24 July 2013

Departed Waterford, NY… what a great place.  We headed up the Champlain Canal and made it as far as lock four… another great day.  We were allowed to tie-up on the upward side of the lock – peace and quiet was everywhere – what a beautiful spot.     

Sean bring us up the Champlain Canal

Lock 1 Champlain Canal
 

Tams office

Going up!

 

 
 Sea Chantey on the wall upside Lock 4

 

Sean walking the lock gate

Art in the park Lock 4

 

 Contrast in home maintenance

 

 

 

21 July 2013

Underway here we go… heading up the Hudson on another beautiful day.  It’s amazing how many lighthouses are up the river… we found a nice anchorage behind Houghtailing Island about 20 miles short of Albany…wide with 15 feet of water, beautiful spot.  There were four or five other boats enjoying the location. The three of us took advantage of the fresh clear water and took a dip to cool off. We heard several eagles but only spotted one. There was a train track several hundred yards away and a train would go by every couple of hours… if you gave them a wave they would blast their horn.... all part of the charm of the location.

Converted to a B&B

     

We lowered the mast for several upcoming low bridges

 Waterford, NY town wharf visitor center - free dockage for 48 hours

Hannaford's allowed people at the Waterford dock to barrow carts for groceries - then sent a truck to pick them up later - good business sense

 Sean loving the WI-FI

Tamera and Sean on the Champlain Trail

 Taking care of the essentials

18 July 2013
After doing all the obligatory things in New York it's time to depart the Big Apple... We headed up the Hudson past the United Nations Headquarters, past General Ulysses S. Grant’s tomb, under the Tappan Zee Bridge the day was a true history lesson.

Who's buried in Grants Tomb?

 

 We ended the day at what looked like a nice weather protected cove on the west side of the river - Haverstraw Cove.  There is a beautiful community park at one end and a band was playing lite rock-n-roll. Fifteen feet of water at MLW, not many bugs – this place looked excellent – so we dropped the hook.  After firing up the generator we sat on deck to enjoy the sunset and lesson to the music.

 Sometime in the late evening the generator started acting up.  It got louder and alarms started going off – did I mention this was about 0230 in the morning? - and that it was about 100 degrees outside - and that the air conditioner will not run without the generator? - and that when I went outside to check the overboard discharge (at 0230) there was several dudes  on the bank of the cove fashionably dressed in wife-beaters drinking what could only be forty ouncers and smashing the empties on the rocks?  Needless to say the rest of the evening was uncomfortable a). No generator, b). No A/C, c). Freaks on the beach.  Of course the cook was concerned about the fridge and freezer which added to my anger management issues.

19 July 2013

Sunrise came  about 0545 – while boat checks were being completed  the freaks on the beach started yelling 'take us fishing' – that did not happen. We departed to anywhere but Haverstraw Cove … 

As it turned out it was a beautiful day on the Hudson (after two pots of coffee).  We rolled by the historic West Point and Cold Spring where cannons supporting the revolutionary war were manufactured.

Historic West Point Military Academy

 The towering cliffs are filled with opulent mansions and ruined remains of fortunes long lost.

Unknown estate... but I did hear several varying story's about the structure


The ghostly remains of Bannerman's Castle circa 1901 on Pollepel Island

 

 We made the call and pulled into Norrie Point Marina in Staatsburgh, NY.  This hidden jewel is run by the New York State Parks Department at Norrie State Park.  The facilities were in great shape, with typical state park camping style bathrooms-but very clean, miles of hiking trails and beautiful scenery.  We stayed two days – okay one of those days I was in the engine room degunking the generator fuel system, but it was a beautiful spot to do it.



Many structures at the park- including the bath house were built by the WPA

While we were there a handsome old wooden boat ULYSSES from Stonington, CT pulled in… as we got into conversation with them it turns out a guest on board Tommy Tyler and I as kids were neighbors 40+ years ago on Governors Island, New York.  I thought he looked familiar - it is truly a small world.

Bill Kelly & Tommy Tyler -neighbor kids 40+ years later meet by chance on the Hudson River 

      

16-17 July 2013

The push to the Big Apple… it was an early morning anchor detail and away we went.

With a clear sky and calm seas it was a good day to put our sights on New York City.  We rounded Sandy Hook and crossed Lower Bay before long the Verrazano Narrows Bridge came into view.

