growing webs between our toes, Port Washington, NY

5/19/18  Port Washington, NY

Slept in. Seriously. until 9:00 a.m. Even Amelia stayed snoozing, only up twice during the night but had snacks in bed both times. If she was only 15 years old I'd be worried about her. At nearly 19 I'm thinking she's doing the visits with her angel relatives...which looks like sleeping in humans...and I don't want to disturb her too much, only checking occasionally to see if she is still breathing. Perhaps we'll try to hydrate her again tonight. Wanting to keep her comfortable if we can figure out what that is and how to do it.

We moved around noon today to get fuel. A mystery in that we used much less fuel than expected for no reason we can think of. Our fear is that during the T-storm when we took water into the boat, we may have also taken water up the vents into the fuel tank. So as I write David is pumping fuel from the bottom of the starboard tank to see if there is water there. Stinky boat! But a necessary precaution.

We had to get our showers at the yacht club before this fuel distraction event. The club is having its Commissioning this afternoon. I assume that means new Commodore and beginning of the sailing season. A dressy do and they didn't want us transients steaming up the showers. Totally understand and totally appreciate the hospitality of guest mooring and shower and get rid of garbage.

It has been pouring rain for about 12 hours now. There was a brief break in the drops as we came back from showers. Now it is just misting but a heavy, steady misting. I've hung my wet jeans along the overhead rail in the saloon and lit the oil lamps, hoping for some drying effect. Also tied my sneakers up there. It might be hopeless until the sun comes our...tomorrow, we think.

No water in the fuel. Maybe we - David - just tried to put fuel in too fast and it burped out at him, causing him to think the tank was full. When measuring the fuel level with our trusty stick it measures about 4" low which, spread over 10" by 4" could be 15 gallons. I was never very good at those "volume" math problems.

This light house and house is on Execution Rock, near the entrance to Manhasset Bay where we've been the past couple of days, our port after the thunderstorm and where our friends, Lisa and Greg, have their boat. I want to read the history. Did executions happen there on purpose? Or was it just a horrible shipwreck site?



**********



5/20/18  Port Jefferson, LI, NY

And now it's Sunday and we're on the hook just over a beachy sandbar in Port Jefferson harbor. Easy and short travel day. Thunderstorms predicted this afternoon. Having had our fill, for the rest of our lives, of thunderstorms while underway we chose to stop early, just in case. We did have our ginny up part of the morning.

One of the LARGE ferries that go from Port Jefferson to the CT shore. This is likely to be one that Maggie and Shannon will ride next week to get Maggie to her Lacrosse game out here on Long Island.  We saw this one and another as we came toward Port Jefferson harbor.






I was a large deer on the sandbar/island and 2 geese. Lots of flies, the biting kind today. The wind is strong enough that I'm surprised they are a problem but they were. Not so much at the moment.

David and Amelia are snoozing. David has a bit of a stomach virus. I'm staying clear. Amelia is just old. I just finished my book, The Witch of Portobello. A favorite sentence, "The energy of love can never be lost - it is more powerful than anything and shows itself in many ways." Another: "You are what you believe yourself to be." Another: "Love is."

And this longer passage:
"Reprogram yourself every minute of each day with thoughts that make you grow. When you're feeling irritated or confused, try to laugh at yourself.Laugh out loud at this woman tormented by doubts and anxieties, convinced that her problems are the most important things in the world. Laugh at the sheer absurdity of the situation, at the fact that despite being a manifestation of the Mother, you still believe God is a man who lays down the rules."

Those are ideas I can try to incorporate.

Warm, filtered sun. There IS a drying effect.

And now...start a new murder mystery? crochet? nap?  Ahhhh, such good choices.

for no good reason, Port Washington, NY

5/18/18  Port Washington, LI, NY

For no good reason I was in a funk today. It is windy. It is damp. It is chilly. We're sort of captured on the boat because it is too unpleasant to get off the boat.

I was up early to talk with a friend, Betsy. All good. Coffee and much later breakfast. All morning David and I tried to figure our travel plans...always relative to the weather. This week two challenges:
1) can we get to Shelter Island to visit Diane and Don?
2) how to get me to ME for a memorial for friend and colleague, Walter Stump, over Memorial Day weekend (Sunday).

