Our First Post

 

 

Coeyman’s Landing Marina; Coeyman New York: June 22nd. Over the past several years one the first questions folks ask is “how do you get to The Great Loop”? Our answer has always been, we depart Kennebunkport, go through the Cape Cod Canal, down Long Island Sound, into the East River then up the Hudson River and onto the Erie Canal. Well, that is exactly where we are, on The Hudson River, twenty miles south of the Erie Canal. 

So, how did we get there…. Here’s how:

June 16, Travel Day #3, Onset MA to Block Island RI, 56 miles, travel time 7 hours. We left Onset at 7:30 AM and headed down the Elizabethan Islands with a favorable current and fair winds. A northerly wind on our stern most of the day, light in the morning and it kicked up around noontime. Seas were 1-3 feet so an extremely comfortable run-down Buzzards Bay and into Block Island Sound. We arrived in Block Island around 2:30 pm and picked up a town morning in Great Salt Pond. We hailed the launch and went ashore to enjoy all Block Island has to offer. Old Harbor is where all the action is so that is where we headed. It is about a mile and a quarter walk which was a terrific way to stretch our legs. Surprisingly, we were pretty thirsty when we arrived, and I know you all be shocked one libation did not do the trick! Once we were properly hydrated, we walked back to the boat and settled in for the night. We were able to see the full moon rise but lost it in the clouds, but beautiful while it was exposed. 

Day 3 Track 

Full moon over Block Island

June 17, Travel Day #4, Block Island RI to New Haven CT, 66 miles, travel time 7.5 hours. When we departed Block Island it was cloudy and cool, with the wind blowing 10-15 kts at 7:30 am which is a bit brisk for that hour. It was a north westerly breeze which is not a common wind direction and so we had the wind on our starboard beam which is an uncomfortable ride for our boat. By 10 AM the rain began as forecasted however, with the rain, the wind lightened as did the sea, so it was a fine compromise. We settled into an 8-knot tempo, and it was a decent afternoon with only fishermen on the water and good visibility. Our plan B was to go into Orient Point if the weather got bad but were able to get to our destination, New Haven. I am not sure we would go back as it is a long way into the mooring field. We stayed at Pequannock Yacht Club, and the mooring field is exposed to the Southerly wind which is common in the area. We stayed on board had a nice dinner and turned in early as the forecast for the next day was more rain, UGH!

 Day 4 Track

A fire boat we passed along the way

June 16, Travel Day 5, New Haven to Port Washington NY, 50 miles, Travel Time 6 hours. Departed New Haven at 7:30 no wind but overcast, by 8 am we had steady rain until 11 AM. Made our way across Long Island sound, and we had good viability and the seas were moderate 3-5’ and again only fishermen on the water. Wonderful day to practice our radar skills. We arrived in Port Washington at 1:30 PM which was great because we had a chance to walk to town and get some supplies. They had a West Marina, so it was nice to not pay “on the water marina” prices. We had a slip at Capri which is a Safe Harbor Marina, so it was nice facility and only a long mile walk to town. It seemed like a much longer walk home with our goods, and yes, we worked up a thirst that “just one” would not do.

Day 5 Track

June 17, Travel Day # 6, Port Washington to Brooklyn, via The East River, 21 Miles, Travel Time 3 hours. We waited at Capri until 12:30 PM so we would have a favorable current at Hells Gate on the East River. Hell’s Gate is the junction The East River and The Harlem River and is also the junction of Long Island Sound from the north and the Hudson River and the Atlantic Ocean from the South so if you do not time it correctly it is a pretty nasty stretch of river. It had been on my mind for weeks and I am glad it worked in our favor. We had timed it, so we arrived right after high tide at Hells Gate and ran the outgoing tide and the favorable current down to Manhattan. 

It was an amazing trip, certainly the biggest highlight so far. We went by Rikers Island, LaGuardia Airport (I have been thru LaGuardia a thousand times and never had that vantage point), The United Nations complex, running parallel to FDR drive looking over at the Manhattan skyline on starboard, The Empire State Building and so many more, then going under the Roosevelt and Brooklyn Bridges it was absolutely amazing. Finally, you take the last turn and THERE SHE IS Lady Liberty in all her glory, it is a memory that I will never forget, brought a tear to my eye, truly a wonderful moment. 

We had a slip at ONE degree 15 Brooklyn and arrived at 3:30 PM. It was full of super yachts, and I had to sandwich in between two boats one being a forty-five’ wide Catamaran that was eighty feet long. The captain stood right on the bow the whole time watching, but we made it in with Meredith keeping me steady with her effective communication, what an admiral. So, we were in the middle of Brooklyn for the evening, looking over at the Manhattan skyline with The Statue of Liberty a mile south. It was the cheapest hotel room ($218) that I have ever stayed at in NYC or Brooklyn and none had our view. We ate dinner at a great little neighbor restaurant on the sidewalk with children playing and families walking along the pedestrian walkway, it was truly an amazing day! 

Track for day 6 

LaGuardia Airport

Hell's Gate

Roosevelt Island Bridge

The United Nations Complex

Manhattan 

When I took my captains course we worked on identify right of ways, Sea Planes are pretty much top of the list. Who would have thought the first one we encounter would be on the East River in NYC!

Lady Liberty in the distance, what a powerful moment as always the picture doesn't do it justice!

