Sept 28, 2025 Up the Delaware Bay and onto the Chesapeake

 Sunday Sept 28, 2025  Cape May anchor to Sassafras River anchor  93 miles and 9.5 hours

Not much sleep last night with all the dragging anchor drama, so decided we may as well get an early start and ride a favorable current with the rising tide up the Delaware Bay and through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Hurricanes Hunberto and Imelda are still both off the coast, but the latest forecasts are encouraging, with them making an unexpected sharp 90-degree turn moving them further offshore compared to earlier forecasts of them riding along the coast or coming inland. These are both big storms and offshore seas are still forecast to remain big for an extended time, so I'm happy with the decision to get around NJ and into the protection of the Chesapeake.  The water is confused and lumpy crossing into the open section of the lower bay but after several hours the wind dies down and we get into the more protected reaches of the bay.  Nothing much to see on the trip. A lighthouse, a power plant, an anchored ship is about it.  

Heading out the Cape May Canal we pass the Cape May - Lewes Ferry Terminal. 
They run on a tight schedule so DO NOT get in their way. 
When the horn blasts signaling they are backing up you better be gone!

Ship John Shoal Lighthouse - named after the ship John which sank here in 1797

Salem Nuclear Power Plant and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Plant.
These combined facilities are the 4th largest nuclear generating sites in the US

We normally see multiple ships in transit on the Delaware Bay, 
 so were surprised when this ship at anchor was the only one we saw all day.

The day has turned delightful.  It's sunny and warm - almost hot for us at 80 degrees.  We're up on the flybridge enjoying the day.  It's early afternoon as we enter the C&D canal.  There are a bunch of locals out in their center consoles buzzing through the canal.  We are hoping to grab the town dock in Chesapeake City for the night. No reservations accepted - first come, first served. Unfortunately, the dock is taken by day boaters enjoying music and libations at the nearby Inn. 

Heading towards the entrance of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
 Small boat traffic is out in force on this delightful fall weekend

St. Georges Bridge East in front and St. Georges Bridge West in background

The canal handles large sea going ships as well as barge traffic
transiting between the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay

Decide to push forward making it another long day.  We'll head for the Sassafras River.  Never been to it before but there are several anchorages with positive reviews marked on our charts offering good protection from the light NE winds we'll get over the next two nights.   We arrive at a big cove with just one sailboat anchored and not a crab pot in site.  We take the opposite side of the cove and drop anchor.  It is tranquil.  No waves, no current, light winds and just a few no see-ums to aggravate us.  After the mad rush to get here, the long days and the occasional drama we are ready to decompress.  Not hard to do in this serene location.  For me there's just something about the Chesapeake Bay that has a calming effect. Maybe it just familiarity or nostalgia. Lots of good memories cruising these waters back when we lived in Pennsylvania and kept a boat on Middle River.  We'll settle in here for a few nights and figure out where to next.  In the meantime, we're enjoying beautiful sunsets here.

Journey for Sept. 28, 2025