Sunday, May 10, 2009

May 5-10, 2009 ::: Chesapeake City, MD to Waterford, NY

At 0540 a Security Call was given, SONATA prepareing to drop lines at the Chesapeake Inn and enter the C&D Canal. A few minutes later we were underway and in the Canal headed for the Delaware Bay.

This view is what one sees with their "eyes on" the C and D. This picture is what is seen from inside, on the bridge. The radar presentation of the C&D Canal and the two radios, one on Channel 16, the General Hailing and Emergency Channel, and Channel 13 the Channel used by commercial boating and the bridges and canals. We maintain at least these two channels all the time (only have four radios aboard, all with scanning functions).

Still another electronic view on the bridge is our Garmin 2010C GPS. It shows the time, our position, speed, a chart overlay, the depth of the water and other information may be taken from it by just changing a function or command. Cannot go to sea without this equipment. We are about to exit the C and D canal and enter the Delaware Bay.

Entry into the Delaware Bay. Fog, big ships, tugs and barges. Must keep a sharp eye on the water, the traffic, the radar, the GPS, the charts . . . all a full time job for the person at the helm.

Before passing N39-10.765 W075-16.398 on a course of 160M at about 10.2 knots; a call had to be made to my good friend Dottie Stopher with USBoat Insurance. Change, update, our boat insurance for leaving the Chesapeake Bay and its then limits and moving on to the Delaware Bay and points north. Then as we approached the Miah Maull Shoal we were received by a number of very large porporise.

Trying to get a picture of the large fellows is a challenge. Caught just the tail end of the pleasant beast. Largest we have seen.

After entering the Cape May Canal Entrance from the West side of Cape May we stayed at Utsch's Marina. Bikes were quickly placed over the side and off to town we went for grocery shopping and ice cream . . . and another coffee pot. Crossing the Delaware we had some high seas and the "old" pot just jumped on the floor.

Another early rise. We departed Cape May just after 6:00 am so that we could ride the rising tide on the way north. New Jersey Intercoastal Waterway (NJ ICW) . . . is shallow.

The NJ ICW is filled with small channels in marshland . . .

Small houses crowd against the NJ ICW, from the common to the elegant. We continued up to the Beach Haven Yacht Club for 305 gallons of diesel at $2.15 a gallon. When we stopped here on the "Loop" their price was $2.37 a gallon. We overnighted on the Manasquan River in a thunderstorm.

So much is driven, in some areas, by the tide, the currents, and the weather. An early start from the Brielle Boat Basin in Manasquan at 0535 put us then on the Atlantic Ocean headed north to New York City. We could see the sky scrapers before we arrived at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. It has been quite a ride. Wind from the SSW at 25-30 knots and following seas of 5-7'. The New York inner harbor was a welcome sight.

The Lady was a welcome sight, then we proceeded up the Hudson to the 79th Street Basin.

On our way up the Hudson we pass the empty space once occupied by the World Trade Center and say a prayer of thanksgiving for us all.

A river view of the 79th Street Basin.


Once inside the Basin, the marina, we had a view of the NYC skyline. We took our bikes and went off to Central Park . . . what a ride. The park was only 5-6 blocks away and on the way home we stopped at the West Market on the corner of 77th and Broadway. We wanted the whole store . . . but then our regrigerator and freezer was still almost full. What great fresh food and at good prices.


SONATA resting in the evening with New Jersey in the background we prepared for our first dinner guest; nephew Russell Marks, Charles' sister's Mary Ruth, son.

After Russell arrived we all sat up on the bridge and recapped the trip, the plans for the rest of the trip and just good old time discussion. Charlie and Russell.

Bonnie and Russell. After Bonnie's delightful dinner of roasted pork tenderlion, brocolli caserole, home prepared apple sauce, fried cornbread, and sweet potatoes with black beans. A fine dinner out of the little refrigerator and off the tiny stove. Bonnie does a great job.

After dinner we were given the pleasure of a friend of Russell's joining us, Ji Soolee. Russell and Ji were going out on the evening . . . the older folks . . . were off to bed for another early morning rise, the tide going up river starts at 0630.

We join the "flood-tide" up the Hudson, under the George Washington Bridge and on up to West Point and beyond.

When we arrived just outside Poughkeepsie we were greeted by the USCG, Customs and Immigration, and the local Sheriff. A Coast Guard inspection was completed on SONATA by Lt Mannion and Petty Officer Creico. No discrepancies. They were such pleasant people. The Coast Guard was presenting an enhanced presence on the upper Hudson. Last year there were a number of small boat accidents . . . increase awareness, education will hopefully reduce incidents on the waterway.

We overnighted to avoid a thunderstorm, in Catskill. The next day we stayed in for a while, not leaving until nearly noon. We passed the Hudson-Athens light house . . . the site of where we idled for a while during the "Loop" trip to drop the mast, to make our air draft 16' vice 22.5'; then we were off to Albany and our first lock.

Our first lock on the trip. Federal Lock #1, the Troy Lock. Bonnie showed her skill again in landing SONATA with a soft touch on the Port side, Charlie held SONATA in place as we were raised to the next level in 40 knot winds.

We arrived at Waterford, New York; a few minutes later and we were greeted by a raft of "new-friends" from Bolder, Colorado, Quebec, and places in between . . . all of us starting the Erie tomorrow.............

2 comments:

  1. You guys can't see us be we are onboard with you all! Really enjoying the trip with you again. Got hungry after the discription of the meal cooked onboard!

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  2. Pictures are just great! Will be enjoying the trip with you all.

    ReplyDelete