richforman

I think I have mentioned this in other threads....anyway, I'm going to be visiting family at the South Jersey shore this weekend, trailering my FX HO and looking to do some all-day riding probably on Sunday. I want to get a nice early start 9am at the latest, launch at the Tuckahoe Inn near Beasley Point, ride to and across the Delaware Bay, then hopefully through the back bays of Delaware to Ocean City, Md., and back, seeing some new sights and areas and hopefully some groups of dolphins playing on the ocean (see my former thread on this - got some good advice that they're likely to be spotted at the point of Cape May in the Del. bay).

Tried to do this once last year but I got a too-late start, and weather conditions that day just weren't conducive, I only managed to ride the inside channels down to the beginning of Cape May and back. Anyway, it's early but so far the local forecast there looks beautiful for the whole weekend.

So anyway, if anyone down there wants to try to meet up and join me for a ride like that, I guess pm me and we can swap cell #'s and just try to meet at the ramp (if you know another better launch spot I'm open!) Going to try and talk my local riding buddy up here in Long Island, into driving down there and meeting me in the morning to ride, sounds crazy but he's often up for just about anything. (Hey Ray if you're reading I know you're out for a while after your surgery, think you had it, right?, so I know you'll just be there with us in spirit!)

richforman

bode1

I've ridden from Cape May to Beesleys Point before, it is a nice ride, but in my opinion there are too many no wake zones. If your intent is to ride across the bay, I would put my ski in behind the Lucky Bones restaurant just over the bridge into Cape May, it is less than a 30 minute drive down the parkway from exit 26, and the ramp is free. I have been told that you can't ride pwc in the canal west of the Cape May Bridge, but I really don't know if that is true or not. I don't know of anyone who has been ticketed for that, and I doubt you would get hasseled if you were just cutting through the canal instead of playing in the canal.

richforman

Absolutely true about the Cape May canal, I believe they do hassle you (well, enforce the rule). I'm staying in Longport, I'm not gonna drive to Cape May to launch! .... thanks for the suggestion, I meant ramps closer to where I'll be staying. Anyway if it's a nice day with reasonably low winds I will probably head right toward Corson Inlet and ride on the ocean. Even riding the inside route i think I can get to the north end of Cape May without hitting any no wake zones!....you don't have to stay in the main channel.

richforman

jonscilz

thats our stomping ground!! haha me and a bunch of members on the forum work at the big jet ski rental in the great egg bay next to teh longport bridge. maybe we can meet up with you guys after work in the late afternoon for an hour or two of trails or a wave jumping session.

richforman

I think I know where that is.....right on the bay side in Ocean City? I'm surprised they're still doing jetski rentals with the certification laws now. How do you guys work that, is there an exemption for renters or do you only rent to people with certificates? Anyway....I'll try and stop by and say hi on the way back my big ride on Sunday!

richforman

jonscilz

well there are a few restrictions on the renters that allows for them to ride without a boaters license.

- ride only within a confined riding area that is clearly marked
- riding area is patrolled by certified people 18 or older with over 500 logged hours
- 1 supervising patrol person per 7 rental skis in the riding area
- renters must be escorted to and from the riding area to the rental dock

we also have all our renters watch a 5min safety video in addition to a 5 or 10 minute briefing on the rules and how to operate the skis down on the dock.

we enforce all these rules pretty strictly and a busy weekend day is quite a sight to see in the bay. from what im told we do the most rentals per year on the east coast. last summer we averaged ~110+ skis a day for the months of June-Aug.

our business is called bayview marina and were right between 3rd and 4th st in OC. just come ride by the dock when youre around and ask for cole or jon. well be busy until probly 7pm sunday night. later!

jonscilz

i forgot that you also need to have a valid drivers license to be a driver as well

richforman

I know exactly where you are, I think I've even rented out of desperation when I didn't have my own 'ski with me for some reason! Besides my mom's place in Longport, my Dad has a house at 1st and Central in Ocean City. Anyway mebbe I'll see you guys over the weekend!

richforman

richforman

BUMPING UP! - I'm still planning this as an epic ride for Sunday, still would be psyched if anyone wanted to make it with me....especially since it looks like it'll be somewhat windy, not terrible but 10-12 mph from the N and E, so it probably won't be glassy on the ocean and I wouldn't mind having a buddy to ride with. Looks like it'll be completely calm with almost no wind on Saturday, and hotter/sunnier, but logistically and schedule-wise it'll be much easier for me to ride all day on Sunday than on Saturday, so that's my day. I just wasted a bunch of time at work looking up lat/longs on Maptech and planning out a whole route that I'll punch into my gps, to cross the Delaware Bay, go inside Delaware at Indian River Inlet, take the Assawoman Canal to Maryland, and then back outside at Ocean City, MD, and back on the ocean until I get back to Cape May inlet. You know, if I make it that far, if time and conditions permit, but I hope so! Anyway, anyone feeling like an epic mostly-ocean ride from Ocean City to Ocean City, p.m. me before 5 or so today...you company and local knowledge would sure be appreciated!

richforman

richforman

"psyched if anyone wanted to make it with me...."....you know what I meant....make THE RIDE with me!

richforman