26 Jun 14

We had rain showers in the middle of the night as the front passed over, but at 04:00, the alarm went off and the rain ended and the clouds cleared off. The forecast up the coast looked good, so we brewed up a pot of joe, whipped up breakfast, cast off the dock lines at 05:00 and headed back out into the wide Atlantic Ocean. The SE swell was still running from the days before, but the wind was very light, so no chop to speak of. Dawn found us at sea, motoring along in a north-easterly direction about 2 miles off the coast. We had sunshine and clear skies most of the way, and although the northerly wind piped up after lunch (right on the nose again; as compared to the predicted westerly breeze), we had an uneventful run to Sandy Hook. I finally finished reading “Mission Song”, John LeCarre, which I had apparently started in ’08, but never finished; beautifully written, but a sad story. I have now started reading “Lawrence in Arabia”, Scott Anderson. We had planned to anchor at Tip of the Hook, but since the wind was still northerly, we went round the north end of Sandy Hook and headed down to the harbor at Atlantic Highlands, NJ, where we picked up a mooring from the Atlantic Highlands YC just after 17:00; 82 N-m in 12 hours - not a bad day’s run. G&Ts, dinner, in bed by 20:00.

27 Jun 14

After yesterday’s (nay, last week’s) exertions, we slept in till 08:00. Moving every day for the last 7 days, we have progressed more than 250 N-miles, which is well above our planned average of 5 N-m per day. But, needs must. Now we are within sight of NYC. The yacht club has a free launch service that takes you from the boat to the shore and back again; very nice. We spent the day grocery shopping and doing laundry, then went up to the yacht club for showers and happy hour, where we met nearly everyone in the club; mighty friendly folks, especially considering they are a bunch of Yankees. I may have to reconsider every thing I was taught as a young-un. We found out Atlantic Highlands is named such because it is actually the highest ground on the East coast south of Maine.

28 Jun 14

We were up at 07:00, but lazed around the boat all morning; did a few chores, actually. After lunch, we got the launch to run us in and watched the Brazil v Chile World Cup match (Brazil won on penalty kicks). Then we took one of the propane tanks up to the hardware store and got it refilled. I also bought a good scraper to assist with removing the varnish from the toe-rails. Back on the boat in time for happy hour, I finished updating plans for taking on the notorious Hell Gate tomorrow and scraped a few feet of varnish off the port side toe rail. While enjoying cocktails, another sail boat picked up the mooring ball next to us, but only on the 2nd try, with lots of “effing and blinding”, at the top of his lungs, by the captain, directed solely at the poor, suffering Admiral. But it was all his fault for bad piloting and poor commands. We had a good chuckle, although we felt sorry for the other lady. Early to bed to be ready for an early start tomorrow.