Nelson's Has Great Sailing
The Nelson
Sailing Center is located in the Victorian town of Island Heights, just
inside the mouth of the Toms River. For the novice sailor, the protected
waters and consistent winds of the Toms River are perfect to develop their
sailing skills. Barnegat Bay is minutes away with many great
destinations for day and overnight trips.
Toms River
has been compared to Annapolis or Newport as a center of sailing activity.
Though it is not as busy or as commercial as those places, the sailing
lifestyle is just as alive. The enthusiam for sailing is shown in
the fact that there are five yacht clubs that line the river, and there
is an equal or larger number on the Bay proper.
It is Scenic,
Protected, Breezy, and Clean.
SCENIC
Barnegat has an abundance of wildlife, beaches, rivers,
lagoons, and coves, as well as nature preservation areas, and no
high-rise development (except "Old Barney").
PROTECTED
While the full length of the bay extends to around
20 miles, the maximum width of the bay is only around 2 miles.
This is enough to give a feeling of space, but not enough to allow large
waves to build up. It provides easy access to the sea, for those
who are qualified and adventurous, but it is free of commercial traffic,
and it has gentle currents (except near the inlet). And the tidal
range is mere inches. There are many rivers feeding into the bay
which provide shelter and places to anchor and explore. The rivers
and creeks are home to dozens of marinas and water-side attractions, including
"dock and dine" restaurants.
BREEZY
Barnegat Bay has been described in sailing magazines
as one of the most reliable wind areas on the East Coast. There is
a good reason for that. The Island Beach peninsula is very narrow,
so the sea breeze blows right across. On the other hand, the
LI Sound, for example (often joking referred to as the "Dead Sea") is blocked
from the Atlantic sea breezes by many miles of land. On Barnegat
Bay, the typical afternoon breeze comes up around lunch time and blows
from the SE at 10 to 18 miles per hour. This is perfect. If
you want to have a blast, head out into the open water of the bay, where
the wind is often strongest.. If you want to have gentler breezes,
try sailing in the Toms River.
CLEAN
Barnegat Bay is clean. The waters support fish and shellfish
of all sorts. There are public and private beaches all up and down
the bay. People swim in it by the thousands each year. One
of the great pleasures of sailing on the bay is a stop at a quiet cove
or at Tices Shoal for a refreshing swim. Unlike other popular sailing
areas, the conditions below the surface at Barnegat Bay are not
scary. On the Hudson, if there is a splash from a wave, one's first
thought is "close your mouth". A swim in the Shrewsbury/Navesink
or in Raritan Bay can leave you with a "slick". Thankfully, Barnegat
is still unpolluted. Let's keep it that way. Respect the environment.
