Day 6 - Cape May NJ - Beverly MA
Magic Friday
Phil, Di and Annelise
Tue 5 Jun 2018 17:47
Clear blue skies greet the day over Staten Island and Great Krill Harbour, a light westerly breeze gently rippling the dockside water. Estimating 4 hours (20nm) to reach Hells Gate on the East River (where tidal currents can reach 5 knots) in order to make passage at close to ebb / zero current. Time to check out and slip lines mid-morning and ease out of the harbour at mid-to-low tide - only just enough water under the keel!
Out into the bay and set the genoa towards the narrows and under the Verrazano Bridge. Keeping just outside the busy shipping channel, avoiding the distinctive Staten Island orange ferries, the tugs pushing barges and other boaters kept us occupied as downtown Manhattan skyscrapers grew larger and larger on the horizon.
At last a sight of the Statue of Liberty - her globe glowing in the brief sunlight between the darkeining clouds. Unable to linger alongside (New York Coast Guard regulations) we turn east to enter the East River.
Towering skyscrapers dominate the scenery at Battery Point. Under the Brooklyn Bridge - unfortunately the wind backs strongly, trying to furl the genoa and avoid the ferries at the same time causes a rip in the sail . looks like a visit to a Northj Sails loft (probably Salem MA) in due course. No time to dwell, turn head to wind, re-furl, miss the ferry, back on course up the river.
The East River is only one of two rivers with no head - flowing directly from and into Long Island Sound in the east and the Hudson River in the west - depending on the tide. Hell's Gate being the mid-point and a narrow constriction with an island in the river results in strong currents, eddies and whirlpools the size of small dinghies - hence our careful planning on time at the start of the day! Instead, we rushed through the Gate, past the United Nations Building at 7 knots over ground - perfect! Glad to have that behind us.
On past upper New York - the Empire State and Rockefeller buildings peaking over the dated brown bricjk buildings housing the multi-million dollar city apartments!
All set for an evening anchorage just off City Island. As the sun drops - the sound of gunfire (rapid fire) breaks the evening silence . well, we were told this was still the "Bronx"!! In the end we decided it must be a firing range / practice as the sounds carried well on into the evening!!
Phil and Di
