FORKED RIVER (TWO SYLLABLES), NJ

Yesterday was a good day to send in port at Cape May.  The weather was miserable. Sue and I were able to walk downtown before the heavy rains arrived.  The town is a neat little place definitely geared to summer tourists.  It is the consummate Jersey shore town.  Trinkets and trash shops, salt water taffy shops and bed and breakfast houses.  But this time of year it there was very little activity in town but the walk did us good.  We got together with the looper crew from Clinton and had happy hour on our boat just as the heavy rains came.  As has been the case for the last two weeks, the winds were blowing strong.  When we walked  downtown the winds were blowing 28 MPH gusting to 35.  I sure hope the weather fronts make up their mind where they want to be and move on.  As we know adverse weather has a major issue all over the country the last few weeks.

The ICW in New Jersey is notorious for shoaling and we elected to stick ours bow into the ocean to check out conditions for running offshore as far as Atlantic City to avoid the southern part of the ICW.  The forecast was for offshore winds with 2 to 3 foot seas early in the day. We  departed the dock at 0630 hrs with the other boat. It wasn't long before we were in 3 to 5 ft rollers from the ocean and strong winds from offshore.  The boat handed well in the rough seas.  Getting back through the Absecon Inlet was a thrill and a half!  Once back into the ICW we found out why offshore running is recommended.  Without a doubt this section of the ICW is by far worse than any problems we experienced up to this point in our journey.  Shoaling, shallow water and numerous turns made for a tedious day.  We were leading the way when we got a call form our traveling buddy telling us that he had run aground and had called for assistance.  We slowed down to wait for the other boat when we were blown out of the 80 ft wide channel and also went solidly aground.  We waited an hour for a tow boat and it took an hour and a half for them to get us free.  I consider it pretty fortunate that we made it all the way from Texas in the narrow ICW which is surrounded by 'skinny' water and this is the first time we needed help.  The other crew and we agreed that the Jersey ICW is to be avoided if possible.  The alternative is to run off shore along the entire coast which is nearly impossible at the speed trawlers travel.

We didn't plan to be here but ran out of alternatives and made our way into the Forked River from Barnegat Bay.  We anchored in shallow water but we are behind homes and trees that protect us from the wind.  It should be a quiet night.
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Tomorrow we will make our way up the remainder of the Jersey ICW to the Manasquan Inlet where the
ICW ends and we have to get out into the ocean for the remainder of the voyage up the New Jersey coast.

Huh!  I thought the Jersey Turnpike was bad.....
 
Stay vertical,

Capt John and First Mate Sue