Cruising New Jersey - Absecon Inlet

Absecon Inlet - Inbound

Absecon Inlet (39°22' N) is located 34 NM from Cape May inlet, near the southern tip of New Jersey. NOAA Chart 12316 "ICW Little Egg Harbor to Cape May", covers the coastal details of this area. Absecon Inlet is a large and active inlet.

Absecon Inlet is easily located by the development and hotel towers of Atlantic City immediately on the south side of the inlet. To the north of the inlet is the coastal town of Brigantine, which is set back slightly from the ocean. The Brigantine Boulevard Bridge crosses the inlet a little more than a mile inside the entrance, to provide automotive access to Brigantine. This fixed bridge has a clearance of 60 ft.

On the south side of the inlet, outside the bridge, are located Coast Guard Station Atlantic City, and a number of marinas, including the Trump Marina at the like-named hotel. All of the Atlantic City development is south of the inlet, along the beach.

Behind the Brigantine Boulevard Bridge lie marshes and tidal flats, and marked channels including the Intracoastal Waterway, going north and south. The ICW does not exit the Absecon Inlet, but dips almost to the bridge before making a sharp turn and continuing in either direction. a marked channel north provides access to the town of Brigantine.

Southward, the ICW leads toward Cape May, bending around the back of Atlantic City, then closer to the coast passing the beachfront communities of Ventnor City and Margate City. It follows a winding channel through the marshes, then behind Great Egg Harbor Inlet (39°18' N), about 7.5 NM south of Absecon Inlet, along the coast. This is a navigable inlet, wide and short, but subject to shifting shoals. On the south side of the inlet the ICW passes close behind Ocean City, New Jersey. Further west behind Ocean City, lies the Great Egg Harbor Bay, fed by the Great Egg Harbor River.

As the ICW continues south it passes two minor inlets, probably used by smaller boats with local knowledge, Corson's Inlet (39°12' N) and Townsend's Inlet (39°07' N). Between the two inlets are the beachfront communities of Strathmere, just south of Corson's Inlet, and the larger Sea Isle City, just north of Townsend's Inlet.