Hampton, VA

Monday October 30th Leaving Crisfield under the Light of the Moon and the rising sunrise into what turned out to be a very sloppy five hour cruise. NH cruised Tangier Sound passing   Tangier Island ( which is experiencing extensive erosion ), Watts Island ( which was a base for the Pirate Blackbeard ),   and the Black River Chanel which was filled with twenty three very large barges all waiting for permission to unload. Nana had a pounding headache so was much relieved when we entered the Hampton River and into Sunset Creek to snag our slip once again at Safe Harbor Bluewater Yachting Center.

Amazing the difference once we are secured and sheltered , the sun is shining and Nana is washing the boat done in shorts and shirt. Exhaustion set in so the perfect opportunity to sit in the shade on the bow relaxing, reading and taking a snooze. We stayed local for dinner at Vincosta’s family restaurant which certainly had the flare of family friendly Virginia. 

Tuesday 31 Happy Trick or Treat day. The weather pattern has changed so Nana and Nandad have decided to have two layover days here before heading into the ICW. The marina is very busy with the Saltydog cruisers waiting to head south. There are lots of multihulls and monohulls taking the trip in rally form. 

As always boat chores include laundry and Nana spend an interesting two hours chatting while waiting for a washer and dryer. Amazing what people stuff into machines especially when they are Free!We had lunch at the Surf Rider which is right at the marina.

The temperature today is in the 50’s with rain and high winds so certainly not cleaning the boat in shorts and tee shirt. Tomorrow we will try to visit the Hampton Air and Space Museum ( it is closed today ). On the downtown map the Museum is where the red O is. 

Wednesday November 1st Nana and Nandad wake up to a very beautiful sunny blue sky day however the winds are still 20 to 30 knots and the temperature has dropped. Nice to have heating on the boat. We take the opportunity to visit the Virginia Air & Space Science Center and we’re fascinated by the historic aircraft suspended from the 90 foot ceiling, wonderful hands on displays, and of course the spectacular giant-screen digital IMAX where we watched the  movie Deep Sky. Simple incredible what the awe-inspiring images that the James Webb Space Telescope captured. 

Crisfield MD home of the worlds largest blue crab fisheries

NH arrives into Somers Cove Marina after a lovely cruise along the Lower Eastern Shore into Tangier Sound and up the Little Annemessex River. This is a very large state marina which seems to have a finger slip for each letter of the alphabet! There are ferries that will take you to Smith and Tangier Island for the day. We take a golf cart to get some groceries at Food Lion. The town is very quite however during the summer months I bet it's really busy.

At 6.08 pm the sun obliges and out in the distance taps is played.

Tomorrow NH heads for SH Bluewater Yachting Centre in Hampton VA

 

Oxford MD

What a fantastic day for cruising. The Bay is calm, the temperature is in the 80’s and Nandad is happy NH is cruising comfortably at 10 knots. We took advantage of our Safe Harbor Membership and filled up with diesel before leaving. Our goal today is to travel to Oxford which is about 55 nm. The picture below is the airstrip as we are leaving Frog Mortar Creek.

Our journey today takes us under the Chesapeake Bridge which certainly is a very scary bridge traveling by car! The combination of bridges and tunnels crosses 17.6 miles of water from shore to shore.

The Chesapeake Bay envelopes a number of islands some more isolated than others and as we cruise Eastern Bay NH passes Kent Island which was her home base when we purchased her. We also pass Hart- Miller which is only accessible by boat and has a state park and docking area. Pleasure Island is another popular seasonal boating destination. Lots of fishing boats, sailing boats and barges on the water today.

Oxford is two miles up the Tred Avon River from the intersection with the Choptank and is a popular stop for boaters. It is not as busy as St Michael’s but has similar charm. The 1710 Robert Morris Inn & Tavern, Oxford Museum, and the Cutts & Case Shipyard are all within walking distance from the marina. Also the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry has provided a continuous service across the river since 1836. 

Nana and Nandad tried to eat dinner at the Tavern however they were too busy and we did not have a reservation. We then tried to eat at the Capsize and while we were brought to a table we sat for twenty minutes and nobody approached us. So back to NH for leftovers but the reward was dinner on the boat with the full moon and Venus as the backdrop - not too shabby.

After a phone call from Ollie - one of our wonderful grandchildren - expressing his frustration that Nana would not be back for trick or treat at Dover Circle she decided NH needed a little Halloween decoration. 

Oxford was proclaimed a port of entry in 1683 

The Robert Morris Inn and Tavern

Safe Harbor Carroll Island Baltimore MD

What a beautiful afternoon ( Thursday ) in Cape May. Lots of cruisers making their way south and planning their winter escape. Nana and Nandad enjoyed chatting and listening to the variety of experience these cruisers had to offer. Always stories to share, memories to recall and extra special places to recommend. We left early ( Friday morning ) to catch the tide into the Cape May canal , which is about two miles , and brings you out into Delaware Bay. In our wake were three of the boats we had met at the dock all who passed us out going about 20 knots! Today is the perfect ,day for cruising the Bay with light winds and a very calm crossing. 

