We moved on from Kingston and all the beautiful boats there, and down the Hudson River, anticipating our next stop to be Haverstraw, where we have been before. However, we were in the wrong part of the tide cycle for moving south, and progress was slow. We realized we wouldn't be able to make it in daylight hours, so we looked for other options. Not wanting to spend the big bucks to go to a marina, it appeared that the best option was the Marlboro Yacht Club, which has moorings available. We arrived there late afternoon, and since we had been unable to reach anyone either by phone or VHF radio. we simply picked up a mooring (there were 7 open moorings). We took the dinghy in to shore (very happy Jonah!) and stuffed $15 in the door with our boat card, since our outdated Skipper Bob book said moorings were $10. Later on, toward dark, a couple of sailboats arrived at the dock and someone, apparently from the club, greeted them. And shortly after, a dinghy approached us and with a friendly greeting, we were asked to move, since the mooring we were on was reserved by one of the boats that had just arrived. (Never mind that there were still 6 open moorings.) And by the way, the fee for a mooring was $25. We had no problem with that, and gladly paid the extra $10. But being told we had to move because that specific mooring ball was reserved? Anyway, we did as we were asked, and the Club member helped us to tie up on a different mooring. It did have an extra line with a float attached to it, which seemed odd, and we had to use our own line to tie up to the mooring instead of a pick up stick, as there was on the first one we had gone to. Anyway, we noticed that the sailboats at the dock apparently changed their mind and stayed put, so we didn't really have to move after all! By then it was definitely dark so we stayed put. The next AM, we waited for the tide, and prepared to depart about 11:30 AM, on the high tide. We cast off from the mooring, and thought we were free, but as we moved away, that extra line wrapped around our prop! Arghhhhhh!!! Not going anywhere now. So Dick went ashore with the dingy and Karen and Jonah stayed on the boat. About an hour later, Dick returned with Art, a YC member, who cut the line, and then said that we needed to be towed to the gas dock, and then hauled out (the YC has a travel lift) to assess the situation. Another YC member showed up at that point with his dinghy and helped tow us ashore. Art strongly felt we had to be hauled out to see the line, so that was done. The line was cut off and we were lowered back into the water again. All for the reasonable rate of $100, cash please. Then began the difficult task of reattaching the backstay, which had to be taken off to get us into the travel lift. Our backstay is very difficult to attach; at Riverview, with no jib on the forestay, it took 3 people's strength to get the pin in place. Now everyone was gone and we were trying to do it ourselves, with the jib on the forestay. About ready to take the jib down in order to get everything in place, another YC member stopped by to offer assistance. Tony has a Morgan 38 sailboat, and was a big help. The pin was soon in place, but by the time we chatted with Tony, put away all the lines that had been used and were ready to move, it was 4:30. So back to a mooring ( the first one!) for the night. And a rocky night it was! Wind from the south and several tugs going by. Next day, off at noon (definitely in the wrong part of the tide cycle, but it doesn't make much sense to travel against an incoming tide.) The folks at Marlboro Yacht Club were all friendly, helpful and ready to assist. Once again, if we had to have a problem, it was a good place to be.
Down the river, past Newburgh, past West Point (impressive as always!) and we planned to anchor at Croton, across from Haverstraw. We have used this anchorage before, but the wind was blowing in from the north, the tide was low (Damn those tides!) and we were reading depths of 6.9 feet. So quick, out of there, and over to Haverstraw Marina, across the bay. It took over an hour to get there, with the wind and tide, and we got to the dock at 6:30, after sunset. We have been here several times before, so we knew how to get to the rest rooms and where to walk the dog! It is a very large marina.
We had been hearing some funny noises again, and we were concerned that we might have more mechanical problems to deal with. But Dick checked everything in the AM and other than needing to tighten the V belt, all seemed OK. The ladder was a bit off kilter and that was straightened out. So off at noon, expecting to make it to the NYC area by late afternoon.
The first part of the afternoon was fine, Karen made lunch, did dishes, and some other boat chores. But by the time we got to the Tappan Zee Bridge, where the river is a bit wide, the wind really picked up, from the south, so it was on the nose. We had planned to get to NYC, but it became apparent that wasn't gong to happen. So we found an alternative, the Alpine Marina in New Jersey. Not a good place to go in to, with only 2 inches if water at low tide! But we could anchor outside the bulkhead in good holding, we were told. We arrived there about 5:00 PM, got the hook down, and had a bit of protection from the wind. As we sat in the cockpit, watching to be sure we were not dragging, we realized we had become a target for some of the local men who we fishing off the bulkhead of the marina. "Who can snag the sailboat?" Someone did, got their line and hook entangled with our lifelines. Dick carefully got the line unattached and sent it back, with a "thank you!" and that seemed to be the end of the sport. Finally Jonah ashore for some exercise. Given the conditions and all the people around, we decided it would be prudent to sit watch, so we took turns sitting up for 2 1/2 hours each all night, to keep an eye on everything. Not a fun night. Toward morning as the sun started to come up, Dick lit the diesel stove and it quickly heated up the cabin. Very welcome!! A quick trip ashore with Jonah in the AM, and then underway soon after. Even though we were traveling against the tide, we still wanted to get away from that spot.
So on to the Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, just across from Manhattan. For a while we were only making 1.5 knots, but at least we were moving and it was a beautiful day. It took us 5 hours to travel 16 nautical miles! We were very happy to arrive at Liberty Landing Marina, an excellent facility.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment