New York City by Boat

We were off our Port Washington mooring by 0700 and headed to NYC.  The plan was to hit Hell Gate (the confluence of the East River and the Harlem River at Slack tide (at 0832) or the being of the Ebb tide (that is, the flow of the rivers and Long Island Sound down into New York Harbor).  Bucking the tide would have us crawling through, and, there is sometimes a whirlpool in the center.  We managed our plan quite well, arriving at Hell Gate at 0905 picking up the Ebb and doing 7.0 to 8.5 knots all the way down the East River through New York.

The UN.

The Chrysler Building.

And for the second time on our various travels up or down the East River, we had airborne company...

Landing fairly close.

Someone should check those Registration Numbers.

And, of course...

The Money Shot.

We were past the Verrazano Narrows Bridge by 1100 and at the anchorage at Atlantic Highlands by 1300.  No moorings available so we anchored in order to get Launch Service for Denis' return home.  It was a sad parting.

Is he smiling?!

The plan was to drop off Denis and then move back to the Sandy Hook Coast Guard Station to anchor.  This would save us almost 30 minutes on the morning of our planned Saturday departure to Atlantic City.  We anchored with a 20 knot breeze and whitecaps.  We put out 100 feet of chain in 13 feet of water at low tide and I don't think that the chain ever hit the bottom.  We were pulled back on a straight chain in those condition.

Expecting a terrible night, we re-checked and updated our Saturday weather forecast.  NOAA said to expect 20 knots on the nose with five foot seas from the South.  PredictWind confirmed and further worsened the forecast.  Yikes! But, Sunday morning would have the wind clocking from the Northwest and three foot seas coming from the East.  Certainly a better day in store.

Making the hard but correct decision, we decided to take Saturday as a layday and move South on Sunday.  As a result, we headed back to the much more comfortable Atlantic Highlands anchorage.  

In all this to and fro'ing between anchorages, I realized that our anchor wash down hose (which keeps mud in the bilge to a minimum) was not to be seen or found.  I first used a 100 foot hose in a feeble attempt to wash down the chain, but the pump could not keep that much hose pressurized except for a few short blasts.  Once back at Atlantic Highlands we MacGyver'ed a fix using a not really too perfect small hose.  

Connecting the small diameter hose to larger fittings took hours.  And all the tools on board.

Once we were securely anchored (for the third time that day), the Coast Guard issued a Small Craft Advisory for our section of coast.  It was to remain in place from 6PM Friday to 6PM Saturday.  Re-confirming our decision to stay put.

Overnight... hot and humid.    

The Sun sets...

As the Moon rises.

Today (Saturday), hotter and more humid.  Expecting late afternoon and overnight rain.  But, that should be a harbinger of a wind shift that we can take advantage of on Sunday. 

Very active Layday activities.

So, until next time, ...

We'll always have Louie's.  And almost be "properly attired".

 And then the Overnight Run....

Isles of Shoals was a quiet, still night ...

An IOS Neighbor.

The Conference Center at IOS.

One for the KPYC Brochure.

The Ballon setting down in Hampton.

The Ballon down at Aunt Paula's house.

Off the mooring by 0629 and headed toward Plymouth.  Bypassing Gloucester and Boston in the distance.

Boston in the way far distance.

We made Warren Cove in Plymouth, Massachusetts by 1730 Tuesday and had a nice quiet anchorage all to ourselves.  This after an on again off again plan to go through the Cape Cod Canal and reach Onset or Marion, instead.  My exhaustion from the long trek across Massachusetts Bay convinced me to stick with Plan A.

My sticktoitiveness did not last through Wednesday.  We left Warren Cove at 0622 bound for either an anchorage at the Sakonet River in Middletown, Rhode Island or the Harbor of Refuge at Point Judith.  We made the Cape Cod Canal at Max Ebb at 0930 and saw 9.9 knots into Buzzards Bay.  That speed makes sailors throw caution to the wind and at some point in the middle of Buzzards Bay a consensus to do an overnight through Rhode Island Sound and Long Island Sound to Port Washington, New York took shape.  

The Sun setting as we approached Long Island Sound.

And we are soon on our Overnight.  Though we had plenty of Moonlight for most of the Night.

By 1330 with full Main and Jib out we motor sailed at 7 plus knots across Rhode Island Sound through The Race into the Sound. Thirty Two hours later we were on a Port Washington Town Mooring at 1306 on Thursday.

Much needed showers were had by all.  I left it to the Crew to decide whether we were to have dinner on board or go into Town.  And, if into Town, they needed to pick a place to eat.  Having not had to make any decisions since Monday, the boys had a hard time being left alone to scratch this decision out.  They did manage to agree that Town was the best choice.  I assume that had more to due with their longing to stretch their legs than it did with my culinary arts.  

