Looking for a new marina

[briankowalski]

I am currently in a marina at exit 88 off parkway, Baywood. I'd like to stay around that area, maybe an exit or two lower, but not too far, as I come from Wayne, nj.
Looking for a change of pace... Anyone with any suggestions???
Please let me know.
Thanks in advance,
Brian

[Rob_boater]

I have heard good things about Lighthouse marina in Toms River.  I am looking into that as well.

[briankowalski]

I agree, Lighthouse had good reviews. 
If I remember correctly, they do not allow "canopy setup" behind your slips?.?.
Baywood does and that is a plus. But, not a necessity.
Where R U comming from??? What marina???
Brian

[capt bob]

Friend of mine stayed there for one year.  He liked it a lot but was too expensive for him.  Great location if you go out in the ocean alot

[osead]

I'm in Morris Plains and at exit 91 for the Metedeconk River.  It's a ways to get to the ocean but the Barnegat is right there.  You get no barnacles and you can pull up to your slip and park.  There are a bunch like Greene, Brennans, Lighting Jack, and Jersey Shore.  Marinas.Com is a good place to look.  I hear Bay wood was not as good as it was but in this economy I think they're all suffering.

Good Luck!

[Rob_boater]

As of right now it doesn't look like we will be making a move down to south Jersey.  Just too far to get to on a Friday night and back home on Sunday.  It takes me ~2 hours to get home on Friday then tack on another 3 hours to the shore is not going to work.   Add in a few weekend days where the kids have sports and we will not use the boat at all on those weekends.

We still do not know what we will do for next season now.  I do not want to go back to my old marina and just do not know about the others in the area.  I am actually thinking of not putting it in the water next year.  Prepping the boat tomorrow for a long stay in case we do not put it in the water next year.  Sad but with the two young kids the Hudson River is boring.  Our ways of boating have changed and the boat we have lacks allot of features to keep the kids busy - especially a generator to run a TV, cook food, etc.

[osead]

Yeah, I know what you mean.  The aconomey may prevent me from putting it in next year aswell.

As for the drive, It takes me an hour and a half to get there with no traffic.  However, the marina I'm at has a good diner I can walk to, slips I can back up to and unload as well as barbecue, and a salt water pool, cable TV, and gas dock.  Brackish water also means no barnacles.  For my younger set, it's close to Seaside Heights and the boardwalks if they want to go.  I hear the "F" cove is the big hot spot but i haven't gone yet. 

The hour and a half drive is a killer though.  In the summer, I take back roads and stay off the GSP. The boat salesman told me to stay only an hour away from the boat.  Sounded great but I'd have to move to do that!

[Quarter Life Crisis]

Looking for a new marina

[Rob_boater]

Well we are back to looking for a new marina for the NJ shore.  We would love south jersey but that's too far.  MY guess is Toms River is the extreme south. 

We are looking for a marina with a pool, near the beaches (Can drive the car a few miles if needed).  If we find something this summer we may bring the boat down this fall and store it down there so we are ready to go next season.

[Quarter Life Crisis]

Well we are back to looking for a new marina for the NJ shore.  We would love south jersey but that's too far.  MY guess is Toms River is the extreme south.  

We are looking for a marina with a pool, near the beaches (Can drive the car a few miles if needed).  If we find something this summer we may bring the boat down this fall and store it down there so we are ready to go next season.

[osead]

If you go to Marinas.com you can search the entire are via Google map or Charts.

Try the Marinas around Brick if you want to go closer.  There are many in that area.  Green Cove, Jersey Shore, Brennan's,  just to name a few.   

It'll be about an hour and a half to exit 91 on the Parkway from the GWB. 

If you go anywhere down there at high volume times, it'll be longer but there are many back ways to avoid bumper to bumper traffic if you use GPS.

Look along Barnegat Bay to give you protected waters or access to the Ocean.

