Vineyard Open House Blog

Day 13: A Meeting at Wood's Hole, Then Martha's Vineyard Reached at Last

There was so little wind in Buzzard's Bay that you could see your reflection with ease.

Editor's Note: This entry is the final installment of a 10-part series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry. Start at the beginning by clicking on Day 1 below.

Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 

The final day of our trip began in haze with a hot sun beating down and no wind. We soon motored within site of the first of the Elizabeth Islands and as we came up the bay-side we could see Martha's Vineyard peeking through the breaks between the islands.

Our first view of the Elizabeth Islands. If you stared hard enough, you could get a peek at the Vineyard.

A tug and a barge circled each other lazily before heading up the Bay.

Two NOAA ships stand at the ready in Wood's Hole, Mass.

We arrived in Wood's Hole around six where we were supposed to meet Elise and her brother Charlie. They weren't there yet and a fellow boatsman saw us circling around and pointed us to a mooring. Ten minutes  later Charlie and Elise came into view.

Charlie and Elise come to greet us.

Charlie and Elise will be joining us on Avanti for the last leg home.

Our two passengers settle in for the final six miles across Vineyard Sound.

These final six miles were amazing for the simple reason that I have been coming to Martha's Vineyard since 1954 and have always come by ferry (with a few arrivals at the MV Airport). Now for the first time in 54 years I was arriving on my own boat. How strange to simply pull up to a dock and step out on the island without the usual passage via ferry!

Avanti makes it final turns as it nears Dove Cottage Dock.

One last turn allowing Phoebe to take some pictures, then it's into the dock.

Waiting to meet us at Dove Cottage dock in Vineyard Haven were Jean, Charlie's wife, Charlie's son Berkley, my daughter Phoebe and her beau Brandon. They were ready with cameras and arms to pull us in.

Berkley and Jean grab a line while Phoebe records the moment.

A happy ending--David and Elise on Avanti in Vineyard Haven. Miles Traveled: 465

Days 11-12: Milford to Saybrook, CT, to Port Judith & a Self-Made Boat

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

Dave Clake stands next to the boat he spent 18 years building, the Windfield Lash, Friendship, Maine. Note the T-shirt: Have you hugged your binnacle today?

From Milford, CT, we motor sailed to Saybrook and then on to Point Judith, Rhode Island. Now we were only one day away from our destination and it seemed that the trip was coming to a close all too soon. But one of our final encounters was one of the best. We ran into a real old salt named Dave Clarke, 70, who hails from Peterborough, NH, but more realistically today you could say his home is his boat, the Windfield Lash, which has to win best boat name of the trip.

Winfield Lash, two-masted schooner, Point Judith, Rhode Island.

Clarke speaks with the quiet confidence of a man who has accomplished much and is not easily impressed. His launched his two-masted schooner in 2000 after laboring for 18 years to bring it into being. The rich wood interior is filled with a rare wood he scavenged off a foundered ship. The deck is highlighted by the shinning binnacle of a topless woman shouldering the ship's compass.

The binnacle--cold comfort for long nights at sea?

A section of the massive bowsprit.

Even the dingy is a beauty.

Clarke noted that he served on the "first spook boat" in the Cold War era of the 1950s. His ship was a submarine--with "tubes loaded with live torpedoes fore and aft"--that followed Russian subs that had ventured into US coastal waters.

The gentle sweep of the foredeck of Winfield Lash.

Looking forward--notice the long bowsprit.

The Winfield Lash measures 32 feet in length along the water line, then add another 10 feet for the bowsprit.

The masts stand tall under a threatening sky.

Prisms imbedded in the deck cast light in the cabin below.

More storage detail; notice the light streaming down from the prism from the deck above.

The main cabin, looking forward, offers the warm comforting feeling of rich wood.
  The detail near the top of the closet was taken from found furniture and inserted.

Headboard for the bed.

The skylight is centered over the main living area.

Clarke intends to circumnavigate the globe once he finishes repairing odds and ends in Port Judith.
The Winfield Lash was not the only appealing wooden boat at the marina. See below for another.

