Things we did on August 10th:

• Motored out into the Delaware Bay with moderate confidence. The tranny was still throbbing or pulsing. But we were tired of being stuck in Greenwich, NJ, so we were willing to take a chance.

• Sailed for about three hours. This was our first sailing during the trip. Until now, we had motored the entire way.

Dumb-Ass Of the Day Award

We watched container ships out in the channel in the middle of the bay. No real mystery there.

Then, around noon-ish, we saw ships—big ships—outside the channel. Actually dead ahead. And oriented as if they were steaming toward Delaware from New Jersey.

"Silly Cap'n Steve", you say, "that's not ‘ships', that's the Cape May-Lewes Ferry."

No. It's not. It's container ships. Outside of the shipping lane.

So, I get on the radio and try to hail these ships and figure out what their intention is. Where are they going?

No response.

What are those ships doing there? Which way should we go to stay out of their way? What to do?

As we get closer, we realize that they're anchored.

Oops.

Bouncy and Nasty

The Harbor of Refuge is a refuge, yes. But it's not a very pleasant anchorage.

• It's exposed to a NW wind.

• It's almost 3 nm to the Roosevelt inlet, which is almost 2 nm from Lewes, Delaware. 5 nm by dinghy. Allow 45 minutes to get into town. Unless there are 3 foot seas. Then it might take longer.

When the wind eased, however, it was very pretty.

Bottom Lines

Passage duration 0740 to 1444: 7:04.

Passage distance Greenwich to Lewes: 8nm to Bay; 34 nm to Lewes = 42 nm.

Cost: 4 days of dockage at $2.00/foot/day; $84/day.