Hi DDW,

...You'd likely make it well up the bay before it starts to blow, and a W wind is far less uncomfortable than once it goes NW... Sunday, not so much, Monday sounds like no problem with your boat... IMHO, 18-20 knots out of the NW is about the comfort threshold for running the bay on a flood tide, your boat should easily handle anything less...

If you do stay over, I second John's suggestion of South Jersey Marina, always been one of my favorites... Cape May is a really nice town, worthy of at least a day of exploration, and once you're tucked in there, it can be difficult spot to vacate... If you do go into South Jersey, make sure you inquire what the tide is doing along their docks, there can be a surprising amount of current in there that catches many people unawares... The marina staff is so accustomed to dealing with twin-screw sportfishing boats who can handle anything, they tend to forget the difficulty sailboats can have maneuvering in their relatively tight quarters... Also, if you're planning on an early departure, make sure they'll put you in a spot where you can get out early, they often stick transient sailboats in a sort of "alley" where another boat might be put in behind you...

If you do run up the bay in a wind against tide situation, I'd suggest passing to the east of Miah Maull Shoal and Cross Ledge, and not picking up the ship channel until the little dogleg between Cross Ledge and Ship John Shoal Light... The current will run less along the flats east of the channel, the seas won't get stirred up nearly as much... Even along the straight shot up to the nuclear plant, running along the edge of the channel can make a big difference, especially if the current turns against you, it runs considerably faster within the deep channel, of course... Keep an eye out for the odd crab trap float across the flats, however, one occasionally sees some of that stuff through there...

It is possible to anchor in a number of spots before the canal, south of the nuclear plant, or on the Delaware side in the vicinity of Reedy Point, if the tide has turned against you by that point, or if it's getting dark... (With the amount of debris in the wake of Irene that's been reported on the Delaware and Chesapeake, that might become a factor to consider) Certainly not the most scenic or protected spots, but do-able in a pinch... Delaware City, a bit north of the canal entrance, is a nice little stop, but with your draft you'd want to enter and depart at close to high water, the entrance is a bit tight (I haven't been in there in a few years, however, so things might have changed) Otherwise, as others have mentioned, Summit North is likely your best bet...

Good luck, adn best regards,

Jon