Ever Have One Of Those Days? ! ? ! ?

SHIP'S LOG:

Current Location: Utsch's Marina, Cape May 38'57.089N/ 074'54.381W


It started off as a real good day. The weather was perfect. The wind was light. And best of all, I timed the run from Bear, DE, to Cape May to a "T", with a mid-way stop all laid in in the Cohancey River should the need arise. The trip was 57 miles but with the light wind and the current in my favor, it should have been no problem. The last 2 hours would have/should have/ could have been a little problematic because that was when the tide would turn and the tide in the Delaware Bay can be rather severe.

The first part, to the mid-way stop went off without a hitch and in fact I got there by 1pm and the GPS stated unequivocally that I would be in Cape May by 5;05pm. So when I hit the mid-way point, I called Utsch's Marina so that I would have some place to stay in Cape May. There are few if any spots to anchor as the harbor is small and rather busy and there is a lot of tidal current. It would also give me the opportunity to tank up for the run up the Jersey Coast.

About 2pm \the wind picked up, 15 knots right on the nose(of course) and it started to create those "Square wave" for which the Delaware Bay is noted. The seem to come in groups of three. ABISHAG rode over and through the first, dropped down after the second, and often was brought almost to a stop by the third. And once the tide shifted, the waves came more frequently and with a lot more force. It became a real bashing experience.The wind picked up some more and it would toss the boat from one side to the other making it difficult to hold a course with much accuracy or consistency.

About 4pm I took a series of waves on the stern quarter and I heard a "clang" and the looked back to see the dinghy filled with water and the port davit broken out of its position. The davit sits on a ball giving it movement and is also attached to a stanchion. It had slipped off the ball and the stanchion had broken almost all the way through. I was able to release the stern of the dinghy from the davit and would have to tow the dinghy by where it was attached to the other davit. The state of the "sea" was such that I couldn't do much more than that without the very real risk of "going swimming" for which I was not in the mood. In addition, the wave riped off one of the oars and it was no where to be found.

I was also in a pickle with Utsch's as they close up shop at 7pm and now, with my speed cut down by the wind and tide, I was in real danger of not having a place to stay in Cape May. I called them and made sure that a slip was available but if I didn't get in before 7pm, I would have to do the landing solo and, despite all the times I have done it on this trip, I am still not all that confident in my skills at docking, especially in wind. So I really pushed and, as a result, really pounded. I got in with a whole 5 minutes to spare.

Tomorrow, I will have to jury rig a patch for the davits and deflate the dinghy and carry it on deck like at the start of the trip. Without another oar, it is basically useless anyway .

I have come to the unalterable and irrevocable conclusion that I don't like Delaware Bay and will avoid it like the plague in the future.