July 26, 2026 Returning to My Birthplace

 Friday  July 24, 2026   Port Washington to Northport Harbor.   33 miles and 4.5 hours

Started the day by heading over to the town dock and their pump-out machine.  The harbor pump-out boat tried on Thursday, but his unit just didn't have sufficient vacuum.   One on the dock worked great. Only obstacle was needing to use it at high tide to have deep enough water alongside the dock. Hit it perfect about 9:40 and were on our way by 10.  Nice, pleasant cruise.  Sunny, upper 70's, light winds and calm seas.    A few boats out but plenty of water here for everyone.  Passed a few small fishing boats in 40+ feet with long handled tongs raking the bottom.  Clams, Mussels, Scallops, Oysters???  No idea but looked like way too much work.  

Passing 1848 Execution Rock Lighthouse with its granite lightkeeper's house.
 Supposedly named due to executions by the British during the Revolutionary War.
Completely unverified.

Sorting his "catch"

Having pulled up the long handle he's just about ready to bring the rake on board.

Worked our way out and around Manhasset Neck, past Hempstead Harbor, across Oyster Bay and around Lloyd Neck, then down Huntington Bay and Northport Bay and finally arriving at Northport Harbor.  Actually, not that simple for us finding our mooring.   Always interesting going towards a very crowded new harbor.  Got ourselves confused with their instructions to turn to starboard at Red Nun 6.  Big difference between Red 6 in Northport BAY vs Red 6 in Northport HARBOR.  Had us circling around a few times before figuring it out.   You can see the added maneuvering on our trip map before finding mooring CYC 801.  Our family has some history in this area.  Maternal grandparents had a house just on the other side of the power plant when I was very young.  Was born at nearby Huntington Hospital. Our Aunt Helen, my dad's sister, and her family lived in nearby Loyd Harbor.  

The iconic 4 smokestacks from the LILCO power plant overlooking the harbor

This is an amazingly crowded and tight mooring field.  Surprised at how few open moorings are available. Three different launch services in the harbor getting calls non-stop.  Glad we made reservations as radio chatter has boats being turned away due to lack of availability.  Finally find our assigned mooring and get hooked up. We're set for the weekend with a front row seat to a constant parade of boats as our mooring ball is right on the channel.  Relaxed the rest of the day.   Watching the junior sailing program prams being towed back to the clubhouse is entertaining. They start them sailing young here.  Reminds you of a bunch of ducklings hurrying behind their mother. Will spend Saturday exploring town. 

Northport Harbor Mooring Field

Junior sailors being towed back to the yacht club

"Captain" busy taking pictures as "Crew" works to grab the mooring ball lines.

Our neighbors in the mooring field

Saturday, we took the launch into town for a little exploring.  Farmers Market in full force.  Not huge, but a nice selection of items. Tempted by the pretzel stand and jelly donuts at the bakery stand. We look but don't buy - such self control!!.  Disappointed that no one had some really nice tomatoes. Maybe we just got there too late.  Town was packed with cars and people.   Not a particularly big town.  Primarily one street of shops and restaurants.   Town has maintained their old "white asphalt" Main Street.  Sort of a concrete aggregate.  Interesting thing is the old trolley rails still remain.  Wonderful waterfront park.  Locals just set up chairs in the shade and watch the world go by. We check out the gift shops, galleries, brewery, etc.  Opted for a late lunch at Main Street Cafe.  Big portions but a bit disappointing meal.  We are welcome to use the yacht club facilities and had considered dinner there, but they have a strict "proper dress" code. Little too stuffy sounding for us casual boaters. Plus, we were still full of lunch.

Main Street Northport with old trolley track still running down the street

Newest addition to Main Street integrates well with its historic look. 
The boutique Northport Hotel.  Just 26 rooms at $600 a night!

Always enjoy seeing a bit of maritime history. The old marine railway at Seymor's Boat Yard.
Big drum winch in shed would pull the cradle up or down via a cable to launch or retrieve boats. 

Northport Yacht Club lit up for a Saturday night.

Full moon rising over the harbor

Sunday we opted for an educational excursion.  Launch to town then Uber to the Vanderbilt Museum. Situated on 43 acres of waterfront property called Eagles Nest.  An eclectic Spanish Revival 24-room mansion built by William K. Vandebilt II starting in 1910 with additions added through 1936 to provide space for his growing collections.   Includes the mansion, a boathouse, a seaplane hangar, and his separate 2-story marine and natural history museum.

Vandebilt mansion as seen from the water

Impressive entrance to the building

Wonderful view from the grounds

Additions to the main house were made to display his ever-increasing collections.

Artifacts from all corners of the world.  Part of his mission was to collect artwork
and handicrafts from native tribes before western civilization made these skills obsolete.

