Cape Island Creek South Inlet

About

Introduction:

Cape May is located at the southern end of New Jersey off the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay about 40 miles south of Atlantic City and 30 miles across the water from Rehoboth Beach, DE. Its proximity to the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean make it popular stop with cruising boaters waiting out weather, or just cruising in to explore.

Inside the harbor to the south are at 10 marinas and marine facilities, and a good portion of them accept transient guests. Repairs and haul-outs are available here from some of the best-equipped yards on the East Coast. The creek has two entrances and exits. The southern portion, discussed here, empties into the Cape May Canal, while the southern portion empties into the Cape May Canal (see Cape Island Creek North Inlet in our New Jersey Inlet section).

Navigating the Water:

Use NOAA Chart 12316.

The lower portion of Cape Island Creek empties into the Cape May Canal south of a 55-foot fixed vertical clearance bridge. From Cape May Canal, heading north, just take a turn to starboard into the creek before the 55-foot fixed vertical clearance bridge and work your way to the marinas at the far east end of the creek (10-foot depths). Heading south from Cape May Harbor, first clear the 55-foot fixed vertical clearance bridge, and then turn to port into the creek.

There is limited anchoring available south of the four-foot vertical clearance bridge, but swinging room is limited. Two of the three marinas here accept transient guests and have fuel available.

Local Notices to Mariners:

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