GL: NJICW

[Skipper Bob]

Greg,

Well put!  I have traversed the NJICW numerous times and never ran 
aground, never got lost and never regretted my decision to go "inside".  
I frequently travel in the company of other trawlers drawing 4-4.5'.  
They also never ran aground.  Is the water skinny?  Absolutely!  Most 
boaters today cringe when the depth finder shows less than 6'.  Much of 
the NJICW is less than 6'.  Many boaters do not "know" the offset for 
their depth finder and this only makes the matter worse.  When the depth 
finder says 4.5' they may have 6' under the keel.

Not too long ago a steel hulled trawler drawing 7' went through the 
NJICW.  He told me he had to "play the tides" and "pushed some mud" near 
the south end.  However it is soft mud and he made it without problem.

The NJICW is not for everyone.  If you are nervous or inexperienced in 
"reading the channel" you would probably be better off going "outside".  
Vessels over 4.5' draft definitely should consider going outside.  Avoid 
the NJICW on weekends and holidays.  As more than one NJ boater has told 
me,  they "work hard all week and play hard on weekends".  There is no 
such thing as courtesy between boaters in NJ.  They will pass you within 
20' at full speed in a narrow channel without a second thought.  
Fishermen will anchor right in the middle of the channel and expect you 
to maneuver around them.  In fact more than one has told me to "go 
around" them.  When I explained that the water outside the channel was 
only 1-2' deep they usually replied "thats why we fish here".    To most 
small fishing boats the channel markers were installed to tell them 
where to fish.  To them, channel markers have nothing to do with navigation.

When I look back at my trips up and down the NJ coast, I remember far 
more wonderful adventures when I went inside than when I went outside.  
I met more people, visited neat little towns and generally had an easier 
ride of it.  If you think the NJ coastline is "smooth" outside, think 
again.  There are all kinds of fishing boats running here and there 
kicking up wakes.  On weekends even outside can be rough.  The best 
advice is to try to hit the NJ stretch Monday to Thursday. 

Bob

Skipper Bob Publications
Http://SkipperBob.home.att.net