Sept 12
We see 2 knots of current today in our favor with a North
wind that is to hold to 10 or less. At 1 pm the following sea is building to
2-3 feet and we are in yesterday’s situation. We pull in to anchor but have
zero protection so we end up at dock again. What a waste of a great day.
We dock at Half Moon Bay for the night. Later in the day
Daybreak pulls in like we did to avoid the rough river chop of the Hudson.
Sept 13
The next morning we head to NY with the potential for
rain but we feel it will hold off until later in the afternoon allowing us to
get docked and relax. It is Saturday and the traffic in NY Harbor is heavy with
sightseer’s ferries, taxis, sailing school and races in the channel. We get
docked early and get everything put to bed just prior to the rains. The rain
set in for the day and evening. We are staying at the Liberty Landing Marina on
the New Jersey side of the harbor. To get to Manhattan we need to take a ferry
across. We did this the last time we were here by boat and met Alice’s cousin.
This time we will explore the New Jersey side. We are right next to Liberty
Park which is about 110 acres right on the Hudson River. Liberty Scientific
Museum is right here and is quite a sight.
Day break is using the same marina. We discuss approach
to the next week’s travels as we both are trying to get home. He goes to the
Chesapeake and of course we want New Bern.
Sept 14
Alice does laundry and then we walk to the potential
anchorage we may use if we are stuck in NY for the next week. The anchorage is
behind the Statue of Liberty but next to Liberty Park about a mile further in
to shore. We never would have found it if we had not walked there. Of course
now we have to walk about 1 3/4 miles return to the marina. The boss is not
happy with this 4 mile excursion. We relax for a bit and then take the ferry
across the canal to supper. Nice places that are local spots frequented by the
neighborhood.
We only have one day next week that the Atlantic will let
us run nicely and that is Monday. So we decide to get to Atlantic City via the
Intracoastal Waterway. We go outside to
Manasquan and then inside to Atlantic City. Then we pray for moderation on the
Atlantic.
Sept 15
We head out early to Manasquan, NJ a 40 mile trip hoping
to make the inlet prior to high tide so we can continue inside to Atlantic City
with the high tide keeping us from going aground. We plan to anchor at the end
of Barnegat Bay by 4 pm.
Daybreak is running behind us and a trawler calls to ask
him a question about his boat and he recommends just going on to Barnegat Inlet
and save some time. That is where he is going for the evening. He also says his
forecast for Tuesday has the Atlantic laying down some from today and we could
possibly make Cape May on Tuesday. That would be great as we could spend the weekend
in Annapolis. He has vast experience
with the inlet and says it is really quite easy. We are riding 2-4 foot seas on
our port stern quarter and need to maintain 10 knots to keep from getting
rolled all the time. His suggestion would cut 2 hours off the trip so we go for
it.
Barnegat Inlet is not that bad but if you had SW winds
and an outgoing tide it could be a bear. As it was it was not hard at all and
we had no trouble getting back in the bay to anchor.
Anchored in Barnegat Bay
Kenny took these 5 pictures as we left New York Harbor
It was early
coming at us
Sept 16
Tuesday was another story. Forecast called for 2-3 seas
from the East with a 13 second period. Will we got 2-4 building to 3-5 from the
SE right on our port quarter. We finally had to slow down to 6-7 knots and
still we were hammered. It took 4 hours to do 25 miles and I wandered if we
would make that.
The Hatteras 48 left a few hours after us and he got hit
hard with 30 knot winds. Bouncing so hard he lost his Boston Whaler Dinghy
right off the top of his boat. The
straps actually broke that held the dinghy to it davits.
We left early and that saved us from the major part of
the storm.
We are stuck here until at least Monday unless something
changes. Given those conditions I got a Retina specialist appointment for
tomorrow, rented a car to get there and will change oil while we sit here.
Sept 17
We dinghy over to Gardner’s Marina which is part of the
Atlantic City Aquarium. They graciously have allowed us to leave the dinghy
there all day while we get groceries, oil, and make my Dr. appointment in the
afternoon. Enterprise picks us up at 8:30 am and we go check out the car and do
some of the shopping. 8 gallons of oil, bottled water, my ICE lemonade drink
looks like a dinghy full for the first time. We head back to the marina to
unload and deliver to the boat.
