JUNE 16-19,2013- STATUE OF LIBERTY STATE PARK, NJ

What an awesome feeling, approaching the New York Harbor!  Even on a Sunday it was busy and congested with all types and sizes of boats and ships traversing its waters.  We elected to stay at a marina right across from NY at Liberty Landing Marina, NJ.  The water taxi left every half hour and would deliver us right to lower Manhattan, NY.  Although we paid $4.00 per foot for docking, the marina had floating docks with relatively calm seas.  Other Marinas, we had learned from advice and guide-books were not so quiet.  We would only be here for a few days and we have had enough rocking and rolling so we felt it well worth the money.

For the short time we had to spend in NY, we were able to grasp the flavor of the city with the help of the people who lived and worked there.  We were like two fish out of water, but we had a fabulous whirlwind of a day starting with a visit to Ground Zero, the 911 Memorial where we spent a quiet moment paying our respects to the victims of senseless terrorist acts.  We hailed a taxi driver who drove us to, of course, Times Square.  The cabbie was wonderful and acted as our tour guide, pointing out the various sights and landmarks with his obvious love of the city shining through.  A random person pointed us to the Galaxy Diner in Hell’s Kitchen and then another person pointed us to the waterfront where the aircraft carrier museum, the Intrepid was stationed.  From there it was easy to hail another cab back down to the water taxi terminal and across to Liberty Landing Marina.

Liberty Landing Marina is located at the Statue of Liberty State Park and it was amazing to stroll along the park’s waterfront and then enjoy cocktails on Terrmar’s fly-bridge while inhaling the magnificent Manhattan skyline!

Mark & Terri

Cargo ship in NY harbor

Passed an old fort south of NY

Approaching NY

First glimpse of Statue of Liberty

Close up - Liberty Lady

Day-sailors with NJ skyline

Glad to be @ Liberty Landing Marina

Thinking of Mike - Do the Math!

Manhattan @ dusk

New Wold Trade Center

9/11 Memorial Pool

Mark @ Times Square

Times Square

Terri @ Times Square

Church in Theater District dedicated to actors

Brownstones

Mark @ Galaxy Diner

Mark @ Intrepid

Largest Solar Powered Boat in the World

Turanor Planet Solar

Manhattan, NY

Sunset @ Liberty Landing Marina

   

   

JUNE 15-16,2013- MANASQUAN, NJ

Oh gosh!!  What have we done!!  It is early morning of the “Cape May Shark Fishing Tournament” and we have found ourselves in the middle of a frantic exodus of sports fisher boats, from the Cape May inlet to the Atlantic!!  Please pinch me and wake me from the horrible dream I am having called “The Attack of the Sports Fishers!”  The colossal wakes are unbelievable and we hold our breath as another and still another boat speeds by, tossing us to and fro like a rubber duck in a bathtub!  Thank God they are finally gone and we have made our way out to the Atlantic where we live to die another day!

We are then blessed with an ideal day on the Atlantic Ocean with a slight swell on the seas.  So pleasant the ride, that we decide to go as far up the Jersey coast as we can in one day. The problem is all the available facilities are full up.  Not all marinas had yet recovered from Hurricane Sandy from the year before.   A second call to Hoffman’s Marina in Manasquan, NJ secured us docking for the night.  Exhausted, we were grateful to be safely tied up, although it was the most rocking and rolling we had ever encountered during the entire great loop!

Another early morning after a noisy bumpy night!   The fishermen were out and at it by 0500.  Because we were moored on a T dock about 100’ from a railway bridge, a boat behind us and a three knot current against us meant undocking would be interesting.  Actually after Terri and I and a dock hand worked out a plan things went smooth and very nautical if I do say so myself.  Got to love those thrusters when they work!  After a mini repeat of yesterday’s race to the inlet with only a few big wakes we turned our bow north and headed for the Big Apple.  Yes New York here we come!

Mark & Terri

Calm Exodus of Sports Fishers with No Wake signs- Cape May

Passing Atlantic City

Para-sailors off Jersey Shore

Terrmar tucked up to railroad bridge- Manasquan, NJ

Looking back to Manasquan Inlet

Obvious strong current flowing through bridge

Yes a working railway bridge!

JUNE 12-15,2013- CAPE MAY, NJ

Not a bad run down Delaware Bay!  A little bumpy at times but not too bad!  We had originally made reservations for Utches’s Marina but when we were in the channel entrance and called them, they stated that their pump-out was not operational.  Quick change of plans, we called South Jersey Marina and yes they could accommodate with the only working pump-out in the area, even though they were very busy with their upcoming shark tournament.

We had a wonderful time exploring this spot!  Historic Cape May has preserved its Victorian history and we thoroughly enjoyed our trolley tour even though it poured rain.  It was a great spot to wait for ideal weather to venture out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Terri

Church with menacing sky

Emlen Physick Estate

Victorian B & B

Mark @ entrance to Washington Street Mall

Historic Cape May

Victorian House with Witch's Cap Roof

Enjoying Kohr's frozen custard

South Jersey Marina

Waiting for good weather

Cape May Store

Boat houses

JUNE 10-12,2013- DELAWARE CITY, DE

We pulled out of Annapolis with a small weather window and decided to continue up Chesapeake Bay to Delaware City, DE.  Even though there were weather warnings, we had a great trip up with very little wave and a slight drizzle.

We had to wait for the weather to co-operate to travel down Delaware Bay to Cape May, NJ and this was the spot to do it.  Dock master Tim gave a weather synopsis every day at 5:00pm.  We looked at all our weather resources and then compared them with Tim’s and thankfully we were on the same page.

We spent some time walking around this town and came across Wiso’s Seafood Market.  Great seafood and a wonderful sense of humour to boot!  They turned their old “stuff” into garbage art and it made us laugh.  Wonderful crab cakes and everywhere we looked a smile!

Now, dock master Tim has a reputation for orchestrating the departure of all the boats berthed at “his” marina because of the notorious current, but for some reason, this particular day, he and his team were late arriving, but no worries, we on Terrmar have learned a thing or two on our looper journey.  As we departed, quietly with no issues, we spotted dock master Tim and his team scurrying to catch up.  I wonder what happened to “I am ex-army, never late!”

Terri

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

North Chesapeake Bay

Terrmar ready to go

Wiso's humor

Wiso's garden art

More Wiso's junk art

Again...

Staged for departure

Sunrise Delaware Bay

        

JUNE 8-10,2013- ANNAPOLIS, MD

We were very excited to be moving on to Annapolis, MD.  All day the sky was threatening rain but we were fortunate and made our way into the Bay with just a slight drizzle.  Our first impression was amazement at the concentration of boats – everywhere!  We picked our way through the mooring field and slowly advanced to “Ego Alley”, right downtown at the Annapolis City Dock.  From here we had a bird’s eye view of the historic downtown, bustling with tourists strolling along the cobblestone streets on a hot, humid Saturday.

My sister Janice, her husband Dan and sons Joseph and Sean were able to visit.  They didn’t have too far to travel since their home for the last 30 years has been in Herndon, Virginia.  We caught up over lunch at the next door dockside restaurant.  It was great seeing them again and a bit surreal visiting by boat!

We would have loved to stay one more day but the weather forecast dictated our travel plans and we decided to make our way up Chesapeake Bay to Delaware City.

Terri

Thomas Point Lighthouse

Approach to Annapolis

U.S. Naval Academy

Ego Alley - Annapolis City Dock

Lots of traffic

Downtown with State Capital building in background

Joe, Dan, Janice, Sean

Looking towards City Dock