Follow Our Track
We caught the current through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (C&D) and this is important because it can rip through there either slowing a sailboat down to crawling speed or push you to much faster speeds. At the top of the Delaware River we had bad current (-2 knots) for the first hour but the tide changed and we had good for the next 5 and made it to Cape May at 3:30 instead of the predicted sundown. We called Virginia’s niece Catherine who lives nearby to get together but they were out of town. We anchored right off the Coast Guard station and listened to the in-training Coastie recruits marching and chanting. Next morning on Wednesday we got fuel and departed for Block Island.
The passage to Block started out pleasant enough following seas a light chop on the water but also light winds. We motor sailed most of the day and actually sailed for several hours but when the boat speed got down to 4 we started the old iron ginny (engine). At night we reefed the main sail and furled in the Genoa, good thing because later on we had a big old thunderstorm. It was a huge storm, but fortunately for us it mostly passed us by; we could see the squalls to the north on radar and the lightening lighting up the sky but it was done. The residual winds were strong enough to push the boat at top speed with just the reefed main sail up for the next several hours. Thursday morning the winds had shifted to North right on the nose, at first we tried to sail but it became apparent this winds were not helping. Finally we pasted Montauk Point and into Block as a beautiful sunset was happening. We rafted with friends Peter and Cathy on their “new” Saga 43 WhiteBird. The passage took 35 hours so we were exhausted and did not make very good company so we turned in to catch up on our sleep.
The pictures were taken during the walk to town. Tomorrow is the farmers market and some shopping (my most unfavorite things). Next stop is Newport, RI, then places along Buzzards Bay, the the Cape Cod canal and places north.