Delaware City to Cape May

Shelduck
Neil Hegarty
Sun 24 May 2015 14:51
Delaware City to Cape May

Sunday 24th May
38:57.174 N. 74:54.115 W
Distance sailed 54 miles.

When planning this part of the Shelduck 2015 cruise from Great Bridge
Virginia to South West Harbour Maine I considered the passage down the
Delaware River and out again into the Atlantic from Cape May to New York
might be the most challenging. Tidal rise and fall is in the 5-7 foot range
and tidal currents run up to 3 knots. Up at 05.00 again for the passage to
Cape May to take the tide which in neaps, as we have now, runs at 2 knots.
Shelduck reached Miah Shoal Light at 09.50 averaging 7.5 knots with the
current and bore off 20 degrees across the banks for the Cape May Canal. At
10.30 the tide turned against us and the wind shifted to the South so
Shelduck was pushed Northward. At 11.15 the wind went light on the nose so I
dropped sail and motored the last 6 miles at 3.5 knots to the Canal entrance
and arrived at 13.00 for an average speed of 6 knots. The fastest speed
achieved was 9.3 knots at 07.45.
The Cape May Canal was used during WW 2 by ships to avoid German UBoats off
Cape May sinking American ships there.