Cape May

September 8, 2013
38 57.016 N
74 54.643 W

We needed to wait for the tide to put some water under us to get safely out of the anchorage, so we enjoyed a bit of a sleep in and extended breakfast. We got out OK and were in the Atlantic by 10 AM. We only had about 34 NM to get to our slip at Cape May so it would be an easy day. The weather was not perfect but the wind was forecast out of the West so we would be in the lee of the shore. It did not quite work out that way, but Tide Hiker handled the swells well and Deidre did not get seasick.

We saw some porpoises today - first for quite some time.

It was pretty much low tide when we arrived at our reserved slip. As I came alongside I called to the guy on the slip "Tell me where to stop". It was a waste of effort, because about then Tide Hiker screeched to a stop, hard aground in the slip, three feet from the dock! I shut down the engines as I did not want to fill them with mud. I used a boat hook to probe around the boat - at the bow near the dock it was less than two feet deep, into very soft mud. I was pretty mad about the situation. We tied on some lines but there seemed little point, the boat was not going anywhere until the tide returned.

Deidre and I walked into town. Cape May is the holiday town for the Philadelphia region. It is a fishing "mecca". There are plenty of marinas just loaded with sport fishing boats. Down town is very touristy and cute. there are hundreds of Victorian style bed & breakfast places. The whole place has a good feel. We must have walked three miles and Deidre's ankle was killing her when we returned.

Monday September 9

The whale spotting boat returns

We floated free during the night. This morning we walked to a breakfast place. I bought a New York Times on the way and we enjoyed a two hour lazy breakfast.

This "marina" is primarily a tourist sightseeing and fishing base. There are half a dozen steel boats around us coming and going between 8 AM and Midnight. They also hire out kayaks and paddle boards.

This afternoon we unloaded the bikes and heraded into town. Deidre bought herself a new helmet and now she looks like Lance Armstrong. (I hope she

Deidre "Lance" Armstrong

keeps of the steroids!)

We are going to a fancy place for fish dinner tonight.

Atlantic City

Saturday September 7, 2014
39 23.234 N
74 24.504 W

Big day today, 96 SM. We were a bit late getting up and were not underway till about 6:45 AM. The trip took all of 11 hours but we were anchored and settled in plenty of light by 6:30 PM. The weather started very calm as we headed out into the Atlantic but the wind picked up in the afternoon and the last couple of hours were pretty lumpy. We need another good day tomorrow to make it to Cape May, although it is a much shorter run. We are now back in the anchorage that we watched the 4th of July fireworks.

Only saw a few boats.

Sandy Hook Bay

Friday September 6, 2013
XX
XX

We rode the tide perfectly today, starting engines at 10:30 AM and arriving at the Atlantic Highlands fuel dock at 3PM - 38 NM in 4.5 hours is an average speed of 8.4 kts! We topped out at 11.7 kts alongside Roosevelt Island. Not bad for an old girl. We have now completed 4 round trips past Manhattan on the East River. I recon that I could just about do it without charts.

This bugger overtook us!

We filled up with fuel at the Atlantic Highlands marina. It is one of those places that always seems to have the best price - today $3.73 per gallon. We then headed back out into the bay and anchored for the night, within a couple of miles of the entrance to the Atlantic.

Its been a perfect day - sunny, calm but cool. The forecast for tomorrow is good for the coastal Atlantic. Summer is "officially over" in the USA and the general consensus is that cruisers like us need to get into the Chesapeake by September 15. Tomorrow will be a long day for us, 11+ hours, so we will be up early and moving at first

Cool fire tug

light.

We have reserved a slip in Baltimore for a month. It seems a bit late to be so far North in mid November, but the MTOA Rendezvous is in October and many of our friends will be there. So if we get cold, we will have company.

Port Washington for a few days

Wednesday September 4, 2013

Off to the big smoke

The water taxi has just picked up Lyn and Tony for a day in NYC.

I had a lot of EP work to do and got stuck into that. Took the taxi ashore later in the day to mail the resulting invoices and pick up banking data from B of A. Plus caught up with a few engine room jobs, an then basically took it easy.

When they arrived back on the train Lyn and Tony called us and we met ashore at the local Mexican joint for a "last supper".



Thursday September 5, 2013

Deidre cooked up a "last breakfast" of eggs and bacon, after which Lyn and Tony took the taxi ashore to take a walk and stretch their legs. The water taxi picked them up at 2:45 PM and the dirt taxi was waiting for them on the dock. They are now cooling their heels at JFK, looking forward to 3 flights and 23 hours in the air.