All works for Shelter and getting me to New London to either 1) rent a car; 2) take the train; 3) hitch a ride with friends (Rachel) but getting  to New London in time for the hitched ride requires a shortened visit with Don and Diane. If not for predicted bad weather, we could sail and motor all the way home and be there in plenty of time for me to get to Gorham, ME for the Memorial Service. We could even get home if we could motor on Wednesday - Sunday.    But....weather is a no-go from Thursday - Sunday next week.

Now the plan is that friends, Dick and Nora, are also visiting D & D and I'll hitch a ride back to Maine with them and take the train from Saco to Freeport, pick up my car from Shannon and move into Lynne's house for several days. Amelia and David will stay on the boat in New London and I'll re-join them on Monday or  Tuesday wherever they are. Onset to also visit with Jayne and Gary would be my ideal. But as we've been saying, "our plans are fluid."

My funk was, I think, because I was looking at the weather, plotting course and time/distance math and "what if's" all morning. And I'm really sick of bad weather that I/we have to work around. I'm not being very spiritual about all this weather stuff.

And then I couldn't figure out how to start my crochet project that I've put off since January. Really. How difficult could this Basic Beginner Beanie bonnet (hat, but I'm into the alliteration) be. David got a bunch of stuff done to improve the boat...bungs in the trim piece, table leg glued back together.

I've been saved by Lisa's starting my crocheting project for me. We\ went over to their boat around 5:00 for wine and snacks. Lovely visit and she reminded me how to do various crochet things.As soon as I saw them I remembered but reading the instructions is so much more complicated that a hands on demonstration. We visited for a couple hours then came home for dinner. They leave tomorrow and we're not likely to see them for another year or so...unless they visit in Maine. Their son, who was arriving at the Maritime Academy at King's Point when we first met, graduates next weekend. Nice book ends to our friendship which we hope will last far beyond his graduation.

Tried to hydrate Amelia but the needle fell out...we weren't holding it in...and she only got maybe 30 ml rather than the 50 we usually give her. Her ankle is really giving her trouble, and she's limping badly. Ugh. Poor kitty.

We'll move to a different mooring tomorrow, across the bay to the yacht club where we can get showers and do the laundry. Both are needed and welcome.

Renewal in the mail , Port Washington, NY

5/17/18 Port Washington, LI, NY

Such a sound and deep sleep last night. Amelia did her regular "food" three times after midnight but David got up for one of the feedings. Both up by 8:00 a.m. to meet our friends, Ken and Lisa, who were going to take us to the post office.

I spent the morning reading in the P.O. while David collated, checked, re-checked all the paper work for his Captain's license renewal. By 11:30 the Registered Mail envelope was being addressed. In the mail. Noon and we celebrated with a slice of pizza. We DO know how to have fun.

We walked down the Main Street of Port Washington. Went into the LI Railroad train station and got a schedule but doubt that we'll use it this trip. Only a half hour and less than $5.00 to get to Penn Station, though. Tempting.

We went to the Consignment store. I needed another long sleeve shirt if it was going to continue to be 59 degrees, cloudy and damp here. Scored, and a colorful pullover sweater, too.

Walking on down the hill toward the waterfront a woman pointed these swans out to us. She was showing her son.

Six babies. Are they swanlins? Swanettes? Petit cygnets?

The adults were very much into preening...or cleaning. Necks twisted around all over the place. Big tails twitching side to side. Top of head rubbing under wing. Chin (?) massaging along sides.

And the MOST cunning thing....the babies were doing the same sort of movement with their much shorter necks!!! We watched for about 1/2 hour but I was okay staying all afternoon.

I don't know why the difference in color...4 grayish chicks and 2 champagne ones. Little fluff balls with legs and necks. Sweet. sweet. sweet!

Back on Grace I started cleaning up the decks from THE storm on Tuesday (I think it was Tuesday - recently in any case). Had a look at the shredded inner jib that was flying when the squall his us. In this photo it has the lovely sense of fringed curtains. Andrew Wyeth effect.

Not the case. A shredded sail. No chance of restoration. In talking with another sailor we spoke of how glad we were that the sail did wrap itself around its stay. That diminished the windage during the storm. Less area to catch the wind and push us when we didn't want to be pushed.

