Skanky Tourists

Just too exciting

Long Island Sound is a sailor’s dream - lots of enclosed water, not too far from land, marinas on every corner (mooring fields if you’re really feeling rugged & outdoorsy) and very little commercial traffic.  There are lots of very expensive, very large sailboats to ogle too.  Hylas, Oyster, Morris from Maine and Swan to mention a few.  That means it’s as busy as, especially when you nose your way closer to Throgs Neck Bridge, the gateway to our favourite water shute, East River.

Motleys spent the night off Plum Point in Manhasset Bay next to a wedding cake on water (Some hot water boat owners just don’t know when to stop do they?)  Here we spent the night worrying over tide & slack water timings.  Our Cap’n Tidy cleaned and primped WJ3 for her “showing” even doing the brass – we had pre-warned friends of our sail down Manhattan.  He wanted the photos to look good.

Of course they did.  But our friends the coasties neglected to mention, until we were almost on East River, that it was off limits again.  So we begged and pleaded and then had to be “escorted” past the UN building by a USCG rib nattily decorated with a 50 cal machine gun.  (Wayne’s sheep dogs don’t work as hard!)  Its crew were decked out in basic black accented by bullet-proof vests and can’t-see-me sunnies.  Wanting to stand out in a crowd, our Cap’n dressed in his best green & gold aussie boardies, then leapt about waving with enthusiasm to our high-rise friends.  Wouldn’t you agree this was a perfect moment for holiday snaps?

The views from WJ3 are always exceptional

After shooting the East River rapids, we took the scenic route close to Lady Liberty then turned dodging monster container ships, hard-working tugs and fearless Staten Island Ferries in NY’s vast harbor.  We were heading back to Great Kills, a haven from traffic and approaching nasty weather.  Also home to two very cranky, white (overfed) swans - GS kept her distance.  Having witnessed her baby brother being attacked by such fearsome creatures many years ago, all available stale bread was made ready.

Over on the docks, a quieter, black swan languished.  Its owner, our launch captain, did not hail from down under.  In old sea lore, he told us, a black swan was a mythical creature and symbolised the unknown or infinity.  That was until some killjoy sailed up  Swan River over in the West.

East River (right of map)
How close were we??

From: Rowayton, CT  Lat/Long: 41 03N  73 26W  Date/Time: 24/9/10: 1050
To: Great Kills, NY  Lat/Long: 40 32N  74 08W  Date/Time: 25/9/10: 1540
Time Taken: 57nm (8hrs)  Distance (this year): 1330nm (239.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 4970nm (938.5hrs)   Fastest Speed: 9.8kts**
Weather: Winds SW 5-15kts; Seas 1-3ft; then W turning NE 10-15kts; Seas 2-3ft; evening rain
(**Motoring through Hell Gate & East River dodging (armed) USCG ribs…)