Bascule bridge-Atlantic City-Mon Oct 10-Columbus Day

Sunday morning: Bill and Diane made us yet ANOTHER excellent breakfast. You guy's "ARE THE BEST". Thanks for everything. We cooked up the rest of the Tuna steaks you left us and they were delicious. Some still to go. For those of you who are aware that Gary and I are Gilligan's Island buffs, this next statement will be very upsetting. The DVD's won't work in the laptop. AND WE DON"T KNOW WHY! ! ! ! However, we were able to relax last night watching a little "Black Beard's Ghost" (old school Disney). Oh, just to let you all know the reason why these posts are delayed slightly, ............Brittany. Yes the little princess talks to her friends at night and we don't want to disturb her. We try to give her a break.

Monday, well guess what? Its overcast and threatening more rain today.......go figure. We are planning to get past Atlantic City today. The goal is Cape May Tuesday AM. We are concerned and are keeping an eye on the Delaware Bay. The D Bay is very shallow and when the wind kicks up so do the waves. If your interested in the weather we're looking at, go to the web address listed below. Gary is antsy to get going, if you can believe that. So ..........we are going. Remember the "MY JOB" poem from yesterdays post?

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/AN/452.html

As we travelled a bit we came across this bridge on the charts. It said bascule bridge. So we started hailing "bascule bridge, Victoria"...no answer. Huh "bascule bridge, Victoria"...The Bridge captain comes on the radio and points out the error of our ways. You see bascule means that the bridge opens. So we got past that little glitch and are moving forward. Learn something new every day. We just went past G191 marker and went under a "bascule" bridge. It smells like sewerage as we approach Atlantic City. The houses I'm looking at on the waters edge are basically shanty's. Broken windows, abandoned cars etc. In the background you can see the big gold "Borgata" building. Next to that is TRUMP TOWERS, the Sands and Bally's. SO much poverty and so much wealth all in a short distance. Gary is especially focused going through all these bridges. With some having clearances of 5 and 10 feet or so, I'd say that's a good thing. We've lowered our outriggers so now our clearance is 18 to the antenna's. We are now "standing By" waiting for the Albany Ave bridge to open. They have to stop traffic and open the bridge for us. The bridgemaster told us they just let 2 boats through and the traffic is backed up a bit, so there will be a short wait.
We are through the bridge and passing all these houses with boats docked right up to the back porch. I'm talking walk out the back door and step onto your boat. Not big boats either. The Dorset Ave bridge opened on one side and we fit snugly through. All these construction workers are looking down at us from about 15 ft above us, they're waving and asking questions about the boat.
Now our path emptied us into the Great Egg Harbor Bay. The inlet looked very dangerous.
Waves crashing over rocks and lots of rollers. Thank goodness we aren't out there. It's 4:30 and Gary just mentioned that the chart plotter (GPS Map 192C) we purchased is worth "like' a million dollars. Tonight we'll be snugglin in near Corson Inlet. There is an anchorage near Whale Creek. It's just behind Strathmere NJ. That's somewhere between Sea Isle City and Peck Beach. Green marshes go on for miles (yawn) and at one point, about everty 20 feet, like a checkerboard, there is an Egret peeking out. Their long elegant neck slightly arched waiting to catch a meal. It looked real pretty, all the green grass with a white "speck".
Gary found us a quiet little spot right in the middle of the channel at the mouth of Whale Creek. It's not what he envisioned. Me either. However, we are out of time and so we are anchored for the night. The water here is very shallow exept for the middle of the channel. Thankfully, we've been here since 5"30 (and it's now 6:43 ) and not 1 boat has passed us.In fact I haven't heard 1 boat engine. The sign for Whale Creek is hand written in pale blue ink, it reads:

GAS KYACKS
WHALE CREEK

Low tide is about 8:45 pm. That's good, we'll be awake if we run out of water or if the current pushes us onto mud.

Eddie will be holding "it" till ............whenever we can get to Terra Firma. Misty keeps teasing him that cats rule.

No worries mate..........see you all in the AM

Your in our prayers, keep us in yours
XXOO
Victoria