Working Our Way Further South

We are sitting in Newport, still twiddling our thumbs, and waiting for a weather window to make the long dash to the Chesapeake.  The tropical storms and hurricanes keep coming and one, Leslie, just seems to be dawdling and wandering around the Atlantic.  She is of no danger to us in a harbor, but out in the ocean there are sizable swells that would make for an uncomfortable voyage, to say nothing of the fear she might take another unexpected change of direction and head towards us.  So, impatience finally gets the best of us, and we decide to take a more protected route down Long Island Sound. Here you are controlled by the timing of currents.  The first obstacle is the Race, formed by the narrow passage joining Block Island Sound and Long Island Sound where the water depths change dramatically.  We zip through at greater than hull speeds and spend a calm night anchored along the north east shore of Long Island.

The next morning we get an early start as we want to arrive in the protected harbor of Port Jefferson, Long Island before a strong cold front passes through with winds predicted to reach 60 knots.  We cover the forty miles on a fast beam reach, pull into the harbor, and anchor in the protection of a high bluff. As the wind continues to build, the harbor fills with other boats seeking its protection.  When the front finally passes through we see over 30 knots for a brief period of time, but we know that out in the Sound things are much worse and not far away, at Coney Island, a tornado has been spotted.  Port Jefferson looks like an interesting town with a mix of very expensive homes along side regular neighborhoods.  The harbor entrance is formed by sand dunes and stretches of beach.  We would love to explore, but the weather keeps us on our boat. 

Our final destination on Long Island is Port Washington, just a stones throw from La Guardia airport. 

House near Kings Point outside of Port Washington - notice view towards NYC

 Another well protected harbor, it caters to cruisers – even the grocery store has a dinghy dock.  Here we provision for the trip to the Chesapeake and socialize with other cruisers who are awaiting a weather window to head south – we are definitely part of the fall migration now.  Leslie finally heads off to Newfoundland, and the winds and seas moderate so we can begin our passage.

The morning of September 11, 2012 dawns with crystal clear blue skies.  We leave Port Washington early to make the beginning ebb (favorable) current through Hell’s Gate, the passage where Long Island Sound merges into the East River. 

Coming into Hell's Gate - notice the disturbed water

Although we are just past slack, the current is strong enough to make the boat feel squirrelly underfoot.  We are flying past Manhattan at over 11 knots when we realize it is just after 9 am on a day so similar to one eleven years ago. It is a very disquieting experience.  The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building sparkle in the strong sunlight.  

The Chrysler Building on a beautiful NYC morning

The UN buildings from the East River

 Then, between several other buildings, we glimpse the new One World Trade Center tower.   

One World Trade Center rising from the ashes of the original World Trade Center

It has reached its full height, but we understand it is still several years from completion.  If we had been in this same position eleven years ago we would have witnessed jets impacting similar towers. Those painful visuals haunt us, and it is difficult to gaze off in any other direction until we begin to leave Manhattan behind us.  Now it’s time to dodge the fast Staten Island Ferries that are accompanied by two security boats each. Otherwise, the commercial traffic is fairly light as we pass by the Statue of Liberty and head out into the Atlantic. 

The Statue of Liberty waves good-bye as we leave NYC harbor

We have 140 nm of open water sailing, or should we say motoring.  The strong winds and big swells are gone, and we stay about three miles off the New Jersey coast.  We are making good time and realize we should round Cape May at dawn with a favorable current going up Delaware Bay, so the decision is made to make the entire trip to the Chesapeake in one hop.  We are in communication with one boat about an hour ahead of us, and he is riding the currents the entire way.  But, being just one hour behind results in an unfavorable current for us come mid-afternoon, and we slog up the last reaches of the bay and through the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal, pulling into an anchorage just west of the canal about three hours behind our friends – that is what an adverse current can do to you. After 224 nm and 35 hours underway, we are happy to be in the Chesapeake, away from any brewing Atlantic storms and safely anchored in the Bohemia River for a well deserved night’s sleep.

The next morning we head into Harve D’Grace, a short distance away, and take a dock to do some serious cleaning as we haven’t been at a dock or had access to a fresh water boat wash since mid-June.  The hull and deck are caked with salt, and the canvas bimini and dodger have a serious case of mildew.  It’s a long day of scrubbing, and we collapse into bed after a delicious dinner cooked for us by the boat docked next to us.  Our neighbor, a full time livaboard, must have seen our state of exhaustion and kindly brought over a gourmet meal – another example of how thoughtful the cruising community can be.  We are most grateful. Grateful, that is, until we wake up the next morning to find we have been infested with bugs of Biblical proportions that have stained the deck and canvas.  Two more hours of scrubbing later…

