The New Jersey part of the Great Loop gets a bad rap from many folks because the NJ Intracoastal Waterway is shallow and requires lot’s of maintenance (which it doesn’t get) to keep the channels deep and wide enough to ensure easy, safe travel. Hurricane Sandy in 2012 did not help matters and so currently, most loopers are confronted with the dilemma of having to “go outside”, in the open Atlantic to get to the Hudson River or deal with possible groundings in the constantly moving shoals using the “inside”/Intracoastal route.
The passage generally includes 3 sections, from Cape May to Atlantic City/Abescon Inlet to Manasquan Inlet to Sandy Hook. Before we got here we “watched” fellow loopers wait for more than a week at a time to get calm enough seas to run each outside segment. At the same time we read accounts of a number of loopers that had run aground using the inside routes.
Our arrival in Cape May was lucky to allow a smooth outside run, but quickly closing weather windows had us cruising the longest middle segment on the inside. We were lucky to have gotten thru the shallower parts without issue, but not before hearing the shallow water depth alarm too many times.
Still we had a good time on this part of the cruise. We continued to have great seafood, stayed in many very affordable marinas (NJ can be very, very expensive!) and got to meet more loopers and very gracious and helpful AGLCA Harbor Hosts!!
To the Loop!!!
Our welcome to the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway in the Cape May Canal was a sign of learning to deal with heavy (and crazy) navigation traffic
................... because New Jersey has a lot of boaters!
We even ate on a boat, The Schooner!
Our marina in Atlantic City was at the City Aquarium docks, across from a Trump Hotel/Casino and included free admission to the aquarium!
Atlantic City is full of contrasts
The Taj Mahal and other anchor casinos on the Boardwalk are closed.
Soul food for dinner......... my kinda place!
