The C & D Canal (and our 10th State)

The C & D Canal (and our 10th State)

The perfect culmination of cruising the Upper Chesapeake is to make a successful passage through the C & D Canal. The Chesapeake & Delaware Canal is 14 miles long and was completed in 1829 to connect the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River. This canal was originally conceptualized in the mid-1600s to more easily connect to the Baltimore ports from the North instead of having to sail 300 miles around the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) Peninsula. Originally only 10 feet deep, 36 feet wide with 4 separate locks and is currently 450 feet wide, 35 feet deep and only one railroad lift bridge to contend with. It is reported to be the busiest in the nation and the 3rd busiest in the world carrying about 40% of all sea traffic heading to the Port of Baltimore, over 25,000 ships per year.

Having done proper research on the canal, we were prepped for potentially being in the narrow canal with barges and cargo ships pushing us up against the banks. We were also concerned with the strong currents, 3-5 knots, that were reported to flow through the canal. Since we are a slow boat under power and it’s against the rules to have sails up in the canal, we needed to catch the tide when it was either weak or going with us. Dealing with tides and currents can often be confusing and unpredictable but we’ve gotten better over time, thank goodness. 

We did our first trip east through the canal without stopping as our destination was on the Delaware River in Delaware City. We were lucky to catch an ebbing or weak current of only a knot or so against us. We were also lucky that we didn’t have any other ships to deal with, other than power and sailboats also making the trip. We landed safely at the Delaware City Marina, which is located in an old channel that housed the Eastern Lock of the C & D Canal. The channel is narrow and has a fast current so we were happy to make it just in time for the Dock Master to still be in the office to catch us and flip the boat around for an easier departure. 

There is a small historical downtown area with small shops and a few restaurants.We walked by The Canal House, which was built in the 1830s to house the mules that towed barges through the canal. We enjoyed a few meals at Crabby Dick’s which has a wonderful sense of humor about its name and our current state of US politics. We were happy to see many individuals and families riding bicycles through town as it is the eastern hub for the Michael N Castle Trail that runs 12.1 miles along the length of the canal on the north shore. 

Once in Delaware City, we were needing to stay put for a bit to ride out some storms coming through. We got busy soaking up the history of Fort Delaware and Fort DuPont. Fort Delaware was built in the mid-1800s on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware River to protect Wilminton, DE and Philadelphia, PA from enemy attack. It housed Confederate prisoners during the Civil War and was manned during both WWI and WWII. It was abandoned and handed to the State of Delaware to become a state park in 1951. You can now pay 25$ to take a ferry from Delaware City to tour the landmark and interact with park staff who reenact life during the Civil War period.

Fort DuPont, named after a Civil War US Naval hero, was also built to protect the port cities along the Delaware River. After being utilized during the Civil War with its coastal defenses including rifle, mortar and rapid fire batteries, Fort DuPont became primarily a training facility after WWI. 

Our trip to Delaware City marked our 10th state visited and the end of our trip north for 2024. We would have loved to go around New Jersey and into New York but we would have had to rush through or miss some amazing stops in an effort to get back to the Chesapeake for some maintenance and repairs.

Before making our way to Baltimore for some boat work, travel and overall rest and relaxation, we stopped at Chesapeake City, on the Western end of the C & D Canal. We again monitored the tides and currents to make a short and easy trip back through the canal and stay a few nights at the Chesapeake Inn & Marina. Though the marina caters more to boaters that want to enjoy their restaurant/bar and enjoy their bands the facilities are in great shape and the dockhands are very friendly and helpful. 

While in town, we wandered the small historical main street and visited the local candy shop, Bayheads Brewing Company and The Bayard House lower bar for a casual dinner. We also walked across to the other side of the anchorage area to visit the C & D Canal Museum which is located inside an original pump house, used to lift water to the uppermost lock.

Having discontinued our trip north, we made our way to Baltimore. We will spend some time in the Charm City sight seeing, traveling to see family and doing some much needed boat repairs/maintenance before heading back south again. Skål!

Somewhere on your journey, don’t forget to turn around and enjoy the view.

– Unknown