Cape May, NJ

OK, here is a pretty town! I am sorry I didn't even try to take pictures, as it was raining, so I can't show you all the over-the-top gingerbreaded wild paint beach homes mansions inns and stuff. When we pulled through here on the way down, there were so many fast fishing boats buzzing by, around, cutting us off, sending up wakes that knocked things around that were just fine at sea. Yeah, welcome to Jersy, Shmuck!
Anyhow, there was some woo-ey weather to tell about! We listened to the NOAA weather forcast, heard 20 knot winds were coming, so delayed our run to New York city. We met up with some nice folks, also heading to NY, so I jthought it would be fun to have a potluck dinner chez nous. After a day of strolling these rather pretty streets, we returned to the boat to prepare for our dinner guests, and found the seas in the anchorage! The wind was piping up! We radioed over to see if everyone was still coming, yes, they said these waves were no problem for rowing over. Closer to The Time, one boat radioed back to say the winds were even stronger now, and they didn't feel like performing a heroe's row back, especially after having drink. And right off the biggest coast guard station I have ever seen! But the single-hander, Marten, showed up, rowing his very capable sea-kayak.
During dinner, it started getting a bit bumpy, but not too much for us salty old goofs. But then it got bumpier. Then a channel marker went by. What? Yeah, we were dragging our anchor. So the three of us got our jackets on to get things back under control, and went ut on deck. Just in time for the first big gust. Sucked the air right out of my lungs!
Jim and Marten got re-anchored while I got tea ready to go with he carrot cake I made for dessert. It dragged again. They then put on The Storm Anchor, specially designed for soft mud bottoms we find around here. We moved up the anchorage, almost on the Coastiesdock, and held with no problem ths time. I was worried about Marten geting home, but off he went, even delivering some carrot cake to the shut-ins.
Meanwhile, Ji m picked up another forcast. A gale far out to sea was upgraded to a storm and plotted much closer to here. A gale brings about 30-35 kt of wind. A storm brings 50! Oh, joy!
But the storm anchor, a 50 lb danforth type, held and held. The harder Chelonidae pulled, the more it held. We sat in comfy smuggness, holding. Watching our other capable friends holding as well.
And the wind blew.
And the seas grew.
And our beautiful anchor held.
But Achates II started dragging, slowly into the shallow area. We watched Joel and Kalin try to pick up their anchor so they could re-set it, but the boat couldn't hold station. Joel then tied a buoy to the rode and (horribly) cut the anchor free. The boat regained her helm, and they headed straight for the coast guard dock. We later learned the Coasties told them they couldn't stay there, but Joel explained they had no choice, AchadesII could barely make it there, let alone try to get to some marina.
An hour or two later, we realized the wind was peaking, and were looking forward for this to over. We were very glad to be safe in an anchorage and not at sea, like during The Beaufort Leg. After going over our plan of attack in case our anchor dragged again, a plan that included Sue & Corkey's method of dealing with scary anchor situations, a method that never fails, it includes Corkey's famous command that night in Annapolis...Start the f%$*g engine, we settled into good books, lunch and so on.
Then the Big Gust gusted us with such gust-o that we got dis-gust-ed! And our anchor rode chaffed through! Bang! And it was like being launched from a rocket, but onto a muddy bank, not the nice, pretty stars. In my slippers and polar fleece, I started Mr. Perkins, the ever faithful deisel, jumped into the cockpit to drive us off the shallows while Jim put on his foul-weather gear, The rain was coming down sideways, the spray was blowing up and off the waves. (my poor hair, quie long now, is still unbrushable with dried salt). But we got off and headed, where, else, to the Coast Guard dock. It was our turn to radio in and tell them to meet us at the dock. They said thheir obligatory "No way! There is a marina across the harbour!" I replied, "gentlemen, we're comming onto your dock, I can see you there, please guide us to where we will be the most out-of-way."
To make a long story short, we remained there, tied off and being set out from the dock, not onto it, thankfully. The stories on the VHF involved other folks chaffing through anchor rodes, one poor power-catamaran lost his anchor and didn't have another and couldn't risk travelling across the harbour to get to the Coasties dock...so he drove around all night!
But today, the sun is shining, birds are singing (also wondering what the hell just happened) and there is yarn shop here to investigate. We tried to trawl the anchorage to find our anchor, but had no luck. Need another storm anchor.
Off to The Big Apple, Tah-tah for now!