Some days just turn out differently than anticipated. Our objective for the day is simple...to rendezvous with friends John and Dianne Schultz at their yacht club in Noroton, CT, only 18 miles northeast of Port Washington.
This goal seems entirely achievable. The NOAA marine weather forecast calls for winds out of the east at 5 to 10 knots. Although skies are gray, Cutter Loose will have no problem powering its way through headwinds of this magnitude.
However, on the Sound, we encounter quite another story. East winds are blowing 20 knots with gusts to 27. Wave heights are three feet. Cutter Loose pitched and pounded its way to Noroton, arriving at 2 PM. John and Dianne arranged a guest mooring at their yacht club for Cutter Loose. Unfortunately, they were required to leave Noroton before our arrival to attend to a family emergency. We must postpone our rendezvous with John and Dianne for another time.
Although our mooring is protected from the strong easterly winds, the swells entering this harbor from the Sound are creating a rock 'n roll Saturday night aboard Cutter Loose. Despite the motion, we are thankful to be safe and secure.
The weather map becomes more complicated by the moment. A stationary front will return to Western Long Island Sound as a warm front, only to be overtaken by a cold front sometime on Sunday. Tomorrow will be a wait-and-see situation.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, June 10th
Today we escape the intensity of New York Harbor by entering the East River en route to Long Island Sound. We time our departure from Newport Marina at slack tide to ride the favorable current north under the Brooklyn Bridge, through Hell Gate and into the Sound.
[caption id="attachment_295" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Cutter Loose preparing for departure from Newport Marina in Jersey City"]
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Hell Gate is a short, twisty and notoriously challenging section of the East River located at its confluence with the Harlem River. Here, the tidal current can reach up to six knots. When wind opposes tidal current, the water churns into a frenzy. Fortunately, the weather was calm today and we enjoyed a 3 knot boost from the current.
Just beyond Riker's Island, departing aircraft from La Guardia buzz the top of our mast. Leaving King's Point and the Throg's Neck Bridge astern, the East River gives way to the more relaxing, wide open waters of Long Island Sound.
Because we are still feeling the effects of a late night out on the town and an early start this morning to catch the tide, we opt to overnight in Manhasset Bay on the north shore of Long Island, a short leg of 21 miles. Manhasset Bay is home to the town of Port Washington, which offers free overnight moorings to transient sailors. By 2:30 PM, we are already enjoying the relaxing feeling of a town mooring snugly attached to our bow cleat. No need to set the anchor today or retrive it in the morning. Just slip the mooring line and we are off to a quick getaway.
[caption id="attachment_295" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Cutter Loose preparing for departure from Newport Marina in Jersey City"]
[/caption]Hell Gate is a short, twisty and notoriously challenging section of the East River located at its confluence with the Harlem River. Here, the tidal current can reach up to six knots. When wind opposes tidal current, the water churns into a frenzy. Fortunately, the weather was calm today and we enjoyed a 3 knot boost from the current.
Just beyond Riker's Island, departing aircraft from La Guardia buzz the top of our mast. Leaving King's Point and the Throg's Neck Bridge astern, the East River gives way to the more relaxing, wide open waters of Long Island Sound.
Because we are still feeling the effects of a late night out on the town and an early start this morning to catch the tide, we opt to overnight in Manhasset Bay on the north shore of Long Island, a short leg of 21 miles. Manhasset Bay is home to the town of Port Washington, which offers free overnight moorings to transient sailors. By 2:30 PM, we are already enjoying the relaxing feeling of a town mooring snugly attached to our bow cleat. No need to set the anchor today or retrive it in the morning. Just slip the mooring line and we are off to a quick getaway.
Thursday, June 9th - the Big Apple
Today is a lay day for an excursion to midtown Manhattan. The New Jersey PATH station is conveniently located within a few minutes walk of Newport Marina. For a small one-way fare of $1.75 per person, this subway provides rapid access to 33rd and Broadway, just a few blocks north of Times Square.
The Carnegie Deli at 57th and Broadway serves up a giant corned beef sandwich and dill pickles for lunch. Look at the size of this monster.
