Harbors of Refuge on New Jersey Coast?

[Bean Counter]

Atlantic city, been through there, twice in bad thunderstorms, the sea way entrance was not difficult, but nowhere much to anchor in some wind angles. If you have a catamaran or shoal draft the Brigantine lagoon has 360 protection and super sticky mud, but a shallow daylight entrance after the inlet northside up near the bridge. There is of course the Casino marinas if you can get a spot.


https://activecaptain.garmin.com/en-US/pois/30907

[tweitz]

Very few of the harbors along the New Jersey shore are safe to enter in a rough conditions, with shifting bars that often require local knowledge. Several that look OK on the chart are notoriously dangerous in a storm. The Coast Pilot, which is available for free, gives pretty good information on each port. For example, describing the entirety of the shore south of Sandy Hook:

"(5) The principal shallow-draft entrances are Shark
River Inlet, Manasquan Inlet, Barnegat Inlet, Absecon
Inlet and Cape May Inlet. There are several others that
are unimproved. The inlets are, or may be, obstructed by
shifting bars, and most require local knowledge to carry
the best water. The best time to enter is on a rising tide
with a smooth sea; passage is hazardous during easterly
gales and heavy seas.
"(6) In most cases the aids marking the various inlets are
not charted due to the changing conditions."

[BillKny]

Assuming you are asking about the boat listed on your profile, a J-40 with (I believe) a 6.5 foot draft. I am not sure what your air draft is but guessing in is a good deal less than 65 feet... With that draft, there are not a lot of choices--even during calm weather.

And the short answer is from Atlantic City to New York Harbor "during a storm" there are no safe harbors with entrances you can count on. An ebb tide with any significant swell at any of these will be very dangerous. They are all shallow, shifting, narrow, with rock jetties on either side. Finding a path for a 6.5 foot draft boat that is slow and lightly powered is just not easy, even for a local.

We take a sailboat that that draft along that coast all the time. We just assume we are in the ocean for the duration. It's less than 150 miles... not exactly a intimidating passage.

[flopresti]

Thanks to everyone... I've done the trip many times on many different boats.... never stopped except on calm days. I'm giving a talk and wanted to have other sailors spin....
Like telling first time sailors any port of refuge if available.... of course riding a storm out is usually safest - I'm always reminded of the '79 Fastnet race where people died but the boats were recovered

[caradow]

The only thing I can add is other than Atlantic City years ago I took my 50 ft ketch with a 6 1/2 foot draft into Manasquan one stormy night without a problem. There is a Coast Guard Station there and a marina well inside before the bridge.
We were a little tired and after docking around 0400 we fell asleep only to be awaken by the marina attendants screaming at us that we were trespassing and they were going to have us arrested.
After telling them where I came from it was perfectly fine to do what we did and I would gladly pay for the dock space. In all my years of sailing I have never been treated like that. In a few hours they must have gone and self medicated because they were smiling and very friendly but a little strange.
Anyway, good luck.

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by caradow

The only thing I can add is other than Atlantic City years ago I took my 50 ft ketch with a 6 1/2 foot draft into Manasquan one stormy night without a problem. There is a Coast Guard Station there and a marina well inside before the bridge.
We were a little tired and after docking around 0400 we fell asleep only to be awaken by the marina attendants screaming at us that we were trespassing and they were going to have us arrested.
After telling them where I came from it was perfectly fine to do what we did and I would gladly pay for the dock space. In all my years of sailing I have never been treated like that. In a few hours they must have gone and self medicated because they were smiling and very friendly but a little strange.
Anyway, good luck.

Have you ever sailed in New England? Anyone who finds you've landed on their private dock without first having gotten permission is going to come down and ask you to leave. I don't know that they'll scream, but you will definitely get an earful of taciturn, persnickety umbrage and opprobrium, with a side course of dropped Rs.

[NOTE: I'm definitely not questioning your decision to dock in that situation; far better to get rudely chewed out in the morning than run aground in the middle of the night because you're exhausted.]

[phorvati]

Originally Posted by flopresti

Are there any safe harbors to enter above cape may during a storm?

How bad is the storm? I would stay the heck away from jersey in a serious storm. Most of those inlets are crap in large seas. Strong coastal fronts that come during seasonal transitions like spring and fall can get nasty but because the wind blows offshore, its not as bad. I ran aground in barnegat some years ago during one of those frontal passages in the fall. Atlantinc City is well marked but again in large seas, its sketchy.

[CarlF]

For your talk, it's worth impressing on your audience that the NJ coast in a NE or E storm is one of the most dangerous and unforgiving places on the East Coast of the US. Experienced cruisers will wait at Sandy Hook or Cape May for as much as a week rather than try this coast in bad weather.