He truly created his own private museum with multiple diorama's

3,000 year old mummy of a believed 20-year old female
 purchased from a Cairo antiques dealer in 1931.

His early years were filled with motorcar racing and sailing yacht racing.   He launched the Vanderbilt Cup, the first major trophy in American auto racing in 1904.  Later he took to motor yachts.  Most famous being the Ava and the Alva. These were used for several around-the-world cruises. Big game excursions in Africa, south pacific islands, a mummy from Egypt, all manner of fowl and fish were collected, taxidermized and added to his collection.   Upon his death in 1944 at age 65 from heart ailments, his will stipulated that Eagle Nest would be given to Suffolk County for use as a museum.     

The Marine Museum.  Houses his taxidermized collection of marine species
from his around the world cruises

Every wall covered with fish mounts. 
 Each case from a different part of the world. 
Loved the plaster crown molding motif - crabs and scallop shells

32' whale shark caught off Fire Island in 1935
 is the world's largest example of fish taxidermy

Walked the .5 miles from the museum to Centerport Yacht Club to grab the launch back to town for dinner.  This one at The Ritz Cafe.  Martha with 1/2 a lobster stuffed with shrimp salad and John with chicken marsala.  Both outstanding.  Then back to the boat for one last night on the mooring ball.  Weather has been delightful with sunshine and 80 degrees. Some amazing sunsets while here.  Looks like it's coming to an end with the extended forecast calling for a few days of winds and rain.  We'll head out in the morning to find a good place to anchor and chill.

Last rays of sunshine for the day

Journey for July 24, 2026

July 23, 2026 On to Long Island Sound

Thursday July 23, 2026   Through NYC and on to Port Washington   

Monday July 20, 2026  Great Kills, NY to Port Washington, NY  38 miles and 3.5 hours

A rainy Saturday in Great Kills had us simply staying on the boat and chilling.  Lots of rain, some gusty winds and a good lightning show.  The multiple rain showers gave the boat a free wash taking away any salt buildup from our offshore passage. Good part was the front pushed away all that smoke that had been a nuisance for the last week, Sunday was a gorgeous day with blue sky, light winds and temps barely hitting 80.  We took the launch service to shore and walked into town.  Headed straight to Frank and Sal's Italian market.  Martha grabbed the last package of NY Crumb Cake while I got on the line for the deli case.  Not a very big store but there's always been a crowd whenever we've been here. Even at 1PM on a Sunday there's a line of locals speaking Italian back and forth to the counter helpers.  Huge array of pre-made items.  Meatballs, Chicken Parm, Eggplant roll-ups, and some sautéed Broccoli Rabe (rapini in Italian) made it into our basket.  Grabbed a fresh loaf of Italian Bread and we were set.   Stopped at Goodfellows for an award-winning pizza on the way back.  Made with a typical NY style crust but topping was vodka sauce with mozzarella, smoked gouda and asiago cheeses and topped with sausage, onions, mushrooms, and peppers (red, yellow and green).  Tasty enough and rather unique but still need to get some REAL NY pizza on this trip.   Monday turned out another gorgeous day.  Blue sky and light winds.  Perfect for the trip past NYC.  Waited until 10AM to drop the lines off the mooring so we could catch a favorable current.  Critical today as we'll head through the notorious Hells Gate.   When we arrived at Great Kills we could barely see the Verrazano Bridge with no sign of the NYC skyline due to the smoke.  Today with fresh clean air it all lay ahead clearly visible.  Good progress up to and under the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge. 

Clear sky provides a good view of the Verrazano Bridge and NYC

Civil war era Fort Richmond at base of the bridge

Then jump in front of the 150' yacht Usher to hug the shoreline around Brooklyn. Pass Governors Island and start up the East River.  We had to use the less scenic eastern side around Roosevelt Island when headed south after our Down East Loop last year since the UN General Assembly was in session which requires closing off the western branch.   No UN today so get to use the main branch which takes us directly past the UN and along the back side of Manhattan.  Narrow water and with a rising tide the current is giving us a generous 2-3 mph push.  Our AIS is staying busy warning us about the high-speed ferries shooting all around.  

M/V Usher continued up the Hudson

Lady Liberty off our port side as we turn to starboard and head up the East River

Passing Governors Island with Lower Manhattan in background

Brooklyn Bridge - One World Trade Center in background

Funky architecture, high speed ferries, and Empire State Building

United Nations Building

Roosevelt Island Lighthouse and start of Hells Gate

Heading for the Triborough Bridge and Hells Gate Bridge

We plod along going from one bridge to the next.  Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, Queensboro Bridge, Triborough Bridge, Hells Gate Bridge, Bronx- White Stone Bridge. As we approach Hells Gate where the East River meets the waters of the Long Island Sound, we begin picking up speed.  At one point over 5 mph extra.   Plenty of turbulent water with swells and uprisings that push us around.   Doesn't last long but it's understandable that low powered or slow boats do not want to go through here against the maximum current.  By 1PM we're under the last bridge.  With the Throgs Neck Bridge and my old NY neighborhood behind we pass out onto the open waters of the sound.

