Daily Archives: 1 3 June 14

Tuesday, 3 June

“You know, you should be able to fit ‘er in here.”  This was the assessment of Tim-the-Dockmaster as he stepped-off the vacant space between  a catamaran’s outboard and the inflatable hanging off the davits of a power cat. “Waddya say?  Wanna give it a try?”

This moment was to be the highlight of the day, a short trip–less than 15 NM passed under the keel–with a much higher than average level of entertainment.

It started with one more perusal of Eldridge’s current tables for the C&D as compared to its exit into the Delaware River.  That confirmed to the satisfaction of all hands that departure from Chesapeake City should be somewhere between 1030 and eleven.  It’s more art than science: read all you want then hope for the best.

So Steadfast swung out of the basin–the current is such, a boat goes sideways as much as straight ahead–at 1050 and immediately speed-over-ground was in the high 7s.  That’s while Little Red ran not much over idle and speed-through-water (surface) was just four-point-2.  But the canal’s so easy to pilot.  Just keep it between the two banks and you’re fine, until coming around a bend and you happen to see…

There’s not a LOT of ship traffic in the C&D Canal but what there is, takes a lot of room.

So there’s a quick U-turn to stand off to the side for a few moments against the current while this gal clears the bridge, let her pass, then cut across a not inconsiderable wake and back on our way.

When called on the phone early this morning, Tim had said to call  back once past the Reedy Point Bridge, just before the canal’s eastern terminus.  That done, his colleague Tara at Delaware City Marina gave explicit details on how to make the approach and stay in deep water.  The approach is straightforward but the channel into Delaware City is narrow.  It’s hard to imagine there’s any place to anchor.

Delaware City boasts more than 250 ante-bellum buildings, the most of any city in the state.

That channel also carried water running about three knots as we arrive.  That was okay; just made it that much easier to slow down.  It does add to the interest when sliding between the boats tied at either side of the fuel dock (as you may have gathered, Tim likes to use every possible foot of his lengthy floating pier).  Once the diesel was topped off for tomorrow’s run, then it was up the channel a bit more and into this snug little spot.

Docklines taut and here she sits with a foot to spare!  (Steadfast don’t need no stinkin’ bow thrustas.)  Her skipper did need a good bit of direction from Tim along with timely line-handling by Tim and Tara.  These folks are great, make everyone feel right at home, and put Delaware City Marina on a short list of favorite places to dock.

Later, Tim’s briefing on NOAA’s latest forecast for wind and current confirmed what we’d been thinking: shove off at o600, hope to catch a fair current running most of the way down Delaware Bay and then sneak into the Cape May Canal, grab a slip and not long thereafter, enjoy a cool refreshing beverage.

It should be interesting.  Again.

Steadfast out.