Crabtown Creek Inlet is located in the town of Manasquan off the Manasquan Inlet. Crabtown Creek is 25 miles south of Sandy Hook and 22 miles north of Barnegat Inlet. Manasquan and the surrounding area are an excellent place to stop off during a north or south transit of the New Jersey Coast. The facilities here are good, and the waters are well-protected behind the very reliable Manasquan Inlet.

Use NOAA Chart 12324.

Crabtown Creek is reached from inside the Manasquan Inlet, which is a very reliable, deep, and well-protected passage. Entering from the Atlantic Ocean, first pick up flashing red bell buoy “2M” about one mile east of the inlet. Once you have cleared the approach buoy, set a course for flashing green “3” and flashing green “4” on the south and north jetties to the inlet, respectively. Having cleared the inlet opening, head toward flashing red “2,” just east of the Crabtown Creek Inlet, and then round it into the creek. The deepest water is toward the shoreside docks shown above.

Inside Crabtown Creek are three marina facilities, and the majority of them are congregated around the nine-foot closed vertical clearance bascule bridge at the split near Debbies Creek and The Gillmers Glass. There is one facility here that will accept transient guests at its slips. The other marinas may be able to arrange a slip for you for the evening, but you will need to call ahead and make advance arrangements. There are no haul-out of heavy-duty repairs available here. Anchoring is not recommended.

Local Notices to Mariners are now exclusively available online from the U.S. Coast Guard.