Bob's arrival, sent by Mother Nature of course, is timed perfectly as the weather window opens up for us to continue our travels down the Hudson towards NYC, with one overnight stop beforehand. With a full cooler of beer and ice, we are on our way. We do drink other beverages too. Just had to add that.
The depth of our boat (7' keel) also plays an important part of where to dock or anchor for the night, and the guessing game of "is it deep enough at that marina?" begins. We pass by several shallow marina options and after a friendly call from a sailor we met at Riverview Marine we end up at Riverfront Marina.
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| Our route out from there is to the right of the small island ahead on the right. |
As I look around, I find myself wondering if this is a small version of what it might look like being in the Alps, lol, having never been, but it is what I imagine.
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| Google image I borrowed. We were docked along the wall, straight ahead. |
He's from Hamilton I believe and with his wife cheering him on from home, he is on his way down the coast, taking his time and realizing that if he doesn't like it, he'll just call it a day and bring the boat back home. Not much in the way of an extreme sailor but more of a curious and hopeful soul looking for that adventure that we all crave, as it seems, later in life. His wife doesn't sail but she challenges herself by hiking the mountains in Croatia, for example. We'll keep in touch with Dave as he's on his own and it's just wise to have those connections as we head off-shore very soon.
I am starting to wonder if it is just the rich and famous that only live on this stretch of the Hudson River. Have a look at these spectacular homes along our way, as the mountains rise from the river and the homes perch among the trees and line the riverfront.
I wonder what the story is with this poor sailboat? I can guess the last storm and perhaps a poor anchorage wrote the last chapter for this vessel.
Are you a fan of the Duck Dynasty series? I know nothing about it, but we did see a few shacks among the marshes that made me think of the show.
This river is constantly amazing me with places of interest. And for those who know me, this tour I have you on is making me very happy, as I love giving everyone 'the tour'.
West Point United States Military Academy is quite a fortress along the bank. To my disappointment, the men must have been in class and NOT on the rugby field, darn.
Our weather is warm and sunny. The mountains are incredible.
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Bear Mountain bridge is huge and it looks as if the highway goes right through the mountain.
What do you think?
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This section of the Hudson in Haverstraw, is the widest at 3.5 miles wide. Windy conditions are perfect for these fall sailors.
Many sights far away play tricks with our eyes. Bob and Tony recognize this area of Nyack, NJ.
In 2012, Tony met Bob around this area after Hurricane Sandy had devastated the docks and marinas along the river. The new Nyack bridge under construction.
"Hey Bob, is that freighter in the middle of the channel?", I ask.
"No, it's just sitting there, bobbing at anchor. Stay in the middle of the channel and you'll be fine."
"Ahhh, I think it's moving, across the channel, I am going to run right into him. I'll check with the binoculars". My story is like this: I am certain it's moving across in front of us, so I stick to my story and I figure we will wait and see as we get closer.
Bob repeats, "These big guys just look like they are moving but he is not moving. I will check the AIS". This is Bob's story: The freighter is anchored on the right side of the channel.
The AIS says he is NOT moving, and as we motor by, Bob is right. He is anchored.
(But I think he moved across in front of us first and then dropped his anchor just before we passed him). That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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| Doesn't it look like the freighter is in the channel? Optical illusion? |
Is that NYC I see? I am a bit teary and excited to realize we've made it to the Big Apple, finally.
We will grab a mooring ball at the West 79th Street Boat Basin and enjoy a night or two in the city before heading offshore.
I was very successful at bringing the boat to the ball and Tony hooking the large rope and tying off - all under the careful supervision of Sailor Bob.
Here is the crazy 2+ knot current in the basin.
My crew.
Notice the beard on my sailor and the semi-clean shaven Bob.
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| The dinghy makes it's debut in NYC. |
A short walk up, a few blocks west and we are on Amsterdam Avenue, hunting out a food establishment. With so many to choose from, we look for a busy place that the mid-week locals are frequenting and find "Hy Life". Cuz that's what we are livin', the HY LIFE.
