New York City!

We made the trek into New York Harbor today.  This is Coney Island at the entrance.  

Alexis was at the helm.  Note the Verrazano Bridge crossing the "Narrows" in the background.

Our AIS shows the multiple targets moving about the harbor.  

As I was posing for this shot, a USCG boat approached us at high speed.  

Apparently Cajuns are a security problem!  Note the big gun on the bow.

They checked us out, and let us go on our way.  Good thing Alexis was at the helm....

In all the hubbub, the ubiquitous jet skier.  

NYC skyline.

Even the NYPD took a look at us.  Come on, are we that bad?

The NYPD let us go without stopping us, drawing a smile from the captain.  

This is one of those moments we will not forget!

Our marina is just past Lady Liberty, and it was a tight squeeze as it is filling up for July 4.  We have a front row seat for the fireworks!  We will cover that in another post.

Highlands... New Jersey that is.

We spent the last two nights anchored in a protected cove off Sandy Hook Bay.  The New York City skyline is visible in the distance.  We are next to Atlantic Highlands, NJ.  There is a tall bluff next to us with some very nice homes.  We had a great lunch at a restaurant on the water at the next town over, Highlands, NJ.  A walk into town was eye opening.  It looks just like Lakeview in New Orleans after Katrina.  Obviously, Sandy took its toll here.  Some houses are repaired; others in various states of repair, and vacant lots are interspaced throughout.  The marinas were destroyed, but some are back up and running.  The homes in town that were flooded are owned mainly by working people, who feel forgotten now that the media has moved on.  Sound familiar?  Tomorrow we head up the Hudson to New York City.  

The bluff.

Highlands is coming back!  We dined at the Windansea via dinghy, and it was good.  They have fresh fluke here.  

Waterfront.

The house raising business is here also.  

States 10 and 11!

We have now been to the 10^th and 11^th states on our loop!  After leaving Baltimore, we went to North Chesapeake Bay and took the C&D Canal to the Delaware River (10^th state).  The run down the Delaware River to Cape May, New Jersey (11^th state) is almost 60 miles, and can be quite bumpy.  Fortunately, we had a good day.  The seaside town of Cape May is very pleasant, and a stopover for boats heading to and from NYC.  The forecast has been in flux due to a stalled cold front, but this morning was a good one (2-3 ft seas) so we are in the Atlantic Ocean headed 100 miles from Cape May to Sandy Hook.  There is an ICW through NJ, but it is shallow with lots of bridges, and dredging since Sandy has been slow going, so we opted for an offshore run.  We will anchor in Sandy Hook Bay tonight and then stay at Liberty Landing Marina in NJ right across from Manhattan.  Alexis will fly home to check on her Dad, so we are in a state of flux for the next week or so.  When she returns we will began our trek up the Hudson River, into the Erie Canal to Ontario via the Oswego Canal and Lake Ontario. 

Departing Baltimore.  Ft McHenry is in the background.

We met this ship as we entered the C&D Canal, which is obviously still used for commerce. The female captain of the ship and Alexis agreed on a one whistle pass.   

We anchored for the night off the Delaware River across from this nuclear plant (just off the bow of the ship).  The river heads up to Philly, but we don't have time to do it all!  

Welcome to NJ and Rotary sign on the Cape May Canal..  Alexis, the Rotarian took this pic!

Atlantic City from Moondance's bridge. Since the forecast is headed downhill, we elected to keep going to Sandy Hook, and the entrance to the Hudson River.  

Annapolis and Charm City.

Since my last post we have been to Annapolis and Baltimore, MD.  Both cities are vibrant and fun.  The history tour continued also.  We are still in the Charm City (Baltimore) and are dining at the Charleston Restaurant tonight, supposedly one of the best in Baltimore.  Baltimore began declining in the 1970s the same as Detroit and other manufacturing cities on the east coast.  Due to some visionary politicians (including Nancy Pelosi’s father) the commercial waterfront was transformed into a recreational district with upscale housing, museums, restaurants, hotels, art galleries, etc.  It is truly amazing what they have done with the Inner Harbor District, where we are docked. 

While in Annapolis, our friends we met in the Bahamas, Rick and Eva, treated us to a meal at the Annapolis Yacht Club!  A fine meal and good company.  The only depressing thing is Eva is not sanguine about her sabbatical ending.  I was hoping for some positive spin, but none was forthcoming.  Oh well, I have six months not to think about it….

Annapolis' streets were made with ballast from ships coming from England.  The ships would take on cargo, so needed to get rid of the ballast.  

