Has passed and I've not updated the blog!
It started off busy and got busier. First I had the usual Spring rush to get things done on the boat. Then in June Carol, me and another couple took George Bauer's boat WIDOWMAKER (C&C 44) to Newport RI to position it for the Newport Bermuda race. We left on Friday the 13th and promptly sailed through a short summer squall just north of the Bay Bridge.
Then we passed through the C and D canal arriving in the Delaware Bay late Friday night. Dark as all get out and LOTS of shipping traffic to watch out for. Morning dawned blustery and we headed up the Jersey coast. The forecast was for the wind to slowly subside but it kept blowing 18 to 22 knots the whole next night. Made for an interesting sail up to NYC. As planned we made our approach to New York Harbor in the daylight hours but then had several hours to kill so we could make our passage up the East river w/ the tide.
In the meantime we took advantage of the layover to check out the Statue of Liberty, the new World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge and went as far up the Hudson as the GW bridge. We also got a few up close and personal looks at the Staten Island Ferries that DO NOT YIELD to other traffic.
This pic of a buoy will give you an idea of just how fast the current is ripping down the Hudson.
We finally headed up the East river and out past Throg's Neck.
The skipper tactfully decided everyone could use a good night's sleep and was going to anchor out, when the light bulb blinked and I called City Island Yacht Club to see about a transient mooring for the night. SCORE! For $40 bucks we got a mooring, free use of the showers and facilities and we even walked into town and had a really good breakfast. Then it was off to Newport. Bright sunny day, but not a lot of wind so we motorsailed out Long Island Sound.
Motored through the night and then had a grey, chilly, overcast and slightly misty sail from abeam Block Island into Newport harbor making fast to the dock in bright sun.
Our intrepid crew: Rick, Lori, Carol and me.
Next up after getting the boat all cleaned up and ready to race was the 2014 Newport/Bermuda race. Almost 170 boats in over a dozen classes race w/ the start taking place just off Castle Hill Light.
