Saturday Sept. 27, 2025 Around New Jersey and a Crisis at Night

Saturday  Sept. 27, 2025  Great Kills, NY to Cape May, NJ   135 miles and 12.4 hours 

My weather apps are saying today is the last day to run the Atlantic around New Jersey with 2' seas until at least October 9.  Not waiting in NY for 2 weeks hoping that holds true.  Considered stopping in Atlantic City today, but then the run to Cape May on Sunday would be in building seas. Instead, we're opting to make this haul in one long run.  There's currently 12 hours of daylight and we're looking at a 13 hour plus trip at our normal cruising speed so decide best option is leaving pre-dawn.  A 5AM departure eliminates running our first hour directly east into the rising sun and should get us into Cape May with a bit of daylight to set the anchor.  It is dark out at 5AM with no moon.

Predeparture check of engine and instruments.  Still pretty dark out

Heading out Raritan Bay as the lights of Manhattan
shine behind the Verrazano-Narrows bridge 

We slip the mooring line and follow the Navionics Autoroute function to guide us out the harbor.  Then across Raritan Bay using the channel lights and our electronics.  Make it safely around Sandy Hook and out into the vast Atlantic Ocean.  No turning back now - only a few safe inlets along the NJ coast and even they have certain shoaling issues and are on my 'avoid if possible' list.  Thankfully, daylight is starting as the horizon begins to lighten.  

Dawn is approaching out on the horizon

Sun is getting closer to breaking through

Clouds holding back the sun for a bit longer

Seas are not as comfortable as we had hoped.  A bit confused with SW swells but NE winds.  Not terrible but Otto is having a hard time driving a straight line even with the stabilizers engaged. With open waters and no visible reference points on the horizon, he still drives a better course than me and no way I could self-drive the boat in these conditions all day. We're running 3-5 miles offshore so the beach is still visible as we pass Asbury Park, Barnegat Inlet, Seaside Heights, and Atlantic City. 

Running alongside Seaside Heights, NJ while the day was still young

 

Barnegat Inlet Lighthouse

Atlantic City

Really not that much to see on a day like this. Instead, we stay fixated on the VHF radio. Coast Guard is responding to a MayDay call for a boat taking on water 21 miles offshore.   Coordinates put it off the south shore of Long Island so nothing we can do to help. Ultimately a NY Police helicopter and a fast response Coast Guard Search and Rescue team is dispatched.  We only hear the Coast Guard side of the radio transmissions.  The other boater is too far away.  Eventually they locate him and are even able to tow his boat safely back to shore.  Good to know we can count on them in an emergency. 

After passing the entrance to Atlantic City, the seas felt a little more subdued.  Maybe true, maybe we're just getting used to the swells.  Well past the halfway point for the day.  Keeping an eye on the weather as a front is approaching. Rain is forecast about the time we anchor. Entrance into Cape May is a wide, jettied, easy entrance, so no drama there.  The anchorage is only a bit further into the harbor and already several boats are here. We pick our spot, drop the anchor, let out the chain and feel a tug as the anchor sets. Attach our bridle and let out more chain.  We've got a good 7:1 scope with all chain out so should be set for the night.  Only issue seems to be a nearby sailboat.  We watch him drop anchor a few times and his final set puts him behind us but closer than we would have liked.   We set our anchor alarms and work on dinner and decompressing.   As we're prepping for bed the tide turns swinging us 180 degrees.  Rain arrives with a little wind.   The anchor alarm is showing we've drifted a little.  Sort of expected with the full 180-degree swing but still enough to make me nervous so decide to camp out in the pilothouse for the night to keep an eye on things.   Almost midnight we get a blast of rain and wind, and the anchor alarm is WHOOPING that we've drifted. I check our location and it's true.  We're dragging.  Almost back onto the sailboat.  Feel like I can touch their bow we're so close when we swing.  Awaken Martha from a deep sleep with news we need to up anchor and do it NOW.  Start the engines and don a rain jacket as Martha jolts to the helm and engage our communicators.  Out on the bow I'm getting pelted with the wind driven rain while retrieving the bridle in the pitch dark. The windlass winch is working full speed hauling up chain.  No concerns for if its mud covered or not. With the anchor loose we're drifting back towards the sailboat. I give Martha instructions to use more power to get us moving against the current and wind.  She expertly takes us up behind a fishing boat that had come in late that has a bright spotlight burning to use as a reference. That spotlight is a Godsend as it's the only reference point we have in the blackness of the night.  Once in position I release the anchor and start feeding out chain.  We're drifting back fast but the anchor grabs solidly as we feel the sudden lurch of the boat being stopped.  Attach the bridle and put more chain out. Couple quick reverse blasts to further set the anchor.  Boats are around us, but nobody is too close. Seems we've avoided a potential disaster as we could have started a chain reaction and taken out 3-4 boats that were lined up further behind us. Back in the pilothouse I'm soaking wet and fully awake.  Reset the anchor alarms again and start monitoring for any drift.  We look to be holding stationary.  Out of the wet clothes and back at the helm things have quieted down.  The rain has eased up, and winds have reduced.  Next morning I check, and we had 25 knot winds that pushed through with the rain.  Gusts were higher.  No rest for the weary the balance of the night as paranoia has set in about dragging again or another blast of weather.  Quick cat naps in between 1/2 hour checks.  Sunrise never looked so good when it arrived. Just a bit of drama added to a long exhausting day and another boating story to add to our repertoire!

