BigGrin

It's family vacation time and we will be heading from the middle Chesapeake bay area to Cape May NJ. We have reservations at Canyon Club Marina. We should be going south from the C&D to Cape May on August 11th and going north up the Delaware home on the 16th. Any pointers on when to run the bay / canal based on tide etc.. Any good sites to check out tide data on those dates so as I can plan what time to run. We cruise around 13 knots so I need to keep that in mind. Thanks for any and all help. BigGrin

bayhunter

Your biggest concern isn't just tide, but tide against wind. If you have a N wind with incoming tide you can deal with substantial chop. Bigger wind against tide = bigger chop. The wind can howl and if the tide is going the same direction seas can be flat. Based on 25 years I will tell you this is what to look for. Your passengers will be unhappy in 3 to 4's a pounding 3 seconds apart. Suggest you consider this. The main ship channel is essentially down the center of the bay. Good luck.

HitfrequenSea

Doing this trip Thursday, from Atlantic City to Cape May then Cape May to Chesapeake City.


Was going to plot a course from the 8 Red bouy to Bouy 32 and cut a few minutes down on the trip. Chart show plenty of water. Has anyone ever run this course? Its almost a straight line from # 8 to the light house shoal.

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Sea Ray Laguna 22

HitfrequenSea

Doing this trip Thursday, from Atlantic City to Cape May then Cape May to Chesapeake City.


Was going to plot a course from the 8 Red bouy to Bouy 32 and cut a few minutes down on the trip. Chart show plenty of water. Has anyone ever run this course? Its almost a straight line from # 8 to the light house shoal.

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Formula 31PC
Sea Ray Laguna 22

Axiom2222

Here is a tide chart for the Lewes Breakwater. Bay Hunter is right on the money about the tides and the wind in the Delaware Bay. The main channel is well marked and easy to follow. Most of the time you can run to the side of the channel and be fine make sure you have a good chart. There is a lot of large ship traffic in the bay and they tend to make very big wakes in a small area especially in the northern end of the bay. Not much to look at and not many places to duck in so ensure yourself of a good forecast.

http://www.beach-net.com/tideslewes.html

BigGrin

Thanks for the info eveyone. I'll be looking to head south on the 11th of August and it looks like the morning tide (incomming) will be against me. I'll be paying attention to the wind looking for anything other than a Northerly wind. I don't want to freak out the kids (teenagers) on their first longer voyage. If need be, I'll hold up untill wind co-operates. My last trip up the bay it was a millpond but have seen her fugly...
BigGrin