Hudson, NY

We took our time leaving Marlboro on Tuesday, June 20 because I had a Spanish lesson and Jonny took Archie for a long walk.  We had a shorter cruise planned for Hudson, NY, on the east bank of  the Hudson River, so we left at 10:50 for the five plus hour cruise.  It was another beautiful day, sunny with perfect temperatures in the 70’s.  And how relaxing it is not to have to worry about rough seas!

We passed a couple of the unique Hudson River lighthouses along the way.

And periodically, long trains sped along the river banks on both sides heading back and forth from NYC to the many towns lining the shore.

We arrived by 4:10 and pulled up to the dock of the Hudson Power Boat Association with the help of some friendly boaters there.  The current on the Hudson is strong and all the marinas are right on the river so it can be a little tricky to dock when the current is at its peak.  As indicated by the name, all the boats were power boats, not a sailboat in sight.  The guys were super nice, all “regular” guys, an adjective that Jonny makes fun of me for using but I feel is very descriptive!

The vice commodore, a fellow named Frank, was eager to show us his trawler and invited us aboard to regale us with some of his boat purchasing adventures.  He was the president of his union and originally from Queens. He now has a home in Hudson as well as one in Fort Lauderdale where he owns another good sized power boat.  We invited him onboard Zendo and had a fun time talking with him.

Once we got settled we walked into the town of Hudson which is really quite impressive. Our original plan was to briefly explore the town, have a drink and then return for dinner onboard. But we were so entranced by Hudson, its architecture, leafy streets and attractive shops and restaurants that we took our time exploring.

We walked all the way up to the lovely town green which was surrounded by very impressive churches and the town hall.  

We were especially intrigued by the name of this one -  Rock Solid Church.

By this time, we were hungry as well as thirsty so we decided to stop for a light bite.  We were surprised to find that a number of restaurants are only open from Thursday through Sunday. Apparently, Hudson is a very popular weekend destination for NYC folks. Therefore, many restaurants take advantage of that phenomenon and limit the days they are open. We managed to find an appealing restaurant called Savona’s Trattoria and Bar where we had pizza and salad in their shady outdoor patio. Note the picture of the serviceman on the lamp post outside the restaurant.  The streets of both Marlboro and Hudson were lined with photos of service men and women who had lost their lives in the line of battle. They were very moving remembrances and we are becoming more aware of seeing them in other towns we’ve visited along the river. 

Afterward we had a comfortable evening onboard.  We had made plans to visit the Olana State Historic Site the next morning before continuing our cruise up the Hudson. 

Marlboro, NY

Our mornings are taking on a similar pattern of late with Jonny taking Archie in to shore while I squeeze in some exercise time. But by 8:10 on Monday, June 19 we were ready to leave our mooring and resume our cruise up the Hudson. It was a beautiful, sunny day with temperatures in the 70’s, just perfect.  This part of the Hudson is very scenic as the river curves along hilly, forested banks.

We passed West Point, high on a granite cliff on the west side of the river, as well as a castle nestled into the shore on the river’s east bank.

We chose to stay in Marlboro because it was recommended by one of the cruising guides as having several good vineyards nearby with tasting rooms. There weren’t any good anchorages so we called a local marina and the Marlboro Yacht Club to see if they had a slip for us. The yacht club was more inviting (and cheaper) so we chose to stay there.  The members couldn’t have been more friendly and welcoming.  The current was strong and they helped us tie up and we decided on our plan for the afternoon.  The club has been undergoing a lot of upgrades including beautiful new docks, a lovely swimming pools and apparently even new signage!

The hamlet of Marlboro is located on a steep hill above the river and the marina.  The vineyard we chose to visit was 2 miles away. Although we could have walked it, trudging uphill did not sound like fun, so we called an Uber - a good decision (as was leaving Archie onboard).  The Benmarl Vineyard was lovely and very busy given that it was a holiday - Juneteenth.  (We were surprised to learn how many employers now give their employees that day off, which goes to show how long it’s been since we were in the workforce!)  We sat outside surrounded by gorgeous views and enjoyed our wine flights.

When it came time to leave, we called both Uber and Lyft but neither of them responded with an available driver. So we walked the two miles back to Zendo which wasn’t as bad as it could have been since it was all downhill! On our way back we passed a bar called The Falcon that is known for its popular musical acts.  A man standing nearby encouraged us to walk down a path behind the building to a beautiful waterfall and ravine that was completely hidden from the road.  It was a cool little discovery. From there we only had to walk a little further down the hill to arrive back at the marina.

