The New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway (NJIWW) provides something for every taste, beginning with serious birdwatching in Cape May and including the amazing estuaries and pinelands. The south Jersey shore towns along the NJIWW offer fresh seafood, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, deep water inlets, fishing opportunities galore, kayaking, swimming and dockage at marinas along the way.

Vessels drawing more than four feet often have difficulties transiting some sections of the NJIWW due to shallows and shoaling. However, with some planning and attention to tides and wind, there are many miles of navigable and secluded waterways. The NJIWW has received more attention the past few years from  congressional funding sources and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association reports in May of 2023 that the NJIWW stands to receive about $7.5 million for dredging and maintenance operations. So good news for boaters and other stakeholders.   

Cape May, Atlantic City, Atlantic Highlands, and Highlands are the more well-known stops along this route, but Ocean City, Toms River, Point Pleasant/Brielle and Manasquan are also noteworthy stops. On the ocean route from Manasquan Inlet, it is just 24 nm to Sandy Hook, which opens up to an enclosed, single body of water that comprises three separately charted bays: Sandy Hook Bay to the southeast, Raritan Bay to the west and Lower Bay to the north, which is largest of the three and sometimes referred to as Lower New York Harbor.

At Sandy Hook you can set a course in almost any direction and head for any one of many destinations. To the south on the ocean side are the beaches and inlets of the New Jersey coast, while to the south on the inside of Sandy Hook is the popular harbor of Atlantic Highlands and two rivers: Shrewsbury and Navesink. To the west through Raritan Bay are the harbors of Keyport, NJ; Perth Amboy, NJ; and Great Kills, NY. To the north you will find New York City and Jersey City.

Cruising Conditions

The NJIWW follows the same marking as the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) with red markers inland and green markers seaward. Where inlet channels cross the NJIWW marker colors will reverse sides. Boaters are encouraged to pay very careful attention at all times and are advised to generally follow the outside radius of curves; however, do honor the markers because the navigation channel itself is very narrow.

A note to remember: Wind dictates the water levels in the NJIWW and supersedes tidal considerations.

The NJIWW can be challenging for a couple of reasons: First, the channel has not been dredged in many years and as a result there is shoaling along the route, some of which is severe especially between Cape May and Atlantic City. Second, the NJIWW is one of the most congested waterways in the country so it is not uncommon, especially on weekends, to find fishing boats blocking the channel.

The entire length of the NJIWW from Cape May to Manasquan Inlet is subject to rapid change. Channels deepen and shoals form without warning. In general, cruising boaters report a clear passage for the entire 118-mile statute mile (102.3-nm) length of the NJIWW with depths typically ranging anywhere from 4 to 6 feet MLW on the route. Depths of 3.5 feet MLW (and sometimes less) do exist; therefore, cruisers should seek local knowledge to get the latest on current channel conditions whenever possible. You may also wish to review the Coast Guard's Local Notice to Mariners District 5 for the latest conditions on the NJIWW.

The following are some suggestions for safely traveling the NJIWW:

• Do not travel on weekends when the traffic on the waterway can be overwhelming.
• Pay strict attention to the state of the tide if you draw more than 3 feet.
• Boats drawing between 3 and 3.5 feet should leave Cape May 2 to 3 hours after low tide in Cape May Harbor to ensure sufficient water to Atlantic City.
• Boats drawing more than 3.5 feet should consider the ocean route to Atlantic City.
• Between Cape May and Atlantic City (Mile 65), the controlling vertical clearance on the waterway is 35 feet.

Click here for the most recent Navigation Alerts along the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway.

For more Navigation Notes & Cruising Conditions for the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway and its surrounding areas:

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