Cape May, New Joysee

We had a fast run out of Chesapeake City to the Deleware River with a two knot current and a 20 knot tail wind, we made the Cape May canal in 6 hours. The canal was not what we expected. Very narrow with sand bars on either side, it looked in disrepair. We docked and broke out the bikes and went for a wild ride in to Cape May proper. The Victorian homes and shoppes were awesome.

We met five other boats also doing the Great Loop. A total of 17 people went to dinner together at the Lobster House.

We were the most recent to start the Great Loop, some had almost completed their year aboard. Got underway at 7:00am with the other Loopers and came in to Atlantic City NJ to anchor for the night. Atlantic City was beautiful from the ocean. We chose to go off shore to New York City due to the devastation of the NJ ICW from hurricaine Sandy. We have bad weather coming on Fri, so we are hoping to make it to Manasquan Inlet, just 40 miles from the Statue of Liberty…..YEA

Atlantic City

We passed the amusement park where Mom and Dad went on their honeymoon. It was fun for Dad to tell us stories of the park

. This is an “oops”. This was a really neat lighthouse on Deleware Bay. It is called Capt John Shoal Light. It has been the neatest looking one so far!!

3 thoughts on “Cape May, New Joysee”

Enjoying the trip with you. We met in Smithfield last year and are in the planning stages (3 or 4 years away), but we can’t wait. We went to the rendezvous in Norfolk in May. It was a blast to meet the people and to see their enthusiasm. I’ll keep up with you along your way. Have a great time and hope all goes well with your trip.

Ken and Linda Horton

Tom – I’m a friend of Fred Collins. Because of my life-long participation in boating (mostly sailing, and a lot of it San Diego Bay where we lived for 20 years) Fred told me about your plans for the Big Loop, and I’ve been following your daily messages with much interest.

I know a little about parts of your planned journey – the Norfolk /Virginia Beach area (Navy days long past), the southern Chesapeake (days spent with my dear college roommate and sailing friend Bill Bernart who lived on the bay near Nassawadox on the eastern shore for 45+ years). My wife Cay and I have bare-boat cruised parts of the coast of Maine several times, and have spent much time in the New Jersey – Long Island area. For a couple of seasons the early 50’s, right out of college, I was one of the forward deck hands on the 54′ gaff rigged sloop (Universal Design P Class) “Princess Patricia”, built in 1902 and owned from launching/skippered by Tom Wade, Commodore at that time of Toronto’s RCYC, and spent many wonderful days cruising and racing all over Lake Ontario. No engine – none needed with skilled skipper, and the muscular fore-deck crew, oars, a good lapstrake dinghy, and plenty of rum. Bachelor days of endless summer.

I’ve been keeping a listing of your ports of call, and eventually I’m going to try to construct a plot of your cruise on a route planner if I can find a good one. I know of one called the Waterway Guide, but have not used it (http://www.waterwayguide.com/waterway-planner). Perhaps you can suggest a good one.

You and yours are in our prayers as the current tropical storm (Andrea?) moves up the coast toward your position. We wish you all safety and good passage.

Allen Hough
Ft Worth TX
tohuffy@yahoo.com