Still waiting in Cape May!

Weather is peculiar here: very changeable and not performing according to seasonal norms. All being well, and assuming it doesn’t change its mind again between now and tomorrow Thursday morning, we will slip the lines early and set off North towards Sandy Hook and New York.

Today we got the bikes out (very useful additions to Follyfin’s cargo) and explored the rather charming, olde worlde centre of Cape May.

Stocked up on provisions and visited the largest hardware store (possibly also the oldest, at least in my experience) where one could spend hours searching for the particular item required. Fortunately assistance was on hand..

Next post will hopefully be from 100 or more nautical miles north of here

Waiting for the weather

Bouncy anchorage overnight in Bohemia River, what with wind shifting and strong current but quietened down in the early hours for a short lie in for the crew. Timed our departure mid-morning to get the strong current going with us west to east through the C&D Canal. Meeting the tidal flow in the huge Delaware River at the east end of the Canal is always a challenge. Having already decided not to try to sail the 50nm to Cape May against the current, we revved up and turned in through the turbulence to anchor in the shelter of Reedy Island, between it and the west bank of the main river. This short passage - only about 20nm - allowed relaxation. Just as well, since the ensuing night was even more bouncy than the previous one, wind shifts and strong tidal flow again responsible.

At 05:45 on Saturday 5 May, Follyfin headed out into the Delaware River, taking full advantage of the strong current and favourable NE/NW wind to sail SE down river until it died at 14:00. No matter, the lion’s share of the trip to our destination - Cape May - was done. Unlike our passage to this Harbour last year, we arrived in daytime and good weather. Knowing we would need to wait for adverse weather to pass through before continuing north, decided not to go into the crowded anchorage most transient vessels use, at the eastern end of the harbour, but instead we chose to go through the opening Two Mile bridge and motor 2nm east up river into ‘Wildwood’ to anchor in Sunset Lake. Although the entrance is quite shallow (not a problem for Follyfin’s lifting keel), there is a perfectly sheltered deeper pool in the SW corner of this small lake. Here we dropped anchor and are prepared to wait for southerly winds again for our 200nm passage up to Long Island.

Sunset Lake proved to be somewhat of a misnomer at first, since Sunday brought heavy rain, dense fog and overcast skies as well as much cooler temperatures. We were glad not to be going out anywhere. Monday saw an improvement in the weather but wind still NE, no good for us. And by Monday evening the reason for the name was clear.

Provisions will be needed before setting off, so Tuesday 8 May Follyfin will take a berth at Utsch’s Marina at the west end of the Harbour. All being well we will embark on our next passage North sometime on Wednesday 9 May afternoon.

Fish, fish fish!

After a long fish famine, caught a nice one this morning as we sailed south from Atlantic City...just a nice size for two. Not sure what species it is, but it looks like good eating [tough luck Smitch!]. To record the conditions: clear blue sky, sunshine, SW4 wind, mainly south swell, time 08:25, sailing close-hauled, course over the ground 165deg true at speed ~5kt, approx. position 39# 12'N 74# 20'W. Hoping for a repeat.

Well, just one hour after I penned that last paragraph, we did catch another fish! Same species but slightly smaller [missed out again Smitch!]... 

Decided to cook both for supper after anchoring inside Cape May Harbour. Delicious!

P.S. This post is being uploaded from Rockhall in the northern Chesapeake Bay, about 12nm from Baltimore where we will leaving Follyfin next week to fly home. Looking forward to getting back to normal land-living again!