Sea Nettle Bay

Annapolis to Cape May (via Chesapeake & Delaware Canal)

Naval Academy, Annapolis

After Solomons, WJ3 dropped the hook in very unsettled waters, right in front of an impressive Annapolis Naval College.  Yes, we were up for reveille early next morning, did callisthenics (a whole hour & a half – never my best subject) and finally took a short break for breakfast (at 8am!) before engaging in noisy, rough-house gridiron on the out-field.  It was exhausting just watching it from our bouncy deck.

A little more sport - racing on the harbour

We had arrived at Annapolis on a Sunday, the day everyone is out posing on their boats, boat watching others or just messing about (to be seen of course, darlinks!).  The Motleys watched the world go by - mini-cruise liners with wine/cocktail sipping lounge lizards; large pointy boats with throbbing engines and oh so hip owners; fabulous 100’ schooners packed to the brim with day trippers;  annoying jet skis & their acrobatic owners and dinghies of every conceivable shape or size, many stocked to the hilt with kids & dogs or if luckier, bow bunnies in skimpy bathers.  No wonder the boat show is held in Annapolis – it’s just part of a permanent exhibition!

Still Pond Sunset

After the high-life we moved on further up-river to the lovely and aptly named, Still Pond.  Amazingly, we seemed to have seen the last of those horrid sea nettles, stinging jellyfish that just lap up the warmer Bay waters.  We had our first swim of the season in brackish water – but it was refreshing!  From here, the First Mate plotted our attack on the C&D Canal, said to be a challenge due to its size (small) and size of vessels (large) travelling on it.  The Canal, although planned as early as 1661, was completed in 1829.  It had 4 locks and six mule teams to pull towboats through it.  Not so today, it’s a busy bypass with a snappy current.  Look forward to that!

Traffic and Obstacles on the C&D Canal

As the Motleys needed the tide with them, we were up at the crack of dawn and well into the Canal before morno’s.  Luckily, we had it to ourselves and the tide pulled us steadily along – we were actually travelling at an unheard of 9 knots!  At least it was in the right direction.  We spat out onto a mirror-like Delaware Bay, the subject of many a nautical horror story. So, making the most of our good fortune, the Cap’n steered us (yep, still no wind but we held a fast, outgoing tide) down the bay, over some interesting shoals with weird names like prissy wicks, negotiated around a very large, very close ferry, felt the swell of Atlantic waters and on into Cape May. 

Delaware Monsters

Space to anchor was a premium in Cape May, so we resorted to asking advice from a very nice water-policeman.  We finally settled in front of the Coast Guard Station, just off the New Jersey ICW, and dropped anchor right on dusk.  The Motleys had broken out of secure bay waters (sort of) and were now trying to recall what this overnight sailing thing was all about…..

From: Solomons Island, MD  Lat/Long: 38 20N  76 27W  Date/Time: 8/8/10: 0910

To: Cape May, NJ  Lat/Long: 38 58N  76 28W Date/Time: 10/8/10: 2020

Time Taken: 188nm (29hrs)  Distance (this year): 261nm (44hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 3901nm  (743hrs)   Fastest Speed: 9.1**

Weather: Winds E 5kts; Seas 1ft; mill pond conditions – jellyfish moved faster

(** In the C&D Canal.  Otherwise mostly motoring with a little sail at times; avg 5-6kts best with tide)