GOING AGROUND IN BARNEGAT BAY

[@kolakowj]

A boat with a 5ft draft in BB, I only saw one or two in my time. I was pulling 3.5 ft draft and always on edge. Good thing is that the bottom is all sand so you're not ripping up your fiberglass. A SeaTow membership is a must have. Also good thing that you weren't there in tourist season (Memorial Day to Labor Day). The North Jersey/New Yorkers are beyond rude with their powerboats and invade in huge numbers. The traffic seemed light in your video. Wishing you fair winds and following seas....

[@EmptyNestOutdoors]

Welcome to Barnegat Bay, our home waters. The inlet is known to be a tough one. Pretty crazy to see you guys were in the Forked River. We'll be keeping our boat there at Tall Oaks Marina. Nice! Fair Winds!

[@tomd.3082]

Don't feel bad. I've run aground in Barnegat Bay in everything from a kayak to a 32' sportfish. The next vessel I plan to run aground in Barnegat Bay will be a 30' + catamaran.

[@vagabondphil49]

I've been grounded so many times I can't remember. Other boat wakes are your friend, so many times they have helped me get ungrounded. One time I got stuck bad after going thru the locks at the Colorado river and I radioed a tug and asked him if he would go as fast as he could to make the biggest wake possible. Man he poured on the power and made about a four foot wake that got me unstuck. I was stuck there for 3 hours till he came by. Thanks to all you tug and power boaters out there, you are my friend!!!

[@WickedSalty]

Oh I would be all about a power boater waking me out of being aground. Waking me through a thread the needle channel in the most narrow part just enough to push me aground, is another story! Thanks for the comment and thanks for the support, cheers!

[@glennwebster1675]

You are lucky...I grounded hard once..did a face plant into a bulk head...than the tide went out on me and the boat healed over high and dry... Nothing like seeing your boat laying on its side for a half a day!

[@LifeProducersofNewJerseyLLC]

For those that don't know, Barnegat Bay area is a tough place to sail. Barnegat Inlet is one of the most dangerous inlets on the east coast. All of those boats going through Barnegat Inlet are common occurrences everyday, people love to fish at the Jersey Shore. A little scary as a sail boater going slow with all of the serious and often big boats destined for offshore fishing blasting by you.

[@DanielleBeaty]

BB is the pits. I lived right under the Verrazanno Bridge on Staten Island, then I moved to Cape May. LOL. Lovin' this trip so far bc it's all the places I've lived! You've done a great job, Cap'n & First Mate Kate! :D

[@FrerePapillion]

That is a tough inlet to get through. I have run aground there a couple of times. Last time was on my friends Beneteau on our way up to Nantucket.

[@kenn5269]

Just had my first experience with Barneget Inlet - was nerve racking for sure.....although I draft just a bit less than you my issue was more the breakers in the inlet

[@WickedSalty]

Definitely know what you mean, when we went through it in the spring it was tough like that. It seems if theres just a little bit of wind that fights it, it makes some steep waves with that shoaling at the first sets of large channel markers at the start of the inlet.

[@911naimplate]

FYI, one other thing....if you ever ground like that again and find yourselves stuck.....place all weight and bodies on one side of the boat causing a 4-5% degree heel. This will usually buy you 3-4 inches in boat depth freeing up the keel. This is of course provided you went in slow and shallow to begin with. Again, safe travels.....

[@SanderWits]

Last summer I ran aground after a 1500NM voyage within sight of my home port. Never be overconfident!

[@robertaderholdt890]

this is my neck of the woods😀 Forked River, nasty shallow spot in the inlet 6-7 ft. then 4 for about 100 yards! then back to 6-7. have to watch the tide😁!

[@scdevon]

That place is filling in badly. I remember when there used to be double digit depths when I was growing up in the late 1960s / early 1970s.

[@MorseAlphaExpeditions]

great stuff... I love running aground personally.

[@scdevon]

"Aground" and "Barnegat Bay" go hand in hand.

[@Avonocean]

Cool adventure! Shallow water is nerve racking. I hit a reef under full sail with my Kirby 25 that I had at the time.

