AC TO MANASQUAN, NJ

DAY 335:  SUN. JUNE 17, 2012

DEP. ATLANTIC CITY 06:10   ARR. MANASQUAN 1:37

D. 65.0sm / 5571.1

The wind is still out of the east at 10 – 15k and there are whitecaps on the ocean making it very uncomfortable for boaters, so we again have to take the inside route.  It was also pretty cool and we had to wear sweatshirts most of the day.  This part of the NJ ICW is a little better than the Cape May to Atlantic City section, the big advantage being only one low bridge and no rude bridge tenders.  It took us 7h 27m to go 65sm compared to 7h 45m to go 55.0sm on the last leg.  Except for the bridges, the cruising is pretty similar to the AC run, shallow and narrow channels through large shallow bays.  Like all of NJ the shores on the east are lined with houses from one end to the other.  Today being Sun, also Father’s Day, we see a lot of small boats fluke fishing and crabbing. A few miles north of Barnegat Bay we have to enter the Point Pleasant Canal, which is 2 miles long and 134’ wide.  While we are transiting there is a very strong ebb current adding another 4mph to our speed.  The canal is crowded and the strong current makes handling the boat a little tricky as we have to stay a good distance from the boats ahead of us because it would be very difficult to stop or turn.  It was white knuckles all the way, but we made it through to the Manasquan River with no problem.  This is where the one low bridge is, but it is always open except when a train is coming, and of course, when we get there, THERE IS A TRAIN COMING!!  Now we have to do slow circles with the current pushing us toward the bridge.  Hoffman’s Marina, our destination for the night is just the other side of this bridge and just before the inlet to the ocean. Except for a brief period of slack, when the current changes direction, there is always a strong current and lots of boat traffic.  Larry, the dock master has us pull up to the fuel dock for a pump out after which he, with the aid of 2 other dock hands puts the Glory Days in her slip. 

THE JERSEY SHORE, BAYSIDE

CAUGHT AT MANASQUAN THIS BASS WEIGHED 40+LBS.

THIS BOAT CAME IN WITH 500 LBS. OF SEA SCALLOPS