June 27 we left Chesapeake City early – as in 6:00 a.m. We travelled with our two Looper friends, Tom on Dancing Bears and Anne and Mitch on No Rush to Delaware City, Delaware. The current is difficult there, requiring two dock hands to spin our boat around. We docked starboard side but they turned us to a port tie-in. That way we were facing in the right direction to head out the next morning. A fellow Looper boat was there as well – The Wright Choice. Amy Wright was the first Looper I met, in St. Augustine. She is super sweet and helpful, as are her husband Dave and son Max.

Going south from Delaware City to Cape May or Atlantic City can be tricky. Tim, a dockmaster at the marina, gives a 4:00 p.m. briefing each day on next day travel conditions. He references special software and shows a big map to explain what we can expect regarding tide, current, and weather. And most importantly, he explained the difference between current and tide, and that they are not always in the same direction. He was adamant for us to know that there would be no one out there to help us, should something go wrong, and we would have limited cell service. He told us on a scale of 1 – 10, he’d rate it a 7 as far as safety and timing for us to leave tomorrow. We all decided we would depart the marina early morning.

Following the briefing, everyone walked to a local seafood restaurant for dinner – a total of seven people, our largest Looper gathering. It was fun. The Delaware City AGCLA “Harbor Host” – Foster Schucker – met us at the briefing, and joined us for dinner. AGLCA (America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association) has Harbor Hosts in many cities. They are volunteers who help out in any way they can.

The next morning, June 28, was another early one for us – 6:00 a.m. departure. Tom, Mitch and Anne headed to Cape May – their boats go a little slower. Patrick was hell bent on getting to Atlantic City, so we could make New York City on Thursday, June 29. Reference the map below – Delaware City is northwest of Cape May.

For this trip, you have two travel options – the ocean, or the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway (NJICW). The NJICW is 117 miles from Delaware Bay to Manasquan Inlet. Maximum distance between fuel stops is 67 miles. The lowest bridge height restriction is 35 feet.

Maximum draft is 4.6″ or less with serious condition. Boat draft is the distance between the waterline and the deepest point of the boat. Also explained as the minimum amount of water required to float a boat without touching the bottom. Sunshine has a draft of 3.5″. The NJICW has many shallow spots and is a slower ride. Weather conditions play into your decision as well.

Dancing Bears and No Rush took the NJICW to Cape May and then travelled a bit on the ocean up to New York City. The Wright Choice and Sunshine took the ocean the entire way to New York City.

We made it to Atlantic City! Captain Pat was beat – long day, as we travelled around 90 miles. We anchored for the night.

A man and woman on a dinghy pulled up beside our boat. They introduced themselves – Judy and Don Durant, from San Francisco – and said they spotted our AGLCA flag. Their boat is a beautiful 55′ Fleming named Brarissima. We have seen them since several times.

Next stop – New York City! Here are some photos from our overnight stay at Atlantic City.