August 1st, 2012
(Note: For some unknown reason this blog is one day out of order. I have no idea how to fix it!)
The folks in the Nordhavn wanted to leave "early" so we were underway at 8:30 AM - early for us. Getting away and thru the lifting bridge was easy. We were only a mile from the opening to the Atlantic so before we knew it we were on our way in the big stuff. But the weather was mild and it was a comfortable ride. We went north east out to about the 50' isobath and turned North.
It was an uneventful ride. Soon after we left we could see the Atlantic City casinos in the haze on the horizon. We averaged about 7.5 kts and arrived about 2:00PM. We had researched possible marinas in Atlantic City. Anchorages seemed few and far between - and I wanted to focus my energies on the Atlantic and not anchorages. I had found a $1.50/ft at docks managed by the Aquariam. They did not have a dockmaster and were hard to reach, but my experience collecting money for 30 years paid off and we made the reservation and even arranged for the cashier to meet us to take our lines.
We were told that the dock was in the Historic Gardner Harbor. We arrived to find the dock in an interesting location, surrounded by tourist boats, restaurants, next to the Aquarium and just up the way from the clam fishing fleet. I like that sort of environment so I was happy as a clam.
We stood in line with the visitors to the aquarium to pay our bill, then went walking in search of groceries. In the 1970s Atlantic City was a faded and forgotten seaside resort, well past its prime. In fact, a real dump. (Do you remember the movie?) One of the arguments to put the casinos there was the economic stimulation, and a % of the tax revenue was to be spent on urban revitalization. That is the area we walked thru.
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