Journey for Sept. 27, 2025

Crossed our Wake in NYC - Maps of our Travels

 Maps of our Boating Adventures

Technically we crossed our wake in New York Harbor after spending two summers up here.  

In 2024 we completed the Triangle Loop and explored the Western Erie Canal.  This trip took us up the Hudson River, continuing up through Lake Champlain, hitting the St. Lawrence River and turning left with a stop in Montreal.   Then journeying over to Ottawa where we picked up the historic Rideau canal and locks which took us down to Kingston and Lake Ontario.  Across the lake, up the Oswego canal to the Erie Canal.  Turned right and headed out the western section to its terminus in Tonawanda.  Return trip on the Erie had us detour to explore the Seneca Cayuga Canal before putting the boat in winter storage in Brewerton NY.  To truly close the loop on the Triangle Loop most boaters would continue east on the Erie Canal back to the Hudson River and cross their wakes there, but we had actually already traversed that portion of the triangle (the base) when we were doing the Great Loop in 2019.

In 2025 we completed the Down East Circle Loop (DECL). Left Brewerton and retraced our way out the Oswego canal to Lake Ontario.  Followed the shoreline to the St. Lawrence River.  Made stops at Montreal and Quebec.  Then on to Tadoussac and a trip up the Saguenay Fjord.   Out the end of the St. Lawrence riding the southern shore and around the Gaspe Peninsula and New Brunswick.  Over to Prince Edward Island and then onto Cape Breton and Bras D'or Lake.  Finally cross over and run the Nova Scotia coast before making the big jump across the Bay of Fundy to Maine. Then down the New England Coast and through the Cape Cod canal. Final leg is the Long Island Sound which takes us through New York City to eventually cross our starting point.

Map of Triangle Loop and Down East Loop

This map includes the bigger picture of our boating adventures which also shows the route for America's Great Loop - a circumnavigation of the eastern half of North America.  

Great Loop, Triangle Loop, Western Erie Canal and Down East Loop

Swapping out our white (in process) DECL burgee with a gold (completed) one 

Friday Sept. 26, 2025 Through NYC a New Way

Friday Sept. 26, 2025   Port Jefferson, NY to Great Kills, NY   38 miles and 4.5 hours 

Our previous transits through NYC have always been from south to north. We would leave Great Kills Harbor on Staten Island and pass along Manhattan going up the Hudson River.  Today will be our first time entering from the Long Island Sound and going down the East River and the back side of Manhattan.   The long day yesterday provides us a shorter day today so a much-needed extra hours sleep before heading out.  Nice to just slip the mooring line and go. Weather has improved dramatically with forecasts for light winds and developing sunshine.

The rising sun casts a warm glow on our mooring field
 in Manhasset Bay prior to departure

Out Manhasset Bay and onto the sound.  Turn to port and we're soon passing Little Neck Bay and my old stomping grounds as a kid. Interesting to see features from the perspective of the water.  I can make out the apartment buildings where I had my first (underaged) job - delivering newspapers.  There's Fort Totten - now a NYC park. Then under the  Throgs Neck Bridge - something I saw lit up every night on the way to bed out the 3rd floor window of our house in Bayside.  Lots of good memories growing up there in the 60's.  

