First trip nyc to ocean city, nj great egg harbor inlet

[pog mo thon]

Hi,

I am planning my first trip in the ocean from New York to ocean city new jersey. I will need to refuel half way what is the easiest inlet for fuel/ lunch, I am thinking barnegat but I red the inlet can be tricky if you are not familiar with the area. I am also considering manasquan inlet.

How far from the coast are you supposed to cruise when you choose to take the ocean way.

Also, any help entering great egg harbor will be much appreciated.

Thank you very much for your help

 

[BoomerangII]

Hey Pog,

I've never made that trip but am in the future. Looking forward to your posts and pics (hopefully)! You'll get plenty of info on here, these guys are aces :thumbsup:

 

[Vince_nj1]

I usually stay anywhere from 1/2 mile to 1 mile off shore. Depending on the time of day there will be plenty of boats fishing in that zone. There will be some crab traps to watch out for 1/2 way between Sandy Hook and Manasquan. If the ocean is rough you might want to consider ducking into Manasquan and take the intra-coastal route down. The trickiest part of the Manasquan inlet is the train bridge. It closes to allow the train to go by and opens after it passes. There is usually a current to deal with and boats pile up waiting for the bridge to open. Once it opens boats start jockeying for position to go through. Usually only one boat at time can pass. The opening is about 30 feet wide. There is a place to fuel up just before the bridge and another just past the bridge.

You can find cheap fuel north of GW Bridge in a small state run marina on the NJ side of the river. (Alpine NJ) If you fuel up in Jersey City, you will probably pay .50 to .75 more per gallon. Your next cheap fuel is inside of Sandy hook, but not the most convenient. Sandy hook is probably the cheapest fuel on the NJ coast. (Not that ~$4 a gallon is cheap) The fuel inside the Manasquan inlet might be slightly more than what you will find inside of Barnegat, but probably a little more expensive than what you might find down at Egg Harbor. Fuel in NJ will probably be at least .75 less than Havestraw and maybe as much as $1 less inside of Sandy Hook.

This video is my boat heading South into a head sea about 3 miles off the coast of Sandy Hook with wave heights of 2 to 3. It was not very comfortable. We had a following sea on the way North and it was much better. Have Fun!


[video=youtube;hUZsDKgPIOo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUZsDKgPIOo[/video]

 

[pog mo thon]

I will definitely fuel up at alpine nj.
Manasquan seems easier for an 1/2 way lunch stop. I am planning this trip for The 3rd weekend of July weather permitting.
I will post pictures and comments.
I still need need more info regarding egg harbor and boating inside the icw.

Thank you Vince for your reply.
That video of yours was really close to the deadliest catch!!

 

[Alex F]

Pog,

For refueling you've got plenty of options. For starters, Manasquan Inlet and Barnegat Inlet are the easiest. It's a quick in and out thing, but the fuel most likelly will not be the cheapest, but it's conveniently located.


If things go well and you have smooth seas you shouldn't really need to refuel pretty much all the way to OC. However, another great alternative is to take it to Absecon Inlet in AC. From NYC to AC it's 94NM run, so you should be able to make it with no issues what so ever. OC, NJ is only about another 10NM. So, as you can see there's really no need for midway stop and specially deal with ICW. If I was doing this trip I would take it all the way unless the crew requests to take a small break to have lunch and swim. In this case I'd jump in BI and go to the High Bar Harbor, which is right after the inlet. BTW, BI is very good inlet. I've herd some rumors about this inlet being rough, but we use it all the time in different conditions. I'll give an example, last year our when we got caught in 60-70mph storm our friends were in the ocean on their 34' sailboat and they were going trough the inlet. They made it ok powering through with their tiny 29HP motor. So, you can imagine that for 320DA with 600HP total this is walk in the park.

If you encounter rough conditions and the crew starts asking for smoother ride, then of course ICW is your plan B. If you choose MI you'll have much more hassle between the bridges and Point Pleasant canal. So, I would try to skip it as much as possible. The first good option again would be BI. From there it's a nice ride south, you'll hit the 20min no wake zone, but it's a scenic run. If you end up there, Beach Haven Yacht Club has the cheapest fuel in the area. It's right on the ICW, so you should be able to see it, but check the charts to be prepared.

Good luck and have fun,
Alex.

