New York to Florida - a Late Season Delivery

On Christmas Eve, I completed my 196th career east coast delivery

bringing a 2002 35 Cabo Express from New Rochelle New York

to Stuart, Florida.

It's always interesting running down the East River into

New York Harbor.

I am  amazed at how quickly the Freedom Tower (L) has

clawed it's way skyward...

... and Lady Liberty looks great no matter what season

she wears.

The weather can best be described as "severe clear and cold."

The run down the New Jersey coast was uneventful arriving

at South Jersey Marina at sundown; which this time of year

is around 1630. I was looking forward to an early breakfast at

the marina restaurant, Dock Mikes, but they had a fire this fall

and is closed. Fortunately, the Lobster House next door has a

coffee house that opens at 0600.

 

The weather continued to be favorable and I pushed off for the

168 miles offshore run to Norfolk. The sea was a flat, gun metal

gray, and except  for a couple of ships heading up Delaware Bay,

I expect that it's going to be a pretty lonely passage. It was about

an hour after passing Ocean City Maryland that I ran into fog with reduced visibility of about 300 yards. Running nearshore, I was

confident that I could maintain speed and a close an attentive radar watch. A little nerve wracking, I noticed, multiple times, that Northern Gannets and Brown Pelicans, with their 6-8 foot wing span,  have

the same radar signature as a small fishing boat. Visibility improved

as I approached the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay and was happy

to lay alongside and visit my longtime friends at Tidewater Marina on

the Portsmouth Virginia side.  

 

I was informed by Tidewater owner, Gordon Shelton, that there were some construction delays including the Great Bridge Lock being closed

the alternative is taking the Dismal Swamp Canal route. Narrow and with a control depth of 6 feet, the speed limit along this stretch is 5 mph.

The Dismal Swamp Canal has  operation since 1806.

 

Obviously a stunningly beautiful route, the route southbound

terminates at Elizabeth City, one of the friendliest and boater

friendly communities on the east coast.

Sun up at Alligator River Marina

 

Once good thing about being below the Virginia/North

Carolina line is that the days are just a little bit warmer and

longer. It also allows me the opportunity to jump offshore

to knock off a few miles but with more safe passages to the

ICW when afternoon winds kick in. In fact, I spent a lay day

at Isle of Palms, north of Charleston, waiting out gale force

winds. But, once the winds abate, I am but a two days from

completing this delivery.

With fuel stops in Thunderbolt, Ga. and Fernandina, Fl.

I concluded this delivery on Christmas Eve.

 

The average fuel price along the route was $4.35 per gallon.

The 35 Cabo, with CAT 3208 burned an average 31.2 gph @ 25kts.

Operation costs bid at $7000.00 - Actual operational cost $6881.22