While I took the sail hardware off, wrapped it into the sail bag and hung the lines to dry - looked something like octopus tentacles hanging all around the deck - David dove into the engine. He wanted to see how the batteries had fared during the storm and put the new "sender" unit in the engine...to measure oil pressure. 

I finished my work, started rice for dinner and sat on the aft deck to read. A new book - The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho. He also wrote The Alchemist which I enjoyed but am like this one even better.


Similar to The Alchemist , this current book follows an individual in her, in this case, spiritual quest. Easy narrative. Very thought provoking. Causes me to want to follow other instructions of being quiet, silent...getting away form the constant activity of doing, fulfilling another's agenda or expectations or just getting away from...silence.

Being on the aft deck, reading, watching, thinking, not thinking, limited planning...such a treat.

Dinner.

A gentle day.  Conversation with friend Don, of Don and Diane who we are hoping/planning to visit when the weather allows...maybe traveling to Shelter Island on Sunday and Monday for a brief visit on Tuesday. Tomorrow promises rain and Saturday the wind is from an "unfavorable" direction. So, we'll hang here in Port Washington. Perhaps a yoga class and laundry mat for me tomorrow. And maybe friend, Lisa, will help me get started on my beanie. I bought the yarn way back there in NC while heading south in January. Finally measured my head but now will have to do it again. I forgot.

Almost time to re-hydrate Amelia. She is very vocal but is she hungry? No. Thirsty? Apparently not. Constipated? shrug/who knows, doesn't seem to be. Bored? Possibly but not willing to go out when I open the door. Maybe just dehydrated. So we'll do that tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, she snores, she purrs, she sleeps with her head turned upside down so that under her chin is totally exposed. And she is completely love.

New York City skyline

Sunset: 5/17/18, Port Washington, Long Island, NY

Damp and chilly, Port Washington

5/16/18  Port Washington, NY

Up several times during the early morning to pee. Took some time on one of those early bathroom breaks to shiver my shoulders and discharge some of the fear from yesterday's boat ride. Then slept late.

David spent the day collecting and collating the information for his Captain's License renewal. I did some more cleaning up after our stormy experience. Boat is cleaner and more organized than its been in several weeks, maybe months.

We saw our friends Ken and Lisa on Quest pass by and called them. Made a date for later in the day. They offered to take us to get David's papers copied and to the post office. Their son is just finishing college here so they have access to a car. We made it to the library to copy stuff but the post office was closed before we finished. So we decided to have dinner out together and will get up early so they can take us to the p.o. as they head over to the college to do some volunteering. Perfect.

Sort of a day of rest. It IS cold and damp, though. May either have to go to bed really early or get the heater out.  Easy day. Nice to reconnect with our boating friends.

stormy weather - Port Washington

5/15/18 . Port Washington, LI, NY

Nothing like a life threatening experience to make you want to dance! Rocking out in the pilot house to Mavis Staples "Have a Little Faith".

After THE storm - that would be the one with squall winds above 40 knots, rain, lightening - David has photos of the double rainbow but this half with reflection is also brilliant.

We were surprised - after the major distress of the storm - to discover that we were outside the turn to Port Washington. Amazing how time flies when your trying to survive. So, we turned in. By this time the major aspects of the storm were past. Thanks to all the storm gods for that relief.

Thank you Grace - the boat and the spirit.




The day started with pea soup fog at our anchorage. I remember thinking that it would be good to see this side of Coney Island during the day since I didn't see much last night. Forget that. Couldn't even see the navigational buoy that was a couple hundred feet from us. We stayed up until it was apparent that we weren't going to make the morning tide to go through the East River/Hells Gate. David went back to bed. I waited until around 11:00 to go snooze again. There was some relief to having a fog morning.

Both up. No fog. Beautiful day. Go now and we'll just go slow but maybe beat the storms that are predicted. Off to the races....with storms. Spoiler: we couldn't out run them.

