Month: November 2021

I’ve put some miles down since my last post.

Saturday afternoon I got underway from Atlantic City. I had arrived there late Thursday night from NY and was waiting for weather to clear to continue.

My timing was perfect. I cruised down the coast in a dying west wind, and got to Cape May at slack tide and calm, and then had a nice run up the Delaware River. I hit the Chesapeake Delaware canal with a favourable current, and kept going… I stopped for lunch in Rock Hall, then continued down to near Annapolis where I anchored about 4:00 pm Sunday and crashed.

Monday was another long day, leaving Annapolis at 0700 and arriving in Norfolk about midnight. Nice run down the Chesapeake with a following breeze.

This morning I was underway early and into the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. I stopped at dusk to anchor here just off the dredged channel.

I feel fortunate to have had the weather window to do this easily. It’s a relief to be south of winter and off the ocean. Should be smooth sailing from here.

It’s about 1,000 miles from here to Miami, with sheltered water all the way. From here on in it’ll be daytime travel mostly. I like this segment.

I’m now in Atlantic City, where I’m anchored here. But since all the pics are NYC I think the title is apt.

That’s the only photo I took Wednesday. Nice day. I basically Beelined down the sound.

I went in to Port Washington around 3:30 looking for a fuel dock, but both were closed. Anchored in the harbor, and decided that a 1:00 pm Friday departure would get me through and out of NY with favourable current and daylight.

Thursday was another lovely day. I slept in, got underway about 1230, and cruised down to Atlantic City, where I got in about 0330 Friday. Calm and 12C.

The harbor and rivers were very quiet. Thanksgiving. My timing was perfect, I was loafing along with a tail current all the way out to Sandy Hook. My original plan had been to stop at Barnegut Inlet, but it was easy going, and I continued on to here.

It’s raining heavily now, and almost calm. But the wind is going to boom in from the west in a few hours and then blow hard for 24 hours. Friday is going to be a lay day. It looks like things should be settled enough to get around Cape May and into the Delaware Bay Saturday evening, so a mid day Saturday departure looks like the basic plan.

Some great pics, I hope. I realized as I looked at them that I probably missed a few bridges. Sorry Sarah! These are in chronological order.

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Another nice day. Cool, about 5C with NW 15-20 knot breeze, but sunny and clear, and lovely in the pilothouse. I essentially followed the shoreline west. I’m now anchored here near the mouth of the Connecticut River. It’s going to go below freezing tonight.

I popped into the nearby port of Westbrook to look at boats before coming back out to anchor. Yankee is quite famous, built to sail all over the world and then tour rivers. I was inspired by their travels as a kid.

The next two days look like more of the same, so I expect to be NY harbor Thursday. Looking forward to the trip through the East River.

I came over and anchored in Newport yesterday morning, and am leaving tomorrow morning. Nice stop. I walked about 15 km over two days, picked up some boat stuff and groceries and did somee maintenance, changing fuel filters etc. Had a couple of meals out.

I woke up this morning to find Impulse tied up not far away. Kyle sailed straight here from Lunenburg and arrived this morning. Glad he made it.

Nothing else of note. Wind has gone to the NW and the next three days look good for getting down LI sound and through NY. I’ll be off early tomorrow morning.

Another beautiful day, sunny and calm. And I had favourable currents all the way. I anchored here off Third Beach at 4:15 just as the sun was setting.

Not much to report. The trip through the canal was interesting. I’ve seen a couple of fishing boats underway, but very little pleasure boat traffic.

Tomorrow I’m going to noodle over to Newport. Rain and wind forecast for Monday, then the rest of the week looks fine. I may stay there a couple of nights.

Today was another great travel day. Sunny and a following breeze. Cooler, but nice.

Rick had problems this morning that prevented him from joining me, so I left anchor in Boston about 10:00.

I’m now anchored here in Plymouth Bay. I went in to Plymouth this afternoon and had a delicious pizza ashore then came out here at dusk.

It’s about two hours from here to the Cape Cod Canal and the current is favourable for a mid morning passage south. Weather looks great for tomorrow. Should be a fun day.

Cat took these. Some great shots.

Another nice day. Warm, about 21C. I’m anchored here in Boston Harbor.

It was a nice cruise past Marblehead and down here this morning, and I did a tour of the harbor.

Last night while anchoring I caught a line on my prop. The shaft cutter did its thing, but I noticed a drop in performance today. I had a diver look at it today, and he took this off the prop and shaft

One piece of nylon and one polypropylene. Maybe two different encounters. I’m glad to have the cutter. Without it yesterday’s entanglement would have been a serious problem I suspect.

Weather looks good for the next couple of days. Rick joins me tomorrow, and we’ll go through the Cape Cod Canal on Saturday.

Today’s pics, all in Boston Harbor

Today was another lovely traveling day. Calm and flat. I woke at dawn – on my own! – and had a leisurely beeline trip down to entrance to the Annisquam River.

This river and the Blynman Canal go inside Cape Ann and into Gloucester Harbor. It’s about four miles long. These pics are from that segment. The last is in Gloucester.

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I’m now anchored here just off Beverly. Nice protected cove.

It’s going to blow in from the south tonight. I’m meeting Rick in downtown Boston Friday morning. Tomorrow will be a leisurely exploring day between here and there.

I filled up in Chester Basin 8 days ago, and again today.  Six of those days were full bore travel, with two lay days.

Total fuel used: 510l / 135 gal

95 l was used for heat, 415 for propulsion

Travel distance:  434 nm

Engine hours: 62

I generally used 1 litre / nautical mile as my overall fuel target for travel in Mazurka, but used a lower speed than I’ve been traveling on Escapade. I’m very happy with these numbers.