Southbound- No Reservations!
October 9, 2022
Hi everyone,
Ed and I were off the dock at dawn (6:25 am). The full moon was out in full force and stayed out for a very long time.
When Ed prepared the lines for me (which our routine is), I hold the mid cleat line with a quick wrap. Ed jumps on the boat, then he says, “Meg, all set, so I can pull in the line.”
Well, he did this, and right when I was going to untie my end, I said, “Ed, we didn’t short wrap the line on the piling”; it was wrapped to park our boat. He had to come down, jump back on to the dock and restart our trip.
He said, “We have to get back into our rhythm again, we are out of practice!” I’m glad that I didn’t let the line go. It’s always a learning curve with a boat- just like dancing, you need to remember all of the steps.
It is incredible this time of year how long the moon stays out. The morning was crisp and the skies clear. When we got into Long Island Sound, things became a little spotty. The wind, the chop, just kicked up those waves and made for a long pull.
It was a powerful wind, and a cold wind, which came from the West.
We entered East River in New York and the current was against us, slowing the trip down.
We arrived at 4:10 pm at the entrance. There was lots of traffic and ferries were zipping everywhere. The sun was out in full force, making it a little difficult to see, but it was still incredible.
To see the sky line from this perspective…. it puts you in that New York state of mind.
I never tire of the energy and architecture that you see; it’s so cool.
We got through the city and headed to Sandy Hook, New Jersey to anchor out.
The full moon was unreal! It was rising out of the Jersey shore, like a monster pink sun, but it
was the moon, it was just unreal.
There were no power lines. We got to our anchorage at 7:30 in the dark; it was really windy and really choppy. We had no wind protection, and the boat was really rocking.
We had our dinner and went to sleep, it was a long full day, but I slept like a rock. Dawn arrived quick, and the wind and waves calmed right down for us. It was gift…
The fireball sun rising out of the Jersey Shore shipping lane was wild. The dredgers were unreal, working away, one scoop at a time.
Only in America, where we all work hard and play hard…
The Jersey shores were wicked kind to us and it was a ten, especially when we saw so many
whales and dolphins. The sun was shining and the run to Cape May was amazing.
Our friends Mark and Ann were in Cape May on their boat too; they are our boat neighbors in
Mystic. They were heading to Florida. We arranged to have food with them. It was perfect.
We pulled into Cape May, fueled up, quickly washed the boat, and ran to dinner.
It was a fabulous evening and an amazing day on the seas. Who would believe from one day to the next could have such radically different conditions.
But as any boater knows, the seas are a vixen…
Departed the morning of October 11th, and we are heading to Herrington Marina off of the Chesapeake Bay. We’ll arrive in the dark again, but we’re used to that.
We found that the sun sets a little longer here, as we get more South.
That’s it for now!
“Sea” you soon…
I love to share our journeys.
“No Reservations!”
Love,
Meg and Ed
