Delaware Beaches

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We have friends going to Bethany Beach via land. I was hoping to meet them via water. Can you recommend marina's close by? Are the inlets marked and navigable? We are cruising in a 48ft power boat. Thanks Randy
 
The closest marina to Bethany would be at the Indian River Inlet. That is a State marina that is very nice. The inlet has markers once you are in from the ocean. The marina is on your starboard side just a few yards from the bridge.
 
That inlet has a very strong current that can run up to 3 or 4 knots and it can be rough entering over the bar on the ebb so you need to check your tide tables to time your arrival. The bridge has a 35 foot clearance in the center.
You may also find a large number of anchored small boats with people fishing in the channel.

You might even do better to go to Ocean City as there is a bus service that runs along the ocean highway from Ocean City all the way up to Bethany. You can hop on and off anywhere you want.
 
Thanks for the responses. How do you get from the north side of Indian River to Bethany beach? It looks like Ocean City is 14.5 miles from Bethany Beach so that is a good option. So is the entrance to Indian River Inlet easy to figure out without the local knowledge? How shallow is the bar known to be?
 
Randy,

Come into the Inlet straight from the ocean and you will be fine. Just don't run along the beach and cut the corners going in. There are markers in the ocean that show you the way into the inlet. I have run through the inlet many times. Current can be a little rough, but nothing a powerboat can't handle. Once in the marina, you can walk across the bridge or have someone pick you up, as Bethany Beach is only a couple of miles down the road.
 
The Bridge height is 35 feet in the center. 32 feet at the edges of the channel.
Here is a small part of the chart showing the entrance. This is from NOAA chart 12216.
2379518_2_53994.JPG
 
Is the canal down from Lewes viable? The bay behind Dewey isn't very deep though, and I don't know the bridge heights on the canal. I do know, however, there's no navigable canal down from Indian River to Ocean City. It's only navigable by kayaks or perhaps a jetski.

The inlet is a bit of a hike from "downtown" Bethany and it's along a divided highway. There are bike lanes and it is safe enough to bike into town. It's a bit further to bike north to Dewey Beach. Don't think I'd walk to Bethany and certainly not all the way to Dewey. There's next to nothing to do at the inlet proper, but there is a great fish market there for buying the catch of the day.

It's not a terribly wide inlet. You'd certainly have to be on your toes to deal with in-channel boats trying to fish.
 
Canal in lewes viable - several 100' party boats in there tie up next to the rt 9 drawbridge. There is a town dock - you pay for it. 1st come 1st serve no reservations. Can also call dale Parsons 302.645.8862 and ask him for a transint slip at fisherman's wharf - tell him I sent you.
 
If I may add to what Jay said, the canal is viable for large boats but only up to the drawbridge in downtown (Savannah Road). Beyond that it gets very shallow over to Rehobeth Bay. The channel in the bay is subject to shoaling as well. I took the paint off my skeg on a piece of creasoted wood just before the railroad swing bridge, just beyond the drawbridge. That was a few years ago but I haven't tried since. I know some guys run it all the time in smaller boats with no problems.
 
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