Port Jefferson, Setauket, and NYC. 14-17 Sept 2014

We left Connecticut and crossed the Sound to the north shore of Long Island, NY. 

Just inside the entrance to Port Jefferson harbor is the village of Setauket. I became interested in seeing Setauket, after watching a new TV series titled “Turn”, about America’s first spies during the Revolutionary War.  While watching the series, I wondered how much of the tale was real - if at all. Well, our cruising guide confirmed that a Patriot spy ring did operate out of Setauket, and the messages were passed to other patriots by a local woman who strung a specific combination of red and black petticoats and white handkerchiefs on a clothes line.

There is very skinny water at the entrance to the Setauket harbor (the chart says 1’) but we only draw 4’ so we ventured in on a rising tide. It was so quiet and protected and surrounded by marshes with geese and swan families. 

Bike drill! Rode 1.5 miles into Port Jefferson to explore. The sky opened up so we ducked into a hotel lobby (with wifi) to wait it out for 2 hours. Delicious dinner at a Spanish restaurant. 

On Sunday, we got an early start to make it out of the harbor without running aground. West to NYC!

After reading all the reviews of marinas on both sides of the Hudson, we decided to stay in Flushing at the World's Fair Marina run by the City Parks. 

CitiField. Home of the Mets.

No wake!!! Huge, protected marina at the foot of CitiField, the National Tennis Center, and Corona Park. A 20min walk to the #7 line into the city or the LIRR. It was a bit run down but safe and included free laundry, ice, and a head/shower ashore. All this for only $2/ft. There is a fuel dock and pump-out but the pump-out was out of order. When I called on the radio to ask for other pump-out locations they seemed a bit surprised and thanked us for wanting to use a pump-out. (Don't go swimming.)

That evening we went to see the World Trade Center Museum and Memorial. The museum was free to military; $24 otherwise. Then met up with Josh Eckmann (son of Mark's cousin, Lisa) for dinner and a drink. He loves NYC and had tons of ideas and suggestions for our visit.

What color was the sky on that September day?

Memorial quilt with photos of the victims from PA, NYC, and Pentagon.

The Survivor Staircase

Monday we washed down the boat and went to the Woodside neighborhood of Queens for Filipino food. Sarap! We were the only non-pinoys in Renee's Restaurant for the lunch special.  When I went to pay, the manager asked how I liked it and if I knew this was Filipino food. I explained that I love Filipino food and that Jo had grown up in the PI!

On to Times Sq to snag discount tickets at the TKTS booth. Josh and Mary Kate met us for a visit.

Cousins: Josh and MaryKate

Got to see the Time Hotel where Josh is a Bellman. Had time to chat with MK before we headed to the NY Public Library in Bryant Park. Grand old bldg with an interesting WWI propaganda exhibit. Then back to 49th St for dinner and a show. Ave Q. So funny. It's been out for years but we had never seen it.

NY Public Library

Rainy Tuesday. Amtrak shut down from DC to Philly so Jay, our crew, was running late.  He finally arrived at 1800. Met him at the train station and we Uber-ed into Flushing for Chinese food, and Uber-ed home. There were NO cabs to hail so the Uber app was perfect.  

We will leave for NJ tomorrow and will check off another Bucket List item: Hell Gate!

The Thimble Islands and Branford, CT. 12-13 Sept2014

Anchor up and moving to make the 0840 bridge opening of the Mystic highway bridge, only to be stopped at the AMTRAK Bridge to wait for a train to pass. We finally got moving again around 0930. 

Once we cleared the channel we threw up the sails and proceed on a nice beam reach sail down the coast to the west. Even though this was Friday, there were a lot of sailboats milling around the mouth of the Thames River in New London getting ready for a race. We could hear the warning and starting guns go off, luckily we went through the race course in between different fleets heading out, so didn’t interfere with anyone’s racing. 

When we lived in Groton 20 years ago, travelling up and down I-95, we would see signs to the Thimble Islands and told ourselves we should go there for a visit.  Finally 20 years later we finally made it. Thanks to our Cruising Guide we learned that one does not anchor in and amongst the Thimble Islands. 

The wind started to die about a half hour before we reached the islands. Jo plotted a course around and through the islands to a mooring field near the town of Stony Creek. Hook down, we jumped in the dink to run ashore and catch the last boat tour of the islands. The tour boat Capt. brought us within 3' of some islands along with all his insider info about each island.