I was a little skittish, still, from last night's inability to figure out how to steer the boat to its anchoring spot. Amazing how quickly confidence dissipates when tired. The waters were rough-ish around the Verrazano Bridge and a bit of traffic. Better that David takes the helm. After The Narrows at the bridge the waters and winds were very calm and manageable. Photos along the East River past NYC's East Side:

Lady Liberty somehow has a greater meaning to me these days, given the anti-immigrant attitude apparent in the USA. How quickly we forget our roots and our heritage



These modern dinosaurs were doing some important construction or loading work in Brooklyn as we passed



A lot of these old Brooklyn buildings are being renovated into living quarters. The chimney.









This wisteria hangs over the highway. Not sure who grows it but it is beautiful greenery and the fact that it hangs over a highway is bliss!

I love this little building with the ivy covering the "over the door" work sort of at center. This is Roosevelt Island, a "sky tram" ride beside the Queensborough Bridge at 59th Street. I texted my friend, Diana Simkin to say this was a must visit the next time I was in NYC. There is a monument to the right of these ruins. The other end of the small island is tall condos or office space. Don't know, yet, what these buildings were used for.

Dance partners with the chaperone - Chrysler Bldg, pointed one - keeping its watchful distance in the background.

These buildings were just going up this time two years ago. The one on the left really has a "swayed back". Not as apparent now as when they were going up. I wonder what it would be like to have an office at the water side where there is a connection between the bldgs? Someone's google search.

I've two photos of the UN, the hope of so many people near and far. Lots of good work goes on here.

This left photo represents more for me since there are sail lines in it somehow underscoring the notion that people from away came on sail or at least in boats, some of their own free will, others in bondage.



I was at the helm as we came through Hells Gate, a section where the Harlem River joins the East River is a squeezed waterway, ofter causing turbulence, even standing waves if the currents aren't running correctly. NO PROBLEM.  Smooth, if SLOW, motoring. We were lulled into over-confidence. Put our inner jib up to help push us along faster.

And then the storm....we noticed the heavy dark blue clouds to our left and we knew the weather report for severe storms around 6 PM and it was around 6 PM.

SUDDENLY! we were smacked with high wind gusts and bouncing seas. David tried to get the jib furled, managed a little and then it fouled and slapped around mercilessly. We were smacked over three times. Two times rail in the water and water in the door. Alarms went off - literally. The shallow water alarm. The bilge alarm. No way shallow water. It was 60' seconds ago! We were so heeled over that the depth measure was out of the water! Slippery floor. I braced myself in the companionway, back against the starboard side and as many hands as I could manage on the wheel to steer...as if I had any, even imaginary control of the boat. David took the helm. Another smack over (but never down, thank you very much) this time without rail and water in. Grace, the boat, rounded up just the way she is supposed to. (I can say that now sitting on a mooring. Good Grace).

Amelia came running, sliding into the pilot house from aft cabin, caterwauling. "Sit down, kitty!" me shouting. She jumped onto the seat and hunkered, wide-eyed. After the first couple flips and flops, side to side of the boat she stretched out...and relaxed (!??!)...watched the action, feet braced against the armrest.

The wind abated a bit. Rain continued. A rescue vessel hailed us. They'd received a distress call from a black hulled boat. Nope, we'd not called but we were definitely distressed. The boat was at our port quarter, not too close. The rescue boat went on its way looking for one in distress since we'd not called. "Where's Active Captain?" David asked, and I found the iPad in the galley floor and opened it. Winds/seas "settled" enough to look at harbors. Can't go there, wind against us. Not there, too shallow. Nope, bridge too low. Carry on as we're near the end of the predicted worst of it. So we did. As slowly as possible...going in the direction we were wanting to go.

I took the helm so David could take the fouled jib down. Life jackets had been on both of us since the first smack. David took down not the sail but the entire roller furling structure. Sail was too wrapped around itself and its support. I noticed it was a little shredded, too.

Phew! And now...wait for it...we were at the turn for Port Washington! Our anticipated home for the next two days. "Turn now," from David. "Now? A little or a lot?" from me. "10 degrees now, and then another 10 and then another." In we came. Familiar territory and the winds have calmed themselves. We looked to see if our companion boat would make the turn in. He did and is moored next to us. French and speaks limited English, we think, though he may be fluent after the adrenalin subsides.

