Thank you Hurricane Dennis. I know that this sounds like a strange thing to say. Considering that it was only yesterday that we knew for sure that we would not be in its path. Realize that our worst nightmare would be to get caught out in one of these monsters. Nonetheless, we have to thank Dennis for quite a bit. So let me explain.
Were it not for Dennis, we would not have gone to Hamburg Cove (further up the Connecticut River) on Sunday. Despite the crowd at this popular stop over the weekend, the inherent beauty was far from lost. Once past the narrow entrance channel, the cove is surrounded on all sides by steep wooded hillsides, some up to 200 feet in height. In fact, we were told that many boats rode out Hurricane Bob here in 1991 unfazed while boating interests closer to Long Island Sound sustained considerable damage. Even as we were there, weather forecasts predicted 20-30 knot winds in the Sound. But you'd never prove it by us as nary a ripple penetrated our protected anchorage.
And had we not gone to Hamburg Cove, we never would have met so many fellow cruisers. After the weekend crowds cleared on Sunday evening, a mere handful of boats remained. Among those remaining, we found that many were waiting out Dennis before heading further south. As we dinghied back from the marina and store at the head of the cove, we first met Ron and Judy from near Solomons Maryland aboard their all wood, 1971 Grand Banks trawler. And to tempt us into staying another day, they invited us to dinner for rockfish the next evening to which we readily agreed. On the same trip back to Watermark, we were waved over by a group in the midst of happy hour aboard Rick and Sandy's Hunter 35.5. There we met Walter and Christine from a Valiant 40 headed to the Carribean, George and Betsy from Baltimore aboard a Tayana 37 out for a five year cruise, and Martin and Tracy along with Rick and Sandy who like us are headed to the Bahamas. All but two of the couples had never met before this day. So while the wind still howled on the Sound and Dennis meandered around the Atlantic, we spent a most enjoyable few days exchanging sea stories, discussing anchorages, trading ideas and generally enjoying the company of this diverse group. For the first time, we really felt part of a cruising community. And oddly enough, most were near to our own age.
Small world side note: While not actually having met Rick and Sandy beforehand, our paths had crossed earlier this summer. During the hot part of early July, both we and they were in the Sassafras River at the same time. In fact, we heard them over the VHF radio calling a marina in Georgetown asking for a slip and a rental air conditioner. Joyce and I had a good laugh over this until we heard the marina respond that they had one available. Not knowing that it was them, I was relating this story to Rick and Sandy when Sandy suddenly shrieks out "That was us". Turns out the marina really didn't have an air conditioner, but Rick and Sandy say that it's a very common thing for marinas to have where they sail in Florida.
Also to thank Dennis for have been a week of the most spectacular sunsets. I hope that you've been able to see them for yourselves because they really have been beautiful beyond description (and unfortunately these pictures can't quite capture). On several evenings, Joyce and I have just sat silently awestruck at the incredible display of fiery colors in the sky and reflecting in the water.
We can also thank Dennis for allowing us to have the wind at our backs for the entire length of Long Island Sound. From Hamburg Cove, we had a fast breezy spinnaker run the 50 miles to Port Jefferson, then a little slower 25 mile run to Oyster Bay and then finally light winds for remaining 15 miles to City Island.
An early Saturday morning run through the East River and down through New York harbor made for a quiet (as far as other commercial and pleasure boat traffic) labor day weekend passage through New York. It was almost eerily quiet as we entered the harbor without sighting any commercial traffic in this normally busiest of harbors. (I don't suppose the fog had anything to do with this.) But none the less, it allowed us the comfort of a close approach to Liberty Island and an easy sail down to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
But now, Dennis is extracting his price. We are in essence stuck in Atlantic Highlands near Sandy Hook waiting to go south down the New Jersey coast. Dennis has finally come ashore in North Carolina but has made conditions off the coast prohibitively rough for our passage south to Cape May. Not only that, while many sailors lie in this normally protected anchorage awaiting favorable weather, the high winds out of the east make this place quite uncomfortable. But there are worse places to be stuck. Atlantic Highlands has all the amenities that we need including a nice grocery store, laundromat, library, chandlery and even a movie theater for the rainy days to come. And judging by the forecast, we have several rainy and windy days to go before we head out. Oh well, such is the cruisers life.
