Blue Belle Cruise 2016 from Cape Cod to Newburgh on the Hudson River

2016 08 03 Wednesday Haverstraw, NY

If we thought 9 ½ people in the Hamptons was a boatload, we were now up to a planning number of 12! Egad. Mary, my sister-in-law, could not be cajoled into joining us because of a traumatic ride on our sailboat about 30 years ago. When Jaclyn’s boyfriend, Danny could not get out of work, we launched with a manageable (?) 11 of us aboard. Three generations! My brother, John, Kathleen, my niece had her three along and niece Christine with her three.

John and Jaclyn
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James and Jillian

Jillian, Lauren, Brenna, and James

Kathleen, Christine, and Brenna

Jillian and Owen

Brenna, Owen and Jillian

Lauren and James

It was simply a gorgeous day on the river. The kids sprawled out up on the bow and ran along the decking. I found my head swiveling to make sure they made it safely from bow to stern. We cruised past the Indian Point nuclear plant and the infamous Sing Sing Prison to pass under the Bear Mountain Bridge. Farther up, we slowed up to see the impressive grounds of West Point. Having traveled the Hudson by boat on four or five trips, I find this area the most beautiful part. Once we got to Bannerman’s Island, it was time for a swim. James, now 15, opted not to go in, his mother speculating that he did not want to get his gorgeous head of meticulously styled hair wet. But there was no stopping Owen and Jillian. Owen, the youngest of the group is fearless. He reported to us that the water was “thin” and didn’t taste good. We forgot to tell Owen not to drink the water. Anyway, obviously, this is a kid used to the buoyancy of the ocean’s salt water. Once again, I worried that the strong current would sweep the kids away. Out came the boat lines and boat cushion to keep them from being carried downstream.

West Point

Bannerman Island Arsenal

All the kids are cute and it was really nice to see how all these cousins get along so well. It was really a treat to spend time with them. Once everyone unloaded, we headed back to Johnny and Mary’s for burgers. My niece, Marybeth, stopped by from work, so we at least got a chance to see her for a short while.

Headed South under the Bear Mountain Bridge

Blue Belle Farewell

Before heading off, Johnny took us up to the cemetery where Bert’s uncle, Robert is buried. I’m not sure how Johnny ever found it as the field is marked only by flat markers and the grass is high enough that only a few are visible. No other visitors there except for a family of deer.

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CLICK HERE for all the photos from the trip. Warning: There are almost 300 pictures on the photo site. Click on any picture to enlarge, and look for the slideshow option for best viewing.

2016 08 04 Thursday - Haverstraw, NY

Today is “friend day.” Ellen and Danny Galligan, good friends who live in New City, about five miles from the marina will join us in the afternoon. Danny and Ellen also worked with us at IBM and rent a unit in our building in Florida during the winter. Best of all, they were born in the Bronx, so we can reminisce and bore Bert to death with questions like “do you remember this place, that person, this parish, that school……”)

Kalmar Nyckel from the Haverstraw Marina Pool

With a morning to while away, we head to the pool at the marina. What great fortune! There are only three people there, one of them a lifeguard, the second, her boyfriend. The pool overlooks the Hudson. Looking out we see a very old sailing ship coming up the river. At the very same time, we receive a text from Danny telling us to be on the lookout for the Sailing Ship Kalmar Nyckel. It is a reproduction of the ship sailed by Peter Minuit in the 1600’s in settling the Delaware valley.

Sailing Ship at Cold Spring, NY
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Danny and Ellen arrive around 2:00 and once again we head upriver. Except for a tray of chips and salsa flying off the dinette, we have a pleasant ride. The Galligans have destroyed all chances of avoiding sweets on this trip. They bring a big box of biscotti and a large apple crumb cake. We’re doomed. To top it off, they also bring us a bottle of Sapphire gin that they won’t drink. Wow! We head up to Newburgh, NY and catch up, close and personal with the Kalmar Nyckel.

Kalmar Nyckel at Newburgh, NY

Once off the boat, the Galligans take us to a little bistro in Tappan called Giostra. We have what is our best meal of the trip. A great stop. We drive back to the boat and bid our farewells. This is our final day in Haverstraw and we will now begin the junket back to the Cape.

2016 08 05 Friday - Haverstraw, NY to Stamford, Ct

Hook Mountain, Nyack, NY

More Tappan Zee Bridge construction, amazing project!

Rather than backtrack down the Harlem River, we decide to go all the way around Manhattan. We are in no hurry and the weather is good. Last year, during very early morning hours we entered NY harbor from the ocean side. It was spectacular to pass the Statue of Liberty. This time the ride was a bit more hair-raising. It is peak tourist season and every touring boat and ferry is in lower Manhattan, going full tilt back and forth from Manhattan to Ellis Island, Governor’s Island, Staten Island and every other island. It’s like driving among the cabbies in Manhattan. Police boats are out and helicopters fly low overhead.