It's especially dangerous in October when boats heading south are late leaving New England and are in a rush to get to the Chesapeake and ICW. Once the winter storms start, it's easy to get trapped in New England.

A few years ago I was leaving RI on October 2 having found a nice weather window. A friend in a heavy 55ft ketch was waiting on some repair parts and said he leave the next week. He got caught by an unrelenting line of storms and didn't find a weather window until December 2 - making the trip with ice on the decks.

[caradow]

Ha, this was a commercial marina not a private dock.
Have sailed many places in New England, I live here/ Nantucket, Vineyard/Newport/ Yacht Club Member including CCA Member/ Raced out of just about every major Yacht club in RI/CT/ NY since 1980. That goes for most of the Islands in the Caribbean also.
Just saying I know the rules. I would not pull into someones private dock.
It was totally inappropriate behavior on their part.
Anyway we left as "friends" but not a place I would rush to again.
I have made many trips up and down the East coast and most of the time I leave NY Harbor and head straight to the Chesapeake. However on that particular occasion we were sailing into a 35 kt southerly and it was cold.My 2 crew were constantly vomiting everywhere and I got tired of smelling it to be quite honest.

[bensolomon]

When transiting from the Chesapeake north or northeast, I use cape may because it is an all weather day or night anchorage, and absecon, for similar reasons. Sandy hook is there, if necessary. I have never "needed" Sandy hook. Once I leave absecon, I go straight for Montauk. Once I leave montauk, I head straight for Absecon. There can be a standing wave in Absecon though, if you catch the tide wrong.

[flopresti]

Thank you all... I'm giving a zoom at nsyc thursday on the trip... I've made the trip, usually crewing, sometimes on great boats, sometimes on old small boats. Sometimes with great crew & sometimes not.... Even once in a great 50' Swan with a great captain in mid-winter - big breeze - just important to keep warm. He always insisted on 2 crew on watch.. said that 2 people would talk to each other & therefore get 360 degree watch....

So you really think Cape May is a "harbor of refuge" even in big waves? And Atlantic City ... in big waves?

your comments are very useful - deeply appreciated... Frank

[bensolomon]

From my experience, Cape may has breakwaters, is well marked, and offers protection from the seas.

After you enter Cape May inlet, for example if you turn to Port at Green three or turn to starboard after red two, both of those are almost 90° turns and will shelter you from the incoming sea. I usually stay at canyon club marina or drop the anchor halfway between the canyon club marina and the inlet. There is a nice Anchorage off to port as you come in

Absecon has jetties and the center of the inlet is deep water. After you reach the safe water mark in the inlet, you can go to Port at red 2 and go to one of the multiple marinas which are very well protected or I suspect you could drop an anchor in clam Creek. Some people report turning to starboard at drum point and there is a nice Anchorage there, as well. Both are very well protected. I usually stay at the Atlantic City municipal Marina. it's very easy to empty the holding tank because they have dockside holding tank emptying. It's a very nice setup.

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by flopresti

Thanks to everyone... I've done the trip many times on many different boats.... never stopped except on calm days. I'm giving a talk and wanted to have other sailors spin....
Like telling first time sailors any port of refuge if available.... of course riding a storm out is usually safest - I'm always reminded of the '79 Fastnet race where people died but the boats were recovered

Ahhh something like this may have cleared up some confusion on your opening query. Context often helps.

Thanks

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Ahhh something like this may have cleared up some confusion on your opening query. Context often helps.

Thanks

+1

Oughta be a good talk.

I'd hate to be a first-time sailor caught in a situation where I have to decide between riding out a storm and risking running the breakers that form in a heavy enough sea outside an inlet I'd never entered.

Judging from your experience, your talk, Flopresti, will likely have a considerable component dedicated to preparation, planning, and prudence, so that this fate befalls none of them.

Best wishes!

[Clamdigger]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

If weather decreed I needed safe harbour I would not attempt anything other than Sandy hook or Atlantic City. The others scare the hell out of me in bad weather especially if wind is opposing tide.

THIS! Behind Sandy Hook NSS lies a great anchorage, Great Mooring Field, and even anchorage South of the Mooring Field. Current can be strong during tidal changes so beware of this.

Manasquan Inlet is more of locals' use inlet. At the wrong time you'll wish you had'nt entered! Actually, most of the 'inlets' on the jersey Coast are treacherous as all hell and why it's important to ask on the radio before attempting any of them. Normally if there is a great risk the local CG station will chime in and advise of the conditions.

Stay in one of the high rise hotels near the lighthouse in AC on a floor above the middle floors as you can get. Now stand on the balconey and watch the rollers on the tide changes in the channel. Now watch the boats coming in from sea with no idea roll their guts out.