Great Kills Yacht Club, Staten Island to Cape May, NJ (September 27 - 28)

Dwayne was up at 0730 checking the weather to see if making a run to Cape May was possible without taking on more than we could handle. We didn't want to be sea sick for the 20 plus hours it would take us to get to Cape May. The forecast showed conditions deteriorating with winds building from the low teens into the mid-twenties and gusts adding 10 - 15 to the average. Waves were 2 to 4 feet and increasing to 6 or even 8 depending on the forecast source. We have been out in conditions like this before but not for extended periods of time in exposed waters like the Jersey shore. We decided to give it a go and hoped we could stay ahead of the foul weather. We could always retreat to Great Kills if conditions were too bad as we started to round Sandy Hook. If we didn't leave we'd have to wait at least four days for a favorable weather window to make the run.

Sunset Over New Jersey

We cast off at 1000. The sun was out and the winds were as forecast in the low teens with 2 foot waves. We could see three other sailboats ahead of us and two behind us as we left the Sandy Hook Channel and turned south. It gave us some comfort to know, we weren't the only ones trying to outrun the bad weather. The wind was in our face and waves were 3 footers but the period was long so the ride wasn't too uncomfortable. It remained that way for most of the day.

The winds and waves began to increase shortly before nightfall. Dwayne wanted to make contact with the other boats around us before dark so we'd know who might be able to help us or who might call for help in the night. We were running the three mile line. A sloop about two miles off shore was abeam of us all day. We attempted to hail them on the radio but initially got no response. Another boat, Alembic, heard us calling and advised us of the name of the sloop we were trying to hail. The sloop did respond to our call once we hailed them by name. They seemed a little annoyed that we were calling and somehow knew who they were. We advised them of our destination and told them we just wanted to know who was in the area in case someone needed help. Another boat, Free Spirit, heard our conversation and let us know he was several miles behind us. So, as the sun set, we had three other sailboats within a few miles of us and knew their names. Alembic was two miles behind us and averaging six knots to our five. She would pull abreast of us and pass us in the night.

We made good time and Atlantic City's bright lights came into clear view around midnight. From three miles out, you get a marvelous display of brilliant colors flashing and floating above the water An iPhone photo doesn't do it justice. Atlantic City was our last harbor of refuge. Cape May was still another 6 or 7 hours ahead of us.

Atlantic City

So far, we had seen very little ship traffic. We heard Alembic hail Padre Island, a large dredger, to coordinate routes of passage. Alembic had Automatic Identification System (AIS) which transmits and receives information on vessels navigating in the same area. We relied on Alembic to keep us posted on traffic around us. Padre Island requested Alembic to head out to sea another half mile to provide adequate room for clearance. We hailed Padre Island to make sure he saw us and were advised to hold our course as we passed. Later, we came across another dredger and had to alter course 90 degrees and run for a half mile toward shore before being allowed to resume our southerly course. We encounter no further shipping during the night.

Dwayne was sleeping below when Carla altered course to head into Cape May. Waves which were once astern were now abeam and woke Dwayne. It was 0630 and there was enough light to begin the approach to Cape May harbor. The winds waves were quickly building. Three sailboats and a power boat were heading out as we approached the harbor entrance. The sailboats turned south. The power boat turned back, retreating to the calm waters and protection of Cape May. The waves were too much for the power boat which planes atop them. The sailboats plow (or pound) through the waves. We would have followed the sailboats and skipped Cape May except that we had to get fuel for our run up the Delaware Bay.

We entered the harbor and dropped anchor amidst the dozen other boats lying at anchor just before the Cape May Coast Guard station. It was 0700 and there was no activity on the other boats. They must have been north-bounders who decided the weather was too bad to head out and opted to lay over waiting for better conditions.

Carla went below to get some sleep. Beth was sleeping in her cabin. Dwayne checked the weather forecast for the Delaware Bay and determined we needed to press on or we'd be locked in at Cape May for days. The forecast for the next few days went from bad to worse and Hurricane Matthew was building with a possible threat to the US East Coast. We decided to fuel up and get out of Cape May while we still had a chance. The fuel dock at Canyon Club Marina opened at 0800 and we were the first ones there to fill our tank.