[@MrTatts64]

So easy to see the growth in you both as mariners now. Confidence shining through. Am not surprised to have read in a previous comment on an earlier video that you're now basking in the Florida sun. Best of luck guys. Oh yeah, I hope that was Kate's parents she was calling. But that's purely from a selfish point of view as I know I would be needing constant updates from either of my kids (son or daughter) or it would be me with the sleepless nights and needing / eating vallium like a kid would go through candy ;)

[@ocxb]

Great vids. Looks like some great cruising. Out here on the left coast (So Cal) we just get to out in the ocean, we have a few islands around 20 miles offshore but its all desert landscape.

[@rehtorbF03]

Having sailed on BB for many years I can't count the number of times my swing keel saved my ass. That's also what makes A Cats so attractive, they can go almost anywhere. Keep up the awesome videos!

[@ptrinch]

That was close to the site of my first grounding. I hit bottom coming out of Silver Bay just a few miles north of where you were. There is not a whole lot of room for error in Barnegat Bay. All in all, you guys did just fine. Fortunately, the bottom is very soft.

[@christopherduncan4801]

Love your vid's. Living vicariously through you and loving every minute. Wish I could do what you are doing. Thanks for the video's and will continue following your travels.

[@paulmorrow3053]

Barnegat Bay!! My old sailing grounds until I was 24yo. Very familiar with the shallows.

[@nolanpetrin1012]

One time we hit a sandbar and we had a powerboater tie a rope to the mast and pull so the boat would tip on its side and get unstuck.

[@Skipperskraa]

One more great video. To be grounded happens to all of us. Fair winds to you

[@xetop]

Just watched all your episodes, great stuff. Keep them coming.

[@bbybby2728]

You're doing great, I am really enjoying watching your videos, thanks for sharing!

[@docorangepeel]

Just watched all your vids. Well done you two, keep pushing forward. It's great to see people living life. :) All the best from London UK

[@davidtagatyahoo]

Barnegat Bay has some of the worse marked channels, with buoys off course, missing or simply removed rather than maintaining a safe dredged waterway. Our Motto... New Jersey; The Good Enough State. Love your channel (pun intended 😉)

[@forrestwiley9866]

Wes......at 1:14 I see your Port side boarding gate open....bad habit while underway....you will have many more heavy wakes to come your way ....

[@WickedSalty]

Unfortunately I can't lock the gates in previously recorded footage but I agree, bad habit.

[@crunch4472]

Wicked Salty Just throw a lash around it. Also- keep everything off the deck when underway...fenders, etc. thats what lazarettes are for. Kudos, your both doing a great job and your presentation is really entertaining. I'm in South Florida preparing my boat, and hope to be leaving sooner rather than later.

[@WickedSalty]

Crunch Hardtack Our lazarettes are full! No matter what youre bound to have some stuff on the deck while cruising (fuel jerry cans, water cans, propane tanks) In a small boat every bit of storage counts, especially in those cockpit lockers.

[@crunch4472]

Yeh, I got that- just was hoping you weren't part of the group of sailors that hang their fenders overboard regardless of their distance from the dock. Kinda brands them as nubes.

[@stollo770]

Just started watching, love the videos! I keep my sail boat in Barnaget Bay on the Forked River and it gets shallow all the time. I have a Hunter 27 with about 5' of draft and when I saw the title of this video, I knew you were going to run aground at least once. Glad you made it out okay. Once your in the bay itself, the depth is more or less fine. But all the channels, inlets, and rivers are just terrible. Almost like they don't want you to leave.....

[@elicash315]

lol they say if you ever find yourself with boat troubles in the Barnegat Bay just walk home.

[@IslanderSailboatInfo]

So old school! Your videos have come so far in a year!

[@billdill9592]

oyster creek is no longer maintained and markers are out of place. you got to use double creek now

[@jkelly326]

WAWA!!! Just started a job where I'm moving around a lot. gotta love Wawa.

[@LEE-wj3sz]

Well, if you're where we think you are, you're getting hammered with some very foul weather about now. Anyway, once y'all get underway, how far south to do intend to go? Also, when do you anticipate cruising through the Georgia ICW? We watch other boats heading south every day and were curious about when you'll be passing by. We enjoy the videos, keep up the good work. PS, don't worry about those adverse expert opinions regarding running aground as everyone has done it at some point. Most of those who criticize others are tied to the dock and never leave which is why they don't run aground.

[@redwood1957]

B B is one of the most wicked places. This has been written about for many years.Glad you made it out. Are you still in chuck town?

