NYC to Phil Navigation

[Buster007]

Hi,
Doing a delivery to Phila in a couple of weeks.
Just curious if anything special to know about Delaware Bay and up the river
I know its shallow, current, ship traffic.
Plan on going outside down to Cape May, short stopover and likely a motor up to Phil.
Cheers

[dougweibel]

I haven't been as far as Philly but the Delaware up to the C&D canal is pretty straightforward. There was a buoy off station in the spring - may have been relocated by now - so if you are going up at night and visibility is poor use your radar. There is a fair amount of ship traffic but generally plenty of room to keep out of the way. Just follow the charts.

The current runs at a good clip so you may want to plan the timing of your trip up the bay. Cape Henlopen is slightly out of the way but very easy to get in to day or night if you need to kill some time at the mouth. Not many good anchorages up the bay, but several places you can stop in settled weather.

[dougweibel]

Oh, and there is generally plenty of room to sail in the channel while staying out of the way of traffic if the wind is an appropriate direction.

[Pandor]

If you are staying over in Cape May Harbor, you’ll need to decide whether you go outside to get to the Bay or take the Cape May canal. If you choose canal, watch those two bridges carefully. They are supposed to have 55 feet clearance, but I think it is often less.

[captstu]

The anchorage right off the Coast Guard Station in Cape May harbor is quite nice. If you are under 55', the channel to the Delaware Bay saves an hour or so rounding the point.

If the tide is with you going up the bay, it is a lovely trip under sail, my last trip was a beam reach at about 7 knots with the tide.

There is limited facilities in PHila - the maring just below the Ben Franklin bridge is nice but has a very tight turn on entry. I was able to make the turn in a 42' cat with lines on both sides to help the pivot.

Visit the liberty bell.

[winjamerk]

It would help get good advice if you indicate the type of vessel you'll be delivering to Philly. If sailboat, mast height above waterline, draft. Should be fun trip

[Buster007]

Originally Posted by winjamerk

It would help get good advice if you indicate the type of vessel you'll be delivering to Philly. If sailboat, mast height above waterline, draft. Should be fun trip

Its a sailboat mast is too high for cape may canal and draft is 6 feet

The soundings in the Cape May t marinas are only 1-3 feet?

[Captain Anthony]

I have completed this trip a few times. The comments above are all very good. Time your departure from Cape May to run with the current up Delaware Bay. Definitely consult the Costal Piolet and Light List. This way you will have more information at your fingertips "just in case". Good luck and I wish I was making the trip with you.

[jen1722terry]

I'm from the Philly area and I've done that trip several times.

The only things I would add are:

1. There can be steep seas as the Delaware narrows with a brisk southerly
and an ebbing river tide. If the boat tends to slam, it will be a noisy ride for a while.

2. Shoaling south of the Cape can be bad in places and varies after storms, so give the Cape a wide berth and watch the water and your sounder.

3. We've had our 4'10" draft sailboat in Cape May harbor, so you will probably be good with your six feet if you need to put in to rest or for weather. Atlantic City also has enough depth for you.

It will be a fun trip. Lots of variety.

[winjamerk]

If stopping in Cape May and not facing forecast adverse wind for Delaware

Bay, leave the CM anchorage about 2 hours before slack tide (preceding Flood) and make the turn into the middle of the Del Bay entrance with about 1 hour before slack. Be nice if you have favorable sailing winds as you'll have earned about 7-8 hours of favorable tide up the bay, likely well above the C&D canal. If things turn against you then there is the Delaware City area for possible anchoring. Don't have experience with that or further north so check. Also: Schuylkill River which empties in Philly to the Delaware River had its highest flooding ever, with recent storms so check about floating logs & debris. Have a great trip

[Buster007]

How about Cape May marinas. I know its a sport fisher capital. Are there fuel docks with draft over 6 feet MLW? the charts say no

[tilostahl]

Watch out for the submerged dike that runs parallel to the shipping lane on the west side between Delaware City and Newcastle. It's marked on the charts, but a significant number of boats have run up on it, and it's unforgiving.

[Pandor]

Originally Posted by Buster007

How about Cape May marinas. I know its a sport fisher capital. Are there fuel docks with draft over 6 feet MLW? the charts say no

You’ll be ok with 6 feet, just follow the markers leading into the marinas.

[CelestialMelody]

Highly recommend South Jersey Marina, I'm there now and draw 6.5 ft. They have diesel at the docks and perhaps the best showers on the east coast! They are on Dockwa

[boat driver]

what kind of boat?