Tomorrow, if the weather holds, we'll head into Delaware Bay. As a friend described it today, Delaware Bay can be a "biatch." So, having firmly decided I'm a river kind of gal, I face these bays with a pretty good amount of angst. They can be deep or shallow with shoals. They can be tumultuous. Or blissfully calm. Current with us or against us. There are really large ships and barges that we have to negotiate around (really that is just getting out of their way) with *really* large wakes. We'll lose cell service in the teeth of it. I feel like I did when we were about to cross the Gulf of Mexico.
All of us wanting to head out tomorrow (about 6 boats) had a briefing this afternoon with the Delaware City Dockmaster. It was great info with some pretty significant warnings. This inluded instruction to stay out of the prop wash of the passenger ferries because they can swamp our boats. Be at X place by Y time so that you have 4 hours to get rescued if you have a mechanical failure before the wind picks and stirs up waves of 8 feet. Get up at 4:30am so you can leave at 5am and make it safely to Cape May., NJ. Cohasey River is the only bail point. It was a really informative overview of weather, currents, tides etc and we are better prepared.
BUT.
Y'all. I'm dying inside.
I'd be lying if I didn't briefly consider figuring out a way to get off the boat and go home. We prepped food for Armageddon before we left Deale not knowing what would be available in the area and if we'd have time to even shop with long running days. Two days ago. We ate the fig newtons and the peanut butter pretzels the first day finishing up the Chesapeake Bay. I have a boat full of food, but none of it comfort. There is not enough food or drink to make this better. I just have to do it. We are going with other boats and there is some comfort in that. Even though we'll have no cell service, we'll have visual and radio contact. We'll be on our own, but not alone. We'll spend tomorrow bearing witness to each others successes and struggles and isn't that all we can do sometimes.
UPDATE 5/20/22
We didn't head out to cross the Bay this morning as expected. The weather changed just enough to remove our margin of error. So, we are hoping to go Saturday 5/21 to Cape May and up the NJ coastline on Sunday and Monday.
Piece of cake - you got it!
You've got this! And as one who's lived on both sides of the Delaware River, I'll be picturing your route and wishing you safe journey the whole way. If you DO get to dock in Philly, the best best best place to poke around for food is the Reading Terminal Market. Fresh ingredients and international prepared food, including a stall with home-cooking from nearby Amish country. And if you'd don't get to step off the tug there, well, just tell yourself that most of the comfort food in those parts is bread -- soft pretzels, hoagies, pizza... Either way, you're good. Sending love! Godspeed :)
We’re pulling for you Tate’s and all those traveling with you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Go team Tate!