Had there been time to be terrified during this experience, I'd have been terrified. I had trouble touching the correct place on the iPad as my pointer finger was trembling so much. The reality, though, was that I/we were doing as much as possible to keep ourselves afloat, handling the boat as much as possible in this horrible situation. We managed. Nothing about managing was pretty and successful outcome was NOT a given. But in the middle of a difficult situation you just keep doing what you can do to correct the situation and secure a positive outcome.  I'm reminded of James Shaw's comment that he wasn't a hero, he was just trying to save his own life.

In retrospect:
I wonder if the sailboat we were paralleling from Hell's Gate to Port Washington called the rescue boat (Coast Guard or TowBoat?) on our behalf...or his behalf.

Signs of impending danger were so present and available to us. We'd been lulled by easy Hell's Gate passage.

We were fool-hardy and stupid to put the jib up, wanting to go faster to get there sooner. (This is a place for both David and me to really take a look at our habits...trying too hard to push rivers)

We could have left Coney Island anchorage earlier. Results might have been less harrowing or not.

During our distress I kept hoping...we weren't endangering the other boat near us, our lines would not go overboard and into the prop, and that we'd all make it through.

The recuse boat mentioned King's Point just astern of us across the way. Familiar name. Yes, that is Port Washington but couldn't make that connection at that moment.

How long did this all last.

We cleared the mess, made a pathway for kitty who is talking to us again to get to the litter box. Emptied her litter box of all the forward cabin stuff that had fallen in. Put the chart table stuff back on the chart table. Other stuff on the seats in the galley. Soft stuff from the aft cabin sort of back in place. Dried off as much of the floor as possible. Shoveled the dirt spilled from the kitty grass pot. Made dinner.

DANCED!

Affirming life as we like it.


The sunset and rainbows were brilliant, more beautiful than ever before. All senses heightened, post emergency.

Grateful to be here.

long day - Coney Island, NY

5/14/18 . Coney Island, NY

Just a really long day - we were underway at 7:40 AM and turned the engine off in Coney Island at 9:02 PM. It was, for the most part, a gently rocking day with pretty sun and seas. Not too much traffic. Fog much of the day. Dolphins. We plucked two more balloons from the water and missed another five that we couldn't get. We'd estimated getting in by 8 PM but were slowed down by a current push back. 5.8 knots rather than the 6-7 we'd estimated. But then we were pushed by 18-20 knot winds (also unexpected) up to 8+ knots later in the afternoon. Still didn't make the time we'd hoped.

All in all a good day but really tired from being alert all day. Both David and I took hour long naps in the late afternoon. One at a time naps. We didn't trust Amelia to be on watch. She has trouble pushing the auto-pilot buttons.

While being a great helms person and navigation person in the daylight as night descends my eyesight and my confidence wan.

I was at the helm coming upon Sandy Hook, NJ and crossing the shipping lanes going into our anchorage at Norton Point on Coney Island, NY. Me, watching the water and the electronic chart and steering according to David's direction.

By the time we'd ferreted out the "best" anchor spot I could no longer tell which direction was which. "You better stay inside and tell me which way to turn if you want me to hit that 'x' spot." I said and he did. I just could no longer "be the boat" and steer appropriately looking at that little bullet on the screen. And my poorer night vision plus the very bright lights, I just could not orient me, the boat, land. Pretty scary for me, and no doubt for David. I'm chalking it up to TIRED. I did manage to cook dinner, a good dinner, especially for 9:30 PM, without blowing us up.

We had a hitch hiker for about an hour. She fluttered on board then flitted or hopped, making multiple tours of the deck...looking for rest? food? water?  She even came inside briefly. We didn't encourage this inside behavior knowing we'd be distracted. But there she was on the chart table eating seeds left over from our bagel breakfast.

Then she flew out again.

Sweet.

two ears ago we had 3 hitch hikers who stayed on the aft deck for several hours. Catching a break from all the necessary flapping of migration.




Crossing from Sandy Hook to Coney Island after sunset gave us a good view of the Coney Island "space needle." Amazing display of lights running up and down the needle. Candy stripe, all red, all blue, white, another combination of spiral strips that I couldn't quite make out. Ostentatious. I realize, again, that in all my years of living in and visiting NYC I've never been to Coney Island, to the park or the beach. Gotta do it. Sometime. and eat a Nathans Hot Dog and Big Orange. Well maybe not the Big Orange whatever it is called.