Not quite Sunrise but you get the drift. The Canal looks so pretty especially with the fall colors. Nana couldn’t resist taking a picture of this really pretty house along the way.

The Chesapeake & Delaware ( C&D ) Canal is twelve miles long and provides a safe and efficient passage into Chesapeake Bay. For the first time we were declined for two dockage options so we decided to try Summit North Marina which is just before you get to Chesapeake City however NH arrived at 12.30 and being such a beautiful day we decided to proceed. We did  take 110 gals of fuel $4.75 a gallon - Nandad was not happy !! as the tank was a little on the low side! The harbor at Chesapeake City was very busy with no room on the town dock so once again we decided to continue on and secured a dock at Safe Harbor Carroll Island. What we didn’t realize was that this marina is literally way up the Frog Mortar Creek on Middle River another 32 nm so now our eta is 4pm.

Lots of fishing boats out catching fresh fish on our way up the river. Also lots of  airplanes flying overhead as  the Martin State Airport , home of the Maryland Air National Guard stretches along the West Bank. The marina has over 200-slips and a very active storage shed which includes wet and lift slips. Once the sun sets it is very peaceful and Nana and Nandad have a wonderful dinner onboard.

This picture is of Pooles Island Light. Pooles Island was used for bombing practice from 1918 through 1960 as part of Aberdeen Proving Ground. According to Wikipedia access to the island is prohibited due to unexplored ordnance. Ironically Gunpowder River and Gunpowder Neck are adjacent to the island ! 

Cape May

New Horizon at her slip in South Jersey Marina. This is a beautiful Marina just inside the mouth of the Schellenger Creek which is just inside Cape May Harbor NJ ICW 114. A busy commercial fishing area however the homes along the wharf , with their small docks , gives you the feel of Nantucket. The marina is pristine clean, beautifully decorated with wonderful rocking chairs and plenty of couches to sit and boat watch. They also provide a shuttle service to the downtown area, which is a short walk , however carrying groceries is no fun so Nana and Nandad decided to take advantage. 

We had a delicious lunch in Washington Street Mall , an outdoor area with only pedestrian traffic. It is beautifully decked out in Halloween fun decorations and the perfect spot to people watch. Cape May has a large number of Victorian period houses ( over 600 preserved homes ), plenty of beach options, ( Queen of Seaside Resorts ), dolphin and whale watching tours, fishing expeditions, a bird observatory and lots more. Visit marinalife.com/CapeMayNJ.

As always the opportunity to do laundry is not to be missed. Nana felt she had to include the picture of the laundry room. It will give you an idea of the attention to detail this marina provides its boaters. Nothing like watching the sun set while rocking and reading. What a life.

A better picture of the homes along the wharf.

Atlantic City The Golden Nugget

Wednesday October 25th NH continues her journey cruising the North Atlantic Ocean New Jersey coastline along Island Beach. Miles of beaches with lots of tourist fishing boats scattered along the coast. The picture above is Atlantic City from NH entering Absecon Inlet . The last hour and a half of our cruise was very choppy with lots of spray ( the dinghy had a difficult time staying in place )! 
After four and a half hours and 59 nm NH is in her slip right beside The Golden Nugget. Nana and Nandad took the bus to the boardwalk and later had a wonderful dinner at The Chart House - which is part of the Golden Nugget - looking out at the marina. According to the Waterway Guide the original 7-mile-long Atlantic City Boardwalk built in 1870 , was the first of its kind in the world and the impetus for the board game Monoploy.

A very stern Nana behind the helm with the New Jersey coast in the background. Once Nana returned the helm to Nandad the wind and waves changed and our ride became very different. 

It was hard to get a good picture of the Casino but this one will give you an idea and the shuttle van is passing by to pick up passengers. 

New York New York

A very early start for NH this morning. Nana does not normally wake to the sunrise however this mornings sunrise shines so bright at the entrance to Manhasset Bay as we leave for our journey today. The goal is to catch the tide while cruising through New York and get to Safe Harbor Crystal Point which is up the Manasquan River - a little over 61 miles. You can see from the Nebo tracking system that we accomplished our goal by leaving at 6.55 am and arriving into our slip by 12.19.

The cruise from Throgs Neck Bridge into the Upper Bay , despite plenty of current and tide ,  - which was to our advantage - went as planned. NH cruised under 9 bridges. Passing Rikers Island - which Nana read spends 538000 per inmate per year - how crazy is that! - Ward Island, Roosevelt Island, Governers Island and of course the Lady Liberty in the background. Once again we had the perfect cruise admiring the multiple tall overflowing buildings and imagining all the communities that thrive in the very busy city.

Once New Horizon was settled into her route in the Ambrose Channel Nana was able to capture the city skyline. If you look carefully at the picture below you can get an idea of the buildings. 