So, it’s a quick hop down to Annapolis where we secure a mooring buoy in front of the Naval Academy and await the arrival of Burt’s brother and sister-in-law. Our guests tour the Naval Academy while I borrow their car to do some serious grocery shopping. Then, it is off to St. Michael’s, an historic town on the Eastern Shore.  We were here years ago by car, but now enjoy the approach by water.  It is Sunday afternoon, and the stream of boats leaving this popular destination makes the plotted course on our GPS quite unnecessary.  We have just missed the final “log canoe” sailing race of the weekend, but one of the boats is viewable onshore.  These narrow, traditional sailing craft built out of well hewn logs are similar to the Bahamian sloops – they employ a sizable crew, on boards that extend far beyond the gunnels, to counter balance the tall rig and huge sail plan, resulting in boats that can really scoot in a breeze. 

One of the log canoes packed up after a weekend of racing

We explore the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum which houses an extensive collection of traditional boats, a boat restoration facility, and a myriad of exhibits describing the history and industries of the Chesapeake. 

This restored lighthouse is the centerpiece of the museum

No trip to the Eastern shore is complete with out sampling some crab, and we enjoy a late afternoon snack overlooking the picturesque harbor.  The next morning we take time to walk the side streets of St. Michael’s, enjoying the many attractive restored homes and gardens, before setting sail for the Severn River, near Annapolis. 

Typical home along the streets of St. Michaels

The weather is taking a turn for the worse, so we anchor in a secluded creek off the Severn and enjoy a sunset accompanied by the sounds of ospreys and herons.  The next morning it is blowing stinkers, so we make our way back to mooring field in Annapolis to wait out the blow.  The combination of high winds from the southwest and an unusually high tide result in flooding and the closure of some streets and sidewalks, a phenomenon we have heard about but never witnessed in Annapolis. 

Flooding along the Annapolis waterfront

We are now back on our own again.  It’s time for errands and boat chores.  Burt is making improvements in the electric system in anticipation of adding solar panels in a couple of months and rebuilding a head. I’m doing laundry, bookkeeping, and scraping some peeling varnish. But it’s not all drudgery – cruising friends have pulled up to a ball near us, and we spend several evening visiting with them.  In the past year, our list of cruising friends has grown astronomically – we rejoice at the reunions but feel sadness as we eventually part ways.

And finally, it is a football Saturday here in Annapolis.  The Academy is playing VMI, and there are still tickets available.  So, we hop on our bikes and weave through all the traffic to the stadium where we score general admission tickets.  That gets you the right to sit on a sloping lawn in the end zone corners. These might not be the best seats in the house but they are cheap, roomy, and in the shade which is a pretty good deal on a hot, sunny afternoon.  We are used to Big Ten football with all its hoopla, but the military takes it one step further.  While the band may not be quite as big, neither Michigan nor Ohio State can order up two F-18’s to scream over the stadium right before kick-off.

Two dots in the sky are the jets - and they do make a lot of noise

The Midshipmen march into the stadium

There are plenty of other traditions on display and, best of all, the Midshipmen come out victorious. 

Shortly we will leave Annapolis to travel 15 nm south to the Rhode River and the site of this year’s Seven Seas Cruisers Annapolis Gam.  We have volunteered to help with the set up, and following the Gam, will return to Annapolis to attend the first few days of the annual boat show. After that it’s off to warmer waters.

Back to Civilization

It is a short hop through dense fog south to Boston.  The channel weaves through outlying islands and shoals.  Our fog horn is blaring, we are motoring at low speed, and our eyes are alternately glued to the radar and squinting through the fog to discern other boats. It is a bit intimidating.  At one point we see a large ferry boat lurking in the fog, not moving, and just outside the channel. On VHF Channel #16 we are hearing a pan-pan for a ferry that ran aground, but we understand them to be off Marblehead, quite a distance away.  Later we find out that the ferry we saw was the one that had run aground, just before we passed by.  Had the location of the ferry been correctly transmitted, we would have been the first rescue vessel on the scene.  On the way into Boston Harbor, Coast Guard vessels, fire boats, and other ferries are speeding past us, and happily all the passengers are safely transported back to Boston.  Later that day, after the tide rises, the humiliated ferry boat limps back to Boston.

Once we get to downtown Boston, the fog has lifted and it is a glorious, blue sky day.  We pick up a mooring ball right off downtown accompanied by our friends from Australia – we are almost in the shadows of the skyscrapers.   

Sunrise at Boston Harbor - our friends' boat is the white one

We have one and one-half days to see all of Boston so our friends are in for a stretch of “power tourism” American style.  We hit the ground running, well, actually walking on the Freedom Trail.  It weaves through the modern city to most of the interesting historical sights. We visit Faneuil Hall, the Old State House, and the Old South Meeting House, all places where the events of the revolution were hatched. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Sam Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere all walked these halls. The Boston Tea Party was planned at the Old South Meeting House, and the Boston Massacre occurred steps away from the Old State House. 