Throgs Neck Bridge with the city in the distance. 
 It's the first of many bridges we'll pass today

The old Stepping Stones lighthouse as we approach the bridge.
Built in 1876-1877 it was one of the last lighthouses constructed of brick and stone 

Fort Totten at the waters edge with apartments in the background

The timing of our trip is terrible.  We'll be against currents all day. This route takes us through Hells Gate - an area appropriately named where the Long Island Sound, East River and Harlem Rivers join.  A notorious passage filled with eddies and whirlpools where currents can build to 5 knots.  On top of that there's the constant barrage of the fast ferries to monitor going in front, behind and around us. Our guidebooks all suggest passage during slack tide, but we have no other option today and figure we can use the available combined 1000HP's of our engines if needed to power through.  There are a few times we do need to push the throttles forward to get us quickly through an area. Try not to do it too much as we then kick up a large wake.

The first of many fast ferries we'll encounter today

Arrival pattern for LaGuardia Airport crosses right over us

At Roosevelt Island we're diverted by numerous law enforcement boats blocking the normal western and more scenic passage and requiring that we use the eastern passage.  The UN General Assembly is in session, so boats are not allowed down that side.   No real drama until we approach the Roosevelt Island Bridge (i.e. The old historic Welfare Island Bridge).  It only crosses the eastern passage and is a lift bridge.  Normally closed with a height of 40' so not an issue for us but apparently when the UN is in session and all boats use the east channel the bridge is set at the open 100' level.  Two sailboats heading toward us suddenly swerve just as they approach the bridge making 90 degree turns in front of us.  Now they're dead slow fighting against the current as we're being dragged towards them with the current.  They just as quickly realize they can make it under the bridge and cut their boats around again. We all pass OK but it's a bit unsettling.

Hells Gate Railroad Bridge and Robert F Kennedy Bridge in distance

Churning waters of Hells Gate 

Roosevelt Island Lighthouse at the north end.
West passage to the right, east passage to the left

Despite the churning waters the patrol boats make sure we all divert to the east channel

Now the fun begins.  The  Roosevelt Bridge is CLEARLY in the lifted position.
Why is the sailboat on my side of the channel?

And WHY are you turning 90 degrees directly in front of me
 with the current forcing me towards you?

We make it through OK and head under the (Ed Koch) Queensboro Bridge

Make our way to the end of Roosevelt Island. The UN building is now visible with more patrol boats.  This is lower Manhattan on a weekday so lots of ferry activity. Pass under a few more bridges and then under the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.  

United Nations Building. More patrol boats guarding the waters 

Large ferries like in the distance plus the fast ferries scooting about keep us
 perpetually on the lookout visually as well as electronically with AIS 

Last couple of bridges.  The Manhattan and the Brooklyn

Lady Liberty and the Staten Island Ferry Terminal coming into view

A peak at lower Manhattan as we approach the Brooklyn Bridge

And looking behind with One World Trade Center in the background

Leaving NYC behind

We do not pass in front of the Statue of Liberty today but can see her off to our starboard.  Instead, we pass around Governors Island and make way through Upper New York Bay headed for the last bridge of the day - the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The Narrows was obviously a strategic defensive sight for protecting NYC and the entire Hudson River area as evidenced by Forts Tompkins and Fort Wadsworth on the western shore and Fort Hamilton on the eastern shores. 

Passing by The Statue of Liberty

Last bridge of the day. The Verrazano- Narrows

Fort Wadsworth protected invasion from the sea while
 Fort Tompkins up on the hill protected the lower fort from invasion by land

The forts sit nestled right under the base of the bridge

 Once clear of the bridge a slight turn to starboard gets us into Raritan Bay and we set a heading for Great Kills Harbor on Staten Island.  Stayed here several times before.  Great protected harbor.  Several marinas but we opt to take a mooring ball since the harbor launce service is still operating until October.  Also makes it very easy for an early morning departure. The launch gets us to shore by early afternoon, so time for a late lunch followed by a trip to Frank and Sal's.  This small Italian Market is a must stop for us when passing through.  We load up with the usual.  NY crumb cake, Italian bread, Italian cookies, bagels, pre-made eggplant rollups, meatballs, assorted olives, and then some staples.   Launch service gives us a quick return to the boat in time to catch another sunset before calling it a day.  With the sun setting so early, once it gets dark we're ready to hit the sack.  That's more important than usual tonight as we need a good night's sleep for an early departure and long day of cruising tomorrow around NJ.

