2008 Cruising

7/1 to 7/??/2008

This is our log for 2008; the 2007 East Coast and other voyages are now in Prior Voyages.

We plan to post and update at least weekly. We move the older portions of the log to secondary pages accessible at the bottom of the page. Join our voyage!

Updated on 07/05/2008

7/1/08 - Sunny morning, half the anchorage had headed north by 7am. At 8 we joined the exodus, heading north for Atlantic City or perhaps on to Barnegat. The wind today and tomorrow favors travel north, after 3 nights in Cape May we were ready for a change of scenery. We sailed and motor sailed the 30 miles to Atlantic City. Ruth felt a strong force drawing her to Atlantic City and I wisely complied with her wishes. We took a slip in the marina in front of Trump's marina casino so Ruth could go make a contribution to the Donald's lifestyle. She did! Miles phoned, they made great time to Cape May. Learning we were in Atlantic City they decided to made a run for it, figuring to be in well before dark. In fact they arrived about 8pm after a 14 hour day and around 117 nm. 7/2/08- We departed at 7am, hoping to make Sandy Hook around supper time. This is always the most boring part of trip. The NJ coast is a long strip of sand and condos without many harbors. Ruth's brother Pat, went in for surgery at 1:30.  It's an open heart procedure to replace his aortic valve and also to possibly have one bypass.  It should take about 4-5 hours unless they do the bypass too.  Thoughts and prayers are with you buddy! We reached Atlantic Highlands around 6pm, anchoring behind their breakwater for the night. Fired up the grille, searing a couple of steaks and downing some white wine. Ruth is pretty tense, waiting for word about Pat. We know he's in recovery, not much more than that. 7/3/08 - Up at 5:30, turned off the anchor light which Miles took as a signal of life, called to see if a 6am departure worked. We needed an early start to hit the currents right in the East River (they are as strong as 5 knots at Hell's Gate). We had about a knot of foul tide crossing Raritan Bay, picking up a favorable tide in Ambrose Channel and the Verrazano Strait. Things were going our way, we charged up the East River at 8 knots over the water, 10 - 11 knots over the bottom. Hell's Gate spit us through at  13.5 knots... felt like a power boater! We were anchored at Port Washington before noon. Ruth learned that Pat was in a lot of pain last night and that we wouldn't know more until after noon in WI. Further on Pat, they are keeping him sedated to help him mend... he's on the right path. We had a pleasant dinner ashore with Miles & Laureen as guests of David & Leslie Wollin, we'd met them during our cruise last summer. Ruth had caught the flu so we isolated ourselves while Miles & Laureen got to know them. It was nice to reconnect. 7/4/08 - Happy birthday good ole US of A! Lazy morning with light rain early, at 10 we departed for Oyster Bay with Ariel. By 1pm we were anchored among the 100's of boats vying for position to see the fireworks. There are some serious sailboats in this neck of the woods, 100 foot plus yachts. Ruth was thrilled to hear that Pat was now in a regular hospital ward and resting better. She was fidgety all morning waiting for word from the family. Miles and Laureen came over for a potluck dinner. It was excellent. Just as we finished eating the fireworks started... not Oyster Bay's, everywhere else. It didn't matter which way we looked, the sky was brilliantly colored. It sounded like a war zone. After the other displays settled down Oyster Bay did their thing - they did it very well. There we always at least a dozen rockets in the sky, sometimes dozens. Phenomenal show. 7/5/08 - I woke at 6 to the sound of light rain. By 8 it stopped, but the sky remained gray.

Click on the photos for an 8" x 10" view. Use Back to return to the site. Okay, I know there's a light Ahh, there it is One of our "little" neighbors in the haze Another visitor to Oyster Bay

Visit earlier portions of our 2008 voyage...

Boca Raton to Miami, FL - Jan 1 to 15, 2008	Miami to Key West, FL - Jan 16 to 31, 2008
Key West to Marathon, FL - Feb 1 to 15, 2008	Marathon, FL to Nassau, Bahamas - Feb 16 - 29, 2008
Norman Cay to Georgetown, Bahamas - March 1 - 15, 2008	Georgetown to Royal Island - March 16 - 31, 2008
Royal Island to Green Turtle Cay - April 1 - 15, 2008	Green Turtle Cay to Fort Pierce - April 16 - 20, 2008
Fort Pierce, FL to Savannah, GA - May 1 - 15, 2008	Savannah, GA to Norfolk, VA - May 16 - 31, 2008
Norfolk, VA to Deltaville, VA - June 1 - 15, 2008	Deltaville, VA to Cape May, NJ - June 16 - 30, 2008