The marina’s friendly commodore came by to introduce himself and we learned from the dockmaster that his boat had recently been used to film an episode of Pokerface, a very entertaining show on Peacock that we had just finished watching. The episode was filmed at this marina on the dockmaster’s boat  (Knot Appropriate) and it was interesting to hear all about what goes on when filming an episode on location.

That evening we finished the majority of our leftovers and planned for the next two days of our journey.  Next stop will be Hudson, NY.

Nyack, NY

After a calm and restful night in Sheepshead Bay, Jonny got up early on Sunday, June 18 to take Archie to do his business while I exercised on board. Stephanie called to wish Jonny a Happy Father’s Day and to tell him about the gift he will be receiving - a sous vide machine, which he is very excited about!

We left by 8:35 and cruised up the Hudson on another beautiful, sunny day. We passed the Statue of Liberty, always a stunning sight, and the dramatic Manhattan skyline. 

 

It was a relief to travel on the calm waters of the Hudson River. The scenery as we left NYC was bucolic on both sides of the river.

We reached our mooring at the Nyack Boat Club by 2:35. After a short rest and a quick shower we contacted the launch which took us to shore. The clubhouse looks like a traditional Victorian style home - not at all what one would expect.

From there we walked all through the lovely downtown of Nyack stopping at restaurants to peruse their menus. The downtown is charming with lots of interesting architecture and shops, outdoor restaurants, shady trees and a colorful, friendly vibe.

Jonny was in charge of choosing where he wanted to have dinner since it was Father’s Day.  There were lots of choices, many of them ethnic, and he chose a Greek restaurant called Kavos Grill. It was a lively, local place with friendly staff and diners.  Sitting outside there were several tables with small dogs so it was definitely a fun and inviting atmosphere and the food was hearty and good.  We enjoyed talking to the couple at the table next to us.  It was a nice way to end the day. 

Afterwards, we headed back to Zendo on the launch whose driver used to live on a boat very near to us in Miami.  Such a small world!  Then we settled in for a quiet evening in our beautiful anchorage.

Sheepshead Bay, NY

After a blissfully calm night at our quiet anchorage in Barnegat Light, we woke up early on Saturday, June17 and took Archie for a walk through that tidy seaside town. There is a big dog park nearby but it is locked and only open to residents who always let us in. This time, as Jonny discovered last night, no one was using it. Instead, we walked across the narrow barrier island to the beach, but dogs aren’t allowed there at this time of year.

Returning to Zendo, we pulled up the anchor at 8:35 and took off for our long cruise up the Jersey shore to Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club in Brooklyn.  It was a beautiful day with relatively calm seas and the weather was welcome after our stormy day yesterday. As we approached New York City the sky became quite hazy and the smell of smoke from the Canadian forest fires was in the air.  All was calm until we were just outside of Sheepshead Bay.  All of a sudden, the skies clouded up and it poured rain.  Jonny slowed us down so we could linger outside the entrance to the bay until the storm passed.  And fortunately it was short lived and we were able to safely enter the yacht club and get our assigned mooring.

Once we were tied up, we took the launch into shore to take Archie for a walk. This is not an attractive part of town but we knew of a waterfront park a half mile away and we headed there.  Next to the park is a beach where we were able to let Archie off his leash for a walk.

There were less than half a dozen people on the beach.  Not surprising because it was strewn with tons of seaweed filled with what looked like deteriorating plastic bags. It was quite an astonishing site to see.  When we returned to the marina we asked one of the members why and and he explained that it was the result of storm drains in the surrounding area discharging garbage that ended up on the bay’s beaches. It’s another convincing reason for us to drastically reduce our use of plastic.

Jonny prepared our dinner of meatloaf, potatoes and broccoli and we had a quiet evening onboard catching up on the news and other entertainment. Tomorrow we continue our journey heading up the Hudson River.  Next stop, Nyack, NY.

Barnegat Light, NJ

We left Cape May very early on Friday, June 16 because we anticipated a long trip up the coast of New Jersey and thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon.  Our initial plan was to reach Atlantic City by noon and anchor in nearby Brigantine.  After Jonny took Archie into shore to do his business, we left promptly at 6 a.m.  The day started off quite pleasantly with somewhat overcast skies and calm seas.

