Day 128...Cape May, NJ to Chesapeake City, Maryland

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 2012

     We got up extremely early for most people but simply early for us so we could catch the tide.  We left our slip at 5:35a.m.  We had our running lights on as usual so other boaters could see us in the predawn light.

      We traveled in the Cape May Canal for about 30 minutes until we got to the Ferry Terminal just before we went out into the Delaware Bay.

     The sun came up between the clouds about an hour after we left the marina. 

     The rest of the long, long, long trip was very uneventful.  Just the way we like to cross wide-open water.  There were only small waves that were easy to handle.  We were moving along at around 10.5 mph.  Looks like we timed the current right this time.  Since we were so far from shore the only interesting things to take a picture of again were the Skip John Shoal Light and this sailboat going north.  

     The boat traffic picked up as we approached the entrance to the C & D Canal.  Most of the boats were smallish pleasure craft taking advantage of Saturday on the water although some fishermen were also zipping around.  I took a picture of one of the last bridges before we got to Chesapeake City to show all the boat traffic.  Once we got closer, I noticed that they were painting the bridge a very bright shade of bluish purple...maybe periwinkle.

     We recognized the buildings and the lighthouse as we made our way into the Chesapeake City anchorage.  We had traveled 72 miles in 8 hours and 46 minutes thanks to the current.  We are now up to a total of 2674 miles.  We'll be in bed pretty soon after such an early morning start. 

Days 126-127...Ventnor City to Utsch's Marina, Cape May, New Jersey

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2012

     I have no idea why I get such beautiful pictures of the moon and sunrise from the Ventnor City anchorage, but just look at these pictures.

     We got up early this morning and left the anchorage at 5:45 a.m. to try to catch the higher tide and better current since the water in this area is so shallow.  That really wasn’t any trouble since we went to bed so early last night because of the before daylight start yesterday.  We were going against the tide at 5 mph until we got to Little Egg Harbor Inlet (Do you wonder where they come up with those names?) where we started zooming at 8.8 mph with the current.  The view was mostly the same as yesterday with a lot of marsh grass.

     We did come to those cute houses built out over the water that reminded me of Louisiana.  I couldn’t resist taking their pictures again.

     I did see rental jet skis right out in the water.  Gary said they bring the customers to the jet skis.  I'm not sure why they do that but I thought it was different.

     We kept right on chugging along until we made it to Utsch's Marina.  We traveled 45 miles in 7 hours.  We have traveled a total of 2600 miles so far.  I asked the girl who checked us in if I could have soap instead of the wine.  I got two extra bars for our daughters.  I'm very happy about that.  They smell so good.  Now I can check the soap off of my list of things to do on the way back home.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2012

     We are staying one more day to do all the boat chores and walk around town one more time.  We went to the same place for breakfast and ate scrapple again.  Gary's Grandma's was so much better.  The waitresses this time seemed careless and unconcerned.  What a difference a few months makes.

     After breakfast I went to wash our enormous pile of dirty clothes.  I took my book and read in the marina's air-conditioned laundry while they were washing and drying.  While I was doing that, Gary washed the outside of the boat, cleaned the bilge, checked the oil, did some engine room maintenance and all those other things he needed to do before going out into the open water.  MMMM, I know who had the better job.

     We waited until it cooled down to walk to town.  We went to a place called Stewart's Icecream.  I guess I learned another lesson there.  Always ask the price of something if you are in doubt.  Two cones were over $10.00.  Never again.

     Of course, I took more house pictures on the way back to the marina.  The pink house had a nameplate on it that was special.

     We were walking along minding our own business and almost got bonked on the head by an apple.  There was an apple tree right by the sidewalk in the middle of town.  Do you think there could've been an apple orchard there at one time?

    We had an early night because we have another predaylight start planned for tomorrow.  We have to go up the Delaware Bay.  Cape May was one place I wouldn't mind visiting again but in a car next time. 

Day 125...Beach Haven, NJ to Ventnor City, NJ

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2012

     We knew we were going to have to leave early to catch the tide on our way to Ventnor City so guess who was up at 5:00 a.m.  It finally got light enough for us to leave the slip at a little after 5:30 a.m.  I was up almost all night worrying about getting out of the slip without hitting the extremely expensive, 45-foot sportfish next to us.  The swift current would be pushing against us, there was a pretty fast wind blowing us toward the other boat and I was just worried since TRAVELLER doesn’t back up very well in the first place.  I knew Gary would have a good plan but you know me, I was worried anyway.  Well, we slid right down the poles that our stern lines were on and backed up pretty as you please.  See there was nothing to worry about.  We wore our headsets so Gary told me what to do and I did it.  Boy, was I worried, but we got out of the slip with no trouble at all.   

     How about a set of sunrise pictures?

     We were really making good time with the current pushing us along at 8.5 mph.  Now we saw what we missed last time we came through here in the fog following that catamaran with radar.  We didn't miss much since both sides of the Intracoastal were marsh.  The only thing remotely interesting was the distant Atlantic City skyline.  Atlantic City got closer and closer.

     We kept right on going through Atlantic City with the casinos and enormous wind turbines.

     Of course I couldn't resist taking another picture of the Ventnor City watertower and the houses by the water before we stopped in the anchorage.  The tide was dropping and we didn't want to chance running aground by going farther.  We traveled 25 miles in 4 hours and 21 minutes.  Our total mileage now is 2558.

     Since I started out with a sunrise picture, I decided to end with a sunset picture and also a picture of Atlantic City from the anchorage.

Day 124...Mantoloking Bridge to Beach Haven, NJ

TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2012

     We left the anchorage at 6:26 a.m. and went under the Mantoloking Bridge soon after. 

     We couldn’t believe all of the boats out yesterday.  We were wondering if we had missed a new Monday holiday since we've been gone.  This sailboat flying its spinnaker was the first boat we saw after getting underway.

     OK, so I know I took a picture of the Bay Shore Bridge on the way up, but I just like the way the two bridges look together.

     Passed Ocean City again.  I don’t remember this orange palm tree on the way up.  I’ll have to go look at my old pictures to see if it was there then.

     Here are a lot of little sailboats for rent.  Long Island, New Jersey has a lot of tourist towns on it.  It is tourist season now so we are seeing people get the last fun out of the summer before the kids have to head back to school. 

     We made it to Beach Haven Marina about 12:30 p.m. after an uneventful day on the water.  We like uneventful since it means nothing went wrong.  Getting there early gave us the rest of the day to walk around.  We traveled 6 hours and one minute according to the chartplotter.  We went 39 miles and have covered a total of 2532 miles so far.

     While we were walking to the grocery store, we saw another interesting bicycle.  On this one Mom was doing all of the work.

     Now for my first disappointment.  NO pineapple pie or chicken potpie.  I was devastated.  The manager said that I could get the chicken potpie if I came back Thursday (We were only going to stay one day.).  The pineapple pie was a lost cause since they had revised their take out selections.  I guess I’ll have to try to recreate the pineapple pie myself when we get home and cook the potpie at Sara's.

     There were tourists all over the place.  The town was nothing like the last time we were there.  The pace of Beach Haven had ramped up 100%.  It was not the relaxed little place with nothing open like before.  Even the cost of the marina was more since we were “in season” now.  I liked the "sleepy" town of Beach Haven much better.

     Here is a picture of the lights of Atlantic City at night from our stern deck.  We'll go by there tomorrow.