C & D Canal

Lynn & Mike ..around the world
Mike Drinkrow & Lynn v/d Hoven
Thu 26 Aug 2010 23:30
39:32.61N 075:40.80W   The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal ( C & D)
 
Although we had planned to stop at Cape May, the conditions were good and we were not that tired, so we continued up the Delaware Bay this morning, reaching the C & D Canal at about 1pm. This canal which was originally built in the early 1800's serves as a short-cut for ships sailing from New York to the Chesapeake Bay - shaving about 150nm off the trip to Baltimore. The canal that has been enlarged over time, is now about 15m deep and very large ships can make this passage - even Indigo with her high mast can get under all the bridges. It was a very peaceful trip down the canal.
 
We stopped for the night in Chesapeake City, where they offer free overnight docking for a night to transients. This is a tiny town (most certainly not a city!) that has been very nicely restored and is full of antique shops and small guest houses.
 
 
             
 
The photo above is of the railway bridge - where the middle of the bridge lowers, when train come along - you can see the lower track on the right hand side - amazing!  And one of the quaint shops in town.
 
 ...and here is Indigo on the town dock.