The coastline  of New Jersey is dense with beaches and as we enter the Manasquan Inlet and head up the river to SH Crystal Point there are beautiful homes with docks and lifts for their boats. The entrance to Point Pleasant Canal is about a mile up the river which connects Bay Head with the Manasquan River. Point Pleasant Area is mile 6 on The New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway ( NJ ICW ).  The NJ ICW is very challenging and runs from Cape May to the Manasquan Inlet a total of 118 miles but it is not dredged and is subject to rapid change. 

It is clear from all the fishing boats here that deep sea fishing is very popular especially in the summer.

We will spend the night here and head to Atlantic City tomorrow Wednesday 25th October.

Monday October 23 rd

Finally the weather window is conducive to our continuing down Long Island Sound to SH Capri. Nana and Nandad did get to catch some beautiful sunsets even if it was soooo early 6pm ! After another wonderful dinner with Bridget, this time at her lovely home in Milford Harbor, we said our goodbyes and farewell until our next passage. 

The seas cooperated this time with waves of two feet and winds 10 to 15 NH did a steady 16 mph arriving into SH Capri by 1pm. We passed Excution Rocks just before the entrance and of course admired all the magnificent mansions along the coast. We are are only 40 miles from New York and can see the buildings looking like matchsticks in the horizon. You can also see Throgs Neck Bridge and in the distance Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. Long Island Sound begins at Throgs Neck Bridge. The picture below is the marker for the rocks with New Rochelle in the background.

Upon arrival into our slip we noticed another Elling E4 BBJ from Palm Beach FL - what a coincidence. It was very interesting to chat with the Captain Jerry who is taking the boat to FL - the boat is up for sale. On our port side a lovely red and white American Tug docked called Journey. A lovely couple from RI who were returning from attending the boat show in Annapolis.

Tomorrow NH will cruise the East River , Manhattan, Governors Island , under the Brooklyn Bridge into Upper Bay and the Narrows heading for New Jersey. It is always so exciting to cruise your boat into New York and although we have done this twice with NH , with our sailboat Lambay, and the motor boat Ireland’s Eye  
It never gets repetitive. 

Now most of us have seen mega yachts and Nana and Nandad have seen boats with helicopters and vespas on their top decks, but this was a first! Not sure how the mini will fare out with the salty air. 

Layday at Safe Harbor Bruce & Johnsons

NH will remain in her slip to ride out the weather for two more days. Lots of rain and winds up to 25 - 30 knots. The marina is having an open house this afternoon so Nana and Nandad enjoy The Big Green Truck pizza. The rain obliged for the two hours which meant we could eat and chat without getting wet! 

Nandad looking very comfortable at the picnic area after a nice walk.

The surrounding scenery is full of estuaries, marshes , inlets and the river in beautiful fall foliage. 

Nana in her winter wet gear and NH back in her slip. 

NH turns around

Nana and Nandad had a reservation at Safe Harbor Capri for today however once NH entered Long Island Sound the tide, current, wind, swells and waves became too much and a decision was made to head back into Branford Harbor. Once again NH is safely docked at Safe Harbor Bruce Johnson’s. A very rainy windy day on the dock but an opportunity to have yet another dinner with Bridget, this time at Cafe Fiore , which was delicious. We may ride out the weather for the next few days before heading out. 

Another Adventure on NH

New Horizon is now ready for yet another adventure. After having work completed in Chester Point Marine CT and a full day of engine maintenance , we are ready to head south. Nana and Nandad will leave Newport Yacht Club and start the journey to the Bahamas.

After a wonderful summer cruising Narragansett Bay, a once in a lifetime family trip to Ireland followed by a life changing pilgrimage to Fatima , we are ready for our next adventure.

Thursday October 19th NH has an early morning start from Newport Yacht Club. A beautiful fall morning with the sun shining and the seas calm NH heads towards Long Island Sound passing Block Island to port , we could clearly see the five windmills in the distance and the wonderful coast of BI. Lots of fishing vessels and the occasional sailing vessels are noted on this brisk day. We pass Westerly spotting Taylor Smiths property right along side the Ocean House at Watch Hill. Both stunning properties.

New Horizon arrives at Safe Harbor Bruce & Johnson’s in Branford. A tricky entrance with well charted and buoyed rocks - the Cow and Calf Rocks, Five Foot Rock, Blyn Rocks, Bird Rocks as well as Big Mermaid and Little Mermaid. NH has not docked at this marina before however Nandad was more than capable of guiding her into her slip. 

There are two homes sitting on the little islands in their splendor. Branford was originally a Yankee trading center and the original home of Yale University- according to Waterway Guide. We took the opportunity to meet with Bridget and Niamh and had a lovely dinner at the Home Restaurant downtown. So good to meet family. 
Tomorrow we plan to head for Safe Harbor Capri taking advantage of our Safe Harbor membership.