Verrazano Bridge in the haze

Swab and crew with NY,NY in the background

Postcard perfect photo of Lady Liberty

Ellis Island

Staten Island Ferry

Circle Line Tour boat

 

To my relief the harbor was not horror ably busy and we timed the tide just right.  We tied up at Liberty Landing Marina which technically has us still in NEW JERSEY!! - we can't seem to get out of the Garden State.  Just a quick ferry ride and we are in the heart of it...

 

 

No visit to New York is complete without a stop at Katz for a pastrami on rye

 

 

The view from the marina of New York was excellent day and night

 

Sea Chantey dockside... still in NewJersey

15 July 2013

 We took our time departing High Harbor so it was a short run to the anchorage in Shark River.  The current was swift at 3 knots or so but the bottom was excellent holding.  With the temperature hovering around 100 degrees Sean and I decided to take a dip in the river… we casted a line out for something to hold on to and jumped in.

14 July 2013

Still in New Jersey… We decided to take the New Jersey ICW today instead of going outside… BIG mistake.  After doing some research about the condition of the waterway after Hurricane Sandy it seemed doable. Nobody mentioned the thousands of horseflies’ in the Jersey swamps!!!  We were inundated by hundreds of biting green headed flies… Tamera thought she had joined a tennis team with all the swatting she was doing. After being bitten more times than I can count on the six mile journey we broke out to the open sea at Brigantine Inlet.  The NJICW was plenty deep and wide but the flies were not tolerable.

Barnegat Lighthouse

After pushing on for 40 miles or so we arrived at Barneget Inlet and spent the night at High Bar Harbor Yacht Club where we enjoyed the afternoon sun and a dip in the pool.  

13 July 2013

We took the outside root to Atlantic City – once we got three miles or so off shore the fog cleared up and it was an uneventful transit…

A different view of Atlantic City, NJ

We anchored in front of Harrahs casino next door to the Coast Guard Station… we could hear a 70’s style concert rocking at the casino but we did not go ashore.

Coast Guard Station Atlantic City, NJ

Harrah's Casino

9 - 12 July 2013

This morning we are on our way to Cape May, NJ.  An early AM departure the sky was overcast, a bit of a chop with winds out of the SW 10 – 15 knots.  As we moved on the weather deteriorated and the bay showed us her ugly side…but fortunately it was a short trip to the Cape May canal. After being beat down on the lower Delaware Bay we retreated to Utschs Marina, in operation since 1951 in the heart of Cape May. 

Red sky at night sailors delight

For dinner we went for pizza at Cappelletti – better know to locals as Cappy’s – great NY style pie – another establishment that has been a part of the Cape May experience forever.

 When we were here a couple of weeks ago to witness Spencer become a member of the USCG we meet Scott and Mary Rae they told us to give them a call when we pass through – we did.  They are such great people… we can’t thank them enough for their hospitality… you’ve heard the saying ‘dinner and a movie’, Scott and Mary offered us dinner and a laundry.  There is nothing better than that to boat people – we really appreciated their generosity and great company.

Tamera, Scott, Mary and Bill - Dinner at the Rae's House

As far as the weather goes – Cape May has it ample share of fog.  Not just a lite morning fog but an all day long London detective novel kind of fog – something I was not willing to go boating in.  So we stayed in Cape May and enjoyed the Victorian charm.  As we made a departure on day four we were blanketed by a thick fog at the jetty… we made a hasty retreat to the anchorage off USCG Training Center to wait it out...

 

 

Some light reading and engine room maintenance while waiting out the fog

-  no I'm not naked ...and how come I don't get a cocktail?

Day five in Cape May we were successful at getting out –

 but still in a light fog – on to Atlantic City, NJ.       



 

8July2013

We awoke at Delaware City Marina to discover we had a teenager on board! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite teenager Sean Kelly as he turns 13 today! 

My favorite teenager Sean

We are heading south on Delaware Bay the weather looks like another winner. 

While we were out and about we did a little house hunting... Ship John Lighthouse Delaware Bay is up for sale! Starting bid is $30K - needs a little TLC (time/labor & cash)

Lots of big ships on Delaware Bay - heading to Philly or through the C&D Canal

 

 We anchored in the Cohansey River a tranquil looking fishing village about 40 miles shy of Cape May, NJ – a beautiful spot and we were the only boat in the anchorage.  Shortly after anchor detail we discovered why, as biting black and green flies swarmed us.  So we locked ourselves inside turned on the air conditioning and played board games as we celebrated Sean’s Birthday.