Home

They Blow Stuff Up!

Details: Written by Dave Dave; Category: Captain's Log Captain's Log; Published: 18 October 2021 18 October 2021; Hits: 36 36

After a long day on the Delaware Bay and the C&D Canal we were settling in for a quiet, peaceful evening with bald eagles circling overhead and an early sundowner in hand. Like distant thunder, a series of low booms rumbled across the bay under clear skies. Rain was in the next day’s forecast; the evening’s forecast for clear skies and light breezes was perfect for a couple of tired bodies. Relaxing in the cockpit we watched as a nesting pair of bald eagles soared above us. We ignored the booming sounds focusing on the cry of the eagles.

The Bald Eagle, a stately symbol of our country, a raptor with eyesight so keen it can spot fish below the surface from high above would certainly have a cry befitting such a predator. A cry that would instill fear, a cry that would match its hunting skill, a deep commanding cry. That would not be the case. Listen. Perhaps Ben Franklin’s choice for the national bird, a wild turkey would have been a more apropos choice, a bird that clucks and struts.

In the Still of the Night

Details: Written by Dave Dave; Category: Captain's Log Captain's Log; Published: 03 October 2021 03 October 2021; Hits: 84 84

Feeling the pressure of a delivery schedule we left City Island a day earlier than planned, it was fortunate we did. Weather is always a factor in a sailing schedule and this week geopolitics entered into the departure equation. In two days, the East River would be closed during daylight hours to provide security for the UN General Assembly meeting. Running the East River at night was high on the list activities to avoid. The weather in the next few days looked favorable and then deteriorating by the end of the week. Waiting a week was not an appealing option.

On Saturday, September 18 we departed. Twice a day the East River tides run west to east, draining Long Island Sound. Currents can reach 4 to 5 knots which means a passage on a slow sailboat must be timed to coincide with the tides. In what was part planned and part luck we passed under the Throggs Neck Bridge at the peak current level, soon we were making 11 knots over the ground, 5 knots faster than our speed through the water. We flew! The river lived up to its reputation with swirling eddies, upwellings, and good-sized standing waves, the helm required constant attention. I was reminded of my whitewater kayaking days, only this time I had a 36’ boat weighing 15,000 pounds, not a 12-foot 30-pound kayak.

City Island

Details: Written by Dave Dave; Category: Captain's Log Captain's Log; Published: 30 September 2021 30 September 2021; Hits: 85 85

Thus far in our adventure we have been in delivery mode more than in cruising mode. What’s the difference? On a delivery making miles is paramount, the goal is to get somewhere else, in cruising mode, we slow down, have shorter days and longer stays. We stop to smell the beach roses. The journey to Block Island was a delivery with a long layover. When we left we were back in delivery mode.

Leaving Old Saybrook we headed towards City Island in the Bronx to stage ourselves for a passage through NY harbor and down the coast to Cape May and on to the Chesapeake. On an uncharacteristic day the winds cooperated, and we sailed to Milford CT for a maintenance stop. It was time to re-provision, refuel, fill water tanks, and do laundry. A hot shower and flush toilets were appreciated.

The Bridges of New York City

Details: Written by Dave Dave; Category: Captain's Log Captain's Log; Published: 24 September 2021 24 September 2021; Hits: 114 114

New York City’s bridges are iconic. The Brooklyn Bridge spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan was an engineering marvel and the root of an idiom about gullibility. Further upriver the Queensborough Bridge, which reached pop icon status as the Feeling Groovy bridge in a Simon and Garfunkel song, connects Queens to Manhattan. North of the Brooklyn Bridge the Williamsburg and Manhattan bridges are as much sculptures as bridges as they reach from Brooklyn into Manhattan.

Nothing Broke!

Details: Written by Dave Dave; Category: Captain's Log Captain's Log; Published: 24 September 2021 24 September 2021; Hits: 103 103

Knock on wood! In our travels from Fishers Island to Block Island and on to Old Saybrook, nothing on Second Star broke. That of course doesn’t mean everything is in perfect working order, it just means the project list didn’t get longer. We’ll count that as a success as the first few weeks of our journey was plagued with breakages big and small.

What we haven’t done much of is sail. The wind gods have seldom blessed us with fair winds. On the short hop (about 18 nm) from Fishers Island to Block Island the winds were almost favorable, but not quite. Between the tides and the wind sailing would have added time and distance that we didn’t want to add.

Stamford to Block Island

Details: Written by Susan Susan; Category: Mate's Log Mate's Log; Published: 10 September 2021 10 September 2021; Hits: 150 150

We left our home port a bit more than six weeks ago. The first two weeks we navigated the 30 locks in the Erie Canal and made our way through NYC. We got to Long Island Sound and spent a night in Oyster Bay then headed east, motoring. The boat came to a grinding halt outside of Stamford Connecticut and we had to suffer the indignity of being towed into a marina and subsequently spent almost three weeks in and around there while we got our transmission diagnosed and replaced. The boat had to be hauled out of the water, the quarter berth (where most of our stuff is kept) had to be emptied out in order for the mechanic to gain access to the engine, the refrigerator had to be emptied (because we were not connected to power) and we had to pack all of our clothes.

Under different circumstances we might have enjoyed Connecticut but honestly, we just weren’t in the mood. We were fortunate to have our boat in the capable hands of the Hinckley Boat Yard so while the delay was frustrating, we were confident in their ability to do the job and the staff were all good and friendly people. They were genuinely happy for us when we pulled off their dock last Saturday morning. (Or maybe just glad to get us out of their hair, hard to say)

Since our re-start things have mostly been wonderful. Our first night was spent anchored at Charles Island near Milford, a beautiful spot recommended by a a friend of Dave’s from one of the sailing forums. It was Labor Day weekend so it was festive until sunset and then settled into a peaceful place. The next morning dawned silver as we set out for the day. The wind picked up immediately and we were able to sail for 50 miles to Chocomount Cove, Fishers Island without having to tack..

Follow Sailing Second Star

Would you like to be notified when Sailing Second Star is updated? Sign up below to receive email notifications when new articles are posted.

We use MailChimp.com and only ask for the most basic information, first name and email address.

Affiliate Links

From time to time we may mention or review a product we have used and like. Links to those products may be affiliate links, if purchased we will receive a small referral fee. We're not in this to make money, however, a few dollars here and there help to pay the expenses for this site.

Where's Second Star? Find us on