{"id":560,"date":"2026-09-27T20:38:04","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T10:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maluayacht.com.au\/?page_id=560"},"modified":"2026-10-03T10:49:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T00:49:44","slug":"tropical-storm-andrea-cape-may","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/maluayacht.com.au\/?page_id=560","title":{"rendered":"Tropical Storm Andrea \u2014 Cape May"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It was June 2013, only five days into the hurricane season, and I was heading north towards New York after cruising Florida and Chesapeake Bay. After two days through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and down Delaware Bay, I needed a rest and entered Cape May. I did not expect that this quiet anchorage would become the place where I would ride out Tropical Storm Andrea.<\/p>\n\n\n

Read more<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n
\"Cape
Cape May Harbour \u2014 the protected anchorage where Malua rode out Tropical Storm Andrea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cape May and an approaching storm<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I dropped anchor inside the bay and slept. When I checked the weather forecast I discovered that I was directly in the path of the storm moving north along the Atlantic coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I lifted the anchor and looked for a marina, but there was no berth available. I was able to take on water and diesel, filling the tanks before returning to the anchorage. Cape May offered one important advantage: the bay was neither wide nor long, so a large sea could not build, and the narrow protected entrance would keep the Atlantic storm swell outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preparing Malua<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I anchored with plenty of room astern and laid out 75 metres of my 10 mm chain. I checked that the rest of the chain would run freely and that the join to the nylon rode was secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abeam of Malua, the Coast Guard Training Centre was a hive of activity. Recruits were stowing everything movable and doubling the lines on the vessels in their dock. I secured all the canvas and everything on deck, prepared a good meal and went to bed with the alarm set for midnight, when Andrea was due to arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrea arrives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just before midnight the wind began from the south-east. I undid the snubber and let out all 100 metres of chain from the locker, with the nylon rode taking the strain around the capstan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wind rose steadily. Fortunately the short fetch kept the waves relatively small, but then came the rain and still more wind. I let out another 20 metres of nylon and started the engine, initially leaving it in gear at idle to reduce the strain on the anchor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Malua
Malua riding out Tropical Storm Andrea at Cape May.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the height of the storm I had the engine in full ahead while the anchor strained to hold Malua in position. From the cockpit I watched the Vesper Marine anchor alarm as the boat weaved back and forth in winds in the high 40-knot range. All the nearby vessels appeared to be holding except one large yacht, which began dragging towards the beach before its anchor caught again just short of the shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Re-anchoring in the dark<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At about 4:00 am the wind veered to the north-east. That meant lifting the anchor and resetting it with more room off the stern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Single-handed, this was a challenge. From the cockpit I had to judge how the chain was coming aboard while operating the windlass and steaming forward against the wind and waves. I am sure I put considerable strain on the windlass, but eventually the anchor appeared over the bow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I motored into the wind, dropped it again in a better position and laid out 75 metres of chain. The anchor set on the first attempt and I reset the Vesper Marine anchor watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From about 5:00 am until dawn, with the rain continuing, I alternated between sitting in the cockpit with the engine running and watching the anchor alarm below. As daylight arrived the wind and rain eased. I could finally relax and have breakfast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Andrea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was not going anywhere for a few days until the open ocean had calmed down. I went ashore and walked around Cape May. It is amazing how quickly one forgets the challenges of cruising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next stage was to head north for the Hudson River and the Big Apple. From New York I would continue through Long Island Sound to Rhode Island before eventually turning south again to Chesapeake Bay for the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n