New York, New York!
Bamboozle
Jamie and Lucy Telfer
Wed 16 Jul 2008 15:58
40:43.532N 074:01.844W
We have had a hectic few weeks since moving on
board. As soon as we had Bamboozle sorted we did a did
a quick hop to Bimini in the Bahamas to export her from the USA
before checking back in to Fort Lauderdale and getting a cruising permit for a year as a foreign registered yacht. We enjoyed the 4th July celebrations which, as well as some spectacular fireworks, brought some eye-opening sights out on to the beach (bikinis you wouldn't even be allowed to wear in Brazil!) before setting off northwards out of the tropics. Our insurance company were keen for us
get out of what is considered the main hurricane risk area south of Cape Hatteras and Hurricane Bertha was indeed brewing mid Atlantic as we headed up the Florida coast. We had a good sail and enjoyed the benefit of the Gulf stream under our keel which gave us a considerable boost and we covered 225 miles in our first full 24 hour run! Apart from dodging the thunderstorms (and waterspouts!) we had a peaceful trip and kept going straight on up past Cape Hatteras, stopping at Cape May right at the bottom of New Jersey. That left just an overnight trip that brought us into New York with the dawn on Sunday morning. Even at 6am on a Sunday there were more ships, tugs, barges, ferries and god knows what else on the move than anywhere else we have ever been but it is a very special trip up through the Narrows and under the Verrazano Bridge past the Statue of Liberty and up into the Hudson River. It is five years to the month since we decided, while living and working here in NYC, to pack-in city life and head off, so it is quite a poignant place for us to return to. When we left, the runaway stockbroker and his ever supportive (if a little apprehensive) wife, headed off into the unknown with a dream, bags of optimism and not a great deal of knowledge about what we were setting off to do. We have sailed a long way since but it is great to return, tracking down friends and visiting old haunts although it is all rather surreal to be back amongst canyon like streets and the diverse crowd who call it home. We are trying not to look too salty!
Even given the weak dollar, we declined the opportunity of a marina on Manhattan (at $6 per foot, Lucy said she would rather stay at the Waldorf!) and so we are moored up on the NJ side of the Hudson with a fantastic view across to Manhattan. I can even just see the top of my old office building in mid-town and you will not be surprised to hear that I am not too sad that I wasn't heading
through it's familiar doors at 5 am on Monday morning! We dropped by our old apartment building and it was wonderful to be greeted by the same doorman who could even remember our old apartment number (something we both struggled with!) which is not bad considering the building has 45 floors of them.
before checking back in to Fort Lauderdale and getting a cruising permit for a year as a foreign registered yacht. We enjoyed the 4th July celebrations which, as well as some spectacular fireworks, brought some eye-opening sights out on to the beach (bikinis you wouldn't even be allowed to wear in Brazil!) before setting off northwards out of the tropics. Our insurance company were keen for us
get out of what is considered the main hurricane risk area south of Cape Hatteras and Hurricane Bertha was indeed brewing mid Atlantic as we headed up the Florida coast. We had a good sail and enjoyed the benefit of the Gulf stream under our keel which gave us a considerable boost and we covered 225 miles in our first full 24 hour run! Apart from dodging the thunderstorms (and waterspouts!) we had a peaceful trip and kept going straight on up past Cape Hatteras, stopping at Cape May right at the bottom of New Jersey. That left just an overnight trip that brought us into New York with the dawn on Sunday morning. Even at 6am on a Sunday there were more ships, tugs, barges, ferries and god knows what else on the move than anywhere else we have ever been but it is a very special trip up through the Narrows and under the Verrazano Bridge past the Statue of Liberty and up into the Hudson River. It is five years to the month since we decided, while living and working here in NYC, to pack-in city life and head off, so it is quite a poignant place for us to return to. When we left, the runaway stockbroker and his ever supportive (if a little apprehensive) wife, headed off into the unknown with a dream, bags of optimism and not a great deal of knowledge about what we were setting off to do. We have sailed a long way since but it is great to return, tracking down friends and visiting old haunts although it is all rather surreal to be back amongst canyon like streets and the diverse crowd who call it home. We are trying not to look too salty!
Even given the weak dollar, we declined the opportunity of a marina on Manhattan (at $6 per foot, Lucy said she would rather stay at the Waldorf!) and so we are moored up on the NJ side of the Hudson with a fantastic view across to Manhattan. I can even just see the top of my old office building in mid-town and you will not be surprised to hear that I am not too sad that I wasn't heading
through it's familiar doors at 5 am on Monday morning! We dropped by our old apartment building and it was wonderful to be greeted by the same doorman who could even remember our old apartment number (something we both struggled with!) which is not bad considering the building has 45 floors of them.
Bamboozle has been fantastic and we are so pleased
with her. There is so much thought that has gone into almost every element
of her design and build. The ease of use, living on board, of sailing
and maintaining her is a real eye opener for us. Off North Carolina we
passed through a wicked squall associated with a line of thunderstorms and she
handled it so comfortably. We shortened sail quickly and easily without
breaking sweat and after 10 or 15 mins of pouring rain and big gusts we were
still relaxed and dry! So far she has received a big thumbs up!
We did receive one email from a cruising friend still out in the Pacific saying
he thought Bamboozle was a great name for a yacht owned by anyone who had been
involved with the Stock Exchange!
This afternoon we plan to head around Manhattan and
up the East River through a passage (slightly concerningly) called Hell Gate and
into Long Island Sound. There is still lots to do on board as we
make her "Ours" and we are still finding interesting spares and
tools in the bottom of some very deep lockers. We are looking forward
to spending some time getting to know her better.
A Nasty Thunderstorm and Squall off North
Carolina
Getting used to new luxuries on board.....a decent
freezer means we can share
an ice-cream during a sultry afternoon on
passage!
Approaching the Verrazano Bridge on the way
into New York Harbour
Arriving in NYC "Look left, then
right.....then left again!"
The view from our cockpit as the sun goes
down.