New York flat bread pizza, penne pasta and a fresh fish dinner are among our selections along with some hoppy drinks for Bob and Tony. I stick to one glass of white wine, as we may be leaving for offshore tomorrow and have to be in good shape for the journey.
Our server Sunny helps us with our absent minds as we struggle to remember the actress who played the main role in Sex in the City.
This is Bob's trivia night apparently. He asks us first, "Who is that girl in that show?"
Huh? What girl?
We are struggling to remember her.
Bob offers a hint, "She was or maybe still is married to that guy."
Oh gee, thanks Bob.
This is Bob's trivia night apparently. He asks us first, "Who is that girl in that show?"
Huh? What girl?
We are struggling to remember her.
Bob offers a hint, "She was or maybe still is married to that guy."
Oh gee, thanks Bob.
That guy and that girl are Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. Thank you Sunny.
She offers her story about meeting Matthew in the city: "I was working at a Starbucks on the east side of the city and he comes in for a coffee. I tell him I love him in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and aspire to do 'nothing' and 'goof off' as his character did in the movie. He leans forward to say to me, "Quit. Don't stay and just settle for this job. Just quit and do what you want."
She offers her story about meeting Matthew in the city: "I was working at a Starbucks on the east side of the city and he comes in for a coffee. I tell him I love him in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and aspire to do 'nothing' and 'goof off' as his character did in the movie. He leans forward to say to me, "Quit. Don't stay and just settle for this job. Just quit and do what you want."
Sunny tells us she quit that day and is now studying at Columbia University. Cool story.
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| Empire State Building and lots of construction going on. Good to see. |
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| The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. This carrier is home to the sheltered Space Shuttle. Shout out to Gavin: Hey I found it! Maybe next time Tony and I are here we will go on the tour! |
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| One World Trade, at Ground Zero in Manhattan. |
Tony motors us out of the NYC harbour, dodging the ferries, water taxis, cruise boats,
freighters and even jet skis.
We have seen the small craft warning forecast just offshore of Sandy Hook, but we decide to leave as the weather is said to improve as we continue further south, so says the forecast.
Sailor Dave calls us and says he will head to Sandy Hook area for some boat work at the marina before he heads out. He has hired a weather router from Maine to provide him with forecasts. His guy says it's a good day to go and don't wait, as it gets worse if we stay another day.
With a beautiful morning heading out and seas swelling, we are in for quite a ride, but we don't know it yet.
We follow out a few of the big freighters around the markers and are surprised that the depth is just 56 feet in what seems like it should be hundreds of feet deep. The ocean is so vast, rolling swells are building and grow to over 15 feet from what I can tell. They are not white capped, just rolling. We have on our life jackets and settle in for our 30 hour motor and motor-sail down the coast.
Sunset on the coast just north of Atlantic City. Waves are building and night is cooling off from a warm 23C day. Jackets and pants on and full enclosure around us to keep warm.
We take shifts of one hour at the helm each. This gives us a 2 hour rest in-between.
The weather story is this: Left overs from Hurricane Joaquin and a north east system provide a perfect recipe for a confused sea as we pass the Delaware channel and continue south.
Unfortunately my vertigo is building as I pass the 20 hour mark. I choose to take the helm for most of the shifts, as this takes my mind off of the motion. I thought I could do this full on. The conditions are not as bad as our rough journey across Lake Ontario but I can't shake it.
Tony and Bob nap as I motor us through the ocean, taking direction from them around markers and shoals and underwater obstructions, all marked on the charts.
We all decide we've had enough and bring Deja Vu into land in Ocean City, Maryland. Wind gusts top 35 knots and with seas that just won't quit, we call it a day before noon on Wednesday, Oct. 7th.
Just 3 miles offshore from Ocean City, this little bird, a young sparrow comes on board. He scoots in the zipper opening of the enclosure and stows away with us for the next 2 hours.
