Newport. NH is home

Nana is feeling very lucky these days as the seas have been so calm which has meant for wonderful cruising weather. Lots of colorful sailboats racing with spinnikers flying. Lots of motorboats cruising also and some a little too fast leaving big wakes! 

Its a 60 plus mile cruise to Newport so we are on the water for at least five hours. What a wonderful sight to see the Bridge, Jamestown , Clingstone on its rock, Castle Hill with its lawn full of people, Fort Adams, Goat Island and familiar cruising boats. 

What is it about megayachts blocking our sunsets. 

Nana and Nandad had a wonderful dinner onboard to celebrate their passage and safe arrival back home after our once in a life time trip to the Bahamas on New Horizon. Like all adventures we had moments of doubt but mostly moments of excitement and a sense of achievement. The remainder of our summer will be spent cruising Narragansett Bay and Block Island Sound. 

Port Jefferson and Westbrook

A beautiful short cruise into Port Jefferson today Thursday May 23rd. It is such a beautiful harbor to enter surrounded by the green hills with hidden houses on one side, the ferry dock on the other and a massive power plant on the southwest side of the harbor. Danforth Hotel and Marina is where we have a reservation and although the docks are in need of repair and the hotel could do with some TLC we have an excellent dinner and breakfast ( although service was very slow and our breakfast could have been warmer ) ! The Ferryman’s Grille needs to step it up before the season begins. We have once again a very large mega yacht Neverland block our sunset and when they bring the tender alongside NH the next morning we are feeling a little intimidated! 

Here is the tender - five 450 HP engines! And yes that is NH in the background.

The village of Port Jefferson is really quite tiny but we find a wonderful ice- cream shop which is also a mega pastry, candy and all sorts of sugary treats.
Really a challenge to resist.

Nana admiring the two dolphins on either side of the entrance and Nandad beside the old ticket office with the ferry in the background. The ferry comes from Bridgeport of which there are three so a very frequent whistle blowing until 10pm. According to the waterway guide in the mid 1800’s P.T.Barnum helped found a ferry service between Port Jeff and his circus base in Bridgeport - 14 miles across the Sound. 

Finally the totally full moon over Port Jefferson from our bow. Tomorrow we will wait for the tide to be in our favor and leave for Pilot Point Marina SH which is across the sound in Westbrook CT.

Friday May 24th takes NH across Long Island Sound to Westbrook CT. The waters were so calm Nana was thrilled to be able to eat lunch enroute and enjoy the wonderful sunshine. We have stayed at Pilots Point Marina before and really enjoyed the atmosphere. There is a lovely restaurant, corn hole area with Adirondack chairs, a fire pit area and a nice short walk to a tiny beach. The area is a small gated community with lovely homes of great variety from small to large. Bridget meets us for dinner which was really nice to catch up with family as we had not seen her since before we left in October.

The marina is tucked in among the marshes of the Menunketesuck ( now that’s a mouth full ) River and the Patchogue River so there are lots of small craft moving in and out, fishing, and cruising. 

This picture is taken as we leave the marina with Duck Island in the foreground. We once again leave later so we can catch the tide as we cruise Fishers Sound.

 

Lady Liberty

There she is in all her glory and what a day we had to cruise NH along the New Jersey Coastline under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge into Manhattan and under The Throgs Bridge to Long Island Sound. Always an incredible experience and a true challenge for any Skipper. Nandad takes it all in his stride after several trips with Lambay and Ireland’s Eye but each trip is unique and concentration is key. There are lots of barges, tugs, commercial traffic, ferries, sailboats, motorboats, jet skies all jostling for a spot on the water. We are all tied up at the dock at Safe Harbor Capri in Manhasset Bay when we are approached by a fellow cruiser welcoming us ( we met them at the beginning of our cruise in Cape May ). They are heading back to Maine after spending the winter months in Stuart FL. Just goes to show it’s a small world after all. A lovely evening to relax and soak up the sun on the cockpit , washdown ( after a sloppy ride down the East River ) and watch the beautiful moon almost at its  peak and ever so bright ( why couldn’t it have been like that when we crossing the Gulf Stream ! ). 

The picture below is the Arabella ( whose home port was Newport ) anchored in New York Harbor. She is now a chartered boat and is likely just back from the Caribbean. Always nice to see her so majestic - maybe someday we will do a charter on her.

We also got a snap of Fortinet - Best Western ( Romain Attanasio took ownership of the boat in 2021 ) which is on course for the Vendee Globe 2024 - the Vendee Globe is a single - handed non-stop, non- assisted round-the-world sailing race - sounds crazy to me ! There are a number of sailing yachts from France docked at One 15 Brooklyn Marina NY.

