NYC, a stepping stone to Long Island

The overnight passage from Cape May to Atlantic Highlands is about 100nm on a direct course, with estimated passage time of 18-20 hours. But, as ever, in a sailing vessel the course is governed by wind direction. We ended up travelling 146nm - see below for why, and took 26 hours. Forecast said early fog but then light SE winds to start, picking up later to force 4, gusting 5-6 then turning S, then SW winds for the 18-20 hours of the passage; an opportunity too good to miss, so the lines were slipped from Utsch’s friendly marina at 06:45. Once outside Cape May Harbour channel, few obstacles exist on the passage north. A sharp eye for crab and lobster pots is required but otherwise there is only sail trim and other vessels to worry about. Our colourful ‘Magic Zero’ sail was successfully deployed with the main sail and we were off on a delightful broad reach. Once wind increased a few hours later, swapped the MZ for the jib sail - sturdier and unlikely to ‘blow out’ like the MZ - and a couple of hours later put two reefs in the main as wind started gusting up. Follyfin veritably clipped along; maximum boat speed seen was 9.0kt and maximum gust was 25.9kt, nothing to trouble her. Only flaw in the plan was that the wind direction took longer to change to SW than forecast, so our course went further and further off shore. Anyway, we jibed to head back inshore at 22:00 just before I went off watch to sleep ... but at midnight there was a sudden drop in wind speed, going from 20kt to <5kt within 2 minutes. So by the time I went on watch at 02:00, we were motoring NW in a westerly very light wind, insufficient to fill the sails. So the best made plan went very much awry.

Never mind, we dropped anchor at 08:45 in Atlantic Highlands Harbour (we were last here 9/10 July 2017 with friend Smitch) in time for breakfast. With the sun shining we are generally ‘chilling’, catching up on a bit of sleep and a few chores. Always something to do on a boat! Tomorrow we plan to pass east to west through the East River to Long Island Sound but will need to revisit and pause behind the Statue of Liberty to wait for the tide in the river. An iconic anchorage if ever there was one.

On the last lap

Having successfully met up with John, Elyssa and young Isaac, and shared some delicious crepes with them,

we then proceeded to 'do' Annapolis. They had to move on after showing us how to get into the US Naval Academy, which dominates the town, sitting on 340 acres of prime real estate. Its buildings are modelled on those of our British Royal Naval Academy at Greenwich but of course on a much bigger scale. Everything in USA is on a bigger scale than in the UK... The chapel there is more like a cathedral. In its crypt lies the body of John Paul Jones, in an amazing marble and granite mausoleum. He commanded the US fleet which outwitted the British in the War of Independence.

Walking was exceedingly hot, which is all right whilst in air-conditioned places like crypts but quite debilitating otherwise. So we took the easy option of the 60-minute trolley bus tour to see the town and main attractions, one of which is the WWII memorial.

The view across the river shows the dome of the state capitol building. After the British surrender in 1782, Annapolis served for a few months as the US capital. The Maryland Statehouse is built of wood and is impressive inside and out. It is unique, being the oldest statehouse still in continuous use. Wilting fast by mid-afternoon, frozen yoghurt provided welcome refreshment.

Guess who opted for M&M sprinkles, and who for chopped almonds? Both equally delicious!

Another couple of days would be needed to see all the sights of Annapolis - we may return some day to this attractive city with all its history - but time pressed so off we went again, north to Baltimore. Downtown looked majestic in early morning sun.

Our purpose was to check out a boatyard where we might safely store Follyfin over the winter. That accomplished and being British, we preferred not to stick around for the Independence Day celebrations (for obvious reasons!) and pressed on towards our final destination...through the Chesapeake and Delaware canal from west to east, then down the Delaware River towards the Atlantic Ocean and the open sea again. An unwelcome reminder of home was spotted plying its way up the Delaware river main channel.

Ineos is the very unpopular company which is trying to frack the beautiful U.K. countryside, including vast tracts of Yorkshire....the less said about that the better.

It was a long day of independence for us, eventually dropping anchor in Cape May harbour after dark. Wednesday 5 July, Follyfin was off again, this time out to the open sea and hopefully some proper sailing. Sad to leave the Chesapeake Bay behind with it's tasty seafood delights,

we had become rather tired of motoring rather than sailing, and of the extremely hot, windless and humid conditions. But of course, the 'best laid plans of mice and men do oftimes gang aglay' and our 120nm coastal passage north from Cape May to Sandy Hook took 27 hours instead of the planned 24. However we did manage to sail without motor for 8 hours out of the 27, which was very nice. And now we are lying at anchor here behind the breakwater at Atlantic Highlands, poised to head up the Hudson River tomorrow to rendezvous with son Warren and his family. They live right beside the water in Jersey City.