Crazy colorful sunset tonight

Lit up these clouds in amazing shades of pinks and purple

While these clouds got the orange and red treatment

Journey for Sept. 26, 2025

Thurs. Sept. 25, 2025 Long Day Through the Long Island Sound

 Thurs. Sept. 25, 2025   Mystic Seaport, Conn  to Port Washington, NY  106 miles and 10.8 hours

The tropics are not getting any better. Gabrielle stayed far enough out to sea it was a non-event for us. But Humberto is coming with another wave forming behind it.  My weather apps continue to say get around NJ on Saturday and up the Delaware Bay on Sunday. If not, we'll be stuck on Long Island Sound for at least another 10-14 days before a suitable weather window opens. So we're pushing hard with some long travel days.  Not happy that we'll be skipping visits to all of the Long Island Sound areas but putting the crew and ships safety is priority at this point. Funny thing about boating schedules. The weather always plays a major part.  Our original master schedule had us arriving in NYC at the beginning of October.  So we're not that far off - actually early.  The odd thing was we had been running 1-2 weeks behind our schedule until the last few days.  Makes it pretty obvious we had planned on spending more time in the area and may require a return visit in the future. 

Early morning departure from Mystic catching the first highway bridge opening at 7:40. Rainy overnight and it continued as we departed.  Fairly heavy a few times while making way through the mooring fields but after a few hours it stopped and just remained overcast.  

Nasty looking rain, but at least it wasn't wind driven

Once through this radar indicated blob we had only
overcast skies and building winds

 Winds from the S-SW at 10-15 gusting to 25-30.   Trip is all open water crossing with not much to see but the distant shorelines.   Late morning in the middle of the sound the wind and waves picked up dramatically.  SW winds have us pounding into the waves.  We alter course to ride closer to the NY side which offered a bit more protection.  We arrive at Port Jefferson entrance at 2PM and decide to make this a longer day and head to Port Washington instead.  The tradeoff is a shorter day on Friday as we head through NYC for Great Kills.  

Execution Rock Lighthouse.  Numerous unsubstantiated tales for how it got its name
including convicted murderers were shackled to the rocks at low tide and left to drown.  

Some high rise buildings around the New Rochelle area (?)

Things are settling down a bit once we hit Port Washington but still some wind and chop as we grab the line to an open municipal mooring ball.  So much easier than anchoring as long as we know the moorings are well maintained like these.   Long exhausting day so we're in bed early and sleep soundly getting ready for the busy transit of NYC.  

Secured to our mooring.  Big mooring field in a large harbor so still enough
fetch for some wind driven chop.

Journey for Sept. 25, 2025

Tuesday Sept 23, 2025 Bumpy Ride to Mystic Seaport Museum

 Tues - Wed. Sept. 23-24, 2025  Silvershell Beach to Mystic Seaport Museum 78 miles and 8 hours

Tuesday:  Not an ideal forecast for today's trip, but it wasn't going to improve for a few days so we bit the bullet and headed out.  It was so nice to pull up an anchor that had set in a sandy bottom instead of mud. Everything just comes up clean and hardly even requires a washdown.   Makes our departures time so much faster than pulling up 2' of chain at a time and hosing all the sticky mud off.  Then pulling up another 2' and repeat until all 75-100' of chain is in the locker.   So that was a positive to start the day.  Between Buzzards Bay and Mystic River is a stretch of open water with a long fetch of open Atlantic Ocean.  

Open stretches of Buzzards Bay generate constant winds.
No surprise they are installing wind turbines. 

This open stretch builds bigger waves, and the forecast was 4' SE swells with a decent period topped with a SW 2' wave on a short period.   Winds are SW 10-15 with gusts to 25. Normally a no-go day for us.  Would not be a pleasure cruise.  Just a nasty day of boating.  Up one wave, down the next, big splashes and wind driven water constantly covering the windshield.  Boat handles it fine. Took us until the next day to finally get rid of the wobbles and walk straight.

