Long Days

Whew – Erben Renewal Record = 145 miles in two days!

Leaving before 6 AM we enjoyed calm seas with gentle swells both days as we hoped up to the Hudson River across from Manhattan. After passing dramatic Atlantic City which can be seen from 15 miles away, we spent a night on the hook with friends Dan and Jodi in the peaceful harbor at Barnegat, NY. This was reported to be a difficult inlet, but with the favorable tide and flat seas we had no issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traveling along the Jersey shore we could see the Sandy recovery progress.  Massive rock seawalls are being constructed in spots and beach re-nourishment is underway. The roller coaster has been removed from Seaside Heights – we missed it by a few days.

 

 

 

So both days were 10 hours LONG – and blissfully boring if we don’t count the arrival in New York amidst a sailboat regatta in front of the Statue of Liberty timed to meet every ferry boat in the harbor plus a Carnival Cruise liner heading for open water (and a herd of jet skis). Steve remained unflappable as usual and threaded his way through while the ferries left us in the dust – rocking and rolling in their wake. We even managed to get a few photos of the lady.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After all that excitement, we hung around in the river a few minutes to let the dock master assist one of the boats that blew by us and tied up in the outer harbor at Newport Yacht Marina in Jersey City, NJ. Although rolly from ferry wakes, this location does have a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline and is a two minute walk to the trains heading under the river. The threatening rain finally arrived and our plans to walk the streets of NYC were dampened. We trained across to the West Marine store just off 5^th Avenue but spent most of the day inside – the mall across the street was handy. The “city” actually disappeared for more than 24 hours. Fortunately this is one place we have visited before, and although we enjoy walking the streets in New York, we used our free time to work on chores and catch up on our to-do list before heading to the Erie Canal. When the fog and clouds finally lifted we made a pilgrimage to the 9/11 memorial and the new buildings at the World Trade Center site. In spite of waiting in an endless zigzag Disney style line and shuffling through the security clearance, the memorial proved a worthy tribute to the tragedy of 9/11. The scale of the two fountains with the voids in their centers and names of those lost around the edges communicate the massive hole left in so many lives by the events of these attacks. Perhaps this was a somber end to our New York stopover, but it was also inspiring that crowds of both Americans and foreigners are visiting and paying their respects and keeping the lessons of these events alive.