Well, as plans are always fluid while on a boat, we had to spend an extra night in Sassafras Harbor Marina because of, once again, those pesky winds. We finally got out of the Chesapeake Bay and entered into the C&D canal in Chesapeake City. The canal is 14 miles long, 450 feet wide, and 35 feet deep that was originally dug by hand in 1829 by 2,600 workers, at 75 cents a day, to 10 feet deep and 60 feet wide linking upper Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River. The purpose was to shorten the shipping routes between Philadelphia and Baltimore by 300 miles thereby alleviating the long trip around the tip of the Delmarva Peninsula.
Once through the C&D we made our way a couple of miles up the Delaware River to Delaware City Marina for 2 nights, you guessed it, hiding from weather. The first night was an amazingly beautiful thunder and lightening storm with hard rain all night long that would have made anchoring out troublesome and at least one of us (me) would be up all night staring at the anchor to be sure we didn’t end up somewhere else on the river or in someone’s front yard. Being locked into a dock made it a very enjoyable spectacle, and I got to sleep worry free. The second night was because of high winds expected when it came time to cross the river to get into New Jersey. Besides that, Delaware City is a nice place to spend some time doing the tourist thing. At this marina there are 5 other AGLCA (America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association) boats also doing the loop and hiding from 2 days of weather as well.
Delaware City has a rich history beginning in 1801 where it became the center for trading and grain shipping along the Delaware River. Over the centuries the town has grown into a community of charming tree lined streets and neighborhoods. There are a few shops and restaurants, but the puzzling thing is most of them are only open on weekends, so other than walking around the town, there is not a lot to see any other time.
Delaware City also an important part in military history. Three forts, Delaware, Mott and DuPont, were built along both sides of the Delaware River to protect port cities like Philadelphia and Wilmington from enemy ships during the Civil War and World War l.
Fort DuPont is an easy walk from the marina. Fort DuPont, originally known as Ten Gun Battery. It served from the Civil War to World War ll. During the Civil War and WWI it defended the river from enemy ships. After WWl, Fort DuPont’s weaponry was deemed obsolete, so it was turned in a POW camp housing German soldiers during WWll. After WWll, it was surplussed and some of the grounds have been sold off to private enterprises and have gone through many change, but there remains a significant part of the history and the old buildings to get the flavor of it’s heritage. Many of the original buildings have actually been turned into private residences. I found several of the remaining old original brick buildings that I would happily turn into a house, but “then what”?
Tomorrow, Friday June 10, we head to Cape May, New Jersey for another two days – YES! hiding from winds. After that we continue north. Keep following along with us. Love to all, Gina and Mike.
