Mon May 31: Memorial Day in Delaware City

In which we have time for a nice bike ride....

Rick here:

The next leg of the journey takes us from Delaware City to Cape May!  This is really the beginning of a whole new section of our journey: out of the South and out of the Chesapeake Bay.  We are excited but of course a little nervous.  While New Jersey does have an intercoastal waterway, reports are that it is very shallow and so going north in open ocean is recommended.   To get to Cape May in New Jersey we travel down and out the Delaware River and Delaware Bay.  This is a big body of water with very strong currents, and a wide opening, subject to the effects of the ocean, so we need to wait for a “weather window” - when the waves/wind won’t be too big or strong and also a time when the river current will push us down river instead of being against us. Today was NOT the day to go.

As you will remember from yesterday’s post, we are on the C&D Canal and right along the canal is a 14 mile bike path that leads back to Chesapeake City.   We unfolded our boat bikes and after breakfast took off to explore the town and then the bike path.  

 

Nothing I love more than a dandelion!

 

It was a lovely day with light winds and nice sunshine - very welcome after the awful weather of the previous days.  The poor Memorial boaters had to wait until today for the weather to get out, so there were lots of little boats on the water and we were happy not to be dodging them.   We rode about 20 miles total and felt wonderful - once back at the boat. Especially Mel, as she made us stop for ice cream to 'support the local economy'.

This is such an important stop on the Loop that every evening Tim, the dock master and owner of the marina, givers a weather briefing, a history of the route and (to drive home the lesson to be careful) an overview of the huge number of wrecks along the way. His favorite saying: 'not every trip has to be death defying'. It was a full house as there was a large group waiting here to make the jump 6-hour jump to cape of New Jersey.  Tim's feeling that Tues would be a perfect day to go was met with euphoria (many boats have been waiting here for several days), and bad jokes and back slaps all around.

 

After the briefing all the loopers gathered for the traditional “docktails”.   We had heard about these gatherings but given all the restrictions over the past year this was the first time we had participated.  It was a fun opportunity to exchange boat cards, talk with experienced boaters, practice knot tying with other boy scout nerds, and create friendships that will likely continue as we move around the loop at the same slow speed with many of these folks. 

 

 

Docktails in Delaware City, May 31, 2021

Featured Boat Name:  we are trying to 'savor' life ourselves!