Atlantic City to NYC and the Hudson River July 6 to July 17, 2013

Nancy, Sandy and Dan

After another early morning departure, we where on our way to the second stop on the Jersey coast, Manasquan.  As we skirted the coast northeast from Atlantic City under sunny skies and fair winds, we began to see the devastation left behind by Hurricane Sandy last year.  The coastline that used to be littered with seaside communities and private homes now had far fewer homes and remnants of multistory structures scarred by the force of Mother Nature.  What we found remarkable was the number of beach-goers still finding a way to have fun near the ocean despite the incredible loss of property and businesses.  We got a closer look at both the loss and regrowth by our friend from Vero Beach Power Squadron, Nancy, a long time resident of the area.  She met us at Hoffman’s Marina and gave us a tour of the area and then shared a wonderful meal at a local restaurant.  It was fun to see a familiar Florida face.  Oh, did I say Nancy, an octogenarian, still sails her own Bristol 29 and was the instructor for our Seamanship Course?

On Sunday we left Manasquan Inlet at 7:30 AM on the final leg of our ocean journey along with our friends on “Headquarters”.  The plan was to pass along Sandy Hook, traverse the Ambrose Channel and enter New York Harbor under the Verrazano Bridge. 

Verranzano Bridge with Manhattan in background

What a rush!!! We’ve been to NYC many times but never arrived by water.  The skyline of the city came into view hours before our arrival and became more distinct as we got closer.  First Brooklyn then Manhattan with Staten Island to the west.  As we approached Battery Park, with Lady Liberty welcoming us into the harbor, we decided to cruise the East River beyond the Brooklyn Bridge before returning to Liberty Park, behind the Statue, and our anchorage for the night.  New York Harbor also exposed us for the first time to the Hudson River, a 155-mile tidal estuary with both tide and current factoring into trip planning.  We were amazed to learn that a 5-foot tide could be felt as far north as Troy, NY with currents running several knots/hour (in both directions – not at the same time silly).  Anchoring behind The Statue of Liberty for

Some R Lovin' at anchor with Lady Liberty in background

our first night in NYC will go down as one of the best experiences of our trip.  Proud to be an American!

Monday morning allowed us a quieter passage, from dodging an abundance of pleasure boats, tour boats, ferries and other commercial traffic, around Lady Liberty.

Statue of Liberty
from NY harbor

Our short trip up the west coast of Manhattan ended at the 79^th Street Basin Marina.  How exciting to be only blocks away from Mark, Natalie and Granddaughter Claire.  After docking shortly after 11:00 AM we took a brief walk up 79^th Street to Broadway, then south a couple blocks to one of New York’s many markets to purchase dinner for the evening.  The fishmonger convinced us to buy fresh cod to add to the fresh veggies, cheese and bread we had already placed in our cart.  On our way back to the boat we stopped at a New York Deli for a pastrami sandwich.  By midafternoon we were back onboard preparing for Mark, Natalie and Claire.  A bit bumpy in the Basin Marina and the floating docks reminded us of a carnival ride while trying to walk on a moving walkway so getting the baby to the boat was somewhat of a challenge; however, once safely aboard we had a wonderful evening eating and being entertained by Claire.

Natalie, Claire,and Mark 

NYC skyline

On Tuesday we left Manhattan to our south and transited to Half Moon Bay Marina at Croton on the Hudson.   This marina is mentioned throughout many cruising guides and Looper publications so naturally it was on our “places to stop” list.  We arrived in the rain but our spirits brightened with the unexpected visit by Heather, Shane and Parker en route from Boston to Winchester (seems they had to pass within a few miles of Croton anyway).  The four of us explored the town which, would have been an excellent stop had we wanted to take a train into NYC, (the station was only a couple blocks away) but naturally found a quaint restaurant and ice cream shop before the evening was over.

Captain, mate and Parker

It was a special night having Parker onboard—what a perfectly well trained dog despite his size and Heather and Shane, of course.  We all wanted to get on the “road” early Wednesday so we bid farewell to the kids, tossed the lines off and headed north on the Hudson.

The tide carried us at 7-8 knots for the 6-hour trip to Poughkeepsie Yacht Club near Hyde Park, NY.  This part of the Hudson River is wide and deep and it was not uncommon to see 85’ on the depth sounder.  As we traveled we also read about the history associated with the area to include the other Academy (at West Point) and the Spring and Fall playground of the rich and famous during the gilded age.  As the Erie Canal was still closed due to flooding on the Mohawk River, we decided to spend an extra day in Hyde Park touring the Vanderbilt mansion as well as the homestead and Presidential Library of FDR.  What an enjoyable day!  While at Poughkeepsie we met Bob who has a house for rent in the Umbria region of central Italy (another adventure for another blog).

United States Military Academy
at West Point

Vanderbilt estate
(Sandy in the foreground)

FDR Presidential Library
(figures in the background are cut from the Berlin wall)

FDR Homestead and garden

Becky, Brenden, Annie and Wes

We had been trying to figure a way for Becky and the Grandkids to come aboard for a few days and decided to find a marina closer to the Erie Canal that would be a fun place to entertain a 9, 7 and 3 year old while allowing Mom a few days respite from summer vacation.  Shady Harbor Marina in New Baltimore turned out to be the perfect place.  We arrived only minutes after Becky and the kids on Friday and spent five days swimming in the marina pool, cooking out and generally having a great time recharging our batteries and preparing ourselves for the Erie Canal.  Oh yea, we did a short trip up and down the Hudson so Brenden, Annie, Wes and Becky could take turns at the helm.  I see future cruisers…While at Shady Harbor we met a half dozen other Loopers who were waiting for the Canal to reopen.  Each night we met for a cocktail to discuss options and intentions.  Among the new friends we met were

Brenden, Annie, Wes and Papa overseeing Brenden at the helm

the creators of Active Captain, Karen and Jeff.  It's always fun to cross paths with other Loopers from earlier ports and share cruising stories.  It's one of the most enjoyable things associated with a cruising lifestyle.