Looking for some local knowledge running ICW in NJ

nickdcj7

Member
Jan 5, 2014
234
Bass River, NJ
Boat Info
1986 390 EC
Engines
Twin 454 Mercruisers
Like the title says, I'm looking for any info or pointers on running the ICW from Cape May to Great Bay NJ. Having never made the run, I just want to try to find out any nuances that there may be.

Thanks!
 
Its been a while, but I remember one bridge in Stone Harbor where I had to lower my VHF antenna, and one bridge near AC I had to have lifted... Other than that, it took about 5 hours from Cape May to AC... The channel is well marked...
 
Why not go outside and forget the obstacle course and potential grounding? You might want to follow someone!
 
Not sure what size boat you're piloting, but if it's big enough to be stable in a "coastal" run, I agree that is the way to go. I have made the run from AC to Cape May and back in my Carver, but that was a 42 foot diesel powered twin-screw. Still, it being a Carver, it was only designed for fair-weather coastal runs when on the ocean side. I took my little 21 foot bowrider along the coast in Atlantic City but never went out father than a couple thousand feet and never more than 15 minutes from the marina and even then felt I was being a little less cautious than I could be, knowing I didn't have the power or size to take on any trouble if it came my way.

Would I have taken that bowrider all the way to Cape May on the ocean side. NOPE.

But the boat I'm getting now, the 270SLX......."MAYBE".

It's usually safer to take the inland route but the problem you'll run into, over and over and over, will be shallow waters. I don't know what your schedule is, but I'm not sure if it can be done in a single run when considering the short amount of time high tide offers the depth you'll need to feel comfortable. I am already concerned about the short trip from where I am to Long Beach Island, and that's a FRACTION of the distance of the trip you're talking about. The waters are VERY shallow is some areas, and if you venture outside the marked channels you're asking for a grounding. In fact, as I asked in another thread, there may be some changes in the oceanography , or whatever the word is, in the waters right where we do most of our boating. You have to plan a trip like this very carefully, and maybe ride the tides....and at low tide, take a break, pull in somewhere safe, and wait for the waters to roll back in. I really don't think it can be done in one day, not on the inland waterways.
 
Unless you absolutely have to take the ICW ...DON'T ! Shallow water, slow speed, draw and lift bridges, and worst of all Green Heads if the wind isn't right. If possible, plan your departure around favorable conditions and go outside. If not, get lots of bug spray.
 
+1. the inside run is fraught with low water, shifted buoys/channel markers, etc. I spent many years on Barnegat bay, and to this day still suck up mud once in a while. If you do go, get a chart, and follow others when you can.
 
FYI i ran the ICW from AC to Great Bay on Saturday at low tide. The fixed markers were fine, but there was one floater obviously out of place. I'm glad I was watching the charts and the depth gauge though. The channel on that stretch is ridiculously skinny and it didn't take much to go from 15 feet to 3 feet.
 
FYI i ran the ICW from AC to Great Bay on Saturday at low tide. The fixed markers were fine, but there was one floater obviously out of place. I'm glad I was watching the charts and the depth gauge though. The channel on that stretch is ridiculously skinny and it didn't take much to go from 15 feet to 3 feet.

I bet it was near Tow Island... I have run around there in the channel...
 
Nick
You can call the local CG station and ask them for some advice. TowBOAT is a good source too, since they're responding to all the groundings.

If you're running the 390EC and have no concerns about mechanical issues, I'd DEFINITELY go outside and avoid all the aggravation that others have mentioned.
 
I felt a lot safer running the icw from Atlantic city than I would have running little egg inlet at low tide. I can tell you that if I do it again, I won't be letting my father in law drive. We nearly went aground because he was trying to not get too close to the channel markers...
 
Little Egg has been all but non-navigable for a couple of years. Running from Absecon to Great Bay is pretty good. I've done it the past two years without incident. With your trip, it's the part from CM to Absecon that I'd be concerned about. Can you run from CM to Absecon (about 40 miles), duck in there and run the rest inside? For now, I'd just forget about Little Egg Inlet, which used to be one of my favorites. It was always creepy, but it was pretty consistent. I've purposely avoided it running up from AC to Beach Haven the past two summers, which is why I had to take the inside passage.
 
Little Egg is my home inlet. I run it all summer in my 44 Sundancer with no problems ever. As far as ICW goes, it gets skinny around Wildwood and Stone Harbor. I'd avoid it at low tide. The ICW is a nice adventure if you've never done it. But, I'd use the ocean every time if conditions are right. As far as a small boat on the coastal run.....it all depends on weather and wave height. Assuming you've got proper safety equipment (life jackets, nav radio etc.) and ocean is flat.....no problem.
 
Brewster...is Little Egg marked this year or do you just use a route that you've saved? Have you been in/out yet in 2016?
 
Little Egg is also our "Home Bay". I wouldn't call it non-navigable, but certainly you do have to be alert and aware of your waters wherever you are in this stretch of bays in the Tuckerton area. If you stay in the channels and ride the tides you'll be ok, if you go out at low tide and absolutely if you venture outside the channels you're going to ground your boat, simple as that. Ask me how I know. (Last season, different boat, thought I could float in 6 inches of water.....turned out I couldn't.)
 
I haven't been out the inlet this season yet but the channel has always been marked all the way to the sea buoy. I think a lot of folks are intimidated because of the breakers just to the north and south of the channel. Also the channel is not straight out so you need to keep your eyes peeled for the next marker. If you're not familiar just go slow (an option people forget about) and you'll be fine.
 
I've done it few time. There are few things people need to know about the LEI. Going out, it's pretty self explanatory, if it's calm and you have a good visual on the markers, you can follow them and have enough water under the keel. Coming back from the seas, here's what to avoid:

1. Never attempt the inlet during NE swells. You can't go slow, b/c the swells will make you broach.
2. Never attempt the inlet unless you have 100% visual on the markers, at least two sets in the row. NE swells with surface chop on top usually cover them.
3. NEVER, make the attempt during or right before the sunset, during Easterly swells. The sun will BLIND you, making it totally impossible to navigate and make visual contact with the markers.

There's a reason why a lot of people avoid the inlet. It's not just local knowledge, there are just lots of variables to consider before committing to the inlet. The biggest issue is that when returning from the seas, there's a point in time where you either commit 100% or just don't go. Once passed sea buoy and getting closer to the first red marker, there's NO TURNIGN BACK, during easterly swells.
 

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