Cape May NJ 38:57.02N 074:53.136W

All the American yachtsmen we spoke to since arriving on these shores were of the same opinion, "Come Labor Day weekend, the weather is changing, and you really want to be on your way south." So soon? We could both recall enjoying balmy days in New York during September and even into October in years gone by. Events of the past week lead us to believe our memory is very selective.

We spent Labor Day weekend (September 3-5) in Newport RI and sure enough the very next day brought wind and rain, enough to have us seeking shelter instead of enjoying what was supposed to be a sunny, relaxed sail down Long Island Sound towards New York.

The rain clouds finally blew over and we had perfect weather for our grand entrance to New York City down the East River, round the end of Manhattan at Battery Park and past the Statue of Liberty. Without a doubt, sailing into New York this way was one of the highlights of the voyage so far.

We spent an unforgettable week in NY, reconnecting with old friends, enjoying Central Park, the museums, good food and atmosphere. We had in mind to set off again out into the Atlantic on Friday Sept 16th. The evening before, as if on cue, a cold front swept over the region bringing steady rain and the temperature plummeted to 49F / 9C! Out at the anchorage it felt like the new ice age was arriving. The American sailors were right; time to go.

I'm writing this at the end of my watch at 2 a.m. Saturday, a watch I did in wooly hat, gloves and three layers of clothing while watching the neon lights flashing MORE WAYS TO WIN above the Atlantic City casinos. The Jersey shore is extremely flat and I already miss the mountains and forests of Maine.

Despite the coolness, the air is dry and an almost full moon lights our way south. Twelve knots of breeze should put us in Cape May after daybreak. And everyone else seems to be doing the same thing, I can count more sailboats under way this night than I saw during three months in Maine. Everyone follows the same rules and the great winter migration has begun. As the sky clears there are flocks of birds, I'm not sure but they might be geese, heading in the same direction.

Our destination for the rest of this month and the beginning of October is the Chesapeake Bay and this is supposed to be the nicest time of the year to be there. Will it be warm and dry? I'm ready to compromise with the weather gods on this one, please just let it be dry.

Nirit.