Cape May, New Jersy

We sailed from Staten Island to Cape May, NJ. We left just before sunset  for an overnight sail. The trouble with sailing south this time of year is the dominate wind is from the south. Usually you have to wait for a cold front to come through for the winds to shift from the north. After too many days in Staten Island we were very excited for the forecasted change in wind. However, as a cold front moves through so do thunderstorms. As we came around Sand Hook the wind was still out of the south west and lightening on three sides of us. At one point as the wind picked up we heard two tugboats over the VHF discussing the sailboat 1 mile off of their bows. We somehow found ourselves turned into the wind and waves stuck in the middle of a shipping channel with one tug off of our port and the other off our starboard. We radioed the closest tug to see if we needed to try to change direction. They must have considered us a vessel not under command because both tugs changed course for us. It was a rough night and I had my first episode of seasickness of the season. I didn't loose my sense of humor over the side and couldn't help laugh a little as Dan held the back of my life jacket like you would for a toddler on a boat. Oh well. Things calmed down the next day and we made it Cape May by sunset the next day. 

We found a great restaurant right on the water for some seafood. 

Dan may have a sixth sense for boats about to drag. Early one morning Dan looks out and says this boat who was anchored right behind us looked like he was tangled in his anchor line. Thinking they were home and in control we drank our morning coffee. 30 mins later we look out and they had dragged across the channel. Woops. Odd thing is no one stopped on a busy Saturday morning to warn the captain. "Sir, I believe you should not have your anchor out in the middle of the channel." Anyway, by the time we jumped on tater tot and went over it was too late and they were stuck in the mud. They then tipped over at low tide. Apparently no damage done.