Tomorrow we have a reservation for Danforth Port Jefferson. We have not been here for quite sometime and will it will bring back lots of memories of Blue Water Sailing cruises and cruising with Roland and Mona. Those were the good olde days.

Atlantic Ocean to Brielle

After much consideration and yet another review of the weather it has been decided by the Captain that we will not cruise the NJIWW. An early start at 6.30 am will mean we will arrive at Hoffmans Marina in Brielle by 10.30 am. Nana can’t resist one more picture as we depart Atlantic City. Is that the ball or the moon yet again ! I will let you decide!

The weather prediction is light winds with 2 foot waves and although we had the occasional swell it was not an unpleasant cruise. We passed Barnaget Bay a little close to the coast - while Nana was on the helm - however a quick correction by the Captain and we are back on course. That is Barnaget Bay Lighthouse in the distance.

We arrive at Hoffmans Marina in the sunshine and are docked right beside the fuel dock by 10.45. Lots of small craft fishing on the Manasquan River and fishermen dotted along the beach as you enter. A very strong current , lots of noise from the Bascule Railway bridge, some commercial traffic and of course the boats requiring fuel provides plenty of entertainment for the afternoon. 

Nana decided to have a late afternoon walk down to the beaches at the inlet. It is a lovely walk along the creeks and the metal bridge - which also opens on demand for the boats. The homes are so pretty with lovely porches and gardens. The reward after a mile and a half walk is the wonderful walk all along the beach front. Now Nana is not great at taking selfies but I think this one gives you an idea. It’s the perfect evening with a light breeze and wonderful sunshine.

Another picture of how some of the homes decorate for upcoming holidays. How cool is that! 

The rest of the evening’s entertainment was provided by the young boys fishing from the pier and catching very big blue fish. So refreshing to hear the chit chat of the younger generation. Mind you I did feel bad for the fish who were throw back into the water just to be caught again ! This young man was having a difficult time getting his lure back and decided to keep this fish for bait.

We have a reservation tomorrow at Safe Harbor Capri in Manhasset Bay on Long Island Sound. Nana is very excited to once again cruise NH past Staten Island into The Narrows up Upper Bay and the Hudson passing Manhattan. It’s always such a special journey, especially on your own boat catching a glimpse of the great Lady Liberty. 

Atlantic City

A very welcoming sight after three hours of really rolling seas - the Absecon Lighthouse ( 171 feet ) as we enter Atlantic City. Nana spent the entire time concentrating on the horizon and breathing slowly and deeply. After an hours nap the sensation of rolling had subsided and we are ready to explore - in the rain! 

The Jitney bus will take you right into the city for $2.50 a person and will drop you off at any of the many casinos surrounding the area and of course the boardwalk. We decided on the Tropicana - only because it’s raining and it’s the last stop. While strooling inside we discover that there is an IMAX theatre. We are in perfect time to watch the 2pm show which was a fantastic documentary on The Blue Angels. 

A wonderful sunset behind the MGM casino. Our neighbor Snow Goose a Nordic Tug flies the Loopers Burgee. They are on their way to complete the loop. 

Sunday May 19th 

Another dull cold day so we decide to rent a car and get some groceries etc. On Friday we discovered that the sump pump was no longer working in the shower which meant that we could also not use the sink,  as it drains into the same system. Having the car meant we could take a trip to West Marine to see if they had the pump and flapper. We were in luck. The afternoon was spent fixing the system and after several hours the job was done.
A proud Nandad ready to apply for his plumbing and electrical license! 

And here is the finished project. Ignore the water and black stains - which we were unable to remove! 

After two Laydays we are ready to proceed. Tomorrow Tuesday New Horizon will cruise into the New Jersey Intracoastal for the first time. This will mean we will not take the ocean route so the weather should be more favorable. The route is noted for its shoaling and shallow areas however as NH has a four foot draft we will be optimistic. We will cruise Grassy Bay, Long Beach Island, Little Egg Harbor, Barnegat Bay, Tom's River, Point Pleasant/ Brielle and Manasquan. We have reservations at Hoffmans Marina and plan to leave early in the morning. It should be quite the adventure.

Farley State Marina / Golden Nugget is directly beside the casino. Here is Nandad in the shadow of the showcase where the Golden Nugget is on display. 

While relaxing in the Pilot house Nana noticed the almost full moon and when she went to check it out again she noticed it was low in the sky and was changing color !! What was Nana drinking or smoking ! Under further investigation it was noted that the moon had remained in her spot and the ball/ sphere that was changing color was on the top of The Ocean Casino! Boy was Nana relieved.

Chesapeake City and Cape May

Today felt like a long cruise with choppy waters, wind and rain until we were about an hour from our destination. A lovely picturesque opportunity to try to focus on catching the Turkey Point Lighthouse at Elkneck- not always great focus with a cell phone! We also cruised past the beautiful Blue Elk Vineyards at Bohemia Overlook Waterfront wedding venue. 