Reflections

Port Washington at dusk

Four weeks, two days, one hour and twenty-two minutes is a long time to have visitors on a 49' boat. But the visit was a great success and I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute. We all got along amazingly well. Deidre and I loved having someone else to share our experiences on the boat. Lyn and Tony are both boat people and so understood "boat constraints" pretty much without explanation. We all shared the work. In particular Tony helped me with the nuts and bolts stuff, and made several upgrades and repairs that make Tide Hiker a better boat. They were also super generous with expenses - paid for all groceries, booze and eating out plus other bits and pieces. Everyone (except me, the captain has some privileges) contributed to the cooking and cleaning. And the weather helped too.

Today we sat around reminiscing about the highlights and the "experiences". (Like losing an anchor and 200' of chain for a day or so, and like hooking up a 2" thick electrical cable with the anchor.)  We all have some fun stories to tell.

It was really a great 4 weeks.




.

Port Washington - Our home away from home.

September 3, 2013


Timing today was important. The flood tide started in NY harbor at 3 PM, and we needed that in our favor to make it up the East River. I waned about 1 hour in NY Harbor to do the tourist thing for our guests. We were about 32 miles from NY harbor in our anchorage at Croten-on-Hudson. We would be riding the ebb tide down the river for most of the day so I assumed we could average 7 knots. the answer was to leave at 10 AM.

The trip south was uneventful. We ran a bit faster than plan and so virtually had the engines running at idle speed the last couple of hours. For most of the day the skies had been heavy and overcast, but as we reached the city the sun broke through and some blue sky appeared. We spent an hour or so in the harbor visiting the usual sights, and then headed up the East River just as the tide turned.

It was good to get back to familiar water. We were attached to a mooring ball and settled in (meaning the G&T's were made) by 6 PM. Barbecued hamburgers "with the lot" for dinner. the TV found over 100 stations so we enjoyed a bit of TV for the first time for a while.

Busted!

Monday September 2, 2013
Croton-On-Hudson
41 11.529 N
73 53.860 W

We filled the water tanks and were out of the marina by 9 AM. We had a fairly long day ahead of us (49 NM) to get to the anchorage that would put us withing striking distance of NYC on Tuesday. It had rained all night and the rain was still hanging around, but it was warm enough.

View of main street on the way out the creek

Today was Labour Day, last day of the long weekend and there seemed to be quite a bit of boat traffic as people made their way home. Also noticeable were the police boats. One such boat passed and re-passed us several times, we dutifully waved and smiled each time. The 5th time we were not so lucky, on went the blue lights and we were stopped and boarded by the Cost Guard for a "safety check". Local police cannot stop you without "probable cause" but the Coast Guard need no reason.

So we welcomed them on board and were "inspected". Deidre and I are very familiar with the rules and so I was able to walk them thru the boat and help check off all the items. They were really a pleasant couple of kids and it was a bit of fun to have them on board. We got a clean bill of health and were only delayed maybe 30 minutes.

For most of today the Hudson cut thru a branch of the Adirondack Mountains, so the river was contained by some quite high mountains and narrow gorges. We had caught up with the tide by about 2 PM and when the river was constricted  we really got a push from the current, reaching over 9 kts in a few places.

There are train tracks on both sides of the river. The amount of train traffic is quite amazing. Some of the trains must be over a mile long.

We reached the anchorage by about 4:30 PM and anchored in about 10' of water in a small bay on the east side of the river.

Lyn and Tony made dinner and we ate on the aft deck. The wind settled down as the sun set and it looks like it will be a calm night. There are a couple of yachts with us in the bay.

Tuesday AM

Series of small storm cells came thru the anchorage last night. Tony and I were on deck shortly after midnight and played out some more anchor chain "just in case". It seemed that we had dragged a 100' or so before the anchor reset itself. Because the wind came from just about every direction as the cells came and went, and because the change of tide moved the boat around too, it was hard to tell what was going on. But it was all very minor and we were back in bed soon. This morning the water is dead calm.

Kingston, NY

September 1, 2013

Very easy day today. There was no wind in the AM so getting off the dock was no problem. Our objective was Kingston, only 18 NM down the river. The marina did not want us to arrive before 1 PM so we really took it easy. Kingston is an old town, burned to the ground by the British in 1777.

The marina was about 2 miles up a creek (in Australia = river) but is a bit of a rough and ready place. I had picked the "best place in town" and for $2 a foot was quite disappointed. (compared to Hilton Head for $2 a foot, this place is a joke. makes me think I am back in Canada.) After settling in we caught a cab into town where there was an Irish themed festival in full swing.

Snorkers, good oh!

We are now back on the boat and making G&Ts and it is starting to rain.