 

The Port Judith Marina had all the conveniences and was a fine resting spot.

Early the next morning, a Saturday, fishing boats started heading out to sea.

Avanti ready for the final leg on Saturday shortly after dawn.

Kathleen, a magnificent catboat, sailed by as we readied to leave. The boat was profiled in Wooden Boat magazine in its November/December 2006 issue. You can see a photo story of her construction here

Couldn't resist taking several photos.

A looker from all angles.

Heading out from the breakers at Port Judith, we turned north into Buzzard's Bay and a late afternoon rendezvous with Elise and her brother Charlie in Wood's Hole, MA.

The early morning haze began to lift and so did our spirits. The bimini came down and we let the sun shine in. Miles Traveled: 419. Day 13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

Milford, CT: Beautiful Boats, Protected Anchorage & A Fine Dinner

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

We motor sailed today up to Milford, CT. An uneventful day covering 48 miles. We left at a leisurely 9 a.m. and arrived at 6:30 p.m. As we edged closer we could see fine home sitting at the edge of the water enjoying a wide and spectacular view of Long Island Sound.

We saw many incredible boats. Very few were power, but they were classic in appearance, such as the Belle, above.

John remembered being here a year ago and was pleased to see Milford's floating docks again. They're easy to tie up to and rise and fall with the tide so you don't have to worry about having too little line out.

Two by two boats line up against the floating docks.

Here's another pair that greeted us in the marina.

 

Once ashore, we were greeted with Milford's long history and some great old buildings.

We walked around the beautiful town green looking for a store where we could buy tomatoes and cucumbers for our dinner salad. Bumped into a nice young man named Chris who said he knew the guy at the Bistro, above, who would cut some up for us. He did indeed  and we also ended up buying a nice red wine and bagguette.

Milford's Stone Bridge which commemorates the grist mill and later a saw mill which sat beside the steam for two and a half centuries, beginning in 1639 and ending in 1894., manned by nine generations of Fowlers.

Back on board John cooked a capital spaghetti dinner complete with tomatoes, cucumbers, wine and baguette from the Bistro.

Avanti looked great amongst the fine line of elegant sailing boats in the marina. tomorrow we head further up the CT coast to Saybrook. Miles Traveled: 333. Day 11: Saybrook & the Winfield Lash 

Crusing through New York City Landmarks & Outracing a Storm

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

Amelia's Bistro in Jersey City: Great atmosphere, creative menu.

Jersey City was a pleasant surprise. We walked out of the marina into the nearby streets and saw friendly faces everywhere. Young men and women were out jogging in pairs or alone even though the sun was setting. We could see New York across the river, but this definitely didn't feel like New York. We stopped to talk with two young women sitting on the steps of their brownstone and looking at a computer. "Where can we find a good place to eat?" we asked. The quick answer was Amelia's [Bistro]" on Warren Street a few blocks away.

We found the place easily. It was air-conditioned and offered a warm atmosphere and a very friendly female bartender. I had the steak and noodle salad which was wonderful (Thai Steak and Noodle Salad $18 grilled filet mignon, asian noodles, avocado, fresh mango, peanuts and fresh herbs in a thai chili vinaigrette. For another $2 you could substitute shrimp.)

Around Manhattan & Up the East River to Hell's Gate & Beyond
The next dawned bright and clear--gone was the fog and mist. As we motored out, we took a long look at the sad empty space formerly occupied by the Twin Towers. It just didn't look like Manhattan any more. As we move around the southern edge I caught a glimpse of the Islander, the retired Martha's Vineyard ferry which has been redeployed for ferry service between Governors Island and the Battery Maritime Building at the southern tip of Manhattan. I had first traveled on that ferry between Wood's Hole and Martha's Vineyard in 1954. It sure felt good to see her, as if she was saying, 'You're halfway there, you can make it!'

Islander: Now retired from Cape Cod, she still looks good and serves southern Manhattan.

At Pier 17 on the East River two schooners evoked an earlier era.