Our neighbor at one 15 degree Brooklyn.

View from our slip overlooking Manhattan.

Her Idea nestled in for the night in Brooklyn.

June 18, Travel Day 7, Brooklyn to Haverstraw Bay NY, 6 Miles 5 Hours Travel Time. The Hudson River is Tidal all the way from The Battery to Troy / Albany New York. The current can run 5 kts and so picking a favorable tide and current is advisable (especially at these fuel prices…. OK I said it, I know that’s the elephant in the room, but I am not going there……. yet!). The tide rises and falls 6 feet in Albany, I had no idea until we got up here. 

The favorable time to start north on the Hudson was 9:30 AM, so we left our slip at 8:30 Saturday morning (same Captain standing on his bow watching me depart) but we lucked out again and had a smooth departure. We then went over to Ellis Island and cruised around it taking pictures of the Statue of Liberty. After saying goodbye to Lady Liberty, we headed up the Hudson River and for the first hour just cruised at 5 knots admiring the view. Both side of the Hudson are special, but Manhattan sure has some huge buildings when viewed from a small boat. What a thrill.

The Hudson River is 134 miles from The Battery to Troy where the first Lock is for the Erie Canal. It is a deep-water river with two hundred feet of channel is some places and mud flats in others. It is full of commercial tankers, and lots of barges carrying goods both north and south. Navigation aids are plentiful, and we have had great viability, some rain but sure nice to not have fog or lobster pots!

We traveled under the George Washington and Tappan Zee Bridges. As you leave Manhattan and the city sights falls away, it becomes quite rural quickly. On the west shore The Palisades which are striking and incredibly beautiful. High cliffs that are 150 -200 feet high in lush forest. It is very pretty. You go by several old-time mansions, Roosevelt, Vanderbilt, Rockefellers, and then the next generation in their MacMansions. Certainly, one of the most impressive landmarks was West Point. The area has a ton of history in regard to the Civil war which was interesting to read up on, and we had a favorable current and a pleasant journey. We spent the night at Half Moon Bay Mile 33. When we arrived, the winds had picked up and blowing 20-25 knots. By 6 PM it was solid 30 with guts to 35 kts. I actually tried to find a hotel to spend the night in. The docks were marginal, and it was not a well-maintained property. Turns out all the local hotel rooms were full, so we stayed on board (no dinner that night so that says something). By 9 PM it had diminished but by 4 AM it was back blowing 20+ kts. We were directly downwind. Not a great night sleep. 

Track for day 7

Lady Liberty

Pier 51 Park

Who knew there was a red lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge???

Palisades

Sing Sing

West Point

June 19, Travel Day #8, Haverstraw Bay to Kingston NY, 51 Miles, 8 Hour Travel Time. We departed at 8:15 am and started north and the wind was still extraordinarily strong, it was only 60 degrees and cloudy. The good news is the weather improved that morning as the wind died down by 10 AM and we had sun in and out most all morning. The wind did pick up after noon and blew all afternoon on the nose, the chop was about 2-3 feel not an uncomfortable ride but had all the windows closed. This is a very rural section of The Hudson, many small towns, and factories. A few Nuclear power along the way, but the most famous landmark was Sing Sing. Also, we went by the Hyde Park Culinary Institute, which is large, beautiful building located high on a bluff. Many beautiful estates on both sides, just magnificent homes old and new. We got into Kingston at 4:30 pm and stayed at Rondout Yacht Basin. Not a wonderful place as we could not walk into town, which was a shame. We were on the south side and town was on the north and a three mile walk to town, so unfortunately, we missed enjoying all that Kingston had to offer. We tried to stay at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, but they were full. That would be the best place to stay in Kingston. 

Track Day 8 

June 20, Travel Day #9, Kingston NY to North Baltimore NY, 37 Miles, 6 Hours Travel Time.

We departed Rondout at 9 AM with no assistance. The marina was located one mile off the Hudson so we had no current and Meredith could untie the stern line and step aboard. Easy is best, we sure do not miss the mid tide current of the Kennebunk River!

It was a pleasant morning a light breeze no chop on the water and unlimited viability. This section is very industrial and in tough economic despair. Lots of abandon factories and mills. Not a lot of economic goodness going on in this section. 

We had reservations at Coeyman’s as I had scheduled to lay over there for a few days to get some service work done. I had ordered parts for the cable reel and had the shipped to Coeyman’s in advance. We called to confirm at noon, and they said we could not get into the channel at low water, so we ended up going to Donavan’s Shady Harbor, one mile South of Coeyman’s. Donavan’s was a genuinely nice marina with a great store for boat supplies. We took an Uber to town and provisioned the boat. We got up Monday morning at 8 AM took the one-mile trip to Coeyman’s at high tide, got fuel for the second time and settled in for a few lay days.

Track Day 9

We will be here for three days as we are installing an invertor as well as fixing a few items that have broken now that we are 2 weeks into the trip. Several small projects for us both to do and get some laundry done. We are trying to get all our work done before we get into Canada. We are planning to take our time in the Erie canal, 133 miles, so we arrive in Canada after Canada’s Independence Day which is July 1st, so hopefully we will be there around the July 4th.

The numbers so far: it has been 13 total days, 9 travel days, 427 miles, 60 travel hours, therefore we only 6573 miles left to go……………………Her Idea out!

Cheers and Fair Winds