Little Egg Inlet...Post-Sandy

45* south angle. Got it. Thanks.
 
Ron,

I agree with Ed that LEI was usually well marked in the past. As you know, getting to the inlet is tricky for those who get the markers mixed up. On my trip South last fall I took ICW from BB to AC. The trouble spot by RED"116" had 30' of water in the middle of the channel. I'm sure you have this drilled in your head over the years, but just a friendly reminder, heading South keep any RED buoy with yellow triangle on your stbd side, as it indicates that you're in official AICW channel. RED "116" is a good example.

I always use my old routes as general navigation and once I get to the area I just follow the channel markers as they often shift.

In case if you or anyone in NJ gang decide to run all the way inside, here's a note from my log:
"shallow by R128A, R130A, just before 131A, 4.5' between 139 and 141. 3.2' by 156. Between 160 and 162 police boat was stuck in the channel, hugging the red side. Police boat got stuck in the channel during mid tide on the red side of the channel. Staying in the middle of the channel shows 7-8' there.
Shoaling between 139 and 141
Shoaling by R156"

The state trooper passed me around Beach Haven. Shortly after I see him high and dry in no more than 1'-1.5' of water in the channel but hugging the RED side. I offered pulling them off the shoal, but they said they'll be fine.
 
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Thanks Alex. I took the inside down last year b/c the weather was awful (ask Rick and Jeff). The wind was so strong out of the NE that it filled up the lower bay such that some of the marshy areas were actually submerged. I have that track saved. Also have a track saved entering LEI (did that on the way back).

The problem with LEI (that I've "heard") is that it changed significantly since last year. Called CG at Barnegat Light and the Guardsman I spoke to said everything is marked and he had no reports of issues with LEI.
 
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rondds said:
Thanks Alex. I took the inside down last year b/c the weather was awful (ask Rick and Jeff). The wind was so strong out of the NE that it filled up the lower bay such that some of the marshy areas were actually submerged. I have that track saved. Also have a track saved entering LEI (did that on the way back).

The problem with LEI (that I've "heard") is that it changed significantly since last year. Called CG at Barnegat Light and the Guardsman I spoke to said everything is marked and he had no reports of issues with LEI.
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Yeah, it just goes to show you the consistency, the inlet is always changing. So, I guess you'll just have to depend on finding the marker visually. I think that the old track (even from the times we ran together) would still give you good general direction toward the markers, then it'll be visual from there on. You've done it many times and I'm sure you'll be just fine.

The only thing that I would keep an eye on is the E wind with outgoing tide. It'll make the entry out of the inlet pretty snotty, until you get good 1.5NM out to deeper water.

I think you remember the time when Dom was leading the caravan we had some interesting ride in that inlet until we mad the turn South. While still on my 320DA I saw how 410DA looked like a coark in those ocean waves.
 
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Alex, truthfully, I'd be more comfortable at LEI in that instance than BI. The jetties channel water in and make things much more hairy. Any east coast inlet is a pain in the butt when the tide and wind are against each other. Great Egg, which is WIDE open, was an absolute washing machine. We cavitated several times leaving that inlet a few years back.

It's always a game-time decision but the plan is to go out BI unless weather dictates otherwise.
 
Hmmm, interesting....I'm quite the opposite. I prefer BI, use it all the time as well as MI. From my observation, even when the seas are not calm your ride is rough for very short period as you get in to deeper water right after the BI or MI. With LEI you in the washing machine for a while as the shoaling extends quite far out.

If you decide taking BI, I would go slow in the Oyster Creek Channel. You know the stories about that one, although I never had depth issues being in the channel. And I used it very often. This is another one where old route is still not too much off and will lead you close enough to have good visual on the markers.
 
Got some info on Oyster Creek Channel from a friend who has a lot of experience with it. Seems to have silted in from the south at around 35 & 36, on the south side of the channel. Bumped going out and coming in at idle speed in a boat that draws 44". The bay seemed to be real shallow all weekend, probably secondary to the hurricane and the persistent westerlies. Anyone have a similar experience out there this weekend, either with Barnegat or Little Egg Inlets?

We will be heading from Barnegat Bay to Atlantic City on Thursday. Not particularly interested in snaking down through the inside south of LBI. Considering heading UP to Manasquan but going in the wrong direction to do this.
 
I just came through BI around 12:15 today on my way back from a week in Cape May and then AC. No problems at all with depth in the Oyster Creek channel and the water level was lower than usual. The sand bars were clearly visible and the channel is clearly marked. Stay south of and go around the BI marker when entering the channel.
 
That probably was the best possible time to go through there being that it was low tide. When you can clearly see the shoals, you have a better shot at avoiding them. It's a real mess between 40 and 38, extending a bit towards 36. You've got shoals coming in from both the north and the south. So it's a like a game of bumper pool where the shoals are the bumpers and the boat is the billiard ball.
 
Ron,

I spoke to my friend Paul (you might remember him on a sailboat) who used the OCC and BI last weekend. He said that the buoys have been repositioned and the only trouble spot sounds like what Robert described. The depth there was around 5'. He touched the bottom there last year, but this year it was fine, after the buoys were moved. Other than that he said it was plenty of water. After BI marker forget the chart, use visual to follow the channel.
 
Thanks Alex. Paul with the Beneteau. Good info!
 
HUH?

[h=3]Day Jul 10[/h]
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85°FHigh
Partly Cloudy

Chance of Rain:20%Wind:NW at 9 mphHumidity:66%UV Index:10 - Very High
 
Ran the LEI over the weekend and using the approach outlined gave me 10' under the boat (coming and going). Even took some pics if you are interested.
 
Only if you think the pix would help. I trust you Ed. You're my LBI go-to guy! Thanks for your help.

Yesterday I spoke to the TOW/BOAT and SEATOW captains from the area. They say that all's well with the inlet. They both said that the last set of markers were moved further south, which jives with your recommendation to head at an southern angle towards the end. I told him about my saved track from last year and he said it's a good guideline but the new track will likely be a bit south of last year's.

Also spoke with Sue at Beach Haven Yacht Club Marina. She says all the commercial guys are using a modified form of the old Beach Haven Inlet. They have a route that they have all shared. She doesn't recommend blazing that trail unless we had waypoints on that route b/c it's not marked.
 
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Meteorologist Marshall still calling for heinous weather for Thursday, though.
 
EKM said:
Ran the LEI over the weekend and using the approach outlined gave me 10' under the boat (coming and going). Even took some pics if you are interested.
Click to expand...

I am definately interested in finding out more information about the LEI. That may become my inlet of choice this summer because of the problems at the entrance to Oyster Creek. Ed, I pm'd you on this. BTW, not to jack the thread, but I know a guy tht has been incontact with the army corps of engineers relative to the problems at 40 and 38 in oyster creek. A petition is underway so that hopefully something can be done over there. When I have more information on the petition, I will create a new post and hopefully we can generate enough signatures to get something done. Tow Boat and Sea Tow are stationed there all day every day just waiting fir their next customer.
 
Old thread reanimated. AnyonE able to give a status report on LEI this year?
 
I was told by a guy at work that boats great bay that it should be good to go with the markers updated. I'll be finding out one way or another soon enough, probably this weekend.
 
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