Cuttyhunk Is, MA to Northport, LI, NY

October 9, Saturday:
Cuttyhunk MA to Mystic CT
The very high winds slowly abated and veered into the NW overnight. A bright morning with 10 knot NW greeted us for our 8AM departure. Our course to Mystic included a reach to exit the balance of Buzzards Bay and then on the wind for the balance. We started out with all plain sail (Main, Fore and Genoa) and the wind quickly picked up to 15 knots which had us making 6.5 knots over the ground. Altering course to the west once exiting Buzzards Bay had us close hauled. The wind continued to build to 20 so dropping the foresail was called for. I needed to go number 1 before starting this, I quickly found we were heeled over so far the lid on the commode would not stay up, so I decided to try it like the ladies do sitting down. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans.............about the time my pants were around my ankles and I went to sit, we hit a freak wave and I was literally tossed out of the head, crashed into the dinette table and did a summersault onto the sette. As much as it hurt (and I have the mother of all bruises covered by a rasberry as a momento) I had to laugh, lying there as I was with my pants down!
We eventually got the foresail down and were able to make good time for a few more hours. We passed by one of the biggest passenger ships I have ever seen off Block Island, I called her bridge on VHF channel 13 (ship to ship channel) and found she was the Crown Pincess, bound for Portland ME. Lots of leaf lookers apparently. The wind backed to the west right on the nose, so we furled the sails and motored the last 10 miles arriving in the Mystic River at dusk. I spoke to the Mystic Seaport about a slip for the night, but they were booked. They did recommend a nice anchorage just up river which we were able to take advantage of. Very shallow there we had to raise the centerboard while anchoring as Kia Ora only draws 3 feet with the board up.
After a nice pot roast dinner with fresh carrots, potatoes and onions we took the dingy to town and found our way to the Harp and Hound, a fun Irish Pub.
Sunday morning was very cool with frost warnings in the area overnight, but it warmed up quickly and we took in the Mystic Seaport. Lots of shipbuilding history and ongoing restorations including the last remaining american whaling ship the Charles W. Morgan. Great day, they had a chowderfest going on and lots of extras. The replica of the Amistad was there. You may remember the story of the only successful slave Mutiny and their acquittal championed by John Quincy Adams. They sail on good will tours and have just returned from Cuba. The Growler, a training tug from Kings Point was visiting and I met some future KP alums who had "sailed" her up from the academy.

October 11, Monday:
Mystic CT to Northport, LI, NY
The basqule bridge just down stream of the Seaport only opens once per hour at 40 minutes past, so we made an early start and cleared the bridge at 7:40 AM. Clear and cool with light NW winds to start. We motor sailed under main alone until the wind backed into the west at 15 then motored the balance of the 80 miles to Northport. Arriving at 8 PM we had to weave our way thru the dense mooring field to a very narrow unlit entrance to my brother-in-law Pat's. The shallow channel at low tide made it even more challenging. We started dragging the centerboard at the entrance, which is a nice early warning indicator as it just pivots back, so up board and on the anchor just in front of their beautiful waterfront home. Due to the narrow channel we did a bahamian moor, which ment we dropped the main anchor backed up 150 feet and dropped a second. Then retrieved 75 feet from the first anchor rode while letting out on the second so we could stay in the middle of the channel.
Had nice hot showers and a wonderful home cooked meal with mahi-mahi, lobster and chicken that my sister-in-law Linda put together (thank you, thank you!)
Tuesday is a lay day, planning for the cruise thru hells gate and down the Jersey Shore overnight Wednesday. Our plan is to arrive there in the East River at slack ebb tide (3 PM tomorrow) to allow for an easy transit and a following current all the way out the Verrazano Norrows to Sandy Hook NJ, then overnight to Cape May before the blow forcast for Thurs nite and Friday. Jason took the mountain bike down town to get a hair cut as everybody here is working today. He came home with a happy birthday cheeze cake for me, what a guy!! When Jamie, my nephew got home, he noticed the fish jumping right out front of the house so he and Jason ran down to the boat to try their luck and landed a 14 inch blue fish, Jamie landed a 28 inch stripper yesterday right off the dock.