Summer cottage along the shore 

This is one massive rip rap project - assume if you can afford the house,
you can afford all that rock

Watch  Lighthouse

Morgan Point Lighthouse approaching Mystic

Things did settle down as we approached Mystic and got some protection from Fishers Island. Coming into Mystic is a sight.  The river channel winds around a bit so following the channel markers is critical.   Finding the markers amidst all the moored boats is the hard part. On approach it seems the entire area is one solid mass of marinas, moorings and boats. And it goes on and on through a no wake zone. To get to the museum we need to pass through a railroad swing bridge - normally open unless a train is coming. Then a bascule road bridge that only opens once an hour at 40 minutes past the hour.  We had been timing our arrival and even ran for about an hour at cruising speed to stay on time. 

Railroad Bridge was open on approach but we hailed the operator
 to advise we would be passing -got short gruff reply

Female operator at the Highway lift bridge was much more friendly.

Tourists out watching boats pass through the bridge

 Mystic Seaport Museum also has docks where you can stay.  A bit pricey but it includes admission to the museum and also allows you to walk around the exhibits after hours when the tourists are finally gone.  Got docked by 3PM which left time to give the boat a much-needed rinse to remove all that saltiness.  Quick walk around the grounds and then downtown Mystic for dinner and some ice cream.  Not sure how crazy this place is during the summer but plenty of tourists still walking around this night.  

Journey for Sept. 23, 2025

Wednesday: I remember coming to Mystic Seaport as a kid when we lived in NY.   It was an outing with our cub scout troop to show you how long ago it was.   The museum was founded back in 1929 and is considered the premier location for authentic refurbishment of historical wooden ships.  The museum has a collection of historic buildings set up as a town street showcasing the various trades required to support the shipyards. 

Main Street in Mystic Village - each business a unique museum
 showcasing the businesses required to support the shipbuilding business

The cooperage - making barrels for storing water, whale oil, foods, etc. aboard ship

The Shipsmith shop for nails, hoops, hooks, harpoons, etc.

Once a whale was spotted a crew of 3 would row these boats out, harpoon it,
get the ride of their life until the whale was exhausted, do a final kill,
wrap a rope around the tail and tow the beast back to the ship for processing.

Along with the museums which are very fascinating they have a group of craftsmen who maintain a true old fashioned shipyard and use as many traditional hand tools as possible. Currently working on several vessels. The largest is a $4 million multi-year full restoration of the Susan Constant for the Jamestown Settlement.  Very interesting in that you can tour inside the boat to see the work being performed. 

The Susan Constant up on blocks for restoration

New keel attached. Now working on ribs, then the planking, then the deck

Red ribs are replacements.  Many more to go.  Question often asked -
If you replace the keel, ribs, planks, decks and mast -
Is it a refurbishment or a new construction??

Much of the museum is focused on the local shipbuilding trades which was primarily whaling ships.  Their featured ship is the Charles M. Morgan which is the last remaining whaling ship.  Learned a lot about whaling I never knew.  Such as a typical whaling voyage lasted 2-1/2 to 5 years with the ship often times traveling the world and not returning until it had filled it's hold with barrels of whale oil.  Typically required killing at least 50-60 whales.  Blubber was cut off and boiled down right there and then on the ship, then placed in casks in the hold. It's estimated from her logs books that the Morgan killed roughly 1200 whales during her days at sea. She was part of a fleet of 2500 whaling ships.  Do the math and its amazing there are any whales still remaining.   

Selfie station in front of the Charles M. Morgan

Typical crew was 36 men.  All paid at end of the trip with a percentage
 of profits based on their position.  Hard work and crowded conditions. 

Growing up on Long Island I always knew the area was a whaling center.  Just never realized how few whales were found here.  It was simply the shipyards and home ports for many whaling vessels. 

The wood carving shop - they hold classes to teach you this skill or many others

A collection of ships figureheads - amazingly diverse

Classic figurehead of a women that was on a large private yacht in the picture

Overall, a fun educational day and worth the extra day spent here. Could certainly spend several days here fully exploring all they have to offer.