Rondout Marina

We decided to stay another day here in Rondout Creek and catch up on the laundry, shopping and housekeeping.  And rest up a bit. Tied up across the dock from us was a strangly familar looking boat. It looked like ours but more like a real and much older converted working tug. We though that it might be an early Nordic Tug 32 which was introduced in 1985 with a six-cylinder engine and speeds to 14 knots. We looked on the Internet and found a picture of 32 hull no. 10 and confirmed that this vessel was in fact a very early version of our very own Dunworkin (hull no. 201). Small world, eh?




Island Lady

A busy freight line runs alongside the Hudson on the west side. All day and night you hear train whistles and the sound of approaching trains. In view of where we are tied up, there is a railroad bridge which looks like a relic from another century. Look closely and you can see the freight train.

Tyler met up with some other boys, and they swam in the pool, jumped off boat swim platforms and swam in the creek, took their own dinghy out, and ended the day with a movie and a party.

 

Ever wonder what happens when one of those inflatable dinghies hits a sharp object? Wonder no more.  This afternoon a gorgeous Riviera yacht, maybe 45+ feet long, sleek and new, pulled in and tied up behind us. It boasted one of those dinghy garages, where you open the back of the boat and lower the dinghy right in the water using the swim platform/elevator.

The couple went out to explore the creek, and quickly came back. They had hit a sharp stick and punctured one side. They then left the dinghy tied to the boat for a few hours while they took care of important things like laundry and cocktail hour. It was dusk by the time the skipper stepped back into the dinghy to move it to the lift and return it to the garage. It swamped and almost sank, engine and all. While it was sitting there the side tube had filled with water. Thom helped him stabilize it and pumped it out with our old fashioned manual pump.

Haverstraw NY

Today started off with some excitement. River, our 9 year old Lab, has never taken to swimming. He goes in the water up to his chest, walks around, and that's it. Thom and Tyler were at the office checking out, and suddenly I couldn't find River. I heard some snorting noises, and there he was in the water. He saw me, and in his panic swam between the boat and the dock. I managed to push the boat away from him, and called two dock workers for help. It took the three of us to pull him out of the drink. After all these years, he can swim. Who knew?

The trip up the Hudson to Roundout Creek was just beautiful. The mountains against the river are spectacular. 

 

We passed a gravel factory, saw long freight trains, tugs pushing barges, tour boats and more scenery. Below is Tyler as we were coming up on West Point.

   We arrived here in Rondout Creek, and ended the day again in a pool.

Captain’s Supplement:

While looking out the window at slow moving scenery is not that thrilling to our 12 year old grandson, for me traveling through the Hudson highlands was both nostalgic and exciting. As a young man I traveled the twisting roads on both sides of the highlands from Ossining to Cold Springs, from Bear Mountain to Cornwall.
 

Seeing it again from the river's vantage was truly special. Especially West Point, where on summer weekends I sat on a knoll and listened to concerts given by the US Army Band.
 

 

Pollepel Island

Then Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Indian Point, Hyde Park…all with their own special memories...and The "CIA" Culinary Institute of America.

So perfect weather, fair but hot winds made this a great leg on our adventure cruise.

Norwalk Cove Marina

Today we moved from Norwalk CT to Port Washington, NY but had no WiFi, hense yesterdays post today.

First, NorwalkCove was a great place to stay; good services and friendly folks.

Norwalk harbor is very picturesque, with lots of fishing boats (oyster draggers and lobstermen). Leaving the harbor we had great vistas and interesting sights like this lighthouse.

Wednesday was a much better day than yesterday. Seas were only 2 ft or less, which made for a comfortable crossing to Port Washington. Along the way we past the "Bounty", a three masted ship on it's way to OpSail in Boston.

Arriving at Brewer's Capri in Port Washington on Wednesday evening, we needed fuel, but more important, pumpout. At check in we were told that their pumpout system was broken and we would have to wait until the pumpout boat came at 9:30am. With an 11:30 slack tide at Hells Gate we would be gone before that.  They had WiFi - but it didn't reach our slip, hmmm ... not a good start.

Thursday - June 28, 2012 - our 21st wedding aniversay.

Maryann has great eyes and spotted the pumpout boat at 9am just as we were preparing to depart. A good Omen!

Manhasset is a wealthy area with many large water front homes. Just to re-enforce that point a helicopter emerged from just off the marina from a private home, bound for Manahattan we guess.

The weather was perfect and we headed to the Hudson River via Hells Gate and the Harlem River.

Past the Throgsneck and the Whitestone bridges, Riker's Island and Laguardia Airport we entered the narrow approach to Hells Gate by the Triborough Bridges.

At the narrowest spot on the east river we encountered a tug and barge as we squeezed under the Queens portion of the Triborough.  What a beautiful and exciting sight.

 

As we entered Hells Gate at Mill Rock, we got lucky again and met a Circle Line Cruise ship heading up the Harlem River - the same direction as we're headed - and followed it along right through to the Harlem River Railroad bridge at Spuyten Duyvil Creek to the Hudson.

Entering the Hudson north of the George Washington Bridge we headed up river. We encountered a NYFD fireboat heading south, past the Tappan Zee Bridge and enjoyed the views of Hook Mt. - a classic Hudson River view - and ended our day in the pool at Haverstraw Marina. In all, a perfect day.

Captain’s Supplement:

I grew up In NYC and swam in the Bronx Creek as a kid, ran a run-a-bout around City Island, fished from the shore at Old Ferry Point Park, biked to Fort Schuyler at the Maritime College. In a sense the Western Long Island Sound and the East River are home waters for me; A sail into my past.

Chrisholm, Chester CT

Finally!  We got off this morning despite the questionable weather forecast.  We hit winds of 20 knots and 3-4 foot seas, but our tug handled them beautifully.

Right off we met Nordic Tug "Ad Hock" NT 37-159 in the Connectuicut River at Deep River owned by Henry and Beth Hockerman. We said our fairwell at Old Saybrook breakwater as they're on their way to cruise the Cape. Fair winds, Hernry and Beth.

With 3-4 foot seas and gusts to 25+ knots didn't quite make it to Port Washington, but hope to do so tomorrow. Before spray covered our windows we managed a shot of Faulkner's Island as we passed Guilford, CT.

Our grandson Tryler is making the first part of the loop with us and taking his duties of watching Ellie and River seriously.

More from Port Washington, NY tomorrow but for tonight a great sunset.

Shakedown cruise in Long Island Sound