Delaware Bay was named after an Englishmen, Lord Delaware, who led manpower in to reinforce Jamestown in 1610. The bay is 782 square miles in area, and is bordered by Delaware and New Jersey. It is mainly fed by the Delaware River. It is a fresh water bay that mixes its waters with the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean.
      The lower portion of the bay forms part of the Intra coastal Waterway, and is second only to the Mississippi River in amount of traffic and its importance to the United States. The bay connects to Chesapeake Bay by way of two canals: the Delaware and the Chesapeake, respectively. The bay has a significant current which might help or hinder boaters depending on conditions. In windy weather, the water becomes quite choppy and there are very few places to find shelter. It is usually slow going through the channel. Because it isn’t terribly deep, it is usually clogged with ocean-going vessels.
      The 360 miles long Delaware River feeds the bay. The source of the river stands at 880 feet above sea level, while at the mouth it is 0 feet above sea level.
      The United States Department of Homeland Security operates a Coast Guard Sector on Delaware Bay. This command has responsibility for 500 plus active duty personnel and around 250 reservists.
      There are no major cities around the bay, only a few small communities. Most of the surrounding areas are salt marshes and mud flats. There is ferry service between Cape May, New Jersey and Lewes, Delaware.