Stony Creek is one of the areas where pink granite was quarried for many of our nation’s monuments and prominent buildings. The Thimble “islands” are all granite and running aground in this area is DEFINITELY not like nudging the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay.  

In colonial times the islands were considered too small and rocky to be of much use. In the 20s people were attracted by the beauty and mystique of island-living and families began “summering’ in amazing homes perched on rocks. 

Cove where Capt. Kidd would hide out.

Local dink dock for owners' "commuting" to their islands.

Love these "finger piers." Not weight bearing but they don't want their dinks to touch.

When we got back to Stoney Creek, we asked around as to what there was to see or places to eat. Everybody told us to go to town, Branford. So we got back onto the boat and motored around the corner to Branford. We anchored outside the marina area in a mooring field with no other boats around. Exposed to the southwest, this mooring field is known to be very uncomfortable when the prevailing S and SW winds are in place, but for tonight we are to have north winds, a very smooth night. 

We walked into town, approximately 1.5 miles, had dinner at an Italian restaurant recommended by two fishermen we met at the dock while they were cleaning their fish. On the walk back to the dink, we stopped and sat on a rock wall in front of a house with unlocked WIFI. Score! We were able to check and clear email, and also check the weather forecast for the next day. The winds were forecasted to be 15-20 kts out of the east, perfect for our sail southwest to Port Jefferson Harbor and the little creek off of it leading to the town of Setauket.

Mystic. 10-11 Sept 2014

Leaving Newport on Wednesday morning we waited until around 0800 to time the flood ride into "the Race" on our way to Mystic, CT. The wind had kicked up to around 20 kts out of the north which made a nice ride down the Narraganset. It was a little bumpy with the waves building on our stern until we turned the corner west at Pt Judith. Now being in the lee of the land it was relatively smooth sailing all the way to Mystic. The wind died about an hour after passing Watch Hill.

i contacted Andy Stackpole, a colleague of mine when I was stationed in Groton 20 years ago. Andy told us what we needed to do to get through the two bridges in Mystic. While waiting for the Mystic "highway" bridge, Andy hopped on our boat (from his dink) to show us where we could anchor. Past the Mystic Seaport there is a deep channel just past the last green buoy. Due to weather issues we decided to stay two nights. Dropped the dink and followed Andy back to his house... 3 houses down from the Seaport, with his boat moored in front of his house. We were able to use Andy's neighbors dock to tie up our dink. Sweet deal.

Mystic Amtrak Bridge

Mystic Hwy Bridge. Opens at :40 past.

Stackpole house on far right. Their blue sailboat moored out front. Sweet.

Andy guiding us to the upper Mystic River anchorage.

Jo and I walked around town for a couple of hours visiting old familiar sites like the Mystic Bridge Ice Cream, and Mystic Pizza. Andy later drove us to Defender Marine supply so we could replace the water accumulator tank which crapped out about a week before. Andy and Jen joined us for dinner on Daruma. It was a very nice quiet anchorage.

Mystic Bridge is up. Time to get out of your car and get an ice cream while you wait.

Mystic Seaport

The Charles W. Morgan. Last of the whaling ships.

The next day while waiting for Anne and Bill Wernau to arrive (Ann was Joelle's colleague while we were in Groton) Jo and I visited a marine salvage store. We picked up a 48" US flag for the boat and an ice bucket, both of which we were looking for a while now.

 After Anne and Bill arrived, we dinked back to the boat, pulled the anchor and went for a tour of Mystic harbor and for a sail. Maneuvering through the two bridges really isn't that hard once you get used to it.

Bill and Anne Wernau

Anchor down again, we had lunch inboard; Jo prepared the curry chicken salad. Yes she does cook, she just doesn't like to. ;-0

Anne and Bill took us back to Defender as l had realized there were a few more things we needed.
Two things I love about the North East/New England; all the non-chain pizza places and the mom and pop ice cream stores. We ended our day with Anne and Bill sitting down at an ice cream parlor in Niantic. Eating ice cream in a sugar cone is always good.

Anneandjoelle and Anneandjoelle, former team-teachers in Groton, CT.

Back at our dink, we checked in to say goodbye and thank you to Andy. Andy invited us to join him and Jen for dinner. We walked into town. Did I say they live in a great location?

Friday we will sail to Branford via the Thimble Is. The wind gods are being nice to us. The wind is forecasted to be out of the north which will make the run to Branford a nice beam reach.