Atlantic City

   After a night of rest up then walking to the famous boardwalk we proceeded to donate some cash to Donald Trump. The board walk is amazing, we walk along it looking out at the now calm ocean that beat us up the night before. It was just relaxing to  rest up for our next leg. The wind continued when we got up the next morning, so what do we do, go for breakfast, then try to win back some of the money that we lost the night before. This city must be hopping in the summer months, but at this time of year, it's pretty quiet.
 

 

After spendind ing two days her it was time to move on, so when our new friends on Chasseur told us they were leaving the next morning we made a quick decision and decided to follow to Cape May. According to the latest weather report, we had a window of good weather for the day, then it was going to be rainy for the next 3 days. The fact that it cost us $3.00 a foot did not have any bearing. Ha!!!!!

 

The trip to Cape May, NJ was a great sail with seas that enjoyable, except attempting to get in the channel,that is used by commercial boats that don't understand the right side of the channel to be on. Who can argue with something the size of an apartment building.

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

Ocean Passage

 We left the 79th Street  Boat basin and headed to Sandy Hook, NJ. It was a trip of dodging tankers, barges, and ferries as we made our way down the Hudson river. When we got to the Verranzo Narrows bridge, the gateway for all ocean ships is was quite busy. To add to the excitement the weather started to get bad but we pressed on and arrived at Atlantic Highlands, NJ. We had to have the outboard motor looked at,as it got beat up in a storm while we were in NY.
 With our long list of things to do, and waiting for the right weather window to make the 112 km passage we ended up staying 4 days.

Finally, yesterday the reports all said that it was time to move on, so we left around 10am to make our way around Sandy Hook to sail south in the Atlantic to Cape May, NJ.
The day started out to be a nice autumn day, no different than sailing on Lake Ontario the wind pushing us along.

The planned trip would take about 23 hours. About sundown the wind changed direction and piped up a bit but we continued motorsailing with just the mainsail. Soon after dark the wind kept increasing, We had to take the sail down but contined under motor alone hoping that sunrise would bring settled conditions. Mother Nature had different plans. All night long we were thrown about by 4 to 6 ft. seas, with a 8 footers thrown in, our speed fell to 2kn or less. We had to make a choice, either continue on at such a low speed which would take us 12 more hours with the boat being thrown all over or find a nearer port.  At approx. 8am we turned back to Atlantic City, we passed it in the dark around midnight.
 As we were coming into the inlet I seen my first pod of dolphins, I guess mother nature was trying offer an appology.
 So her we are, waiting for weather again.

    

New York, New York

      I LOVE NEWYORK ,

 We arrived in New York just as we were tying to a mooring ball the phone was ringing. It was Jim and Asha They were here. We met at the subway and went for dinner and drinks it was amazing. The next day we went exploring, what an amazing city. We rode on the Staten Island ferry and waved at the statue of liberty. we drank beers under the Brooklyn bridge.

 Went to see the memorial at ground zero It was so sad. They are building again. There was a beautifull old church that was beside the towers. That church still stands with no damage and a tree that was found under the rubble still growing. All the names of the people that died that day were engraved in stone around the fountains Beautifully done.

 Enough of the sad stuff we continue on our journey in the subway to time square. More lights and people then you can imagine. Next day Empire state building and Macy`s and Central Park with John Lennon Strawberry fields. All equally as interesting. Came back to the boat to sit through another storm with 45 mile an hour winds. Oh Well crusing life We got to see New York for 30 bucks a night Can you imagine.!!!!!

Sadly left Nyack

  We finally left Nyack after spending  4 days there. We spent mornings sitting on the patio before walking around this neat little town.
    The last night we attended their Lobsterfest. We weren`t here when the  cut-off date to make reservations was, so we were able to buy tickets. Even some of the members could not attend. This club has been the highlight of our trip. Many of the members made a point of coming over to meet us and to give us advice on our trip.  One great guy that I met was a guy who still races his own boat at 92 years old. What a very interesting man to listen to.
  Muriel made a great impression by pitching in and helping with the dishes. We could end up members , never know.

