Along the Jersey Shore to New York City

. . . SAILING IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

Our Atlantic crossing took us by the Jersey shore for two days. It surprised us that Jersey was non-stop beach from the bottom of the state to the top, with a few gambling casinos in between. We’d expected a few beaches here and there, not the Florida-like shoreline we saw.

Down Time gets fueled up before leaving Cape May. Carl and Dottie had been on the Loop just a couple of months when we met them. 

Three boats left Utsch’s Marina in Cape May early Saturday -- the trawler, Down Time; 30-foot sailboat, R&R; and Carina. Winds blew from the west, with gentle three-foot swells. Although those wind and wave conditions varied in our two days on the Atlantic, they were never a cause for alarm. Thank you to everyone who crossed their fingers for us.

Peter and Cynthia on R&R, a 30-foot Irwin, had spent the winter in the Bahamas and were returning to New York State.

Down Time stopped early that first day at Atlantic City, while R&R and Carina sailed on another 30 miles or so to Barnegat Inlet farther north, a 12-hour day. Blame the long day for our adventures in anchoring. Lesson learned: we will be more careful NOT to drop anchor at the edge of the anchorage and then let out enough rode (the line that connects the anchor to the boat) so that the boat stops in the channel -- especially when a towboat is pushing a barge through that said channel.

Strong currents and shallow water in Barnegat Inlet created standing waves at the foot of the lighthouse.

The best thing about the day was the unexpected sunset concert by a bagpipe player.

More of the Same

The next day, our friends on Down Time speeded up to catch up and pass us. Trawlers can do that, even though they pay the price at the fuel dock. Both sailboats slowly motored the entire way in light to no winds to Great Kills Yacht Club on Staten Island.

R&R heeled over from the tide rushing out the inlet the next morning, not the wind.

Great Kills = Great Hosts, Great Place

Carina was able to dock at the yacht club because it made limited space available to Loopers, and they luckily had room for us.  After looking at marinas or mooring areas close to Manhattan, we decided the cost was too much ($4-plus per foot of boat per night is average) and they were too uncomfortable --rocky rolly from currents and hundreds of ferryboats.  Staten Island where the yacht club is located is fairly close to Manhattan – close enough it seemed to us.

Over 100 years old, the club was described as a working club, just like Privateer. Klaus, a 35-year member, told of some of its colorful history that at one time in the '30s included the Mafia. Only in New York! (And probably Chicago, LA, . . .)

The decision to stay at Great Kills Yacht Club was a good one. We met friendly people and found a club similar in many ways to ours in Chattanooga. The boat and Squirt were safe when we were gone. The area is beautiful with a strong sense of community. And it was just a train and ferry ride away from Manhattan.

John is the official Looper organization harbor host for Great Kills. He was quick to offer information, rides for fuel and to the train, and other help.

Recovering from Hurricane Sandy

Signs of hurricane damage are still around. Along New Jersey’s shore, hotels and restaurants were mostly repaired, although many backhoes and much scaffolding was in sight. The famous Atlantic City Boardwalk that was destroyed has been rebuilt and is welcoming visitors again. TV ads run frequently to let people know that New Jersey is open for business.

It’s not just New Jersey. Surrounded by land on almost all sides, New York's Great Kills Harbor couldn’t withstand hurricane force winds. Boats were mangled. Docks were torn apart. But the people there and elsewhere in the area are resilient. Yacht club members have put their docks back together better than ever. When a repaired boat is put back in the water, it's a time for celebration at the yacht club. They still have quite a few celebrations to look forward to.