A couple photos from our Atlantic City visit and another sunset from the shipping channel off Coney Island.

Foggy night in Atlantic City. Casino tops cut off

Another headless casino. A woman at the Aquarium said the town is really broke. Too many eggs in the gambling basket. There is still a fishing economy but hard to tell how affluent it is. Lots of clam draggers in and out of the cut we were staying in but.....


Fun to be there. Glad to leave and move onward.

Happy Mother's Day - Atlantic City, NJ

5/13/18 . Atlantic City, NJ

A rainy low pressure day (literally and figuratively, here at the Atlantic City Aquarium/Gardener's Basin dock.

A great day to indulge pensive and thoughtful, remembering my mom and her  traits and actions and values, in retrospect. Many I appreciated when she lived, and expressed appreciation and love to her. But, post-death those same traits and actions get distilled to their essence. I can think about her with more, even more, love and clarity, ... for foibles and strengths. Continuing her love and nurturing efforts for the natural world, David and I clean the ocean of plastic as we are able. This balloon plucked from Delaware Bay, perhaps saving some sea life from painful death. Mother celebrates with us.

How much can my heart expand with love and gratitude before it explodes like an over-inflated balloon? We'll see, I guess. Love and gratitude continue to grow as years pass.

I appreciate her spiritual presence with me, now more than ever.

David and I slept late this morning, a first in a while and so needed. Amelia has continued to sleep most of the day. I think she was really stressed by our rolling morning at sea yesterday.   David and I went to Gilchrist's for breakfast this morning, a short walk down the dock. Bacon! and great hot cakes (aka pan cakes) and an over easy egg for me. An award winning place and it was crowded. At least 4 people served us from host, to "something to drink", to taker of order, to server, to cleaner-upper. Labor union or just specialization to keep the flow flowing? Whatever, it worked for us.


Some emailing, some thinking about ACAF (Arts & Cultural Alliance of Freeport), groceries, left-overs for dinner, brownie cooking for a little heat in Grace. A look at the weather for possible travel tomorrow. Both David and I agreed - we're sick of "looking at the weather," even though earlier at the Aquarium we were applauding how "close to the elements" we are on the boat. Bah! Humbug!! It's damp, chilly and less than delightful today on the boat in these elements. We took the bus to the food store, watched lots of people, experiencing some of Atlantic City. We looked for a show at a casino but nothing tickled our fancy so, again, we didn't experience what AC is known for. It seems to be a town in further decline with pockets of improvement. A number of casinos have closed in recent years. Lots of "eggs in one basket" in terms of economic base. The Basin where we are docked looks like a sweet neighborhood with some commercial boating businesses, maybe oystering, dragging? Discovering public transportation offers opportunities and less isolated here.

David contemplating the empty Delaware Bay

Some photos from the last couple of days that finally uploaded after I rebooted my phone:

light house

deck line drying out

Sails up...finally!

Power...sun jewels, plus

Nuclear boom

I'm fascinated by these nuclear power plants and views. Sort of that horror/mechanical, scientific beauty fascination. ..similar to the Norfolk war ships. I remember the first time we sailed past this power plant and how nervous I was...waiting, watching, fearful. The physical, structural shape is so iconic at this point, such clean and clear lines, grounded and solid which sort of defies the danger, the fragility of stability.




something weird about the solar, nuclear energy juxtaposition



As we traveled the C&D Canal I was struck by the beauty - a walking/biking path along the entire 10 mile (?) length, birds singing, spring greening, some houses visible, roads, cars but all a little away from our center on the Canal, mostly. David commented about how all those lives were going on, people eating breakfast, going to work or school, carrying on their regular lives. And we were "just passing through."

Yes. literally passing through. And I expanded that notion, philosophically/spiritually "just passing through" this earthly journey, not just the boat journey.

"Our time on this earth is sacred, and we should celebrate every moment." from the Paulo Coelho book I'm reading The Witch of Portobello. 

No "shoulds" but may we all celebrate every moment to the very best of our abilities.

Casino lost in the clouds