Blue Elk Vineyards along the Elk River

The tide and current are very strong heading into the Chesapeake Restaurant Inn and Marina. It is quieter than Nana expected until of course the music started at the Tiki Bar and the Prom night started thereafter. It was actually fun to watch the fashion for the prom where the guys and gals were having lots of pictures taken in the park and on the docks - at one point Nana was concerned that there might be a person in the water wearing those high heels! 

We had front row tickets right from the boat and enjoyed the music without ever leaving the dock. For dinner we took a stroll downtown and had an excellent dinner at Prime 225. It’s really difficult to describe Chesapeake City - it’s really not a city but a village with 19th century buildings. There is a ferry that takes you back and forth from north to south side. The Inn has a full calendar of music events posted right as you come into the Tiki bar. 

There is also a free town dock that fills quickly on a first come basis from April to October, and a small anchorage area. 

A very colorful banner and compass rose that decorates the Inn which represents the areas from Italy where the owners of the business are from.

The little wedding chapel gives you an idea as to the size of some of the houses in the village.

Nandad poses with Chessie the horse, Zoe the little girl and Jim the boy. In 1829 the historic Chesapeake and Delaware Canal was opened. Barges pulled by horses or mules transported cargo 14.6 miles between the cities. The animals walked along the north side of the canal sometimes ridden by a young body known as a hoggy. The sculpture depicts a mule resting at a canal lock along the way. “ BYGONE DAYS”.

Friday May 17th Cape May.

A lovely bright sunny day finally takes us through the canal and down the Delaware Bay. This is very wide at 782 square miles in area and extends approximately 52 miles. It is notorious for building up short, choppy seas quickly and creating rougher weather than expected however today we are lucky and NH cruises at a wonderful steady speed of over 13 mph and Nana was able to make delicious toasted sandwiches for lunch - cheese,advocado,tomato,bacon - very yummy.

Our gathering of boats as we cruise the Cape May Canal heading into South Jersey Marina


South Jersey Marina is a great spot right beside the Fisherman’s Warf. Lots of transient boats are coming into the marina and there is much discussion regarding the weather. The next lap of our journey requires us to go outside into the Atlantic Ocean so we would like to have no more than 3 foot waves with light winds and a decent interval between swells. So we will see what the morning brings. Nana all wrapped up looking out from the bow of New Horizon. Looking  at those grey clouds and the fact that Nana has all her wet gear on should tell us something! 

Kent Island MD

After much review and discussion on the weather we decide to continue on to Safe Harbor Kent Narrows. We expect 2 to 3 foot waves with wind gusts to 20 mph mostly on our nose until we make the turn into Eastern Bay which is exactly what we experienced. We cruise past the Calvert Cliffs, Cove Point Lighthouse and the nuclear plant! 

Kent Narrows connects the Chester River to Eastern Bay. There are two bridges side by side, the first is a bascule bridge with 18feet clearance and the second a highway bridge with 65 clearance. Nana takes a picture after we cruise under the bridge as we approach SH Narrows Point. Once inside, The Narrows the shore is full of restaurants, fuel docks, marinas, and boat yards. 

SH Narrows Point is across the waterway with a full service marina including a massive pool area, gym, multiple restaurants, a lovely visitors lounge, multiple shower facilities with laundry ( coin operated ). The Harris Seafood CO,LLC has been in the same family for several generations - celebrating 75 years - famous for its oysters and crabs Nana and Nandad check it out.

Although we do not eat any shell fish we did try the crab mini cakes which were yummy. Nana was very interested in watching the nearby tables tackling their crabs with hammers, pinchers and sharp knifes. One couple provided a demo for us and gave us permission to take a picture of their feast! 

It seemed a lot of work for very little meat but we were reassured it was well worth the effort. Beside the restaurant is a coffee shop called Dessert before dinner - run by the same family - so of course Nana picked up some dessert with a latte cappuccino and two raspberry lemon muffins for breakfast. Yummy 
Tomorrow we are so excited to have reservations for the Chesapeake Inn Restaurant and Marina. The last time we stopped here was with Ireland’s Eye 2015 and it is such a unique spot. This will bring us to the tip of the C&D Canal. 

A post sunset picture from the bow of NH. The triangle marker you are looking at marks the entrance into the marina. Tomorrow we will hand to starboard and head for Chesapeake City.

Solomon Island Safe Harbor Zahnisers

From Indian Creek to the Patuxent River NH finds her way to the Solomon Islands. More than 150 rivers, streams and creeks provide fresh water to the Chesapeake Bay. It is the largest estuary in the U.S. As we leave Kilmarnock we cruise past the YMCA/APYC Camp Kekoka which is right around the corner from the McHugh’s. A very colorful campsite providing overnight camp experience for boys and girls all over Virginia and Maryland. 