The magnificent Brooklyn Bridge soon came into view. Underneath it was a scaffold which we later learned was actually an art display that left a lot of people wondering what it was and why it was even there. It was certainly lost on us.

A bit of trivia: in the early 1900s my grandmother was deeply in love with Washington Roebling, the nephew of the man who designed the Brooklyn Bridge, Washington Roebling. She was heartbroken when she learned that he had gone down with the Titanic.

The Brooklyn Bridge looks to me like a gothic cathedral. It certainly inspires the same kind of awe.

 

Art Deco brilliance: the Chrysler Building with the gargoyles visible at the corners.

  The United Nations building.

  In just the few short minutes we spent motoring past the UN Building, storm clouds began to appear.

The Empire State Building looked regal.


Trams to Randall's Island.

 
The entrance to Hell's Gate, where the East River and Bronx River meet at the Triborough Bridge. The narrow strait can often be a swirl of tidal pools and currents. It was named by the Dutch navigator Adriaen Block, who passed through it into Long Island Sound in 1614. By the late 19th century, hundreds of ships had sunk in the strait.

On September 24, 1876, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used 50,000 pounds of explosives to blast the dangerous rocks, which was followed by further blasting work. One explosion in Hell's Gate was the largest man-made blast in history up until the Atomic Age. Taking no chances John called ahead to the Coast Guard to find out when slack tide was. We timed it perfectly and the waters were placid and friendly and we passed through easily.

As we left Hell Gate behind we saw that the thunderstorm clouds were beginning to get serious. We put on foul weather gear, secured all hatches and port holes and hoped we could outrun it.

The storm continued to build and we could see lightning striking the city and rains sweeping to the west.

But the storm soon started to move east and we turned west toward City Isle and the beginning of Long Island Sound.

Storm clouds behind us, the moorings at City Isle looked welcoming. 

In the early evening the lights on the Throg's Neck Bridge winked in the distance. We are at the entrance to Long Island Sound. Tomorrow it is on up the Sound to Connecticut. We are getting closer! Miles traveled: 285. Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT

Knifing Through Pea Soup Fog, Avanti Emerges at the Foot of New York City

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

The ride north was a test of patience. We could see no marks, buoys are unreadable.

Wayne brought us coffee at 5:30 am and off at 6:15 am. The inlet was not remotely the monster it was the night before with 6-foot rollers coming in somewhat peacefully. The wind was blowing in, pushing the water up, but they seemed paltry compared to the walls of water that threatened us only 12 hours earlier.

Once back out in the North Atlantic, the day took an eerie turn as fog blew in and stayed with us the rest of the day, right into New York City. The thick fog was classic pea soup, limiting visibility to 100 yards. We stared hard into the dull gray haze and it was easy to start seeing things. Shapes turned into boats, sounds were suddenly signaling the approach of a fishing boat or alerting us to something that simply wasn't there.

John at the tiller trying to make sense of the fog.

The day dragged on until we passed Sandy Hook, NJ, and the Verannzano Narrows Bridge came into view and the southern tip of Manhattan started to emerge from the fog.

 

Traffic quickly became tight with large cargo ships, ferries, pleasure craft, tugboats with barges and more clogging the waterways.

At anchor, this cargo ship was an imposing sentry that we steered clear of.

First view of Lady Liberty as the fog slowly starts to lift.

Staten Island ferry.

Lady Liberty shows the way.

Ellis Island and the famed Circle Line.

Liberty Park.

The southern tip of Manhattan.

The Empire State Building loomed in the foggy distance.

The Colgate clock marks the entrance to Liberty Marina and Jersey City, NJ.

Finally at rest at Liberty Marina with Manhattan across the river.

Solid navigation skills shown by Capt. John made the way in seem easy.

As we tightened the lines on the dock, a Cape Dory 33 eased on by with the shouts of "Ahoy, Avanti!" It was Ed Haly, the editor of  the Cape Dory Association discussion board. We later tracked him down and introduced ourselves.

Liberty Marina is home to more than 500 sailboats and motor yachts.