[caption id="attachment_293" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Gigantic corned beef and roast turkey sandwiches at the Carnegie Deli"]
[/caption]
While we were visiting the Museum of Modern Art, the Queen of Norway and her security entourage arrived to say hello. Obviously, the word is out on the voyage of Cutter Loose in Oslo.
Our evening entertainment is a very professionally staged performance of the musical Wicked at the Gershwin Theater. We are fortunate to secure 4th row orchestra seats. The two female leads are simply brilliant. This production exceeded our expectations.
[caption id="attachment_296" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Broadway production of Wicked at the Gershwin Theater"]
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By the time we arrive back at Newport Marina after the show, it is well after midnight.
The Carnegie Deli at 57th and Broadway serves up a giant corned beef sandwich and dill pickles for lunch. Look at the size of this monster.
[caption id="attachment_293" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Gigantic corned beef and roast turkey sandwiches at the Carnegie Deli"]
[/caption]While we were visiting the Museum of Modern Art, the Queen of Norway and her security entourage arrived to say hello. Obviously, the word is out on the voyage of Cutter Loose in Oslo.
Our evening entertainment is a very professionally staged performance of the musical Wicked at the Gershwin Theater. We are fortunate to secure 4th row orchestra seats. The two female leads are simply brilliant. This production exceeded our expectations.
[caption id="attachment_296" align="aligncenter" width="224" caption="Broadway production of Wicked at the Gershwin Theater"]
[/caption]By the time we arrive back at Newport Marina after the show, it is well after midnight.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 8th
Today, a short passage of 23 miles takes us north under the Verrazona Narrows Bridge and into New York Harbor. Every imaginable type of vessel traverses this harbor, from ocean-going cargo ships to cruise ships to tugs and barges to ferries and tour boats. At times, it seems as if they are all converging on Cutter Loose at once.
One of the emotional highlights of this cruise is passing alongside Lady Liberty, holding her flaming torch high above her head. While there are plenty of excursion boats that offer their passengers a close-up view of the statue, there is something special about being up front and personal with Ms Liberty in our floating home away from home.
[caption id="attachment_285" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Lady Liberty strikes a pose for her photograph with Cutter Loose"]
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Is is particularly apropos that we enter this harbor on June 8th since today would have been Bess' 91st birthday. As we passed by Ellis Island, we were reminded of her arrival in the U.S. from England at this very location at the age of two. Absent the courage of her parents to emigrate, our summer cruise aboard Cutter Loose would never have materialized. Thank you Bob and Edith and Harold and Bess.
[caption id="attachment_283" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Ellis Island "]
[/caption]
We are currently docked at Newport Marina in Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from Manhatten. Since this is our first stay at a marina since leaving Rock Hall, we take advantage of the opportunity to accomplish domestic chores, including laundry and provisioning. This evening, we strolled along the riverwalk to an Italian eatery that my former colleague Marjorie and I discovered while conducting an assignment for the City of Jersey City. Tomorrow will be a lay day to explore the urban amenities of Manhatten.
One of the emotional highlights of this cruise is passing alongside Lady Liberty, holding her flaming torch high above her head. While there are plenty of excursion boats that offer their passengers a close-up view of the statue, there is something special about being up front and personal with Ms Liberty in our floating home away from home.
[caption id="attachment_285" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Lady Liberty strikes a pose for her photograph with Cutter Loose"]
[/caption]
Is is particularly apropos that we enter this harbor on June 8th since today would have been Bess' 91st birthday. As we passed by Ellis Island, we were reminded of her arrival in the U.S. from England at this very location at the age of two. Absent the courage of her parents to emigrate, our summer cruise aboard Cutter Loose would never have materialized. Thank you Bob and Edith and Harold and Bess.
[caption id="attachment_283" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Ellis Island "]
[/caption]We are currently docked at Newport Marina in Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from Manhatten. Since this is our first stay at a marina since leaving Rock Hall, we take advantage of the opportunity to accomplish domestic chores, including laundry and provisioning. This evening, we strolled along the riverwalk to an Italian eatery that my former colleague Marjorie and I discovered while conducting an assignment for the City of Jersey City. Tomorrow will be a lay day to explore the urban amenities of Manhatten.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Tuesday, June 8th: the long haul
Today was a character-building experience. Not because of weather or equipment failures or navigational challenges. It was simply a matter of endurance. We sailed 89.4 miles today from Atlantic City to Atlantic Highlands in Sandy Hook Bay. That translates to 12.75 hours on the water.
