Tuesday - September 14, 2004
Arrived back in Mystic after finishing up last minute details at home (doctor's dentist's(unplanned root canal- ugh), etc). Our nephew Jonathan is with us and will drive our car back to Saratoga tomorrow. On Wednesday Sparky moves in with our friends Warren and Betsy. She won't be making the first leg of the trip with us. We'll pick her up when we come home for the holidays. Then we're ready to go - just waiting for the weather to quite down on the east coast and a good weather window to start down Long Island Sound for the New Jersey coast.
Last look at the Mystic railroad bridge and sailing Long Island Sound
Monday - September 20, 2004
Well we did it! We’re finally cruising! After weeks of preparation and waiting for a “weather window” we turned the key and cast off from our dock in Mystic at 8:00 am this morning. The day was perfect, clear skies, no seas. Wind was out of the W- NW all day around 5-10 knots. At 1800 rpm we averaged 7+ knots all day. At one point we were making 8.7. We pulled into Port Jefferson at 4:00 pm and picked up a mooring(free – they’re all empty and no one is around) in the very protected spoils area just to the east of the entrance in “Mount Misery Cove” (ignore the name – it’s really beautiful). Tomorrow we’ll do a short day to Manhasset Bay which will put us in position to make it through Hell’s gate with the tide early Thursday morning.
Cheers to all!
Tuesday - September 21, 2004
After a very quiet night in Port Jefferson we made our way out of the harbor at 9:00 am only to be greeted by 30knot winds out of the N/NW. Lots of water over the bow! Things quieted down after about an hour and we arrived in Manhasset at 2:45. Picked up a free town mooring and talked to cruisers from two other boats who are also headed south. We checked in with US Coast Guard Activities NY to find out about any restrictions on the East River. Learned that it would be closed to all traffic from 9:00 am - 11:00 am tomorrow because of United Nations activities. Also learned that the west channel off Roosevelt Island is closed to all pleasure craft. That means that we have to transit the east channel and deal with a lift bridge opening. We'll have to get an early start.
Wednesday - September 22, 2004
Another quiet night. Left the mooring at 6:00am. Made 11.8 knots through Hells Gate. Arrived east channel of Roosevelt Island 7:55am. Had to wait for fire trucks to get over the bridge before an opening. Coast Guard boats were already setting up blockades at the entrance. Exited the East River just around 8:30. The river was like a washing machine - swells and wakes from all directions. Ferries, water taxies, Coast Guard boats, police boats, etc all going in all directions. Lost of excitement. By 9:15am we were under the Verazano bridge. Weather was beautiful, seas were calm, wind out of the northwest at less than 10knots. We had planned to go into Manasquan Inlet for the night but when we arrived there at 1:30 and evaluated the great weather and sea conditions we decided to take advantage and press on. We knew we couldn't make Atlantic City before dark and since we didn't want to go in after dark we planned to go all night and make Cape May in the morning.
"Going down the NJ Coast"
"Sunset over the NJ Coast and sunrise over the Atlantic"
The night was clear, we had partial moonlight and the seas were small swells - conditions were perfect. We took one hour on/one hour off watches which worked perfect for us. Neither of us got too tired and watches were short. It was so cool to watch the stars rise throughout the night and then to watch the moon set in the early morning hours. Saw a few freighters, barges, and fishing vessels. We had to slow our speed because we didn't want to go into Cape May inlet before dawn. Arrived about a half hour early and waited outside. Tied up at our dock (compliments of our friend Betsy's brother, Kevin and his wife Sandy-thank you Betsy, Kevin and Sandy!) in Cape May at 7:40am. Cooked breakfast because we're really hungry and go to sleep!
Friday September 24, 2005
Spent the day exploring Cape May - a beautiful place with miles of beach, wonderful Victorian architecture, and a good sized fishing fleet. Think we might have to come here for a summer vacation with the kids. Last night we stopped by a fish market right where the fishing fleet docks to pick up some scallops for dinner - I've never seen a fish market like this - thought I'd died and gone to heaven! I wanted to buy everything! Kevin and Sandy stopped by this the afternoon. We're having dinner with them tonight. Tomorrow we leave to go through the Cape May canal and up the Delaware bay. Plan on spending the night just south of the Chesapeake and Delaware canal entrance and going through the C&D on Sunday. Should be in the Sasafrass River Sunday night. We're keeping a close eye on hurricane Jeanne.
Harbor Cove Marine, Cape May
Victorian architecture, Cape May
Cape May beaches