A little panic hit us when we learned that every fishing boat around the southern tip of New Jersey will be starting a shark tournament tomorrow. Slips were unavailable or at a premium, and after the Hatteras sank last night the possibility that we’d anchor out was exactly nil. Fortunately Dana persuaded the guy at Canyon Club Marina to let us in, so off we went.
Up the Chesapeake Bay there were so many places to visit that the Looper crowd somewhat dispersed. As the path narrows—everyone goes up the Hudson River for example—we’re seeing more boats with the AGLCA burgee. On the way to Cape May at times we were pretty tight with Spiritus, Ocean Star, Tiki Queen, and several others.
The wind and Doug’s language worsened as we worked our way through the narrow Cape May Canal. The dockmaster was frazzled because of all the boats coming in to what seemed to be an understaffed dock. He watched us only for a moment before deciding to put us in a bigger slip, likely in an effort to protect his dock and the other boats.
Cape May is known for grand Victorian homes, an aquarium, beaches, and the lighthouse, among other things. We saw none of them. People often ask what we do all day, clearly implying that we do nothing all day. Today went like this: Up at 5:30. Walk dogs and check everything (strainers, bilges, oil levels, coolant levels, electronics, etc.) Final check of a half-dozen weather, current, and tide resources. Get off the dock without issue. Stressfully navigate the Delaware Bay. Get docked with only a few issues. Tie up, get shore power, wash off the salt water. Complete the daily log. Walk the dogs. Install new drink refrigerator to replace ice maker. Walk to the Lobster House, a Looper requisite.
Walk the dogs. Take showers. Deal with the four drunk dirty-minded old sailors flirting with Dana. Plan the route to Atlantic City. Check a half-dozen weather, current, and tide resources. (The Coast Guard installation played reveille at sundown, bringing back good and bad memories of the Navy Yard.) One final dog walk. Collapse at 9:00 (Looper midnight.) Today there was no time to explore Cape May.