He nibbles on a few crackers crumbs and granola bar crumbs on the cockpit floor and then settles in the sunshine and closes his eyes. So sweet. Warming himself from the winds and resting.
I wonder what his story is?
My happy tears come again, as Tony brings the boat through the opening of the channel in the morning, and I see dolphins escorting us in! About 6 of them off the bow and port side of the boat, rise above the water as if to say, "Come on, this way!".
We've arrived at White Marlin Marina in Ocean City. We are in for a treat.
We stretch our legs, and take ourselves to the beach and is it incredible!
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| Beach sculpture for kids to climb on. |
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| Peddle bike on the boardwalk. |
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| Three Miles long! |
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| My boys enjoy a frozen custard cone. |
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| Interesting signage on this store. |
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| Silly me. |
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| Yes, those are palm trees. |
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| Following Tony's footsteps back to the boardwalk. |
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| Watermelon Ice! |
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| Here's one for you Mark! |
Anyone interested in a week or weekend holiday here? We may consider this in the future, as it is just a 10 hour drive from Toronto!
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| More cottages across the river from the marina, not beach front, but golf courses nearby and beach just across five minute drive across a bridge. |
We've found The Frog Bar and Grill. Quick hamburger lunch with a view of the channel, in hopes to see those dolphins again!
A sculptor, Peter Toth, has carved a huge Indian head from a 100 year old oak tree, to commemorate the Indian tribe that once claimed these lands in Maryland.
Peter is currently carving a sculpture in each of the fifty states. That would make for an interesting theme for a road trip!
More details on the picture of the plaque below.
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| Posted on several lamp posts along the beach front. |
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| Capt. David fishing boat is well used, smells as I walk past and has some good stories to tell I am sure. The new fishing boats along side probably have more exaggerated stories of the ones that got away. |
We've really enjoyed the people of Ocean City, the taste of summer with hot days and cool ice cream, and of course the waves and beach too. However it's time to keep moving and after some great thought, I decide to rent a car and meet the boys north and near the Annapolis boat show - Bob's end point with us.
Since my vertigo lingers and the weather is somewhat questionable, I would just rather choose this route and have the boys deliver Deja Vu at the other end.
Tony and Bob sail back up the coast and enter the Delaware River as they decide to take the C & D Canal (The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a 14-mile-long, 450-foot-wide and 35-foot-deep ship canal that connects the Delaware River with the Chesapeake Bay in the states of Delaware and Maryland in the United States. Wikipedia).
We've read about the canal, as it holds the title of being one of the busiest in the world,
as a mere 25,000 vessels chug along this route every year.
While my crew heads out, I too, have my route up the coast and thoroughly enjoy a lovely fall drive in a rental car (new Kia Rio) heading towards Annapolis.
ETA for Deja Vu is approximately 14 hours to the middle of the canal for a one night stop.
Next day they will have a shorter day sail (6 hours) across the Chesapeake Bay to Maryland Yacht Club, where I will be waiting for them on B Dock, of course.
My ETA is approximately 3 hours.
I arrive in Annapolis just before noon on Friday to see such a gorgeous old seaside town!
Old buildings that house quaint clothing shops, ice cream parlours, and restaurants. A market place and old stone walkways too. I see masts sticking up everywhere along the shore. I realize this is going to be a town I will want to walk and enjoy the shops and perhaps have an ice cream too.
With my GPS set for Annapolis Visitor's Centre, I arrive safely and happily pay the $5 to park and make my way into the centre to chat it up with the staff about accommodations for the night.
If you ever been to this show, you will laugh at the thought that I might even be able to actually find lodging for the night, let alone find a parking spot for the rental car (other than the visitor temp parking).
It's the Columbus Day long weekend in the U.S. and the Annapolis in-water Sailboat show that will see approximately 130,000 attendees over the 5-day event.
What are the odds that I would find any hotel or motel or B & B or inn with my name on a pillow? Slim to poor. Well, if I paid the $299 per night at the Marriott, then yes, I would be poor.