As the day neared its close, we set out into Jersey City for dinner. Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
 

Riding Confused Seas into Manasquan Inlet, Dodging Dark Clouds & Rain

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

Up at 5:30 to say say good-by to Atlantic City; these calm waters wouldn't last long.

I have been having a hard time keeping the days on the water in sync with the nights on shore. Been mixing them. Ed Halley of the Cape Dory website says that on the water there is no past, there is no future, there is only the present. That's when you are on the water. But when you hit land, the past and the future crash back into your consciousness and sometimes they just don't meet squarely! It's like riding in a car and hitting a wall. The car stops, but you keep going.

We headed out to the North Atlantic and set up a northward track about 3 miles out to where the time between 2-4 foot cresting rollers was about 8 seconds. These heavy rolls made it hard to work on the computer. Internet service was intermittent and my wireless phone won't turn on.

Rolling Into Manasquan
The day was gray and uneventful until we approached Manaquan Inlet. The waves going into the inlet were confused and chaotic, bursting up to 13 foot heights, then dropping down violently, bucking and kicking a bronco gone berserk. A boat behind us was being towed and taking a beating.

The inlet is narrow with rocks piled high on the jetties on either side. From a half mile distance those rocks look very close together. You wondered whether those bucking waves would throw you into the rocks. Up and down went Avanti, slamming down into a trough, then its bow jerked up with a violent whipsnap. The key is to keep moving forward, letting the waves break past you. You aren't going to outrun these waves.

Finally made it through and the waves calmed down. We went up Willis Hole looking for a place to drop anchor. A dark storm cloud was fast approaching from the west. The wind was starting to blow and rain drops started to fall. Pulled up to a restaurant where "two guys from Jersey" helped grab a line and pulled us in. "Welcome to New Jersey," they said with a smile.

We rushed up to the dockside restaurant just as the heavens opened up. Found the guys who helped us and bought them a beer. "Corona Girls" handed out little foam T-shirts for our beers--weird stuff. Had dinner next door at Jack Baker's Wharfside. Ended up at Hoffman's Marina where Wayne the dock manager said, "Remember us next time. We were the only guys who helped you." He was right. A shark tournament had filled all slips in the area. Thanks, Wayne! Paid $3 a foot for the slip.

Next up Pea Soup Fog and New York City! Miles Traveled: 249. Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City.

Atlantic City & Trump Marina: The Calm Before Manasquan Inlet

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

As Day 5 comes to an end, Atlantic City comes into sharper focus.

We docked under the evening glow of the Trump Marina.


Dawn Day 6 at Trump Marina: Manasquan Inlet awaits. Miles Traveled: 206.
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet.

Day 4 -5: From Delaware Bay to the Cape May Canal and Atlantic City

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

Our wake in Delaware Bay was accompanied by views of only water--land was briefly beyond our vision.

Day 4 ended with a short ride through the Cape May Canal to Utcher's Marina in Cape May, New Jersey. we had our best greeting of the trip--a goodie bag filled with treats such as a bottle of red wine, coupon for free coffee, biscotti, maps and soap. The biscotti immediately disappeared. We ate at a local restaurant, concluding a 57-mile, 11-hour day.

A dredging barge greeted us at the entrance to the Cape May Canal. Two diamonds on its roof means "pass this side."

The Cape May ferry ferry leads us into Lewes, Delaware, and the Cape May Canal.

The Lewes ferry terminal echoes Cape May's Victorian architecture.


A front-row seat on the canal.

Finally arrived at Utscher's Marina where we spied this trawler, Rambler, whose home port was Dataw Island, a community featured on WaterViewHome.net.

The next morning, after an early rain, we were up at dawn and motored out of the Cape May Inlet to the North Atlantic. Several of the portals had leaked from the rain. However, a good-house-keeping tip from Capt. John about applying olive oil to the rubber gaskets resulted in a good seal and no more leaks.


Caught a glimpse of this former queen of the seas which had seen far better days as we left Cape May Inlet.

