TIME TO HEAD SOUTH

So with the lovely Emma onboard we turned around and started heading back South, a little sad that we hadn’t made it as far Maine as originally planned but convinced we had made the right decision spending the summer in Long Island Sound. We felt that we had properly explored the area and had loved every minute of it. I don’t think we missed out too much on the fog all to often encountered further North, according to the stories we had heard from other sailors.

These people keep leading me astray

We wanted to show Emma Martha’s Vineyard so put one final stop in there. Whilst filling with water on our way into the harbour an American who was very surprised to have spotted our ensign.   Andrew, being a fellow RYS member, had recognized it immediately and so came over to introduce himself and very kindly invited us all to drinks at his family holiday home with his wife Alexandra and his daughter Sophie and her new husband Ryan. We spent a very jolly hour and a half with them and I fulfilled my wish to sit on a Porch, having walked past so many since we had reached America.

The three of us then went for some supper before visiting a bar recommended to us, where it was rumored there might be some music later in the evening.  The band did indeed appear and we managed at least an hour dancing to Puerto Rican Reggae, Andrew rising to the occasion, and at one point above it, in his usual way, reminding me why we love him so much.

After a good fry up in the very authentic diner we set of and sailed to Cutty Hunk, which had been highly recommended to us as a quiet and unusual anchorage. We couldn’t get into the harbour so dropped a hook outside and we took the dinghy in to explore. Being the end of the season the place was almost deserted and I can’t say we liked it very much. Any moment I was expecting a human zombie to appear and carry us of for some human experimentation. The notices advising us to check our bodies over for a few days after leaving, for deer ticks, didn’t endear us to the place either, we didn’t stay long.

For Emma’s last night we decided to go back to Sag Harbour so she could get a train to JFK the next day. We went ashore for a few drinks, had dinner in a fine Italian and then went for a few more drinks, I would have gone home after dinner honest but I am easily led astray…. Then one final mother and daughter Kayak and it was time to take her ashore and wave goodbye. As always we were very sad to see her go but I am grateful that my cunning plan to spend more time with my adult girls by luring them aboard the good ship Hullabaloo in warmer climes seems to be working a treat.

There had been speculation on the radio for a few days that Hurricane Hermine might hit the New York area and then it downgraded to a Tropical Storm and they thought it would miss us. Returning to the boat that afternoon we quickly realised that this was no longer the case and Hermione was on her way, expected to reach us two to three days later. This gave us some time to decide where we should go for shelter and caused much deliberation. What was the best thing to do, if we went into a Marina the boat could be very badly damaged, if we went up a river and put out 100 meters of chain would it hold or would we end up washed ashore. The scary part was the realization that there was no correct answer!

Just made it under the bridge

In the end we decided to motor up the Connecticut river to a place where we had previously anchored in a large pool next to the Opera House. about sixteen miles inland.  We knew that there would be plenty of room to lay our chain and we thought we would get shelter from the worst of the wind. We felt the boat would be safer at anchor and we were happy to remain onboard because if things did get bad we thought we could reach the riverbank in relative safety, at this stage they were forecasting about 45 to 50 knots.  On our way up the river they upgraded the forecast to 70 knots and the skipper was unsure of our anchors ability to hold us in these winds, even if we put two down and all our chain. I got on the phone to see if we could find a dockage in the river but there was no room at the Inn as it was Labour Day weekend, we were committed.

Safe Haven

We were pleased to find we were on our own in our chosen spot, one of the worst risks in high winds is another boat dragging their anchor on to you. Off came the canopy, down went the Kayak, how on earth were we going to fold our yankee on deck? We decided to wait and see how things progressed. Ashore for a final provision and a stretch of the legs and then we just had to wait and see. Eventually it became apparent that it was going to pretty much miss us, so the yankee stayed up and the outcome was a mere 25 knots at three o’clock in the morning. I would like it noted that I got up to check my vessel, others remained below snoring!

Crisis averted, no doubt we will face similar challenges again, you can’t set off around the world and not expect to experience severe weather. Actually once we had made our decision, I was just apprehensive and more worried about the boat, imagine if she got written of and our journey had to stop! Now that is a challenge I do not wish to face.

Eupraxia

We had a few enforced days of chores, as we didn’t want to leave the Sound until the seas had calmed down in the Atlantic. We had been in contact with our friends Sandra and John on Eupraxia and discovered they were in Port Washington and were offering supper onboard, they didn’t have to ask twice. Due to the tides we didn’t get there until the following day but once there we grabbed a mooring, which were free for the first two days, found a supermarket, a laundry and liquor store and then had a very merry evening with our friends. We all decided it would be better to wait another day so more chores and then a return match on Hullabaloo.

Finally we all felt the weather was good to go so the two boats left together, motoring up the East River and out through New York and past the Statue of Liberty, taking the opportunity to photograph each other’s boats against the Skyline. We dropped an anchor at Atlantic Heights and after a quick catch up over the obligatory drinks we settled in for an early night in readiness for an overnighter the next day down to Cape May.

One last fly-by

As we left the wind got up to 25 knots with quite a swell running but once out at sea things settled down. All was going swimmingly until a very large swarm of little F…..s invaded us.  A large number of other boats making the pilgrimage South had the same problem according to all the radio broadcasts. I tackled below decks leaving Andrew on deck to stage the open-air attack against the hundreds dive-bombing him. Having closed all the windows I set about with my T towel developing various different methods of attack, it soon became apparent however that some of the little F……s were not actually dying but just being stunned and then living to fight another battle! TWO Hours later exhausted and very hot I emerged victorious to find a morgue on deck and an equally hot and flustered skipper. B… Things!

Cape May

We arrived in Cape May in the early morning, having to slow to three knots so that we didn’t arrive in the dark. For some reason neither of us had slept much on our travels, so after a hearty breakfast we grabbed some shut eye. We ventured ashore for a late lunch, walking into town to stretch the legs. Neither of us were very impressed with the town, some of the buildings looked like they were straight out of a horror movie. We got severely told off by a very cross man because we had left our dingy tied up to his construction site, he had a point but I did take offense to being referred to as one of those people who lived out in the river. I pointed out to him that we were in fact British, a defense that rather bemused him, I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

The next morning we left with Eupraxia and motored up the Delaware River, rather enjoying being in company for a change. It is not a pretty place but serves

as a good inland connection to the top of the Chesapeake through the C&D Canal. It was a pretty unexciting trip, the only memorable part being the two tiny fish that I managed to catch, landing them both. Let’s not get too carried away with my fishing prowess, they were so small we threw them back into the water, but at least I can now say I have caught a fish.

Arriving at the entrance to the Canal we both put down our anchors for the night, the wind was blowing a good 25 knots and the idea of leaving the boat and going onboard Eupraxia was not appealing and neither was spending the night in such an exposed anchorage. However we pretty much slept through getting up to blue skies, sunshine and the exciting prospect of exploring the Chesapeake.