After making 9 calls out to different accommodations in the downtown core, I realize I'm going to have to expand my search.
I drive through the town, hoping I can find somewhere to sleep for the night. I randomly think of bunking in with a strapping young man in the United States Naval Academy, which is right beside the main entrance to the boat show. Perhaps not.
What if I just slid in and slept in a huge catamaran in the show? Who would notice? The 60' boats have large enough bunks that I would easily be hidden away.
Ah, well after going around the roundabout 3 times, I give up. I can't find parking and I am getting hungry and need to stop and rest.
My final phone call to a Hampton Hotel, ends with a smile as I enter in the address in my GPS on the cell and I am off to the interstate, an hour north towards Baltimore.
I've checked in to a decent room for $114 and am now doing some research for a marina or yacht club for Deja Vu to motor to on Saturday.
The boys had some ugly weather pass over them, as they take to anchoring and wait it out. I watched TV and drank some white wine. All was good. Oh, it rained in the hotel parking lot too. It was really dark and scary.
On Saturday the boys decide to take me up on the location I've chosen for them: Maryland Yacht Club in Pasadena, Maryland. It has all the amenities for us: showers, diesel, pump out, laundry and not too far up a shallow creek.
Tony sends me a text and says they will arrive approximately at 4 pm.
Hmm...I have time to write my blog.
Off to the neighbourhood Starbucks I go.
For any of you that do any writing or have a blog on the go, you will know that it takes a decent amount of time to come to the finished product.
Step One: Upload photos to your preferred photo editor (I use Picasa)
Step Two: Choose your key photos that highlight your writing
Step Three: Write the blog
Step Four: Edit the blog
Step Five: Post to the internet (and pray you have decent internet!)
With the weekend approaching and my deadline to post being Sunday (not that I have an editor on my back or anything) I decide to get on it.
I am well on my way writing and adding photos in my corner of Starbucks, when these two interesting men join me at a nearby table.
I meet Dale Crites and his book author, Paul Hoffman. Paul is writing a story about Dale. I don't know much more however he and Paul know Madonna. I'm looking forward to following him on Facebook to see how his future progresses.
Deja Vu loves her dock at Maryland Yacht Club. B Dock is home for her for a couple of days, as Bob is with us just one more night, then back to Toronto. We will miss him.
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| Centre of the photo, one of those masts belongs to Deja Vu. |
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| My strong and sturdy and silly crew! |
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| Bob and his Sam Adams |
BOAT SHOW DAY!!!!
We are up early, breakfast on the way and in less than 45 minutes we have parked and are walking to the show. Although we are not in our car, we have some traffic, on the water.
We wait as the drawbridge opens for the sailboats to pass through the channel. Sunshine and high of 25C today. Bob is cramming in a fun boat-filled hour at the show before his flight home.
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| HI John, from Perry. |
Tony's story goes like this: We've finished 3 of the 4 legs of our journey south.
- Oswego to Hudson River
- Hudson River south to NYC Harbour
- Chesapeake up to the Annapolis Boat show
Our 4th leg is meeting up with Wally Moran for the ICW Sail to the Sun Rally to our end destination: Vero Beach Florida by December 7.
We are so proud of each other and all we have accomplished thus far. With incredible friends and crew (BOB WE LOVE YOU) along the way and your support from home, we are sure our final part of the journey, down the ICW, will be equally exciting and full of wonderful memories.
We miss our family and Charley. We are missing Thanksgiving dinner this weekend with Tony's parents, my parents and family and our kids.
But meeting our Mimico friends at the boat show today with their big hugs, gave us a wee bit of warmth from home. We are thankful for your friendship.
Wishing everyone a great Thanksgiving weekend!
We will be taking our time travelling down the Chesapeake over the next 9 days, until we meet up with our group on October 19 in Deltaville, VA.
Hope for internet and some interesting adventures to blog about until then...
Sailor Christine
xo
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