We motored out from shore about 3-4 miles, and turned left to the north and Atlantic City. Rain came up again and we pulled on the foul weather gear. Following seas with four-foot swells gave us a good rocking and rolling ride and the newly anointed rubber gaskets stayed dry as a bone.

Atlantic City appeared out of the clouds and haze.

Atlantic City first appeared when we were 15 miles out like a city in the clouds. Soon the beaches, the Taj Mahal casino and airplanes dragging huge advertising signs across the sky came into sharper focus.

We turned into the Absecon Inlet at 5:15 pm, having covered more than 47 miles, and continued on to the fuel dock in front of the Trump Marina. On to Manasquan and the treacherous Manasquan Inlet tomorrow!

View looking toward the bow and pulpit.

The Cape Dory 270 logo. Note the No. 4. Only 21 Cape Dory 270s were made. Avanti built in 1984, is hull No. 4. Miles Traveled: 163. Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City.

Day 4 Begins Before Dawn at the Start of the C&D Canal Bound for Delaware Bay

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

Dawn on the C&D Canal.

I'm not one for getting up before the sun does, but on this day we are pointing for a dash across the Delaware Bay to Cape May. We leave the marina dock at 5:22 and head out on what will be a good day of sun and fast passage.

Capt'n John relates that Delaware Bay can be choppy and very wet. However, on this day we lucked out with calm seas and a dry day.

Nearing the end of the canal.

Coffee tastes great on the water first thing in the morning.

At times water is all you can see on the Delaware Bay. The Ship John Shoal Light points the way near the half way mark. Miles Traveled: 107. Day 5: Cape May Canal and Cape May.

Avanti Day 2 & 3: 1 1/2 Days Lost to Fuel Polishing & Tank Cleaning

Editor's Note: This entry is part of a series of entries chronicling GolfCourseHome and WaterViewHome Publisher David Lott's cruise from Baltimore to Martha's Vineyard. Look for links to the next entry at the end of each post. You can also find links to other posts at the start of each entry.
Day 1: 40 Fast Miles Ends with Engine Failure
Day 2 & 3 : Fuel polishing and on to the C&D Canal.
Day 4: Delaware Bay
Day 6: Trump Marina Atlantic City
Day 6-7: Confused Seas at Manasquan Inlet
Day 7-8: Riding Pea Soup Fog into New York City
Day 8-9: Cruising thru New York City & Hell's Gate
Day-9-10: Beautiful Boats at Milford, CT
Day 11: Saybrook & the Schooner Winfield Lash 
Day 12-13: Martha's Vineyard at Last

The Two Rivers Marina on the Bohemia River offered a slip, but no diesel fuel--Captain John walked, 3 gallon can in hand, to a nearby marina that had the good stuff.

Algae and water were the culprits to our engine trouble. The turbulent day of sailing had mixed up the water in the fuel tank and caused the shut down. Placid days of motoring in Baltimore Harbor prior to our departure kept the two dire enemies from mixing. But 25 knot gusts created the mortal mixture and now we had to have the fuel polished.

A local company, PetroClean, was able to come at 8 am the morning of Day 3 after we had spent Day 2 figuring out the reason why our engine would not start. Fuel polishing iis simply sucking the fuel out of the tank, running it through filters and sending it back into the fuel tank.

But Brandon, the PetroMan, showed us a jelly jar full of cloudy brick-red liquid and advised that we get rid of the fuel--half the tank was water. With all fuel gone, the tank was cleaned. We picked up diesel locally after a local boat broker loaned us his SUV. With fuel in the tank and the motor happy again--what a great sound it made when it finally started up again!--we were ready to head into the C&D Canal.

As we left the marina, we passed another Cape Dory, either a 270 (with drop-down centerboard like Avanti, or a full keel, a 27. Notice the added bowsprit).

We hadn't been in the C&D Canal for more than 10 minutes when this behemouth bore down on us.

Halfway through the canal we stopped for fuel at a marina which featured some pretty boats.....

.....And some fun ones.

We spent the night here and made ready for the next day's sail down the Delaware River and the crossing of Delaware Bay. Miles Traveled: 60. Day 4: Delaware Bay