Cape May - at anchor

How to visit the Coast Guard - drag your anchor! Note the foreground boat about to reanchor

Today was a layover day. With winds in the 15 to 25 kt range, it would not have been comfortable going up Delaware Bay so we just sat on our anchor for the duration. We did watch four boats drag their anchor in the strong winds. One wound up against the Coast Guard bulkhead. They later moved to out to reanchor. Luckily, all the boats that dragged were behind us in the wind so we were unaffected. Of course we had no problem with our 66 lb Spade anchor and 60 ft of 3/8 inch BBB chain. The wind howled but we didn't move an inch. The boats that dragged seemed to have tiny anchors from our viewpoint and not the kind that cup the bottom like the modern Spade, Aocna or Manson. 

Taking Hoolie ashore was a challenge in these conditions and to top it off, the shore was littered with shells and bits of left over dinner from seagulls. Hoolie found that fascinating, even to the extent of not doing his business! It was his chance to have fun! However, I was not having fun waiting for Hoolie to do something besides examine the beach debris in detail. So eventually I hauled him back into the dinghy and he could wait for the next trip. Luckily, the next trips was not quite so interesting as I chose a section of the beach with fewer baubles. 

Our first sunset of the cruise south 

We need low tide to get under the 55 high bridge in the Cape Code canal on Saturday and that's not until 12:30. Also, we want to catch the current going up the Delaware and that's even later so we won't make Chesapeake City and will aim for Cohansey River and the anchorage there instead. The next day the tides are favorable for a ride through the Chesapeake - Delaware canal and we'll anchor at Chesapeake City on Sunday. Of course, all of this is pending a  good forecast, always iffy.