LI Sound to Wharton's Creek

[crieders]

I am making the trip next week with my son and a 500 ton Captain who came recommended but I do not know
He wants to go overnight straight to Cape May
My concern is I don't have radar or AIS
I have new Garmin chartplotter
Has anyone made this trip and any hints or suggestions?

[KWKloeber]

Cliff

As I said below, I've done the opposite - delivered a C42 from Worton to Great Neck.  The last leg was Atl City overnight to Lady Liberty (@ dawn.)  The only dicey part we had was meeting a freighter northbound freighter in the Deleware Bay upper channel.  We did continuous Warton (stopped for dinner in the Canal) to AC where we had to lay up due to Wx.  We had radar but it was useless during that first leg (another story.)  Shouldn't be a problem to Cape May. Presume you're taking the canal?

-k

[Craig Illman]

There's a $10 app for your phone called BoatBeacon that will give you AIS if you have cell coverage.

Craig

[WTunnessen]

You can pick up a AIS enabled VHF radio for under $400 at Defender.  I've found mine very helpful sailing through squalls with limited visibility on the Chesapeake Bay in the shipping channel last Thursday. It helped us spot freighters so we could get their bearings and speed and get out of their way. I'd say its worth the investment if your concerned.

[Bill Shreeves]

I did Barnegat Bay, NJ to Worton Creek last June but we only traveled during daylight because it was our first extended cruise and only a few times in the ocean before going.  Other than a mechanical failure while traveling up the Delaware, it was a great trip and we loved it.  If you have to duck in, beware many inlets in Jersey South between Atlantic City and Cape May really need local knowledge to transit.  Cape May inlet is easy.  We stayed at South Jersey Marina in Cape May for one night and highly recommend it and stopping at the Lobster House for dinner.  The marina had AWESOME bathrooms and great service!  Do your best to time the tide in the C&D Canal.  I've heard some sailboaters have seen pedestrians walking faster than they were able to buck the flow and wind.    Are you going to keep the boat in Worton Creek?

[BillG]

I've done the trip a couple of times and don't see that as a problem as long as weather and visibility are good.  There are very few places to stop along the NJ shore and an overnight trip is best. You can stay at Liberty Marina, across from Manhattan and begin the trip there to Cape May for the shortest passage but I've done LI Sound to the C&D canal in one trip as well.

[MarcZ]

When sailing at night around Sandy Hook and Came May watch for small fishing boats without any lights  !!!

Decent places to stop along Jersey shore would be Barnegat inlet, AC and Cape May, (Shark River has fixed 50ft bridge right before municipal marina - so not an option anymore)  there is also nice marina just north of the C&D Canal (Delaware side) where you can catch some sleep and wait for a tide (see Bills comet on why you might want to do that)

Entrance to Worton Creek is usually mined with crabpots - So if you are getting there at night make sure you have a working search light.

Looking forward to see 3rd C34 at Worton Creek.

[crieders]

 I would love to have some experienced company on the trip or follow someone who has done it before.

[KWKloeber]

When are you looking to do the transfer, Cliff?

[crieders]

Anytime this summer

[KWKloeber]

Thanks Cliff

Your capt is looking to do it in over two long days?

[crieders]

yes 2 long days; maybe a third depending on the C and D canal flow

[KWKloeber]

Is the canal really an issue.  As I posted below I did the trip in reverse delivering a C42, and we planned it around the tides, mainly concerned about Hell's Gate.  All the timing went to hell anyway. Maybe we were just lucky? with the canal?  We left Warton probably noon or so, stopped for dinner in the canal, hit the bay channel midnight or so, and went straight thru to AC. Too long ago to recall precisely. We didn't time the E River correctly because we got screwed up hunkering down due to weather that threw everything off. But no issues navigating or otherwise anyway. I just prefer long daylight trips over damn all night watches. 
No issues cept the new owner who knew it all and knew nothing, he set up the radar that nearly ran us into upbound traffic (literally, could count the rivers in the hull).

[BillG]

Yes, you definitely want to plan your trip around the currents at Hell's Gate, but also plan you motoring around the currents in the C&D, if you don't it could mean a very very long trip.  I used to  bring my boat up from Rock Hall once a year to the C&D to winter there.  Always made the trip with the current and you are really moving.  I can only guess that if I had tried it against the currents I would only have been doing 2 or 3 mph over the land.