Why not layover at another location on the coast that requires less travel? Because there is a scarcity of navigable inlets on the Jersey coast that can safely accomodate sailboats with 5 foot keels. Manasquan Inlet is ideally located for a layover. But even in today's calm conditions, we could see waves breaking on the bars in this inlet through our binoculars. Because the channel in the inlet is constantly shifting, the U.S. Coast Guard relocates the entrance buoys frequently. As a result, the location of the buoys do not appear on the government's navigational charts. And even if one was lucky enough to successfully navigate the inlet, there are few services or anchorages available for deep draft vessels in these harbors. Too much risk and too little reward.
We bid farewell to the bling of Atlantic City with anchor up at 5:30 AM. We dropped the hook at Atlantic Highlands at 6:15 PM. We are currently anchored deep inside Sandy Hook , just 15 miles south of Manhatten. This will position us for a quick trip into the City in the morning.
[caption id="attachment_263" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Sunset in the anchorage at Atlantic Highlands"]
[/caption]
Why not layover at another location on the coast that requires less travel? Because there is a scarcity of navigable inlets on the Jersey coast that can safely accomodate sailboats with 5 foot keels. Manasquan Inlet is ideally located for a layover. But even in today's calm conditions, we could see waves breaking on the bars in this inlet through our binoculars. Because the channel in the inlet is constantly shifting, the U.S. Coast Guard relocates the entrance buoys frequently. As a result, the location of the buoys do not appear on the government's navigational charts. And even if one was lucky enough to successfully navigate the inlet, there are few services or anchorages available for deep draft vessels in these harbors. Too much risk and too little reward.
We bid farewell to the bling of Atlantic City with anchor up at 5:30 AM. We dropped the hook at Atlantic Highlands at 6:15 PM. We are currently anchored deep inside Sandy Hook , just 15 miles south of Manhatten. This will position us for a quick trip into the City in the morning.
[caption id="attachment_263" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Sunset in the anchorage at Atlantic Highlands"]
[/caption]Monday, June 6, 2011
Monday, June 6th
Today's leg of our journey takes us north along the Jersey coastline from Cape May to Atlantic City, a distance of 41 miles. Since winds are light, we are motoring all the way to Absecon Inlet, which provides access to Atlantic City from the ocean. Similar to the Cape May Inlet, Absecon is wide, well-marked and easily navigated in good weather.
We enjoyed an unannounced visitor aboard Cutter Loose today. Mary, the fly-eating canary arrived at noon for a lunch of delectable flies...those tiny sand flies that are sluggish and pesky. During her one hour visit, Mary managed to consume twice her body weight in flies. Mary was not shy. She repeatedly perched herself on our arms and legs in order to establish a productive angle of attack. Within an hour, she efficiently dispatched and consumed her lunch, then moved on to more productive hunting grounds.
[caption id="attachment_249" align="aligncenter" width="274" caption="Mary (the fly-eating canary) double checks the Captain's entries in the logbook"]
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We are currently anchored just south of the Brigantine Bridge near Trump's Taj Mahal casino. But games of chance are not on the agenda for the crew of Cutter Loose this evening. Tomorrow promises to be a long day on the water, which will necessitate another daybreak departure.
We enjoyed an unannounced visitor aboard Cutter Loose today. Mary, the fly-eating canary arrived at noon for a lunch of delectable flies...those tiny sand flies that are sluggish and pesky. During her one hour visit, Mary managed to consume twice her body weight in flies. Mary was not shy. She repeatedly perched herself on our arms and legs in order to establish a productive angle of attack. Within an hour, she efficiently dispatched and consumed her lunch, then moved on to more productive hunting grounds.
