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Interesting weather heading out of the CT River. It was a bit gloomy when we left with some rain and winds 18 kn out of the SW. The tides were with us for the first half and the ride was reasonably comfortable down to Manhasset Harbor, Pt. Washington, NY. Along the perimeter of the mooring field are yellow moorings that can be picked up 1st come 1st serve for 2 nights at no charge. This makes it a great place to stage going through NYC.
We must be on the same schedule as 4 years ago because once again the General Assembly was in session at the UN causing river restrictions navigating through the city. The day we left, 9/27, the river was completely closed until 10:30 and then only the east river could be used. This didn’t cause a problem for us but some of the sailboats with tall masts had difficulties because there were also restrictions on the bridges. ‘Course Harry was miffed with the NYPD boat referring to us as “the little white boat” when they hailed us to the east side. The river wasn’t as busy as we remembered but there was interesting traffic with planes taking off and a government helicopter that we got shooed away from.
Friends have continual told us about the hospitality at the Great Kills Yacht Club on Statin Island so we decided to stop. Great Kills Harbor is completely surrounded, in part by the Great Kills Park which is a unit of the Gateway National Recreational Area. Because of the weather, we won’t get a chance to really explore the park but it’s been a good place to ride out storms for a couple days. The yacht club is a workingmen’s club and really impressive w/slips, yard space to store boats and a travel lift to get them in and out. The clubhouse is spacious and the bathrooms exceptional. The members are a group of friendly electricians, carpenters, plumbers, police and fire who do everything themselves. We didn’t have the need but rides were offered.
The weather, winds and waves look good to continue to Atlantic City tomorrow. If the going is really good and Harry allows an increase in rpms, Cape May isn’t out of the question but that would be a very long run for Nina.
NE 20+ kn winds and 5-6’ waves all on our stern made for a sleigh ride from Cuttyhunk to Old Saybrook, CT. Top hull speed was 16 kn coming down a wave. Watch Hill RI was an option that we checked along the way but the harbor was crowded, passed on the $60/night yacht club moorings and with the outside anchorage unprotected, we decided to continue to North Cove where we’ve been before and knew would be a good choice to spend a couple nights. A beautiful town with a well protected cove, it is also a port of refuge with free moorings marked with yellow tags. Tuesday’s prediction of high winds and rain will keep us here another day. The vibration seems to have disappeared with the new zinc.
Months of waiting and endless lists of things to do have come to an end. We have left the harbor on our way south down the ICW to Florida and the Bahamas. We planned to end our first day in Sakonnet, RI but were picking up vibration and wanted to check the prop so we are spending the night in beautiful Cuttyhunk Harbor instead. The boat was careened a week ago and the zinc changed so after finding the prop clear, Harry took the new zinc off and we motored around. There was still slight vibration but not as bad and finding nothing else amiss, he changed it again. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
After 16,163 miles and 143 days of travel, we are home with a pass through Niagra Falls.
On impulse in 1972, I started off so I thought to NF with a couple college friends. It was winter. The car was packed but wouldn’t start because the fuel line was frozen. I didn’t know much about dry gas and mechanics but it was probably a good thing we never made it out of the parking lot because looking back no doubt we were up to no good. 45 years later here we were on the US side of NF. Coming from the northwest where skies were big and mountains magnificent, it was strange and disturbing to go around one corner after the next to find a better angle of the falls only to be blocked by gates and fees. Raining and with a urge to move on, we drove to Cayuga State Park in Seneca Falls to enjoy one last campfire, organize and get cleaned up to come home.
With the yard a jungle, spiders taken over the house, squirrels set up house IN our house, over 11,300 photos to be culled and sorted and family/friendships to be renewed, we have catchup to do and it feels good.
The first question asked seemed to be what was our favorite place. Over a 5 month period, that is really hard to answer. Is it really a place, the people, wildlife, fishing, birds, hiking or landscape? My answer is time. Having the gift of time to absorb and experience all that is most interesting is the best part of this journey. Many of the special times have already been highlighted in the blog. FD Roosevelt had the foresight to start the preservation of this land for everyone. Our current one is doing everything possible to destroy it. Selling and polluting the land that we need to survive while eroding our mental stability, he is systematically destroying, separating and dividing all that is vital to living.
Take whatever time you can to explore, enjoy and appreciate this land. Don't forget that it belongs to each of us and do whatever you can to help protect it. My hope through sharing photos has been to show the fragility of nature, inspire all to carve out the time to experience it for yourself and hope that nature and our land continues to thrive and be there for generations to come.
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After 23 days on the Olympic Peninsula in WA, it’s time to head home to family and friends on the east coast. It has been decades since I’ve spent that amount of time with my sister, Susan and brother-in-law Will. Truth be told for Sue & I, it probably goes back to the early 70’s. It has been a mellow time to reflect and appreciate how they live, work their land, the animals - chickens and sheep and Danny that crazy loving Irish setter. One of the sheep, Blackie, was rejected from his mom at birth. They hand raised him in the lower level of the house where he learned to use the dog door to get in and out until he was too big. Nine to ten years later, he still comes in to visit and was tolerant of Nina coming nose to nose. The morning we left, Will roused the chickens off their roost to gather enough eggs for a wonderful breakfast for all of us, Jay, Jeanne, Harry, I and Sue & Will.
We have been moving slowly out of WA, ID & WY enjoying the west with no alarm clocks and no schedule. First night was in SE WA in the Yakima River Canyon on BLM land at the Lmuma Creek CG. To get there, we went through the fruit producing country of Yakima - apples and peaches this time of year. The canyon was created by a combination of the upheaval of plates, lava flows flooding the area and erosion of the Yakima River creating a canyon with beautiful smooth folding mountains on either side of the river. The Yakima is one of the most popular rivers for trout and steelheads.
