Sept. 1 - get an early start from Duck Island for Port Jefferson. Prediction is for South winds 5 to 10 knots, but they are West Southwest all the way to Port Jeff (on our nose more or less) until just before we enter Port Jeff and then they pick up and move South a bit. Did 34 nm in about 6.5 hrs. with main and iron jenny. Not bad, not good, but at least the seas were down so that helped. Took a mooring and Kryss and Sam went into town to shop, do chores (laundry) etc. Wayne and Gail (friends from Hampton Bays) came to visit.
Sept. 2 - Left Port Jefferson at 9:00 (very late for us) in calm overcast foggy conditions for Oyster Bay. Seas are calm and we’re motoring along making good time. Get to Oyster Bay so early we decide to push on to Manhasset (jumping off point for trip down East River to Staten Island). Winds continue to be light and seas calm and we get only a drizzle from time to time.
Get into Manhasset by 3:30 and anchor in 10 ft. in Special Anchorage. Will take the day off tomorrow.
Sept. 3 - Hung out in Manhasset Bay. Weather is good. Went into dock for first time to take on some fuel and water. Conditions were benign, dock hand was very knowledgeable and it went smoothly. Big first step. Long time since I brought a sailboat to a dock, and never one this size and weight. Met Kryss’ piano teacher Cathy Callis who drove over to meet us. Took 52 gallons to fill tank, but gauge only shows 3/4 full. So much for fuel gauges. They’re all more or less useless. No Manhasset Bay pix.
Sept. 4 - Big day today. Going down the East River to Great Kills on schedule to be in Staten Island for brother Larry Ambrosino’s son’s wedding on the 6th. Do a lot of research to plan the trip so as to use the tides to our advantage and avoid bad conditions at Hell Gate. Tides from the Narrows into and out of the River move in opposite direction from tides from the Long Island Sound flowing into the East River. Need to time getting into River to ride incoming tide from Sound to Hell Gate, get to Hell’s Gate at more or less slack tide (or else!!!) and then ride outgoing tide from Hell Gate through the Narrows and under the Verrazano Bridge. Everyone has advice how to do it and some of it is conflicting. Found blog advice from a Coast Guard Capt. who calls himself "bubba" that was most helpful, followed his advice to the "t", and it worked out perfectly.
Bright sunny day with moderate wind, we left Manhasset Bay at 7:15 a.m. motoring, got to the Throgs Neck Bridge as planned at 8:00 a.m. and were in Great Kills Harbor at 1:30 p.m. Had the tide with us most of the time, got to Hell Gate at more or less slack tide (as planned), and rode the outgoing tide (did more or less 7 knots at modest engine rpm through New York Harbor and under the Verrazano Bridge) until time to turn NW into Great Kills. Trip down the River was lots of fun, seeing the UN, Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, Freedom Tower, etc. from the water. (I did it once before in the early 70's with my father. That was a long time ago.) Meet our "sponsor" John Ferretti from the Great Kills Yacht Club as we’re coming into Great Kills Harbor and he is coming in on his boat and he leads us in. Spin the boat 180 degrees at the dock to put our starboard side on the dock and bring the boat to the dock for the second day in a row as though I’d been doing it all my life (admittedly conditions are still benign). Anyway, it’s big confidence booster for me. Everyone at the Club is super nice and helpful, what a great bunch of guys. My dad’s accountant Irv. Kratz, who is a sailor and member at Richmond County Yacht Club comes by at the end of the day to see the boat and say hello.
Well, this is a big milestone. 404 Nautical Miles from East Booth Bay, Maine to Great Kills, New York. After a two month delay from our projected departure day from East Booth Bay, we’ve made all of our deadlines for meeting the family along the way and getting to Staten Island on time for the wedding. Very nostalgic for me too. Grew up in Staten Island and my father kept his sailboat at the Richmond County Yacht Club in Great Kills for over 33 years. Kryss and I sailed it out of here a few times, including one time with Kryss’ mother. Took "bro" Larry and his brother Chipper out one time too. Boy did they get seasick (some Marine you are Chipper). Anyway, never thought I’d be back in Great Kills on a boat, but here I am.
Having trouble uploading pix. Will send them along as soon as I can. To be continued.
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