Under the Throgs Neck Bridge - Bronx on the left, Queens on the right.
Merchant Marine Academy in background.

Steppingstone Lighthouse built 1877 welcomes us to the Long Island Sound

A short ride later and we're turning to starboard and into the protection of Manhasset Bay passing the shoreline mansions that occupy Great Neck.  F. Scott Fitgerald lived there for several years during the early 1920's and that experience helped provide the setting for his famous The Great Gatsby novel.   Arrive at the Port Washington mooring field and get ourselves secured and checked in with the harbormaster. Port Washington is a town that caters to transient boaters with very reasonably priced mooring and a free water taxi service.  Just $35/night.  We were concerned there might not be a mooring left for us as they are "first come - first served" and there is no limit on length of stay.  But we had a choice of 5-6 available ones. 

Great Neck still abounds with modern mansions

With our early arrival and knowing we would probably be boat-bound Tuesday with rain we opted to head to town for an afternoon walkabout.  Surprisingly, there's not much on Main Street directly on the waterfront but it then loops around and uphill to town.    Not an overly scenic street. Shops and businesses.  Seems like every possible ethnic restaurant.  Pubs, Seafood, French, Italian, Mediterranean, Indian, Greek, Peruvian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Sushi, Bubble Teas, Ice Cream, etc.   Somehow - no craft brewery!!   We make it to the far side of town and grab a slice of plain cheese pizza at Carlo's.  The true test of good NY style and it passes with flying colors. Tasty tomato sauce, right amount of cheese, thin crust that's easily foldable.  Next stop is Finn MacCools for a local IPA draft and some wings.  Back to the town dock and catch the water taxi back to the boat.  Chill the rest of the day and watch the sun set over the harbor and out to the Sound.  

Main Street thru Port Washington

Nice sunset view out the harbor

Port Washington free water taxi

As expected, woke up to overcast sky and windy conditions on Tuesday.   Rain forecasted but most of it seems to be staying just north of us. We take advantage of a leisurely day on the boat with some housekeeping chores and catching up on the blog.  Dinner is finally a feast of Italian dishes from Frank and Sal's.  We have enough leftovers for two more meals.  Couple of heavy rain squalls finally develop.  Not long lived but intense as each band passes through.  

 

Storms a Brewing!!

In the thick of a rain band.  Flash Flood Warnings.

Winds whipping making all the boats tug on the mooring lines

Wednesday we decide to explore the area a bit more.  Uber out to the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy.  The original 300-acre property was purchased by Howard Gould in 1900.  He was the son of a financier and railroad baron. He built Gould Castle - a 100,000 square foot summer home fashioned after Castle Kilkenny in Ireland. His wife didn't like it so he built Hempstead House overlooking the sound.  A more modest home at only 50,000 sq ft that was more to her liking. The castle was then used as a carriage house, stable and servant's quarters. During the heyday of the Gold Coast, Hempstead House was supposedly THE place for extravagant parties.  In 1917 the property was sold to the Guggenheims who held it until 1942 when it was given to the Navy.  They utilized the castle for development and testing of electronic devices and simulation equipment for aviation and submarine training. By 1971 the property was considered government surplus and given to Nassau County.  Unfortunately, the castle is not open to visitors and Hempstead House has very limited tours that were not running while we were there. Headed over to the town library which includes a small museum and art gallery.  History here goes well back to the early 1600 Dutch settlers.  Got to remember, before it was ever called New York it was New Amsterdam!

Gould Castle - standing big, bold and fortress like

Central clock tower

Front of much more refined Hempstead House

Three entry arches with delicate and elaborate ornamentation

Each ornamental art piece was unique

Ships, forts, faces, animals

This poor fellow left holding up an outcropping for eternity

The 80' tall tower must have spectacular views out to the sound

Peaked through a window at the interior of the sunroom.
Building is empty as the Guggenheims sold all the furnishing when they left.

View from the back of the house overlooking the gardens and the sound

Back on the boat we watched as he headed out for an evening sail. 

Another sunset.  Thought we lost it behind the clouds

But it popped out in time for a final show.

Thursday was another beautiful blue-sky day with temps just into the 80's.  So nice!  Relaxing day overall.  Hit the Stop and Shop for some provisions. Martha found a hairdresser who could fit her in for a needed salon day.   Finished up the blog and watched another nice sunset.  On to Northport in the AM. 

Journey for July 20, 2026