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cruising past NYC

Posted by on October 3, 2012

September 19, 2012

Fourteen years ago, Wil and I had been living on our first boat in Stamford, CT. It was October 17, 1998, and the day of our 6th wedding anniversary, when we departed Stamford and cruised down the East River past New York City, marveling at the city with her tall, majestic buildings and high bridges. Little did we know on that day, we would be sailing the same route past the New York City nearly 14 years later with our children.

Stepping Stones Light, Long Island Sound

 

sailing from Port Washington to NYC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time, our departure point was from Port Washington on Long Island, and again, this was another stretch that needed planning with respect to tides and currents. We would be going through Hell Gate, an narrow straight where the East River and the Harlem River join together creating almost 5 knots of current during peak flow and ebb.

As we were sailing towards NYC, we noticed another catamaran stopped up ahead of us. It was Anything Goes whom we’d met in Port Washington, and they were waiting for the tide to change after they’d pick up a family member from a nearby marina. They hoisted their sails and followed us through Hell Gate and past the city. After having done this trip alone 14 years ago, it was great fun seeing the city sights this time through our kids’ eyes, as well as with new friends.

Full Monty sailing towards NYC

navigating the channel with barges

Citi Field ~ home of the NY Mets

prison on Rikers Island

a floating prison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a floating swimming pool?

old structures

no cutting corners around this marker

 

Franklin D Roosevelt East River Drive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

enjoying sights along the East River

wouldn't want to hit that rock!

United Nations

 

good ole Pepsi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chrysler Building

Anything Goes sailing with us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Empire State Building

 

Domino Sugar & graffiti

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the number of pop rivets is amazing!

 

Brooklyn Bridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 years ago here stood the World Trade Center buildings

 

Pier 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lots of picture taking!

 

geography lesson for the day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

helicopters buzzing all around NYC

heli landing pad

 

 

 

 

 

 

One World Trade Center also called the Freedom Tower

 

heading for the Liberty anchorage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statue of Liberty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once we reached the southern end of Manhattan, the East River dumped us into the Hudson River where we had even more amazing views of the city, New York Harbor, and the Statue of Liberty.

Our new anchorage for the next few days was at Liberty State Park, right behind the Statue of Liberty. From our boat we could see the backside of Lady Liberty, as well as the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and passing ferries, cruise ships, barges and freighters.

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from our anchorage

 

Jersey lights from our anchorage

Lady Liberty from our cockpit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we dropped anchor and got settled, all the kids went over to a little beach nearby, while the adults visited aboard Anything Goes. We had a good chuckle over boat names when a guy from another catamaran came over to chat. Three catamarans in one tiny anchorage . . . Full Monty, Anything Goes, and The Big Easy.

[Photos of Full Monty are courtesy Anything Goes]

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