Position           40:57.44N 073:04.63W

Date                Sunday 9 September 2012

We might have moved on on Saturday but the forecast and the reality were the same, south west 20 to 25 knots and gusting with increasing swell coming from the Atlantic courtesy of Hurricane Leslie which appears to have stalled somewhere south of Bermuda but whose effects are felt over a very large area.  We did not even venture ashore although we did lend our dingy to Sid to take their friends ashore to get the ferry back to the mainland, their holiday having come to an end, rather than a case of mutiny.  Saturday evening was spent on Caduceus with Sid and Rebecca the Mate producing a Bolognaise with assistance from Rebecca.

Sunday looked fair so having detached Dovka, who was rafted alongside and watched them sail towards the harbour entrance we upped a very muddy anchor, at least it was well dug in, and followed.  Out of the harbour they turned south for Cape May and we headed west for the entrance to Long Island Sound hard on the wind, what here was of it, but at least sailing off and on which was handy as the day’s run was 74nm.

The eastern end entrance of Long Island Sound is guarded by a line of reefs and islands that produce a Race in the gaps.  All very exciting if you get the tide and currents wrong.  Whether by chance or good judgement we arrived at our chosen gap, Plum Gut, at slack water and in between shuttles of the fast ferry which passes through at 28-30 knots and is to be avoided.  We also had the prospect of a favourable current for the remainder of our journey.

Inevitably the wind headed us so the latter part of the trip was rather more diesel than wind and we put down our anchor in Port Jefferson at 1845.  Port Jefferson is a busy place with pleasure boating, a very regular car ferry to the mainland and a whopping big power station.

Culinary aside – dinner was poached alaskan salmon with roast sweet potatoes and green beans.  It is a tough life at the front.

Overnight the wind went round to the north east and got up to 20 knots with a sea rolling straight down the harbour.  There were no problems as the anchor was well dig in and we were pointed directly into the swell so no rolling.