As we cruised by Atlantic City, we were making good time because the current was in our favor. It looked like we could make it to Barnegat Bay before the storms moved in so we decided to go for it and travel another 28 miles or 4 hours which would get us there by 3.

However, as we got beyond Atlantic City, the radio started broadcasting the imminent arrival of a string of strong thunderstorms. The radar showed that they were largely behind us and we were far enough offshore to be “relatively” safe so we kept going. We proceeded to batten down the hatches, donned life vests and contacted the Coast Guard to let them know we were out on the water and got ready to ride it out. Somehow we managed to fortify ourselves with lunch prior to the storm’s onslaught.

The sky got progressively darker as the storm clouds moved in. As the rain started, thunder and lightening followed and we had periods of torrential rain. It was pretty scary (though Jonny insisted that he was only worried if the wind kicked up too much).  Fortunately it did not and he very deftly steered us through the severe line of thunderstorms that lasted almost two hours.  We were very lucky to have ended up between some of the worst storm cells according to the radar map. During the peak of the storm, our visibility was limited to what was on the radar screen.

By around 3, the storm moved on just as we neared Barnegat Light.  Jonny safely guided Zendo into the familiar inlet and we entered a sea of calmness. What a relief!  We found our usual anchorage and dropped the hook.  Inside Zendo we put away all the things that had fallen off shelves and settled our nerves with calming cups of tea and ginger cookies. It was a nerve-wracking experience.  Little Archie was a trooper having glued himself to my side throughout the day’s journey.

After a very quick rest, Jonny took Archie for a dinghy ride onto shore while I had my regularly scheduled book club meeting with my sister and niece. (We just finished Maya Angelou’s Why the Caged Bird Sings).

Later on we had a delicious dinner of shrimp scampi and zucchini and did some trip planning. Tomorrow we head to Sheepshead Bay in NY and then on to the Hudson River.  All’s well that ends well on this calm night in a lovely anchorage!

Cape May, NJ

We spent two weeks in May and June traveling to Delaware City and getting Zendo ready for our 2023 journey. It was wonderful to visit close friends on our three day drive north. And staying with Stephanie and Ryan in Philly was a blast and especially fun for Archie and Stephanie and Ryan’s 11 month old Corgi, Eloise.

Our initial  plan for  this season was to go back to Maine and travel further down east.  But due to commitments we have with MTOA in Long Island and the Chesapeake, Maine just wasn’t doable. Plan B is to travel up the Hudson River to Lake Champlain.  We even bought tickets to a two day jazz festival in Saratoga Springs! 

But the first step was to launch Zendo which had been “shrink wrapped” for the winter. 

Unfortunately, after launching her, we ran into considerable delays prepping her for the journey and dealing with Jonny’s lingering issues from the cataract surgery he had in January.  And just as we were about to leave on June 13 for the proverbial “shake-down cruise,” the steering on the flybridge went out. Fortunately, we hadn’t gotten very far, so we just turned around (with difficulty) and headed back to the dock.  The steering mechanism was skillfully rebuilt by one of the marina’s marine techs and we were ready to go following a day of stormy weather.

So happily, we took off for our 2023 cruising adventure at 8 am on Thursday, June 15. It was a perfect day for the long cruise to Cape May.  The weather was sunny, temperatures were in the 70’s and with no wind, the waters were calm.  It was a long day and the three of us fell into our usual routines with the Captain feeling relaxed enough to take a quick nap.

The currents were in our favor most of the way and we made it to Cape May in good time arriving by 3:15.  We headed to our favorite anchorage near the Coast Guard station but had a little trouble getting a good placement in the anchorage which was much smaller due to the presence of a large barge.  After a few tries, we finally got settled.  After that, we all boarded the dinghy for a ride to our favorite fish market which is run by the popular Lobster House restaurant.  As we arrived at the dock the dingy engine quit on us but fortunately Jonny got it started to get us in.  

We headed over to Utsch’s  Marina which is next to the fish market where we stocked up on hake, shrimp, crab soup, shrimp salad, cole slaw and potato salad which will keep us satiated for quite a few days.  At the marina store Jonny was able to snag the last fuel line to replace the one on our dinghy which was the probable cause of the problem with the outboard.

Back at Zendo, we unpacked our goodies.  Jonny made a delicious dinner of hake and zucchini on the grill with roasted potatoes.  We settled down for the night, so happy to finally be on our way!