The first restaurant called out was Finn McCool and Mr. O'Malley was getting excited.  Of course I had to nix that idea since the thought of beer and cabbage was not appetizing.  And, I knew that we would not get O'Malley out of there before the Launch stopped running at 2000.  I then went about my business while they conferred and compared again.  The result? "We decided on Salvatore's Pizza and...."  "Stop there", I said.  We do not waste a trip ashore to eat pizza.  "But, but, but...", I heard.  And I put them back to solving this incredibly difficult puzzle.  Finally, it was decided.  Louie's Steak House.  Where "proper attire"  would be required.

At 1600 the Launch was called and up the hill for a nice walk ensued.  We passed Louie's right away since it abuts the Harborside Park and overlooks the water.  That whet appetites for our 1800 reservation.  But at the top of that Port Washington hill we bumped into Finn McCool's.  With some hesitation I authorized a drink.  As it turns out, Finn is not Irish.  The place looked like a converted Greek Trattoria.  And very upscale.  Though O'Malley was disappointed, we had drinks and fancy apps.  Throwing our schedule away, we decided to show up to Louie's early.

And, Louie's?  Very fancy.  White tablecloths.  Servers in fancy dress.  Sparking, still or tap.  Manhattans, Belvedere and Espresso Martinis.  Heaven.  And a well deserved break for everybody.

Friday, on to New York City.

What tomorrow will bring.

April 2024 to September 2025.  What Happened?

 

After a 17 Month hiatus from this Blog, I am instructed to memorialize not what happened between those months, but instead what is happening now.

 

Summer 2024 was spent at Fore Points Marina in downtown Portland, Maine.  Walking distance to hundreds of great restaurants.  And we visited a good Thirty of them over the long Summer we spent there.  Then back to Baltimore and on the hard for the Winter with Spring bottom painting and Rudder work needed.

 

Back to Fore Points for July and August 2025.  Less restaurant visits but Hattie & Jack came aboard for four weeks.  That kept us all busy.  A week at Sebasco Harbor Resort and The Basin. Taking advantage of the Resort pool, bikes, restaurant, hiking, basketball court, bowling and outdoor chess board.  At the Basin, and many times thereafter as friends visited from New Orleans, the 68 degree water was greeted by glee as the kids jumped and adults shamed into jumping from the boat or the rope swing off the boom.

 

But now, we are headed back to Baltimore.  Tess headed there by car and will then fly to New Orleans for a week or so.  I have a motley crew of friends (Paul & Irwin) and family (Denis) aboard for the trek.

The Crew.

 

September 1 we were off the fuel dock by 0820 and headed to the Isles of Shoals for a first day shake down.  Light wind at our backs and calm seas made for an easy start as everyone (hopefully) eased into and learned their roles.  We are doing a 24/7 Watch schedule in anticipation of doing an overnight or two.  That means the 0600 Watch is four hours, followed by Watches of 4, 3, 3, 3, 2 and 2 hours.  This gives an ocean passage Crew each an eight hour respite every three days.  It won’t be needed here, but it gives me the ability to have a three person Watch and leave me to attend to other tasks, much like a “Waister” of old. Assigned to clear the bilge, garbage, cooking and cleaning.  Lest they forget I am the Captain, I interrupt their conversations as often as I can to call out their mistakes.  It may be a long trip (for me at least).

 

Arrived Isles of Shoals at 1620 and picked up a Kittery Point Yacht Club mooring.  In celebration I hoisted our KPYC pennant for perhaps the third time in 21 years.  Crew relaxed with a nice Venezuelan Rum previously provided by the Bauers.  Thank you.  It’s gone now.

We were treated to an amazing spectacle as a Balloon was raised on the island and floated off toward shore.  We later learned that it landed in the back yard of Aunt Paula's house in Hampton.

Going up....

Morning broke for most of us just before 0600 and we were off the mooring by 0630.

Dawn at the Isles of Shoals...

Those that missed the 0600 wake up call.  But the bacon got him up about 0800.
  

No wind and glassy seas as we headed toward Cape Ann.  

We did have a whale sighting just South of the Isles of Shoals.  We had a good view and saw tail and flippers and head.  You can see it here if you squint.

That black dot is a whale's head.  Believe me!

Bypassing Gloucester with a hope of reaching Plymouth.  That gives us a good start for a favorable Cape Cod Canal transit into Buzzard’s Bay on Wednesday.  

Waiting for wind?

 

What the Crew lacks in adventure (so far) they are making up with Gusto anticipating their next meal.  That means back to work for me.