Genny just started her own blog.  To see Genny’s point of view, check out http://sailmakaikidz.blogspot.com/

We didn’t necessarily have Cape May on our list of places to stop, but Beth G. from Long Beach recommended Cape May because she grew up coming here on her family’s summer vacations.  The whole area is really shallow and the anchorage seems to be one of the popular flounder fishing holes.  That brings a two thumbs up from Roy. To catch a flounder you make up a rig with a heavy weight on the line and a live minnow swimming off from the weight, bouncing it along while drifting in the dinghy.  On one of our drifts we passed a lobster shack at the harbor.  Oh yeah Roy, lets go!

This is our first encounter with New Jersey (Maine) lobster.  Luckily we had Barbara and Ted from Rosa dos Ventos out of Vermont with us to teach us how to eat this bug.  After lunch it was back to business.  We found that unless we were drifting in the dinghy, any pole out would would catch a skate all day long.

So much for our good weather.  It seems that out of every week we have a few great days, a few miserable days, and a few days that could go either way.  Monday morning we woke up to the predicted storm and another Leopard Cat in the anchorage.  I sat down to do a blog post and the owner this Cat left me a message to look out for his boat. The delivery captain planned to be there on his way to Maine.  While we hunkered down for a day inside reading, that poor delivery captain went out in the rain, luckily he’s got that cool cockpit enclosure to keep him dry and out of the wind.

When the rain stopped the fog rolled in.  Sometimes we could see land and the channel markers, sometimes we couldn’t.  The boat behind us was always visible but usually shrouded in fog.

But nothing stops the trawlers.  They put their outriggers out and drag the bottom for delicacies such as fluke, flounder, whiting and cod.  I haven’t found a good web site that answers all my questions on trawling, but those boats are everywhere as it’s very shallow for at least 3 miles off shore.

Tuesday was a beautiful day.  Topaz went for a one hour run on the beach, then she took a nap inside while the rest of us packed up and went to town for an adventure.

We walked for a mile and a half down Lafayette Street.  Eric spotted real gas lamps in front of the Cape May Elementary school.

Even though the walk was long, the Victorian houses kept us entertained.  It was interesting to see a remodeled house next to an old tired looking one that needed a new owner ready to fixer up.

Our destination was Shield’s Bike rental.  After some discussion over bike color, basket size and directions to the lighthouse, we were off.

The ride was another few miles out to the point.  We rode single file in the bike lane along Sunset Blvd lined with broad leaf trees and past more interesting houses.  Many of them are summer rentals not yet occupied.

Everyone’s yards and the parks were in bloom. It was a great day for a bike ride.

Finally our destination came in view.

We pulled over along the side of the road for a photo.

 

But were hissed at by a family of swans.

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The state park had a row of Purple Martin houses.  The Purple Martin is the largest North American swallow and in the East is almost entirely dependent on humans to provide their nests.

At Cape May Point there is also a WWII bunker.  Lewes guarded the entrance to the Delaware bay on the south side of the entrance and Cape May is on the north side of the entrance.  The WWII bunker link also shows the erosion situation in Cape May.

Apparently it’s thought that the errosion is the result of over 100 years of alterations made to the the Cape May area.  From dredging and jetties to the canal being dug to protect U.S. ships from German torpedoes during WWII.

The present Cape May lighthouse is the third in this area.  The first one was discontinued in 1847 when the sea claimed it, the next one was poorly constructed and only lasted a hand full of years.  The present 1859 lighthouse is still operated by the Coast Guard and volunteers run the museum that allows visitors to climb 199 stairs to the lens.

The spiral stairwell was impressive, each stair was lit twisting 157 feet to the top.

The views were great.  Our little Cannon camera did a good job zooming in on the swan family. On one side is the park and bird sanctuary.

On the other side is a town full beautiful beach houses.

On sunset beach lies the remains of S. S. Atlantus, a cement boat, used to transport troops home from WWI in 1918. In 1926 she was being towed to Cape May when a storm hit and she broke free from her moorings and ran aground.  Since then it has been a tourist attraction.

 

Our last day was reserved for trying to catch the elusive flounder fish.  While I was at the beach with Topaz Roy got his first one, too small to keep but great for a picture.

Next we took the dinghy off in another area.  We caught several rigs lost by other fishermen, building up our supply of weights, hooks and swivels. Roy foul hooked a spider crab.

Then just as we were completely wrapped up in fishing line we were salvaging, Roy got a real bite.  Here’s his prize a 17.5 inch + flounder.

Now that Roy got his prize we could head out.  The Harrison family will meet us at Sandy Hook, NJ but we need to get there before tropical storm Andrea sends her rain up the coast to us. The trip started out slow as we passed the lights of Atlantic City, NJ, dodged the fishing fleet at first light, and then bundled up in our foul weather gear with double sweaters, socks and boots on the wind picked up and we skimmed the calm shallow water at 8 knots towards NYC and Sandy Hook, NJ.

The navigation bouys were a maze designed to keep order in this busy port.  Coming around the corner of Sandy Hook Eric pointed out this green buoy dangerously close to the beach. During our first night at anchor we heard May Day May Day May Day called on the radio and from our warm cozy bed listened to the Coast Guard, Sea Tow and the sailboat Dolphin working to get their boat off the beach.  The many shoals and shallow water we’ve noticed here prompted Eric to sign us up with Sea Tow for assistance if we should have the unfortunate adventure with Makai aground.

On the bright side, we feel very securely anchored here, the storm has been dumping rain on us all day but we’re snug inside Makai with books to read, the sisters created a new game with a ball and wicker baskets, Eric worked on the computer and these two ducks come and visit us for a bit of bread.