Traveling through New York was an amazing experience! We were a little nervous about the boat traffic, as we had read many nightmarish versions of the transit. About two hours outside of New York, Keith asked me “ have you formulated your plan for entering the harbor” (we take shifts at the helm and transiting the harbor would come during my shift). The question made me reconsider whether or not I put enough time into planning. I had studied the chart, identified the channels, and best route to stay out of the way of ship traffic...but generally my ‘plan’ was the same as all plans. Plot your course, follow rules of the road, stay out of the way of large vessels, and be prepared to give way to people who are clueless! I was still a tad bit nervous. Well...we made it through New York unscathed, and after reflecting on the experience I don’t think it lived up to the hype, at all! Yes, there are a lot of boats...going in many directions, and yes, the ferries and tour boats are large, fast, and clearly in a hurry!
Staten Island Ferry...it’s nice of them to use Oriole’s colors!
If you only look at the AIS screen you will definitely panic...YIKES...300 targets???
Safely at anchor, with an awesome view from the stern!
A view of Manhattan from the bow.
I would not recommend this anchor spot to anyone prone to sea sickness. The passing ferries and tour boats create a LOT of wave action hitting you from every direction. Luckily, Keith and I both have a high tolerance and were fine, but I was happy we didn’t have guests onboard!
On the morning of July 19 we weighed (raised) the anchor and headed for the East River. Again, I was at the helm because we switch anchor duties every morning. Since I weighed anchor the day before, it was Keith’s turn, which meant I had first shift at the helm.
Very calm on East River this morning.
That’s unexpected...a commuter plane landing on East River.
This is a floating prison barge located directly across the river from Rikers Island. We could see prisoners playing basketball in the ‘yard’ located in the upper left corner of this picture. Passing between these two facilities definitely gave reason to pause and reflect on how lucky we are...I am very thankful for the love, support, and opportunities I have been given throughout my life, which now allow me to live this fabulous life of FREEDOM!!
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