  The mornings are getting cooler and we have to keep moving, sso its on to The Big Apple.   

Still in Nyack

  We went to land yesterday, off loaded our knapsacks and camera ,things we needed to carry while exploring the town . When I looked down I noticed that I didn"t have shoes on. I don't wear them on the boat so I didn't even notice. I left Muriel on the dock and I started back to the mooring. Half way back the motor conks out. Several tries to get it to start, but no luck. Had to row. Got my shoes, then rowed the little more than a quarter mile back to shore. I had taken so long , I caused a bit of worry.  Hey, I'm no olympic rower. After some investigation it was found out that the pick up tube inside the tank had fallen off. We finally walked to the hardware store after several attempts to fix it with available hose at the dock.
     We stopped into a local pub ( O'Malley's) for lunch and beer. Met a retired  Irish gentleman that was having a pint while his wife shopped. He had quite view on life. Had applied at the TCC ( TTC) but they turned him down. Ended up working for the New York City system. He had worked in Toronto and had  family living in Oakville.  When we told him we were travelling by boat, he asked us if we wanted to sleep in a real bed tonight. We thanked him but declined.

  When we got back, repaired the tank then out to our mooring to have dinner. It took us all day. This cruising life is hard work.
  Weather still has been fantastic with sunshine all day but the mornings are cold.

On to Nyack, Ny. just before the Big Apple

   After relaxing at sunset in the cockpit, the night traffic started. Where we were docked there is a ferry that travels across the river taking passenger back and forth. This ran till 10pm then the tankers started , averaging about one every hour during the night. Their wave spread outwards to crash into the dock which we were tied to. We had a very expensive but rolley night. There were also two bars with music blaring but that wasn't half as bad as the rough water. 

  Next morning , isn't it funny how we can sleep in but still get up so early we continued down river past more extravagant estates on both sides of the river. At one of the narrowest parts of the river I caught site of a large ship coming north. I immediately turned towards the shore, most large boats sail right down the middle. After getting by him, as I looked back, this boat had to take up the total side of the river that we had just came from just to manoeuvre around the bends in the river. He probably had some kind words for the little sailboat that made him work so hard. I was on the correct side so we didn't do anything wrong. I wouldn't want to argue who had right of way.  As they pass you the whole boat vibrates. They say New York city is even busier. Wow!!!

  We stopped just north of the Tappan Zee bridge and picked up a mooring ball at the Nyack Boat Club. What a picturesque setting. We again are going to spend a couple of days.

Where did we leave off

     I know it has been a few days since we updated the blog but we have not had a good internet connection. so we have some catch-up to do.
   Last thursday we left Waterford heading to Hop-O-Nose Marina, in Catskills, NY. .

 We chose to  by-pass another marina which puts the mast up a bit cheaper as Mistress has a heavy and unruly mast. Didn't want any stressful situations. We were happy to pay more, we would not attempt it ourselves. 

Soon as we left the Federal Lock just a mile from where we set off, we soon knew this river is a lot different than the canal. We both stood with our mouths open as a very large Freighter passed just 100 feet of our side. The banks of the Hudson are lined with hugh estates, we could only imagine who was watching us sail by. After an enjoyable motorsail we reached the marina and started to prepare to have the mast put up again. We were scheduled for the next morning.
   Another couple who we met, travelling with their golden lab " Oliver" invited us to dinner aboard their boat "Nautical Dreammer". We ate and talked till  late evening (about the cruising life) , 10 o'clock. We have met so many interesting people.   Next morning, up early to go over all the rigging and get the mast ready.  Raised the mast with not a hitch with a loonie under the foot, for luck, It seems to take longer for me (Tutty)  to get things done. We are starting to slow down and relax.