Continuing into ID with more fruit, wheat and livestock country along the Columbia & Snake rivers, we ended up at another BLM CG, McKay’s Bend on Crystal River in Lewiston, ID. As a note to ourselves, this was a gem. Beautifully manicured grass, paved pads, full hookups and showers along the river for a modest $9 w/the senior pass. This river is also extremely popular for steelheads and has BLM CGs scattered all along the banks. Most are free. Some just a parking lot but all are perfect for an overnight.
Heading SSE towards the Sawtooth National Forest, another overnight was at Donnelly Lake City Park. Although a bit isolated and lonely as the only residents, the location was beautiful. We thought we would spend the next night up in the valley of the Sawtooth but it was high, cold, rainy and snow was a certainty the next day in the pass at 8700’ so we continued down in the rain to Craters of the Moon NM - good for a convenient overnight and early departure.
In 2014, we spent a month in WY and the Tetons so hoped to relive the wonderful time we had at Signal Mtn. CG for a couple nights. The pass getting into Jackson was a twisty, turning 6 miles of 10% grade up & down that shook the brakes badly. Once in the valley it was cold. We decided to go to the campground anyway and let it speak for itself. “Cold, gray with snow covered ground and picnic table and someone was in our favorite site - keep moving!” Life is an experience and we have never been east over the Togwotee Pass and the Rockies. At 9658’ and snowing at the summit, I was glad it was Harry’s shift but coming down below the snow line, we had a majestic bull moose pass comfortably across the road in front of us. Further east, Dubois was a pretty cool western town and we made Dubuis BLM CG along the Wind River our home for the night.
Central WY going east was sagebrush plains with pronghorns, prairie dogs, cattle, horse and oil rigs. We got a kick out of signs that said, “Drive slowly and enjoy the Wyoming scenery”. The speed limit was 80 mph. We decided on another city park in Douglas, Riverside. It was a pretty nice grassed park along the Northern Platte River with showers, dump and water all for free for up to 2 nights. There was another RV/trailer rig there for company . . . and then we were joined by 4 guys and their dead pronghorns yet to be processed. More on that later because it is late and I am still reasoning out the whole hunting thing of the northwest. Especially after Harry looked in the dumpster to see what they left behind . . . .
Heading through NE, we decided to try the scenic route which basically went where we wanted to go on a fast 65-70 mph road w/no traffic. It was gray and rainy and after some agriculture including sunflowers, much of the landscape was the same rolling plains. Who knows, maybe we bypassed oil rigs. There were trains though. Long coal trains with 135 to 150 cars. Two engines to push and two to pull. Loaded eastbound and empty coming back, they were continuous on 3+ plus tracks. "Clean coal" we assumed. We were headed to Bessey CG in a NE National Forest near Halsey and raced to get across a track ahead of a train to avoid the wait. Nice park w/electric sites and all the amenities for $5.50 w/SP. Of course we hear the trains but that has been a constant in Canada, Alaska and all around the NW.
With 1788 miles to go, we’ll start making some tracks tomorrow to get home.
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After quite a long stay at my sister's home in Indianola, our journey east starts tomorrow. This has been a great block of time visiting Sue & Will, sailing on Miracle, visiting cousins Richard and Drew, Lauri & Hannah, eating geoduck chowder, dungeness crab, smoked salmon . . . .
Jay & Jeanne arrived on the 23rd in their 24' RV rented for their stay. Good times out a La Push, exploring Neah Bay and watching J & J experience the life of RVing including water backing up in both the sink and shower when they exceeded their gray tank capacity. All fun and good laughs for two sisters and a brother who haven't been together for over 10 years!
All for now but photos will show more.
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Ft. Flagler is another popular spot and we were lucky to get campsites. The 2nd day checking for cancellations to stay closer to Drew’s site, we lucked out with a beautiful corner beachside spot. Wonderful hiking/biking trails through the park.
Hannah soon to be 3 years old is a bundle of golden curls, energy, smiles and so cute! We hope to make a trip out to their home later in the week and gather again when J & J arrive.
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2013 was the year the government shut down closing national parks, forest service and ACE parks along with many other departments. We were in WA when they turned the switch and missed out on some great places. There was talk of doing it again this year but some semblance of common sense prevailed. With beautiful clear weather, we spent a couple nights at Heart O’ the Hill CG in Olympic NP driving up to Hurricane Ridge to hike and picnic.
The plan was to continue to Neah Bay but changed when we learned my cousin Drew, wife Lauri and little Hannah who I haven’t met were camping for the weekend at Ft. Flagler SP just 60 miles away.
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It was 4 years ago in 2013 that Harry & I drove west in the van to visit Sue & Will. At that time, they were just passing papers on Miracle, a 30’ cutter rig Baba built in Taiwan. Click here for photos and details on the boat. Several years later, I had an opportunity to sail on Miracle but Harry has not so was really looking forward to it. Because we are a couple weeks ahead of schedule with the arrival of Jay & Jeanne on the 23rd, we’ve been able to get a sail in with hopefully more and lots of time to visit.
In the meantime, the van is plagued with an engine light issue that is not going away. All tests point to an O2 fuel sensor that has been replaced twice, 3 visits in as many days to a Bremerton Chevy dealer and 1 overnight in Walmart’s parking lot. For now the troubleshooting will be put on the list of things to do/fix when we get home.
S & E have decided to start the turn back east and we want to explore the northern side of Olympic National Park so sadly our paths won’t cross again until we get home.
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Photos best describe what a great gathering of boats this show attracts.
Steve & Ellen continued from here to explore the Olympic Peninsula unfortunately heading into a very rainy stretch.
