this 100-foot-wide canal was CRAZY on this Sunday!
After refueling, we secured SCOUT in her transient slip, and Ray rinsed all of the salt off the windows and hull.
We had lunch on the boat and relaxed a while before walking “downtown”, for a little sightseeing and dinner.
Old Homes: Cape May has a small island “feel”. The main road through town is quite busy, but the side streets, with beautiful old homes, are quiet. This historic home on the main road was built in 1856.
This home, now a Bed & Breakfast, was built in 1883.
“Old” Churches: This church was originally built in 1879 as Cape Island Baptist Church. It later became Franklin Street United Methodist Church.
Today it is condominiums, and at least one of them is a vacation rental unit.
This church was originally built in 1853 as Cape Island Presbyterian Church.
It later served as a Methodist and an Episcopal church.
Since 1993, the “church” has served as the home for Cape May Stage productions.
“Local” History: Congress Hall was originally built in 1816 as an ocean-side resort. After it was destroyed by a fire, it was rebuilt in 1879. The owners marketed the fact the resort was now fire-resistant brick.
The building acquired its name in 1829, “when the then-current owner decided to honor the fact that its builder, Tom Hughes, got himself elected to the House of Representatives that year.”
At least 4 U.S. presidents have stayed here, “most notably Benjamin Harrison—who […] settled into a kind of summer White House on the ground floor in 1890 and 1891 while the real White House was being renovated.”
Food: For our short stay in Cape May, we only had dinner at 2 restaurants.
We chose to eat at The Boiler Room first (because they would be closed the next day) based on the “vibe” photos we had seen online. It was a beautiful cozy space in the stone-walled basement of Congress Hall.
Just a short walk from the marina, I enjoyed gluten-free pizza at Lucky Bones, while Ray tried the crab fries he had read about.
I would recommend either of the restaurants.
😒 Unfortunately, all of the breweries were too far to walk and the roads unsafe for our scooters.
😒 Several (all, I think) of the museums were still closed due to Covid.
👍 We did have a successful grocery “run” – we actually walked about 2 miles, round-trip. We each toted a loaded backpack for that trip – one being an insulated cooler backpack.
Once again, it seems we are following spring up the east coast, so we enjoyed beautiful plants on our walks.
What’s next? In our next blog, we will make the offshore crossing from Cape May NJ to the lower Hudson Bay, then cruise past the Statue of Liberty and New York City!
Click here to view our previous blog posts: https://n37scout.wixsite.com/travels/blog
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