Daybreak calls and he has talked to Tow Boat US and they
say we can make it to Cape May on the inside, intracoastal, using high tides
only but it will take a while.
I tell Kenny we cannot go until the am as I will not miss
the Retina shot now, so he should go ahead and we will see him later down the
pike.
As we dinghy across the channel we see Tonic the Hatteras
going to sea side. Once we unload the dingy onto the boat I call Kenny and he
is seaside in 4 foot swells 16 seconds apart and making great time. I check the
weather forecast and we should have the same for tomorrow. The Lords helping
Alice get home.
We finish shopping for real groceries and load the
dinghy. Alice sits on the dinghy and I take the car back. We finally finish
loading the boat by 6 pm, so we will change oil another day.
Sept 18
We are off at 6:30 am to check out the weather on the
Atlantic. Just like they called for, 10 knot winds from the West, 4 foot swells
13-16 seconds apart from the SE. We burn fuel as we try to make Cape May by 11
am and fill with fuel at Utsch’s marina. We leave at 11:45 am to a rising tide
in Delaware Bay and an even to half knot current advantage. If we burn fuel we
can make the whole trip before dark and miss the small craft warnings for
tomorrow.
We make Summit North Marina in the middle of the C+D
canal by 6:30 pm and tuck in for the night.
We plan to get up early clean the boat in and out and
make 15 miles to an anchorage before the weather turns really nasty.
Blue Heron sitting in a tree next to our boat at the Summit North Marina
Sept 19
Morning shows a few more minor repairs than we knew we
had so we decide we better sit here and fix the problems before moving on. I
need electric for the drill not only for repairs but also for the oil pump.
The bolts on the port fender holder have sheared off and
must be drilled and tapped for new bolts. Try this without a vice or drill
press, especially since you are working with stainless and bolts ¼ inch or
smaller.
By staying here for the oil change we can leave the
containers at the marina and only have to carry the used oil until we find
someone to take it.
Sept 20
Up nice and early again with a 63 mile run to West Creek,
just below Annapolis. We have a nice run with neutral current for the most part
until we hit the Baltimore area. Then we remember it is Saturday and the
tourist trade is out. Waves are now 2-3 foot from all directions for the next
10-15 miles as power and sail take their time at leisure.
Two big sail boat races outside of Annapolis in 10 knot
or less wind. They must be big time as a 70-100 foot ferry has a boat load
watching the one race. They are stacked outside as far as South river so we are
careful as we pass through.
We decide to not go into West River proper as that is
Galesville and probably quite full for the weekend. Instead we use an off shoot
called Rhode River with 2-3 promising hideaways. We skip the first possible as
too open to the river traffic and go ½ mile further turn to port and it must be
a great place as we see 20-30 boats already anchored. We still have the weekend
river traffic to live with until 8 pm but we are totally protected.
Sept 21.
We leave the anchorage at Rhode River at 7 am heading for
the Solomon’s. We have a 40 mile trip with 1 foot or less waves, a ½ knot
current in our favor, and a good spot to stay anchored until the foul weather
blows through on Monday and Tuesday.
We fuel up at Carver Marina as they are $3.50 a gallon
and we will not see cheap fuel again until Norfolk, 2-3 days away.
We anchor up St. Johns Creek in a small, 1 boat only
please, cove called Lusby cove. Small hills on all sides in a residential area
should protect us from the coming 20-25 knot winds.
Sept 22
We look to be stuck for more than 1-2 days. Solomon’s
weather today was reporting 20 knot NW winds gusting to 25/30. We saw maybe 15 in gusts in our anchorage.Tomorrow has
seas at 2-3 foot and the same on Wednesday. Below us on the bay they are calling for
3-4 foot waves thru Friday. Well if we had to be stuck this is the place. Great
anchorage and supplies an easy 1-2 mile dinghy ride in the creek. We will see.
We will dinghy around tomorrow getting into the tourist trade for something to do.
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