George Washington Bridge

The little lighthouse under the east end of the George Washington Bridge

New York Skyline

Freedom Tower in the center

Statute of Liberty

Ellis Island

It’s a dicey getting through the congestion, but the real difficulty comes from all the boat wakes colliding in a rather narrow piece of water. We marvel at the number of sailboats that can only go so fast who appear to be playing “chicken” with the ferries. In case of tie, ferries always win.

Going north on the East River

Unexpected river traffic lands across the bow

We are happy to make the turn from the Hudson to the East River in one piece. The pass through Hell Gate is uneventful so this is a good thing.

We have never stayed at Stamford, so we find a marina online TMG Anchor Point which is part of a development of pricey rental apartments. In spite of being tied up right at the end of the dock by the harbor channel, we have a fairly smooth night.

Stamford Harbor, Ct

The pool at the marina is beautiful but is quite a hike along a long expanse of a new boardwalk that runs around the entire complex. One positive point about this area is that there is a free water taxi that will take you to a couple of stops where there are popular restaurants. Two people recommended that we eat at Prime which is a very “in” place that just opened in early July. The place is mobbed with “beautiful people” and the hostess estimates we will have a 1 ½ hour wait for a table. We give her our name and go to the bar for a drink, hoping she will have a cancellation. No such luck. In the meantime, we glance at the a la carte menu and an 8 oz. filet mignon is $52. Taxi! Taxi! Back to the Café Blue Belle for some pulled chicken sliders. Price? $0.

Lighthouse at the Stamford breakwater,... got paint?

2016 08 06 Saturday - Stamford, Ct to Norwich, Ct

The original Nautilus submarine, now a museum at Groton, Ct
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We cruise slowly, as required, past the naval base in Groton where the submarines are docked. As large, low gray masses, they are hardly visible above the water line. The showcase submarine, of course, is the Nautilus, the first ever nuclear-powered sub.

Skies open at the marina

Once at Norwich, we tie up at the Marina at American Wharf. It’s time again to do more laundry. Not a bad decision as it is overcast and unlike Lighthouse Marina in Aquebogue, it’s a real bargain…..only $1.25 a load. Bert heads back to the boat and suddenly the skies open. I wait under their entertainment tent with my freshly dried laundry for what seems forever. There was an empty bucket on the back deck of the boat. Within a matter of 20 minutes, it captures 2-3 inches of rain.

Bert spends a solid hour trying to fix one of the windshield wiper blades. It sounds like a small issue but one douse of salt water while we’re underway and visibility is terrible. I’m impressed that he stuck with the problem for so long and also that he actually managed to fix it. A huge relief.

Mohegan Sun

Water View of Mohegan Sun

Tonight we will head to Mohegan Sun to make our annual donation. The marina runs a free shuttle from and to the casino which is only about 10-15 minutes away. First we grab a bite at the marina restaurant. While there, the skies open and another inch or so comes down in no time flat.

Mohegan comes out the winner tonight, but the damage is limited to $60 this time. There was no repeat of my $3650 win on a fifty cent bet a number of years ago. Our shuttle driver, is Alex who is heading off to college in a couple of weeks. He works two jobs and is really personable. If you were interviewing someone for a job, you’d hire Alex.

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CLICK HERE for all the photos from the trip. Warning: There are almost 300 pictures on the photo site. Click on any picture to enlarge, and look for the slideshow option for best viewing.

2016 08 07 Sunday - Norwich, Ct to New London, Ct

Restaurant at the marina

Norwich, CT

Marina at Norwich

Leaving Norwich, Ct

We’re slowing the trip down a bit by making the decision to just get down to the mouth of the Thames at New London. Again, we’ve never made this stop so we consult the guide book to see which marina seems to be the best one for the evening. We opt for Burr’s Marina. Not the best choice by a long shot. Note to self: When the marina does not offer wi-fi, it is probably not a good marina.

Entering the slip area, we can see that it is a pole tie-up, not a floating dock. This means jockeying the boat side-to-side and back and forth to attach lines to tall poles at four points, while criss-crossing the lines off the stern. I hate this stuff! I have to run the decks like a rat in a maze. An old rat at that. A young dockhand jumps aboard and doesn’t do much better than I can by myself. Boat owners on either side also join in to get us settled.

Blue Belle "strangled" at the dock, 7' tide swings

Another hot day, so we head to the pool. The high retaining wall surrounding half the pool is crumbling and looks like it will collapse. A pudgy little guy named Riley, and his sister, have taken over the pool. Dad sits across from where they are jumping in. I’m guessing Riley is about three. I’m guessing, too, that Riley’s folks told him never to pee in the pool. Why do I think that? Riley proceeds to pull out his equipment from the side of his training undies and pees directly on the concrete right next to the steps into the pool. No one says a word. Good job, buddy! Swim time is over.

The "wreck room" at Burr's Marina

We walk up to the restaurant where it appears there is a drug sale underway from the trunk of a car. Dinner at On the Waterfront is actually quite good, but we will not be returning to Burr’s, or New London for that matter.

CLICK HERE to go to the next day

CLICK HERE for all the photos from the trip. Warning: There are almost 300 pictures on the photo site. Click on any picture to enlarge, and look for the slideshow option for best viewing.