Cape May NJ to C&D Canal

What a perfect sailing day, no threat of storms, clear skies, a building wind from the stern! We left the Cape May, NJ anchorage, just off the Coast Guard Station, at 10am and made our way out the canal and into the Delaware Bay. I must be getting use to this leg because the RR bridge did not scare me this time for the first time in 5 years! Passing the ferry terminal we entered the Delaware Bay around 10:30 and rolled ou the jib. The wind was on the stern at about 7-8 knots and with our forward speed of 6, there was only an apparant wind speed of 2 knots, BUT THIS WOULD CHANGE!

The wind forecast was for 10-15 from the SE. And by noon, that is what we had. but by the late afternoon the wind was 20-23 knots with small craft advisories NOW forecasted. I love how NOAA seems to miss the forecast and then when the weather is HERE, they must look out the window and call it what it is. So, with the winds now at 20+ knots, we simply sailed on and sail we did! These Island Packet Yachts love to get up and go when the wind picks up. We were sailing at hull speed, which is 7.2 knots - the fastest the boat is designed to do -for many hours. Check the 2 videos below!

While I sailed the boat (was on watch from 10-6pm) Radeen worked on her Drexel University exam review. She has to take a 90 question exam with 2 essays by Sat 11 pm. We had planned to stop in Engineer's Cove but the tides were flowing into the Chesapeake Bay so we pressed on for the bay. Last night, we dropped the anchor off Arnold's Point about 8.5 miles beyond Engineer's Cove at 8:30pm.

Video: Wing on Wing @7

Video: Wing on Wing @8