Old South Meeting House where the Boston Tea Party got its start

We wander through Boston Commons, a park, and on to the Beacon Hill neighborhood which is graced by many restored row houses.  

Gracious Beacon Hill town house

 
 

The next morning we take the dinghies through a lock which controls tides and into the Charles River. It is a five mile motor through placid waters past parks, boat houses and universities that line the shore.   

MIT's Boathouse on the Charles River

We pass MIT and Boston University on our way to Harvard. There is no dinghy dock available so the dinghies are locked to a railing along the shore, and we trample through a weedy area to reach the sidewalk.  With the mud and burrs brushed off, we regain our dignity, and walk onto the grounds of this bastion of higher education.  Harvard Yard is lush and shady and lined with lovely classical brick buildings. 

The Chapel at Harvard University

Although the students have not yet arrived for the fall semester, it is still a beehive of activity.  On the dinghy ride back, we are passed by sculls and pleasure boats – everyone is out enjoying this beautiful late summer day. 

After a quick lunch on the boat, we resume our trek on the Freedom Trail.  Our next destination is Paul Revere’s house, but we manage to get lost in the winding and confusing streets of Boston’s North End.  And the streets are packed.  This is the festival of St. Anthony and St. Lucia in the predominately Italian section of town.  We crowd on to the sidewalks as a parade like procession passes by in the street.  There is a band and a statue of one of the Saints held high and adorned with streamers and many dollars pinned to the statue’s robe and the streamers.  

Festival in Boston's North End

 The parade moves on although we hear the hub-bub long after it is out of sight. We finally find Paul Revere’s home, a well restored building squeezed in between other older homes and shops.  It gives us a sense of what life was like in 18^th century Boston. 

Paul Revere's home

Just down the street is the Old North Church, home of those famous “one if by sea, two if by land” lanterns.  It, too, has been beautifully restored and is still in use as a church today.  

Old North Church

Our final destination takes us across the Charles River to the home of the Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship in the US Navy.   

The Constitution - too big to fit into the picture frame!

Yes, she is still manned by the Navy and just the week before, she hoisted sails for a short journey through Boston Harbor. Recently restored in anticipation of War of 1812 commemorative events, everything in the boat is historically correct and as original as possible.  The only modern additions are electric running lights and electric bilge pumps.   

And those electric bilge pumps? Built by Gorman-Rupp from our home town of Mansfield, Ohio

We go through extensive security to go aboard and are guided by naval personnel. 

We have worn out our Australian friends, but that’s OK as we are spending the next day sailing to Provincetown to await appropriate winds and currents to make the passage through the Cape Cod Canal.  Two days later with favorable winds and currents we have a glorious 85 nm sail to Bristol, Rhode Island in Narragansett Bay. At one point we hit 11 knots, far beyond our calculated hull speed. We have been in Bristol before, but not by boat. Besides its famous Herreshoff Museum which we visited a few years ago, Bristol has a lovely bike path that extends all the way to Providence and a number of attractive restored homes of wealthy sea captains. 

Captain's home in Bristol

We are twiddling our thumbs, first at Bristol and then back at Newport, as there is a threat of hurricanes in our stretch of the Atlantic. This gives us several days to do repairs, provision, do laundry, and enjoy our surroundings.  Bryan and Beth pay us a visit, and we take a scenic hike with them along a point of land east of Newport that is part of the National Park System. 

Beth, Bryan, and Burt hiking amongst the rocks at Sachuest Point

Our anchorage at the entrance to Newport Harbor is the perfect vantage point for viewing the many classic yachts entered in the annual Labor Day Classic Boat Regatta. There are over 50 boats participating in this International Event and at one point they all parade past our bow and through the anchorage area on the way to the reviewing/judging stands. 

The 12-meter American Eagle leading the boat parade with a bagpiper playing on the bow.

We need our sunglasses as the glare off the varnish work is so bright – one appreciates the willingness of others to maintain such beautiful yachts. Outside the harbor and under sail, we see everything from wooden twelve meters, to classic one designs, to ocean worthy large ketches, gaff rigged sloops, and schooners.

Herreshoff designed gaff rigged sloop

 Nearby the race course, restored motor yachts provide a viewing platform for their owners. 

Elegant restored motor launch

So now we wait. What sort of torrential rains will we receive from Issac?  How high will the ocean swells be that Kirk produces?  Where exactly will Leslie’s track be? And another tropical depression named Michael just popped up. Our trip south to the Delaware Bay entrance is about 240 nm of open ocean sailing, and we don’t want any surprises along the way. So…the thumbs keep twiddling.