The Maryland Capitol had some historic events take place there.  Still does't beat the bullet holes where Huey was shot in the Louisiana capitol.....

Our marina was a block away from this place.  Cousin Berwick graduated here in 1939.  

St Anne's Episcopal Church boasts three signers of the Deceleration of Independence and this guy as past members.  

St Anne's.

The Naval Academy's football field is on the waterfront.  The Academy is in the background.  

Annapolis' ego alley.  The yachts will parade to the end, turn around and go out.  If you don't crash, your ego is intact!  

Charm City.

USS Constellation.  

The National Aquarium is in Baltimore.  We go tomorrow.  

You can take Bubba out of Louisiana, but ....

Baltimore's Civil War history is convoluted.  Maryland did not secede, but there were many Confederate sympathizers here.  

Fort McHenry in Baltimore's harbor.  The site of the significant naval battle of the War of 1812.  It was after the English bombardment that Francis Scott Key (a lawyer) penned the Star Spangled Banner.  

This is a replica of the flag flying over the fort after the British retreated.   

Kids of all ages having fun.  

Solomons Island, MD.

We spent a couple of nights at Solomons Island, Maryland on the Patuxtent River.  Alexis’ first cousin, Jeff, and his wife, Anne, live in nearby Leonardtown, MD.  They joined us for dinner and lent us a car, so we provisioned and had a grand time catching up.  Maryland is rich in fishing history, and we toured the maritime museum in Solomons.  The area reminds me of Bayou Country with all the commercial fishing vessels.  We are now underway to Annapolis, where we will meet Rick and Eva from Calypso, who we first met in the Bahamas.  Eva is a graduate of Loyola Law School, as am I, and is back at work after her sabbatical.  I am greatly interested in how she is coping! 

Patuxtent River-note the bluffs  There are many ancient fossils to be found at the foot of the bluffs, including teeth from the prehistoric mega shark!  

One of the many lights on Chesapeake Bay.  We have had very calm weather for our run up the Bay.

Solomons Island.  

This oyster boat is similar to the ones in Louisiana.  

Jeff and Alexis on Jeff's beautiful deck.  

Anne prepared a sumptuous meal!  I could get use to visiting cousins!  

Moondance's crew does the Historic Triangle.

We spent the last two nights at the Yorktown City Marina, which is on the York River.  It was a short walk to the Yorktown Battle Field and Visitors Center. It was there in 1781 that General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington.  It was a very impressive national park.  We also took a cab to the Jamestown Village (a replica of the settlement and ships,circa 1606), the first English settlement in America .   Then we went to  Colonial Williamsburg (a restored city depicting life in the 1700s), so we are in history overload right now!  Both Jamestown and Yorktown faded from existence and are now mainly parks dedicated to memorializing American history, and are well worth a visit.

We are anchored off the Rappahaaock River tonight and in the morning will head to Solomons Island, MD.  There we will meet up with Alexis’ cousin, Jeff, who I have not seen for many years.  He lives nearby, and it will be great to catch up!  Happy father’s day to all the fathers out there!  

Yorktown Main St.

The victory monument (below) is impressive, and overlooks the York River.  (remember to click on the pic to enlarge)

Yorktown killing field.  Here the Allied Forces (American and French) defeated the English after many brutal years of war.  

Chesapeake storms are fierce, but move on rather quickly.  You have to be on the lookout so as not to get caught!  

In 1606 three ships brought the first colonists from England to Jamestown (the oldest English settlement).  Remember St Augustine, a Spanish settlement, is older.  

This is the largest of the three.  The colonists were forced to stay below decks and were half dead when they finally arrived.  No wonder the colony did not survive.  

Below-decks was crowded with stores, cannons and water.  The colonists could not even stand up.  

The ship's wheel had not yet been invented, so they steered by tiller.  

The route.  A long way to hand tiller!  

The smallest of the three ships, Discovery.  It is 66' long (Moondance is 48') and had over 20 people on board.  Talk about a miserable four month ocean crossing.   

The settlers had black powder rifles and could get one shot off before hand to hand combat with Indians.  

In Williamsburg, this rouge tried to whisk Alexis away!  

General Lafayette.  Without French help, the Americans would not have won the war. Williamsburg had lots of reenactments.   

Fife and drums in Williamsburg.  

Believe it or not, Nathaniel Pope, mentioned here, is my many times Great Grandfather!  Stanwood will have to tell us how many times Great.