Sept. 5-8. Stayed at Great Kills Yacht Club, went to wedding, visited with Larry and Dorothy and generally "caught our breath".
Sept. 9 - Left Great Kills at about 8 motoring into tide and head wind to Sandy Hook (warships you see in the pix are anchored just outside Atlantic Highlands as we go by); picked up outgoing tide just past Sandy Hook and favorable breeze, put up the sails and finally had a pleasant sail on the way down to Manasquan, albeit that the apparent wind never got more than 45 degrees. Boat sailed very nicely. Got to Manasquan at about 3:30 with an Easterly swell and outgoing tide, which made for a very difficult run through the narrow inlet (wasn’t sure the small boat fishing in the middle of the intlet would make way for us, but he finally did) and we got in safely. The inlet is narrow and frankly, I wouldn’t advise doing what we did, but the timing made it a necessity. Docked at Hoffman Marina. First time into a slip for me, and it went nicely. Didn’t hurt that we went in bow first against the current and that the dock hand was a real pro.
Sept. 10 - Left Manasquan at 7:30 to get out of slip before tide turned too hard against me and to give maximum time to get to Atlantic City (50 nm. trip). Boat backed out of slip beautifully and we’re shortly out of the inlet and on our way. Wind is on our nose as predicted, so we motor. As the day progresses wind stays in our face and increases to 20 plus and the seas are on our nose, making for a very long and ugly slog to Atlantic City. It wears on both of us and we’re physical and emotional wrecks as we motor into the setting sun down the Atlantic City entrance at about 6:45. Farley Marina (Golden Nugget casino) says their staff leaves at 7:00pm but we get them to have someone wait for us and we get into the dock about 7:30. Again, bow in and not as perfect an approach as Manasquan, but conditions are benign and bow thruster helps me to make easy corrections to get in without incident. (Think I might get the hang of this.) Finally tied up, boat rinsed of saltwater and start dinner at about 8:30 p.m. Very large private yacht docked on other side of dock is having a party and the speakers are blaring, but it’s OK for the time being. Music quiets around the time we go to bed and then starts up again really loudly at 12:40 a.m. Jolts us awake. Kryss calls the Marina staff and they get them to lower the music.
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