We are in “delivery mode”. The days are long and tiring, but things are going fine, when one considers that this boat is totally new to us. We spend a lot of our time trying to figure things out — “Where is the ______? What does this do? Have you found the ______ yet? Whoa, look at this?? Really?” She is in good shape, but has definitely been ignored. Today, we waxed the flybridge “dashboard” while we were underway. Looks much better! I laid my face on the fiberglass and softly whispered , “Don’t worry anymore. Your years of neglect and being ignored are over now. We are here to take care of you and everything will be all right.”
We left Cape May at 6:00 am on Wednesday morning so that we could arrive in Atlantic City at slack tide for an easy entry into the channel.
The sun was rising as we left Cape May.
Dolphins escorted us out of the channel and into the ocean.
This boat does not have davits so we are towing our dinghy behind us. Have to remember to look backwards and keep an eye on it!
After 6 hours of traveling, we reached Atlantic City.
A cute water tower was visible over the buildings in Atlantic City.
This time we anchored just before the bridge, outside of the channel. When we return to the boat in the dinghy, I have to look around the harbor to find “my” boat. I am still looking for the Morgan sailboat. I think it is like getting a new car and trying to find it in the parking lot.
The very best part of stopping in Atlantic City was a visit with our friends, Mary Marie and Frank, from Eleanor Q. We have not seen them since Hopetown in the Bahamas back in February.
~ Frank and Mary Marie (“Ems”)
~The guys are deep in boat talk.
We had a nice dinner in a funky little spot on the docks. Frank’s daughter, Nicole, is a chef in Brigantine, New Jersey. She is competing on The Next Food Network Star show this season. We cheer for her every week. Can’t wait to get home and catch up on the most recent shows. Good Luck, Colie!
Our first picture with our new boat. Thank you, Mary Marie! Oh my, we just have to change that name as soon as possible!!
And there was Miss Maggie, our friends from Lubbers Quarters & North Carolina on their way south. They have been traveling south and arrived in Atlantic City on the same day that we did, traveling north.
Thursday began early – the trip from Atlantic City to Sandy Hook, New Jersey is 80 nautical miles and would take us all day. We left Atlantic City at 5:30 am.
Watching the sun rise in the east as we traveled. You just can’t see this often enough.
It was a good day for an ocean ride. Light breeze, calm seas, sunshine. Long, but nice for most of the way.
A two-masted schooner passed us, moving southward.
Here is a TRAWLER in the true sense of the word – a fishing trawler that is trawling for fish.
There were things in the air as well.
As we approached the Sandy Hook peninsula, ready to make the turn, my ears heard a different sound from this ordinary looking green marker buoy. Instead of a simple clanging bell, it sounded like church bells. There were three distinctly different chiming sounds.
The view along the Sandy Hook peninsula on our way to anchor behind the breakwater.
Not much more to say about today. The trip is going well, all things considered. We are learning about this particular boat and how a trawler is different from a sailboat. We are also making a long list of what we need to do to make her ours. A long list.
It may be after 9:00 pm, but Al has decided to see how things are put together and start taking things apart.???? It can’t wait until we get home???
Tomorrow is New York Harbor and Hell’s Gate – Long Island Sound, here we come!
The sun set over the sailboats at Sandy Hook