We are watching the weather and planning not to be in the path of any storms so we chose to stay til Monday. Good we did because a tornado came through NY state but missed us. See the loonie worked. We still  had a day of rain and a horrible wind storm. We hunckered down in the boat watching DVDs. What a good present.  Monday morning we left Hop-0-Nose marina, mast up, deck clean and looking beautiful. We were off to the first anchoring of our trip, we were very excited. We travelled to Kingston, New York, got the anchor set and then the wind came, not just a little bit of wind...... 35 mile an hour wind. We both acted calm for each other but we were scared. We just started to relax when all of a sudden the achor chain started to run free, we both jumped into action, it was crazy, Tutty grabbed the chain with his bare hands. I thought he was going over but he managed to stop it. For some reason the snubber unhooked from the chain. O.K, that got our attention, now we are waiting for something else to happen, but the wind started to calm down about ten o'clock . Tutty, fast asleep ( he was really worried) I kept checking that we were not moving.  I finally fell asleep. The morning was calm and beautifull. We set off for a old castle ( Bannerman Castle) where we were going to anchor 40 miles away.

When we arrived there, the anchorage was too shallow, thanks skipper Bob. Oh no........, have to find a marina. We wanted to go to West Point but they  don't allow transient docking since (911) , so we had to turned back and go 6 miles and now we are sipping cold drinks at the dock watching tankers go by. LIFE IS GOOD

Waterford, Ny

    This is our friend Dave, we met him in Oswego when the wind was crazy and we were putting down our mast. His words were " calm begets calm"  He has been on boats his whole life. He manages a marina in Norfolk, Virginia  and is a real southern gentleman willing to share all is knowledge with us.  Tutty and I have enjoyed some very interesting conversations with him. He left today to go to the Albany Yacht Club. He has to fly home to work but his brother will take his boat the rest of the way home. We will drop into his marina when we reach Virginia. He is a very interesting man.

                                                                     Bye Dave


     Today we went on the public transit. For four dollars you can ride all day. We ended up at the
wrong Walmart, but we had fun anyway. I even had two men stand up to give me their seat, I was in total shock. That would never happen in Toronto. The old houses here are beautiful, they our well over a 100 years old and with such character. Tomorrow, we head into the Hudson river and there are tides to deal with. We will put up the mast in Catskills about 40 miles away. Time to get back to being a true sailboat again.

Finally in the Hudson River

   After spending the last two days in Amsterdam we continued east on the canal  to Waterford, Ny.
We didn't get much of a chance to explore. We docked at the town dock called Riverlink Park which had a walkway that went over a set of  train tracks to the rooftop of a shopping mall. To get to the town you had to go through a fenced in area. Sure was different.  Had to get diesel so we pulled our cart about 1.5 miles just to get jug of fuel.
   The next day we both woke up not feeling too well, so stayed an extra day but slept most of the day.

   We arrived in Waterford today about 2:30 pm and tied up in front of a wooden boat not a 1/2 a mile from the Hudson River. From here we will finally start travelling south, but first we have to get our mast put back up.
  They are having a Tug Boat Festival here this coming weekend so we will have to move on as the docks are needed for the tugs. We are going to stay a few days and prep the mast.

Little Falls

  Little Falls, ended up being one of the nicest places that we have stopped at. The walk into town was a bit far but wasn't too bad. We were offered numerous rides but chose to get some exercise. Your legs get stiff sitting on the boat all day. The town has numerous old buildings.We spent the morning siteseeing and restocking supplies. We went to a Farmers Market that was set on Main St. in a parking lot and bought some fresh produce and eggs.
  In the afternoon we worked on repairing some of the things we have broken so far on this trip or cleaning up dirt from the locks.

  

 

 

 

 

We are now moving onto Amsterdam which is 42 Nm further east on the canal. The weather is holding out so it should be a easy passage of about 8hrs. Some of it is luck, to be not waiting for the canals to open but with the light traffic it shouldn't be a problem.