The waters are a little choppy while on the Rappahannock River however once we make the turn up the bay it’s more pleasant. 

,

Nandad enjoys his resting spot on the bow while Nana manages the helm. Our journey today is approximately 50 miles so we arrive at SH Zahnisers by 2pm. It is pouring rain , windy and cold. The restaurant at the marina is unfortunately closed on Tuesdays so we have a great dinner onboard - after Nandad watched some utube cooking demo! Nana was able to catch a short window to walk to the CBL - Chesapeake Biological laboratory and Calvert Marine Museum  and admire the many pretty homes along the way. The marina has new beautiful clean showers and free laundry. 

Nana and Nandad return to New Horizon

After two fantastic weeks back home with the celebration of two first communion we return on our last leg of this journey. NH was very snug at Bill and Linda’s dock and what a privilege to have such good friends. They even went so far as to leave us Bills treasured BMW at the airport so when we got off the flight we had transportation to take us to their house. After a lovely lunch on their dock Bill and Linda returned to the airport for a business trip while we stayed at the house and enjoyed a dinner of smoked pulled pork cooked by their son Patrick over the weekend. A quiet night sleeping onboard so we would be ready to leave early the next morning. 

A well lit dock with all the toys after a very busy Mothers Day weekend at Kilmarnock VA

Coinjock : Hampton : Kilmarnock

April 24th Wednesday : Another early morning start leaving Belhaven at sunrise. This morning Nana watched the reverse of last night when the moon was to our east and the sunset to our west, this morning the sunset is on our east and the moon visible to our west - a lovely setting to get underway for an expected long cruise to Coinjock approximately 88 miles. New Horizon cruises the Pungo River, into the Alligator River-Pingo River Canal, Alligator River , Albemarle Sound ( runs 50 miles east to west ) into the North River which takes you to Coinjock mile marker 49.5 ICW.

The Alligator River is very wide but not necessarily deep so one needs to be careful to follow the markers and stay mid-channel. Large logs have been noted floating along the river , which sometimes are partially submerged , and could do a lot of damage to your prop! Constant wake damage from ongoing boat traffic causes more and more trees to topple into the river. There is a swing bridge right at mile 84 which opens on demand however if the winds pick up to greater than 30 knots it may not open. 

The Marina is a well run, organized and highly successful operation where everybody stops for their famous prime rib - we stop for their delicious food and crispy chips. We also have dinner with Susan and Jon from L’ Equipe and had a lovely tour of their beautiful sailboat 53 Little Harbor. We continue to meet up with the same sailboats and motor boats heading North so it is fun to see familiar faces. The sailors are all wrapped up as the weather is pretty wholly and windy.

An example of the tree damage that you are likely to see along the way.
April25th Thursday Coinjock to Hampton VA. Nana and Nandad were almost the last of the long line of boats to leave the dock. Those sailors are early risers! However because today is the day of bridges and locks we all catch-up with one another waiting for bridge openings. North Landing is our first bridge and we has perfect timing here for the half- hour opening. The second bridge Centerville Turnpike Bridge we were not so lucky and had to wait for the opening as we missed the hour timeframe but it was a nice opportunity to have lunch. The next challenge was the Great Bridge and the Great Bridge Lock so by 1.30 NH had only one more bridge to navigate which is usually open Norfolk & Western R.R bridge at MM 3.6. What a shock when we arrived at the bridge to find it closed !! As always things are not as they appear so after a few radio calls we learn that a train is coming and the bridge will open when it passes but nobody know how long that will be. A little frustrated Nandad  bops around for an hour and 15 minutes before the bridge opens - at least there was plenty of water and lots of space to maneuver. This meant we were late checking into Safe Harbor Bluewater Yacht Center and quite the bumpy ride for that ten mile section of the Hampton Roads but a good feeling to have the ICW route complete and are now officially in Chesapeake.

Sail boats behind us and in front of us.

A very welcome sign as we go through the lock.

Friday April 26th : We had a wonderful Layday and after talking with Bill and Linda they have decided to join us for a sleepover on the boat. We have a great dinner at the Surf Rider and Nana is very excited to pass the admirals role to Bill for the journey up the Chesapeake Bay. 

Saturday April 27th : The ladies capture a picture of Bill and Aedan heading to the pump out before we say our goodbyes. What great company to have spent the night with on the boat and so excited for our day away from “ the boys”! 

 Linda and Nana head to Williamsburg for a wonderful day of shopping, lunch , and some browsing the beautiful historical town. We arrive back at their lovely home up the Indian Creek to find NH tucked into her slip right outside the house. What a luxury.

This is the map of the area. A wonderful spot to have a home surrounded by water.

Nandad happy NH is all tied up.

The house from the dock.