[Rob_boater]

How is boating down in that area?  I have passed through the area many times but never stayed there long enough.  Are there anchorages near by to drop the anchor for an overnight and/or go to a beach for the kids?  Really trying to justify a drive down there every weekend.

[osead]

This year, traffic on the water has been lighter than in the past IMHO.  I believe others can chime in to tell you about the area as well

The good deal about Barnegat Bay is its accessibility to the Ocean and the ICW or just stay in the bay.  There are boardwalks with amusement close by for the kids, restaurants by car or boat, and plenty of places to anchor.  Long Beach Island State Park is nice too.  You need to watch for shoaling when anchoring.

There are many, many Marinas.  Just check it out at Marinas.com or just take a ride down.  Comstock Marina has pretty good gas prices, usually, but I haven't checked as of late.

Here are some other anchorages I haven't been to but they tell me they're good with the comments:

Treasure Island, a.k.a. Osborn Island
- Location: Manasquan River (40° 05' 030" N, 74° 04' 018" W, FL Red Buoy 4)
- Comments: Approach from West, give island way as there is a spit to the South that is submerged at high tide. Tide range about 3 feet. Low tide
can be a problem for drafts over 3 feet or so.

Silver Bay/Mosquito Cove, Just west of Cattus Island Park.
- Location: Coordinates 39°59'43.51"N 074°07'35.85"W. On the southeast corner of Silver Bay is Mosquito cove. Coordinates 39°59'15.47"N 074°07'36.88"W
- Comments: Charts shows minimum 4' depth in the area.

Applegate Cove, a.k.a. Cattus Island Park
- Location: Township of Toms River (39° 58' 847" N, 74° 07' 066" W)
- Comments: Just south and to the west of ICW #24 or just north and to the west of ICW #26

Windy Cove
- Location: Pine Beach, on the Toms River (39° 56' 398" N, 74° 10' 724" W)
- Comments: On the south shore of the Toms River approximately 3.75 miles West of ICW # 33 at the mouth of the river. Deepest water in river. Good for Northeast blow. Fireworks 4th of July

North Shore of Berkley Island Park
- Location: Berkley Township (39° 52' 474" N, 74° 08' 040" W
- Comments: Just north and west of the Cedar Creek mouth.

Tices Shoal
- Location: Island Beach State Park (39° 50' 026" N, 74° 05' 571" W)
- Comments: 3 feet of water at that mark. On the East side of the Barnegat Bay just north of the Barnegat Inlet. Sandy bottom, shallow water and a boardwalk to walk from the bayside to the ocean. From the North, from ICW #40 set a heading of approximately 155 Degrees for approximately 2.50 miles. From the South, from ICW BB set a heading of approximately 90 Degrees for approximately 3.0 miles. In either case, you will know you are there when you can't see the beach through the boats. Watch the depth gauge, OK for larger drafts just don't get to close to shore.

Barnegat Light Anchorage
- Location: Barnegat Light (39° 45' 417" N, 74° 06' 918" W)
- Comments: Just inside the inlet, good protection, big tide range. Watch the greenheads. Mark is the area back in the marshes, south of the main channel


Skull Island
- Location: shoal off Gateway National Recreation Park, Sandy Hook
- Comments: features a guy selling Sabrett’s hot dogs from his boat, a bay side “pet friendly” beach and ocean beaches with walking distance of the bay.

[zeusmt]

I'm also coming from Wayne NJ.  We kept our boat at River Bank marina on Toms River.  Its off exit 80.  It's a haul from Wayne, but I liked it because it was relatively cheap, and accessable to the Bay.  My parents are in LBI, so it was a good cruise to go visit them via boat.  I like being in the Bay, too, because it's easier to cruise around, and a lot more places to go.ß

[Rob_boater]

We are down to a few ideas. 

Greencove (Brick), Lighthouse (Toms River) or Channel Club (Monmouth). 

The channel club is the closest and a very nice marina but limited on where to boat in the near area.

Still have to decide to bite the bullet to drive down there every weekend.