 

[Bugsy24]

Pog, just a "WARNING" Ocean City is a DRY TOWN so if you Indulge in Adult Beverages stock up before you Tie up!!! :thumbsup:

 

[rcknecht]

Stop at Manasquan get fuel on the right just before the bridge... You can stop for lunch at the lobster shanty on the right prior to reaching the gas dock... Barnegat gas cost more and the inlet is not as easy. Gas in AC is very expensive. Enjoy your trip...

 

[gerryb]

We keep our boat basically right at the end of the GE inlet. It can be dangerous so proceed with caution especially when heading back out. The good news is that the CG moved the markers last month to more accurately reflect the true bottom depths. Stay in the middle, go slow, and stay alert for shoaling toward the port side when entering. Might want to try to follow a fishing boat in if the option presents itself. Once you're in, OC will be on your left. Really only 2 marina's available in the area that take transients and they are not actually in Ocean City. The Harbor Cove marina is closest, in Somers Point. Somers Point motto: "A small drinking town with a fishing problem"

You'll need transportation to Ocean City - cab is probably best. PM me for any specific questions.

 

[pog mo thon]

Thank you very much for all these useful informations !!!!

I was thinking to stay at all seasons Marina they are closer to where my friend lives. I was also considering staying tied up to his dock at sunny harbor (bayshore dr) but i don't think i can make it at low tide there.

 

[Alex F]

Pog,

Just few more tips. If you end up in ICW between BI and LEI, be very carefull and always stay in the chanel. South of BHYC is trouble spot right around bouy #116, then pay close attention to the chanel right before the LEI, b/c it's splits in to the ICW and chanel to the LEI. This is where you need to know the side of the bouys to stay on. In those areas number of people were grounded. However, if you pay close attention and stay in the middle of the chanel you should be fine.

I would also suggest to avoid using ICW from LEI to OC. I've heard that it's a PITA, shallow chanel, need to raise few bridges and you'll hit few no wake zones. For 20NM ride it's just not worth it, unless the ocean is really rough.

 

[Fell 4 it]

Pog,

Just few more tips. If you end up in ICW between BI and LEI, be very carefull and always stay in the chanel. South of BHYC is trouble spot right around bouy #116, then pay close attention to the chanel right before the LEI, b/c it's splits in to the ICW and chanel to the LEI. This is where you need to know the side of the bouys to stay on. In those areas number of people were grounded. However, if you pay close attention and stay in the middle of the chanel you should be fine.

I would also suggest to avoid using ICW from LEI to OC. I've heard that it's a PITA, shallow chanel, need to raise few bridges and you'll hit few no wake zones. For 20NM ride it's just not worth it, unless the ocean is really rough.

Some good very points there. BHYC to LEI is actually quite easy provided you stay in the channel. If you're not familiar, follow a bigger boat. I would only take the ICW from LEI to AC on high tide because of shoaling and narrow channels and of course the "Greenheads". A 50/50 mixture of Skinsosoft and Listerine sprayed on any exposed skin works well.

 

[rondds]

Pog
Been to OC, NJ twice. First time stayed at All Seasons. Second time stayed at Seaview Harbor Marina, just inside the inlet. Seaview Harbor is a beautiful place - nice restaurant and pool on premises. It's actually in Longport. All Seasons is more of a rugged place and it's a bit of a ride down the ICW to get to - figure on an additional 30-45minutes once you enter the inlet considering you're not familiar with the waters. Watch your markers carefully but it's not rocket science. We were slipped out on G-dock and really enjoyed our stay.

Both times we went we rented a car from Enterprise for two days. You can't get to OC any other way. Enterprise is in Somers Point and for $70 you can rent a crappy Hyundai and come and go as you please. And you'll need to come and go b/c there is NOTHING to do within walking distance of either marina. Enterprise will come to the marina to get you.

GE inlet itself is super-easy to navigate - by some standards, the easiest one on the Jersey shore b/c it's so wide and there's no jetty, so it's not like shooting the rapids. It does get a bit "washing machine like" initially but nothing to worry about.

One good thing about All Seasons, it's right next to the 34th street bridge. So it's a quick ride across to the south end of OC.

Not an issue for you but I had to open the Rt 52 bridge, which was a pain - but I think they've since replaced it with a higher bridge.