[caption id="attachment_249" align="aligncenter" width="274" caption="Mary (the fly-eating canary) double checks the Captain's entries in the logbook"]
[/caption]We are currently anchored just south of the Brigantine Bridge near Trump's Taj Mahal casino. But games of chance are not on the agenda for the crew of Cutter Loose this evening. Tomorrow promises to be a long day on the water, which will necessitate another daybreak departure.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Sunday, June 5th: Lay Day in Cape May
Today, Cutter Loose remained on the hook in Cape May Harbor. It feels good to have nothing in particular to accomplish today. We dinghied ashore and attended the 9 AM service at First Presbyterian followed by breakfast at The Mad Batter. Then we hiked to the Migratory Bird Refuge and the Cape May Lighthouse in South Cape May. Meanwhile, an area of low pressure is moving through eastern Pennsylvania and at 10 PM, a few showers are beginning to pop up in Northern Delaware. There are no significant winds associated with this low, so we should be good to resume our journey on Monday morning.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Saturday, June 4th
Anchor up at 5:30 AM, we motored east through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and entered the Delaware River for the 68 mile run south to Cape May, NJ. As a cruising destination, the Delaware River and Delaware Bay have little to offer. There are no towns. There are no harbors. There are no marinas. There are no safe anchorages. Therefore, this run must be completed in a single day.
The mast height on Cutter Loose is 62 feet above water line...too high to squeeze under the fixed bridge that spans the "shortcut" canal that connects the Delaware Bay with Cape May harbor. Our course takes us beyond the canal to the very southernmost extremity of New Jersey...Cape May Point. From here, we parallel the beach, working our way east and north through the tidal rips and entering Cape May inlet from the Atlantic Ocean. At 5 PM, we are safely anchored in Cape May harbor adjacent to the USCG station. That's a long 11.5 hour day on the water. We celebrate our accomplishment with an outstanding dinner in the cockpit of Cutter Loose, consisting of vegetable korma and basmati rice from Taj Mahal (takeout frozen in seal-a-meal boiling pouches), together with a glass of chilled Pinot Gris that we received as a retirement gift. Life is good.
There is talk on NOAA marine weather of a weak cold front passing through the area tomorrow. While no severe weather is forecasted, it may be prudent to remain here in Cape May for another day while the complicated weather picture becomes clearer.
The mast height on Cutter Loose is 62 feet above water line...too high to squeeze under the fixed bridge that spans the "shortcut" canal that connects the Delaware Bay with Cape May harbor. Our course takes us beyond the canal to the very southernmost extremity of New Jersey...Cape May Point. From here, we parallel the beach, working our way east and north through the tidal rips and entering Cape May inlet from the Atlantic Ocean. At 5 PM, we are safely anchored in Cape May harbor adjacent to the USCG station. That's a long 11.5 hour day on the water. We celebrate our accomplishment with an outstanding dinner in the cockpit of Cutter Loose, consisting of vegetable korma and basmati rice from Taj Mahal (takeout frozen in seal-a-meal boiling pouches), together with a glass of chilled Pinot Gris that we received as a retirement gift. Life is good.
There is talk on NOAA marine weather of a weak cold front passing through the area tomorrow. While no severe weather is forecasted, it may be prudent to remain here in Cape May for another day while the complicated weather picture becomes clearer.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Friday, June 3rd...Liberation Day
Today we finally escaped the gravitational pull of life ashore. It feels good to be underway!
We collected our docklines from our seasonal slip at Osprey Point Marina in Rock Hall, MD and sailed 42 miles north on the Chesapeake Bay to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. This is a narrow, deep water channel with high over-arching bridges to accommodate huge ocean-going ships. But recreational boaters are welcome here as well. We will anchor overnight in the Engineer's Cove at Chesapeake City, about midway through the Canal. It will be lights out early aboard Cutter Loose tonight in anticiation of an early start in the morning.
We collected our docklines from our seasonal slip at Osprey Point Marina in Rock Hall, MD and sailed 42 miles north on the Chesapeake Bay to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. This is a narrow, deep water channel with high over-arching bridges to accommodate huge ocean-going ships. But recreational boaters are welcome here as well. We will anchor overnight in the Engineer's Cove at Chesapeake City, about midway through the Canal. It will be lights out early aboard Cutter Loose tonight in anticiation of an early start in the morning.
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