Little Egg Inlet...Post-Sandy

[rondds]

Can anyone give me info on the Barnegat Bay ride from the north end of LBI to Little Egg Inlet and the inlet itself? Been doing it for years, have tracks saved for the inlet, but not sure if there's been much change after Sandy.

 

[rcknecht]

Ron, the Barnegat inlet is fine... You can follow me out... If I were you, I would stay away from the LEI... With out jettys the shoaling must be bad...

 

[EKM]

LEI is fine and well marked...it you make it to the inlet. You will see lots of nice breakers to your port going out but follow the markers and you will be fine. The tricky part is getting to the inlet south of Beach Haven. Pay attention and don't get mixed up the the markers coming from Tuckerton. Its actually better to go at low tide so you see the shallow areas. Stay in the center of the channel as the edges are shallow too.
Regards....Ed

 

[rondds]

Sounds like LEI is the same story has it's been for the past few years! Tricky part is always the transition from the ICW to the inlet markers. Ed, I've noticed that low water is defintitely more "revealing" of the hazards. Rod, thanks for the offer. Been in and out a BI several times - I just prefer the leisurely ride along LBI, the ability to pick up some cheap gas at Morrisons or BHYCM and the lack of mayhem that is ever-present in Oyster Creek Channel and the bedlam of the traffic circle leading to the inlet.

 

[Greg]

We went in Little Egg back in December and then came out early April. As mentioned it was well marked and we had no trouble.

Do NOT go by the charts though, they were way off, I would have been up on the beach...

 

[rondds]

CHARTS??? HA! The charts say the inlet is closed!
I've got a few breadcrumb trails left from years gone by and it sounds like they haven't changed much. Once out there, if it's marked, the markers take precedence over past tracks.

 

[Vince_nj1]

2 years ago I took a picture of this poor guy. Then I saw a channel marker over by him and thought I was out of the channel. I checked my charts and it showed that I was out of the channel. :huh: I just passed a channel marker that indicated I was in the channel. I changed course based on my charts and the buoy and immediately ran aground right next to him. :smt021 I later learned that channel split just before the sand bar and you could take either the inside route or the outside route. Fortunately it was soft grounding and I was able use my bow thruster to spin the boat around and float back off. :smt038

This year I think I will follow Ron and see if he makes it! :smt038

 

[rondds]

Just about every year there's some poor soul trapped there. A couple of years ago it was a meridian. There's a channel that comes in from the other side of the bay that gets very confusing. As Ed said, it's almost better to see the sandbar to the west of the channel.

 

[EKM]

I've run aground there too....an lots of people from my Beach Haven based marina run around there too. Just make sure you have a clamming bucket so you can wait out the tide.

Its a busy area, so just wait a few minutes and follow someone out. Remember...birds do not walk on water!

 

[EKM]

Took a jet ski ride....the markers from Tuckerton are smaller, so as long as you are looking at the same size markers, you are ok. It well marked as long as you dont pick up the Tuckerton markers.
Good Luck....

 

[Vince_nj1]

Took a jet ski ride....the markers from Tuckerton are smaller, so as long as you are looking at the same size markers, you are ok. It well marked as long as you dont pick up the Tuckerton markers.
Good Luck....

Thanks for the tip. My plan is to hug the coast (ocean side) when heading south. I hope I can find someone to follow, but I tend to be impatient... especially with all the green heads in that area. The good news is that it looks I will be passing through that area close to high tide next Friday.

 

[rondds]

Look at that...we've got volunteers running reconnaissance missions! Thanks a lot Ed. Hope to get you back on the roster next year. You're the man who led me out my first time. Still have that track saved.

 

[Bugsy24]

Look at that...we've got volunteers running reconnaissance missions! Thanks a lot Ed. Hope to get you back on the roster next year. You're the man who led me out my first time. Still have that track saved.

Throw it Away!!!

 

[EKM]

The ocean side has only 1' too....don't go too close. High tide is the worst since you can't see the shallows. I'm sure you guys will do fine....I would still wait and follow someone. There are no green heads in Beach Haven. If you run aground at Holgate, you will get to meet a few hundred or so.

Enjoy the trip.
Regards,
Ed

 

[rondds]

Sorry for the redundancy - same question every year. Can anyone comment on the status of the inlet? Passable? Marked? Hear rumors that it had shoaled in.

 

[EKM]

I did a jet ski recon...looks good. At the inlet, you will see white caps on both sides of the channel. Looks a little scary but my neighbor takes his 54 Viking out the inlet all the time. Be fearless!

 

[rondds]

Thanks Ed. There were always breakers on the north side. Now it must feel like Moses going through the Red Sea.

 

[EKM]

Just talked to the 54'....when going out, when you past the last red can on your port side, turn 45 degree until you get past the center marker. If you go straight towards the center marker, you will find the shoaling.

 

[rondds]

Ed...you talking about when leaving the ICW and heading out to the inlet markers?

 

[EKM]

When you are heading out the inlet ....when you pass the last red marker you will see another marker for center of channel. If you go straight to the center channel marker, you will find a shoal. So you need to turn 45 degrees after the last red and head south towards AC.