A Fun Day in Cape May, New Jersey

We had a lazy morning on the boat... so good to have a break from waking up and the rush of breakfast & stowing things for a voyage. We thought we would be leaving early today but some bad wind has set in for at least 3 days. We decided to take avantage of very little wind this morning and moved the boat down to the fuel dock and filled up the aft diesel tank... it's only the second time we have filled the tank up..... but that doesn't mean good fuel mileage... just a huge tank!!!

After we were back in our slip I sent a text to a couple we met in Norfolk who wanted to meet us for lunch if we stayed today.  They are in another marina.  We enjoyed getting to know them better over lunch at the Lobster House which is really a place with many different restaurants inside and out on the pier.   Everyone is younger than us but we expected this to be true... many have still have kids in college.

While we were getting fuel Richard Nick came over to invite us to a gathering of the Loopers at his condo nearby and said he would come pick us up. He and his wife Carol are Harbor Hosts for Loopers that come through here. There are at least 4 maybe 5 boats here that are flying Looper flags and almost all of them showed up at the party.  Rich made 3 trips in his little car to get everyone there...I think there were 6 couples that came. What a fun time of much laughter.. sharing stories with the other wives... I felt so much better about being new at boating.  They were just as apprehensive as I am about things!  It was very freeing to share our emotions also.... the husbands do not always understand our perspective but these gals did!  And interestingly each one has had a little bit different experience along the waterway. 

Here is a view of the harbor from the third story condo of our Harbor Hosts,  Rich & Carol Nick:

From this view Rich can spot the Looper flags and makes sure they  all get an invitation to gather at his condo.

The men did a lot of talking about the next leg of this Adventure and how the ICW doesn't look good in New Jersey for twin screws (two engines) as they are not as protected as a single engine with the keel below it.  Walter has the charts out now all over the salon floor.  Then he reads the "Skipper Bob" book on the area and then the Waterway Guide, check with "Active Captain" on line..... so much to digest and then there is now another added concern....TIDES!  So it looks like when we leave here it will be the OCEAN not the Intercoastal Waterway.  We're going "outside"!