[@MarkFlashman]

My buddies boat hit rocks this summer, that was fun.

[@nolanpetrin1012]

Wicked salty you have the same boat as my dad.that's so cool!! . I love ericsons!!!

[@forrestwiley9866]

You two + 1 are doin good. I see you are enjoying your Garmin 741....

[@CILO132]

WAWA!!!!!! Always stop there when leaving Barnegat!!!!

[@sdcofer52]

Yes it is. I've run aground there in my Laser, racing.

[@RedemptionReady]

There are two types of sailors... Those who have run aground and liars! Welcome to the club.

[@vagabondphil49]

Amen brother!!!

[@WickedSalty]

Definitely! I prefer "you haven't been around, until you've gone aground."

[@FTATF]

How were those new stone ipa's ? i haven't tried them yet.

[@captainslim]

If you guys pass through Delray Beach, Florida on your way south, I'll buy you a beer or several.

[@TheGtg487y]

Recommendation - rather than doing the double gps thing (I assume you had the iphone gps on one hand + your boat gps) - learn to preplan your route and use a compass to take bearings. Nothing beats planning and a compass - especially for cross-tide / wind situations.

[@morteparla6926]

Barnegat bay is filled with sand bars and random shallow waters. Seriously... You can be in 20 feet of water for 10 minute's, then hit a giant patch of water that's 2 feet deep, smack in the middle of the bay where'd you expect 30+ feet of water.

[@divisioneight]

First mistake - sailing a sailboat in Barnegat Bay - that's the mistake. Unless you have a swing keeled catboat, anything will run aground in Barnegat Bay including vessels with only propellers underneath the waterline. Even in the ICW south of Barnegat, you'll run into shoals with three feet of water in the middle of the channel. Most sailors stay offshore between Barnegat Inlet and Atlantic City Inlet.

[@scdevon]

Yep. New Jersey has arguably the worst maintained ICW from Maine to Florida. I wonder who pocketed the dredging funds? Tony Soprano's crew LMAO.

[@dennissvmanaiti9015]

Enjoying your videos! Just subscribed, look forward to following you guys.

[@jackfarley1348]

30 minutes from my house right there:) great video

[@wd1000]

"Craziest ting... Ran aground... Never done that before". Welcome to New Jersey. Our bay is drier than James Bond's martini. Seriously, this bay is why the old timers invented the catboat and the sneakbox. Also why I bought a 2'6" draft centerboard boat. Still I would not try to navigate from the bay to Barnegat light like you did. There just ain't no water.

[@sdcofer52]

BTW, you guys are so incredibly goofy, but it does appear that you are learning something the hard way, by doing. Perhaps that is the attraction to your videos. Keep it up.

[@WickedSalty]

Haha, thanks? Just having a good time, thanks for the support!

[@sailingmoraira5079]

when where you in Barnegat bay?

[@WickedSalty]

Back in November we were there

[@MrkStphn91]

have you crossed the Atlantic ocean because there's jersey (close to France but British territory) and you mention the channel (between England and France)

[@WickedSalty]

Sorry man haven't left the states. That's New Jersey right below New York for all you international viewers.

[@MrkStphn91]

okay

[@smacksman1]

#MrkStphn91 - just as well you didn't buy a boat in New London on the Thames River, CT like I did. You would still be in London UK looking for it! haha

[@MrkStphn91]

how come smacksman1

[@smacksman1]

MrkStphn91 Just a joke. I'm in the UK and bought a sailboat on Ebay in Connecticutt and when I got there a week later it was just like Essex and loads of East Anglian town names. Home from home. Sailed it down to Key West and loved it. The Americans were just great.

[@marioalmeida8743]

Good job

[@BlueRidgeMarine]

Thumbing up!

[@Deutschtown]

Annapolis Yet?

[@WickedSalty]

Annapolis was freezing! So thankful to be in South Carolina now.

[@Deutschtown]

Wicked Salty That's wonderful to hear...not that Annapolis was cold but that you are in S..C and that it is getting warm.! We think of you often.

[@WickedSalty]

Rob Noll Thanks man I appreciate such a nice comment

[@briztia]

tht channel is tuff thier in barnagat light

[@maxgelman8604]

Dude, you got to turn into wake at a 45 degree angle.

