Norfolk to Sandy Hook
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“40:25N 074:01W”
Thursday 22nd July – Tuesday 4th July
Norfolk to Sandy Hook NJ
After we had arrived in Norfolk we discovered that the bilge had quite a lot of diesel in it. We assumed this had come from when the fuel was polished and over the next couple of days emptied it out, and Gary polished it and we put it back in.
Whilst in Norfolk we had drinks on the other brit boat, “Drummer” with Polly and Andrew and Gary and Greta. We looked around Norfolk, had lunch in an Irish bar and learned the rules of Gaelic football which was on the TV.
On Tuesday 27th July we hired a car and went to visit Jamestown and Yorktown. Jamestown is the first settlement by the English. The site is being excavated and there is not a huge amount to see, but quite an interesting museum.
We then drove 20 miles to Yorktown the site of the last battle in the American War of Independence. There is a self-guided car tour of all the battle sites which we didn’t do, just looked at all the information in the museum/exhibition centre.
We then headed back to Norwich trying to avoid the toll tunnels as they are either prepay or read your number plate, but no cash, so we were not sure of the system. The sat nav insisted we go through one tunnel so we just carried on, and were not sure if we were tolled or not!
On Wednesday 28th July we left Gary and Greta’s slip and headed across to Tradewinds Marina to fill with fuel, and then to spend a night at anchor before leaving Norfolk and heading north to Sandy Hook.
When we anchored we looked in the bilge and it had diesel++ in there again. We discovered it was leaking from the new fuel sensor. The next morning we rang Cobbs Marina to see if they could help but they were full, so we w went back into a slip at Gary and Greta’s.
Chris and Gary managed to reseal the sensor and make a diesel proof seal so we can leave on Friday.
That evening Gary and Greta invited us for a gin and tonic and we ended up staying for dinner.
The next morning we left at 06.55 to head out to sea then head north. The channel out of Norfolk is very long and it took us about 3 hours. On our way out we encountered 2 submarines and an aircraft carrier coming back in. We were instructed to keep at least 500 yards from the subs which meant going out of the channel.
Once out at sea, we hoisted the sails and had a fast downwind sail north. The forecast was predicting some quite gusty winds for Friday night so we stowed the main sail and continued just on the genoa.
On Saturday night we thought there may be squalls and thunderstorms, but the wind dropped and we had fog for our last 50 miles to Sandy Hook.
Sandy Hook is a large bay with a couple of marinas, a large mooring field, and an anchorage. We arrived at 07.30 and anchored just to the east of the breakwater. The weather is very benign, so we only get disturbed by all the local boats going passed.
As today is 4th July we are going into the marina to see what’s going on. There seems to be a fair and places to eat and drink, so we will join in the celebrations.
We can see Manhattan in the distance and that is where we will be heading tomorrow..... |