North to the Hudson

Our last restaurant visit while we were 'forced' to stay at St. Michael's was at Ava's Pizzeria and Wine Bar.  Our table was located on the rear patio where this awesome fountain took center stage!

 
Despite a small craft advisory, we left our anchorage on the Chester River in the early morning of June 10^th.  The advisory was forecast to expire at 10AM and we were confident that the Lazy W and her crew would be able to handle an hour’s worth of rough water.  At 9AM we stuck our bow out into the Chesapeake Bay and were greeted with gusty winds and choppy water.  At 9:30AM, SURPRISE, the small craft advisory had been extended until 1 PM!!!  We clocked the winds at 20 MPH and, as waves crashed over the bow, we questioned our decision to travel today.  Fortunately, as we cruised north toward the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, conditions began to improve.  Boat traffic was light but we did cross paths for the third time with the small cruise ship American Star as she headed north to Providence.

American Star zips past Lazy W

 

Entering C&D Canal



In the 17^th century, Bohemian cartographer Augustine Hermann envisioned a canal through the narrow upper end of the Delmarva Peninsula that would connect the Delaware Bay and the Chesapeake Bay.  It wasn’t until 1822 that enough funds were raised to start the big dig.  Seven years later the 14-mile-long, 10-foot-deep, 66-foot wide C&D Canal opened to ship traffic.  Over the years several expansions have culminated in its current depth of 35 feet and width of 400 feet.  As you traverse the canal today, it is hard to imagine that the original canal was built by the labors of more than two thousand men wielding shovels and pick axes.

Aqua Sol sits high on a hill overlooking Summit North Marina
 

 By late afternoon we had arrived at Summit North Marina in Bear, Delaware about midway through the C&D Canal.  We fueled up, docked, and partook in yet another happy hour aboard Lazy W.  A fantastic band was playing on the outside deck of Aqua Sol, the restaurant high on a hill overlooking the marina.  From dockside we were able to enjoy their renditions of the Mamas and the Papas ‘California Dreaming,’ Adele, Heart, Eric Clapton, Meat Loaf, and real oldies from the Beatles.  What a great ending to a l-o-n-g  Friday on the water.!

The next day we traversed the remainder of the C&D Canal.  There was no commercial traffic to dodge along the way.  Our only accompaniment – two other cruisers ahead of us and numerous great blue heron flying overhead.  Upon exiting the canal we braced ourselves for a somewhat lumpy ride down the Delaware Bay to Cape May.  Kyle from Utsch’s Marina called along the way to inform us that a slip had opened up and we enthusiastically accepted it.  What would a stop in Cape May be without a stay at Utsch’s??

Not surprisingly, there were several other looper boats congregating at Utsch’s as we all waited for a favorable weather window to start the journey up the coast of New Jersey.  The crews of Chill Time, Morningstar, Shingebiss, Meander and Toba shared docktails each evening during our stay.  Tom and Barbara from Toba shared stories of their recent cruise to Cuba on Toba, Liz on Shingebiss explained the origin of their boat name (Ojibwa legend), and Mel on Morningstar – well, Mel just told stories!!

The motto of Cape May is “The Nation’s Oldest Seashore Resort.”  Since the mid-eighteenth century when this small town on the southern tip of New Jersey began hosting Philadelphia vacationers, Cape May continues to be a mecca for east coast beach lovers. A fire in 1878 destroyed much of the town and the majority of the replacement homes were built in the Victorian-style architecture.  These “painted ladies” have been preserved and meticulously maintained resulting in the entire city’s 1976 designation as a National Historic Landmark.  With a year-round population of less than 4,000, the city plays host to almost 50,000 summer visitors.  And Cape May has decided to charge each and every one of them a $6 per person daily beach tag fee for the pleasure of walking on their shore!?!?

We awoke on Sunday, June 12^th to the sickening news of the shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.  When will the madness end?

After three beautiful but windy days exploring Cape May, we left with a flotilla of like-minded boaters to cruise to Absecon Inlet at Atlantic City.  Ruth and Herb on their appropriately named American Tug Ancient Mariners seemed a bit timid and were hesitant to leave with us since it was still somewhat windy.  But leave they did.  And once they cleared the Cape May Inlet they put the pedal to the metal, took off and left the rest of us far behind!!  We never did see them in Atlantic City and can only assume that they were already further north in Sandy Hook by the time we anchored near Rum Point.  Go Ancient Mariners!

We could see the amusement park at Wildwood as we headed up the Jersey shore from Cape May

Anchored at Atlantic City with Chill Time, Meander and Shingebiss

 


The view from Atlantic City anchorage - Borgota, The Water Club and Harrah's

 Our two day run up the Jersey coast was smooth and uneventful.  The flotilla of boats stuck together much of the way but broke apart at Sandy Hook.  Some will be cruising the Long Island Sound while others will continue up the Hudson.  We dropped the hook off Atlantic Highlands and enjoyed a quiet night with a spectacular view of New York City and the Verrazano Bridge sparkling in the distance north of us.

To say that traversing New York Harbor in a 43-foot trawler surrounded by behemoth cargo ships, speeding New York Waterway and Staten Island ferries, Circle Line excursion boats, the Anthem of the Sea cruise ship, and countless wayward sailboats is an intimidating experience would be a gross understatement. So with some angst and trepidation, we pulled up the hook after lunch and pushed northward across Sandy Hook Bay.  (Typically our cruising day starts much earlier than noon, but the newly-downloaded app Tidal Currents Trip Planner indicated that an afternoon departure would help Lazy W take advantage of tidal currents along the Hudson.)

The Captain is prepared for New York Harbor

 

Approaching Manhattan

Lady Liberty

Crossing paths with sailboats

Ellis Island

 

Freedom Tower

via57west

We admired all the sights of the city. Further north we noticed an interesting building, via57west.  This visually intriguing building bills itself as a residential oasis “balancing the excitement of the city and the tranquility of nature.” At its center is VIA Garden, a 22,000 square foot lushly planted courtyard whose dimensions mimic the exact proportions of Central Park.  Rents start at $3,600 a month for a studio apartment, $4,650 for a one bedroom unit, and $6,400 for a two bedroom unit!!

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge
Passing under the George Washington Bridge
 

Approaching the Tappan Zee Bridge and the construction equipment for its $3.98 billion replacement

 

Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining houses 1,700 prisoners along the Hudson River

 

Our reward after a long day of cruising
 a beautiful sunset over the Hudson across from our anchorage near Croton Point