[@WickedSalty]

I was in the thinnest part of the channel, about 15-20 feet wide. If anything I looked back at it and thought why not charge through, but then again wouldn't want to charge into the shoal/turn into it either. We made it though!

[@maxgelman8604]

Wicked Salty Yep, it can be nerve racking. But really on the east coast, you are usually getting stuck in silt. Done it many, many times and with no damage to my boat. The nice thing about the fin keel is you can usually back it out.

[@sailingsolar]

Wicked Salty " If anything I looked back at it and thought why not charge through," WRONG, dead wrong! The faster your going when you go aground the bigger the odds are that if it's soft you'll drive harder in to the mud, making backing off harder. The faster your going when you hit a rock bottom, the more damage your likely to do to your keel or rudder. In very shallow water you need to be going dead slow until your in deeper water. Charging through is insane. When piloting in a shallow channel, use your depth sounder to "feel" for the deepest part and stay over that or just to the right. When there is a break in traffic find the center. When opposing traffic approaches make way just to the starboard side of center. Use your charts and depth sounder to know exactly where the deep water is. You pointed out on the chart where you hit. Your chart was telling you deeper water was to port, you seemingly missed that or didn't give it enough attention at the time. Learn your lesson and figure out what you should have been doing differently and do that going forward. Cheap lesson. If you do that on an ebbing tide and you don't get off quickly you'll be there until the next rising tide without a tow ($$). That could be the case in the Bahama's. Read your charts in shallow water and the information they provide. Great episode.

[@WickedSalty]

sailingsolar There was no option, I minded the side I went first, on the way out, same result. 2 kts can even be too fast when hitting ground! I took it slow in the video on the way out but the wake pushed me out I guess. I would always want to traverse the shallow channels at the right tide, but the tide differentiation in Barnegat bay was around an inch. But I definitely remembered you discussing going aground prior to this, and that is why I creeped through regardless if the wake pushed me into the shallows, so that I could at least unground myself. My advice for keel boats wanting to go into the oyster creek channel in Barnegat Bay, have a draft of 4.5 feet MAX!

[@ParrotSailor]

Who is she talking to every 5 mins?

[@WickedSalty]

SHE is my first mate, girlfriend and lover. Kate will talk to whomever and do what she pleases. And you will talk nothing but the upmost respect for her if you want to keep participating in our positive discussions on this channel.

[@ParrotSailor]

Bad Day? You need to relax and not let tongue in cheek comments upset you.It's all in good fun.Save your ire for the trolls if you get one.

[@WickedSalty]

I don't have time for this. I have seen you comment before.

[@ParrotSailor]

Wicked Salty I think you have me confused with someone else. Anyway peace to you

[@saltyseascott]

Why do you think God had women at Jesus's tomb? Who better to get the word out on the resurrection of Christ?

[@svstrayfish6630]

theres only two kinds of sailors..those who have grounded and those that are going to.ps if its a solid grounding and your fast a good trick is to release the mainsail halyard and ask a power boat to pull sideways on it thereby tilting the angle of your keel off the bottom and allowing u off,or if unable to motor backwards (not enough power) deploy an ankor aft and wind with the cockpit winch...yeah its a sensation thats not good to feel. congrats she is a nice boat.

[@svstrayfish6630]

***** yep but i had to abandon that maneuver cuz she didnt like hanging onto the boom hahah....just a joke pls dont tell her i said that.. lol

[@Kyleinasailing]

Don't worry about it. Done it hundreds of times. Just, don't run aground on a reef with 3 meter waves coming down on you. Think about the environment.

[@astrobola]

Oh, that agreeable people with powerboats who doesn't care a shit if they make you jump as if your boat were a washing machine with three legs...

[@itsokayimnotadoctor]

I dont want to be rude but i keep checking and no new videos. You have to understand that i am living through you so i need more videos! Does not have to be anything great just some sailing time. Help a dreamer and try to make them positive these are the videos. I am using to get my wife on a sailboat.

[@WickedSalty]

New video is called "Anchored in Atlantic City" it was put up 2 days ago, I'm trying to put up at least 2 videos a week, but I would even like to get to bi-daily. Take a Captain's course with your wife if your planning on doing it, it'll be the best experience! Click my name and make sure you click "videos" at the top rather then just looking at the main page.

[@michaeldrago6999]

the Jersey Devil likes liver

[@MarkFlashman]

for people heading south you sure are wearing extra clothes.