Jack Tar Adventures

Thurs May 28:Atlantic Highlands NJ to Croton NY (includes NY Harbor)

Our anchorage got pretty rocky in the morning, so we decided to head out about 8 AM. 

Sunrise at the anchorage

Fortuitously, the timing worked out perfectly for us to meet the Salty Peanut again in NY Harbor, and we were able to stay in touch over the radio and take some pics of each other by Lady Liberty.  First, we crossed under the Verranzano-Narrows Bridge.  It was just as exciting entering the harbor as it was four years ago.  As Doug said, it’s freakin’ epic!

Verranzano Bridge

Not sure if we were just more prepared this time around, but it didn’t seem quite as busy, although we still needed to keep our heads on a swivel to make sure we kept out of the way of the Staten Island Ferries, the cargo ships, and the tourist boats.  Constant helicopter monitoring from the Park Police, Coast Guard (DHS), and state and local police (there are at least three circling at any given time) as well as a blanket broadcast in NY Harbor announcing the winds were 25 knots, so all ships were required to have tugs and all tugs were required to have their engines running, added to the excitement – nothing like it, really.

Staten Island Ferry
Salty Peanut in front of Lady Liberty.
Never thought I’d see Peter with his cap on backwards.  It was just that windy.  As Stuart said, he was strutting his gangsta-style attire for the Big Apple. All he needs now is a gold chain :))

After the photo ops by the Green Lady, we passed Ellis Island to the west and the Manhattan skyline to our east, including One World Trade Center. All the other skyscrapers dwarf the Empire State Building and Chrysler Center.

Ellis Island
Empire State Building; the Chrysler Building in the center

And just like that, you’re out of NY Harbor and can see all the beautiful apartments overlooking the river on the Upper West Side. We headed towards the George Washington Bridge and the storied Little Red Lighthouse.  A whole new world.

Apartment buildings on the Upper West Side with the commuter train whizzing by.
George Washington Bridge and the Little Red Lighthouse.

By the time we got to Yonkers, we could hardly believe that NY Harbor was only an hour ago.

Tappan Zee Bridge (never the Mario Cuomo Bridge)
Just before we got to Croton, we could see Sing Sing Prison in Ossining NY.  When they send you up the river, this is where you go.

The wind never died down, so we opted for a marina at Half Moon Bay in Croton-on-Hudson for the night rather than anchoring again.  The last time we were in the same marina, the winds were high, our engine was overheating because of a clogged sea strainer, and the alarm was blaring in our ears as we tried to dock.  Even if we hadn’t been complete newbies at the time, it would have been extremely stressful.  This time around, two slipholders kindly helped us dock uneventfully – phew!

Sunset at Croton-on-Hudson Marina

I took too many pictures in NY Harbor to include in this post. If you’d like to see more, here’s a link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fDhatv5qNqrEKckx6

Link to today’s route:  https://share.nebo.global/voyage/2f20be5a-1336-4a31-bb36-31a3e7b2b915ld

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