sandy hook to cape may but gail coming in

[Sparx]

Thanks for the update! I used to keep a boat at that Marina. You are in a good place.

It has been good to follow along your journey.

[snokid]

I don't know if many people use this but my wife likes to be able to track my movement.
https://trackme.nebo.global/?link=56...TWGZRT7QF1PM2G

Bob
And once again thank you everyone!

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by snokid

I made it to Worton creek The anchorage outside isn't protected from the wind. Up river as far as I could go was pretty full. I'm at a marina they had a couple of balls open, no way I can grab one by myself. tied or should I say blown to the fuel dock for at least tonight, everyone has gone home for the night, will deal with that in the morning.

Hi Bob,


I sent you a friend request in Nebo.


If you stop in Annapolis send me a note dave@auspiciousworks.com . We can meet somewhere handy to you and talk about picking up moorings single-handed.


sail fast and eat well, dave

[Bill O]

Bob,
PM sent.

[snokid]

thank you both! first time I have had a chance to relax for 5 mins.
south kent island tonight.

Bob

[sdj]

If you need this much planning, then you've screwed up your planning.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by sdj

If you need this much planning, then you've screwed up your planning.

You're going to have to elaborate.

[sdj]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

You're going to have to elaborate.

"Things aren't this complicated". If they have become this complicated, you've done something wrong.

[sdj]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

You're going to have to elaborate.

"Things aren't this complicated". If they have become this complicated, you've done something wrong.

[Sailmon]

Bob,
Like you, we were Great Lakes sailors for 30 plus years before throwing off the dock lines & heading south in 2017. I agree with several important points made above. Don’t go to sea (especially on longer legs) without topping off fuel. A blown out main, a chafed halyard... can suddenly & profoundly change your plans. One of our cardinal rules of cruising is never entering a new anchorage or harbor in the dark. Planning trip legs at the most aggressive end of the time & weather spectrum can pose risk if things change even slightly for worse.
When we went down the coast, we sat out Hurricane Jose in Cape May at the Canyon Club Resort Marina. The marina is surrounded by 4 story condos and provided complete protection from the winds. Leaving the marina after the storm, we set a route (18 way points) and skirted the beach to get to the Delaware Bay - saving 15 miles and valuable time to enable riding the current up the bay. Finally, not wanting to rush into the C&D canal, we spent a few nights at Delaware City Marina. It’s a fun town & not rushing/pushing the envelope better assures safety. Enjoy the trip.
Bob

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by sdj

"Things aren't this complicated". If they have become this complicated, you've done something wrong.

As is often the case when discussing anything on social media of any sort, the discussion moves in its own directions. There are what-if elements and the discussion often draws out more information from the OP that takes the recommendations in other directions. People make their own assumptions that may not bear fruit. There is more value than just answering a single OP's question.

Originally Posted by Sailmon

I agree with several important points made above. Don’t go to sea (especially on longer legs) without topping off fuel. A blown out main, a chafed halyard... can suddenly & profoundly change your plans. One of our cardinal rules of cruising is never entering a new anchorage or harbor in the dark. Planning trip legs at the most aggressive end of the time & weather spectrum can pose risk if things change even slightly for worse.

I've stated my philosophy of always pressing up fuel and water tanks before heading offshore in this thread and elsewhere. Even if I've filled up in Annapolis before heading down the Chesapeake ultimately to Bermuda, Florida, Bahamas, or Caribbean I stop again in Little Creek VA even if only for a few gallons. That little bit of fuel may mean the difference between a problem and not a problem later in the trip.

I do feel differently than you about entering a new place in the dark. I'd say it all depends. Certainly places that are not well marked where having the sun high and behind such as North Man o' War cut in the Abacos I do not enter in the dark regardless of familiarity (and regardless of trails of bread crumbs on chartplotters). Places where marks are moved often to account for shifting shoals such as Barnegat NJ I much prefer to enter in the daylight but given radar and if pressed by weather I may run at night. Other places like Chesapeake Bay, Charleston, Wilmington simply don't make any difference. In many I entered for the first time at night. Some places like New York Harbor I prefer at night as traffic is lighter and the lighted marks are easier to pick out. Granted I sail a lot and that helps with comfort levels. I'm not a reef at night just because it's dark sort of guy. I offer this perspective as a contrast and not to poke at your conservative approach.

I'm absolutely with you in terms of considering risk in planning. I think I held forth recently in this thread or perhaps elsewhere on CF about risk as a function of probability and impact so I won't again. Give me a few weeks and I'll probably go on at length. *grin* I do often push the envelope in planning if I have sufficient options built into the plan. Northbound from Florida in the Gulf Stream is a good example of an opportunity to safely be aggressive in planning because there are so many bailouts in the event of weather or breakdown. The best time I ever made from Fort Lauderdale to Annapolis (4 days 19 hours on a 43 foot boat) included an unintended stop in Beaufort NC for water when a loose hose clamp resulted in all our fresh water pumping into the bilge. When discovered it was easily fixed but I wanted to press up water (and incidentally fuel) before proceeding rather than depend on emergency water on board. What if something else went wrong? So we stopped for water, fuel, and breakfast and pushed on.

In the spirit of your cardinal rules Bob I offer: never miss an opportunity to eat, sleep, go to the bathroom, charge something, or top up tanks. Which does remind me, I need to put gas in my car. *grin*

[Sailmon]

Auspicious,
Thank you for your comments. Just to clarify, we love overnight sailing & even multi day legs. We just try to time arrival for daylight. We have friends (very seasoned sailors) who lost their boat last spring - attempting to enter Marina Hemingway after dark at the end of 36 hour leg from Marathon. Not sure if they misread the lights, incorrect angle of approach, experienced GPS glitch or combination. Went up on reef 1 mile E of the entrance. They were rescued. Boat a total loss. In that kind of situation we typically de-power & slow down, heave to or anchor (if conditions permit) and wait for first light.
We agree - riding the stream from Sombraro Reef to Bimini is amazing & given the right weather window truly a “breeze”. Speaking of breeze, the Lauderdale to Annapolis trip sounds amazing - was it mostly under sail it on Dino juice?

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Sailmon

We agree - riding the stream from Sombraro Reef to Bimini is amazing & given the right weather window truly a “breeze”. Speaking of breeze, the Lauderdale to Annapolis trip sounds amazing - was it mostly under sail it on Dino juice?

Hi Sailmon,

I'm with you on downshifting ahead of time to arrive when you like to avoid having to heave to.

I'm sorry about your friends. 36 hours is really not very long but people don't behave well and getting the offwatch in bed can be a challenge. That means arriving you are tired with judgement affected by fatigue. It isn't unusual for me to send crew to bed like young children. Rest is important.

Ft Lauderdale to Annapolis was almost entirely under sail. Weather permitting you can sail faster than motor. The key for northbound Gulf Stream is to stay in the hot part of the stream. Put the depth sounder display on sea water temperature and stay hot.

We motored out of Port Everglades, from the sea buoy at Beaufort in and out, in and out of Little Creek, and into Shipwright Harbor from R2 at Herring Bay. All the rest was under sail. I was very fortunate to have good wind the whole way - close reach to beam reach except a run into the Chesapeake (we turned, not the wind). Definitely a case of better lucky than smart.