Long Island Sound

Before leaving NYC, son Greg inspected HD, gave her the OK, tried to trick us into a chain restaraunt for pizza, and ended up joining us for dinner and apple crisp on HD instead! He has signed up for crew later this trip.
The ride around NYC and the infamous Hell's Gate, where the East River, Harlem River and Long Island Sound meet, was memorable. We reached a record speed of 11kts, helped by a 5+ knot current, as we rode the incoming tide into Long Island Sound.
After a brief stop at City Island to make arrangements for replacement of the broken hot water heater, we were off to Oyster Bay. Beautiful place with lots of sailboats.
Visited Teddy Roosevelt's home at Sycamore Hill. Very interesting hour long tour-one of the tidbits we learned was that Teddy always took the coldest shower he could stand to ready him for the events of the coming day. Since then, our cold showers have been more bearable... but, still anxious for the new hot water heater to be installed next week!
We crossed the Sound to the captain's childhood home in Greenwich, Connecticut. Enjoyed three days of the very pleasant town with dining choices everywhere to enjoy. Of course, visited Starbucks, our first since Cleveland a month ago.
We are now in Norwalk, Connecticut where we have sailed and dined with the Jonathan Mathias Family the last two days. This morning we made the decision to have HD pulled out of the water in preparation for the coming of "Irene" in a couple of days.
Not being the only boat owners with this idea, we had no luck calling all the marinas up and down the coast-they were all too busy hauling out their own clients! The first mate suggested a prayer by the crew and after a short talk with Him, our phone rang and the captain's brother, Jonathan, suggested we go down to a marina we had already called and were put on a waiting list to be hauled out.
The Captain biked the two miles and unexpectedly was met with, " fill out a work order and we will haul you out today". So we sit "on the hard" in the parking lot of Norwalk Cove Marina on the shores of Long Island Sound awaiting Irene. Unfortunately due to the work load at the marina they are not unstepping the mast which would be preferable given  the expected winds to come.
The crew is grateful for what we have been given and will be preparing HD  during the next two days to best survive the storm.
While we are out of the water we are able to have two maintenance items performed that would have been a challenge while floating.
The crew is hopeful that our next posting will be uneventful.

Finished the Canals in six days and 30+ locks to arrive at the town of  Waterford, NY at the  junction of the Hudson River. Spent 3 days at the complimentary town dock complete with electric, water and showers. Reprovisoned HD's frigdrator and propane tanks and took in the on dock farmers market with the best watermelon the crew can recall.
 Took the opportunity to use Pric Chopper's dingy dock on the Hudson River to make easy work of the bulky bottles of water including the usual over indulgence of Pelligrino when it is available.
After a night anchored on the Hudson, HD arrived in Catskill, NY's Hop-O-Nose Marina to have her mast stepped. The mast survived the trucking over from Oswego and was ready to have her standing and running rigging reattached by the crew. A day and a half later the stick was set in place, boom attached and left for the crew to make her ready to sail again. Another two days and she was ready to go but not before her domestic water pump joined the not working hot water heater.
 Since this was 3:15 Friday afternoon while we awaited Ali and Phil's arrival for three days of sailing the crew sprang into action. Ordered a new one from Defender with Saturday delivery and went about grilling hot dogs and enjoying our new crew.
Luckily the next morning while the captain was beginning to disassemble the water pump for the expected arrival of the new one he discovered a second fuse in line that was blown. After a quick trip to the local Napa Auto Store in the Marina's communal SUV a new fuse restored flowing water.
A good thing too as the "Saturday" delivery has not arrived at the marina as of this Sunday night writing. Phil has offered to gather it up when he retrieves his truck later this week and pass it on to HD to have as a spare.
Finally got away from the dock around noon for a first day of fine sailing with the new crew doing all the duties. The wind, while on our, was a respectable 7 to 14 knots all day in sunny conditions. After a day of tacking with speeds just below hull speed we anchored of Kingston to enjoy Ali's ratatouille with her home grown veggies, fresh baked baguettes and Cin's just baked apple crisp.
The next day was all rain and motoring to half moon bay, 30 miles north of NYC, our destination to re posit Ali and Phil baked to their life.

On to NEW ENGLAND.........

The Barge in the Ditch

After a six day layover in Oswego beginning with unstepping and wrapping the mast for shipping to the Hudson and ending with a few days of leisure eating NY pizza and participating in "Harbor Fest".

Toured both the Rail road and Maritime Muesums. Very Interesting. The picture of the Grey militray tug is a working vessel left over from the big war. Seems the US built 17 of these to transport supplies during Operation Overlord.This one was there. It and its' siblings had to cross the Atlantic to the
UK to get in position for the big day. It carries 40,000 gallons of diesel, which at today's prices would set the debt ridden US back almost $200,000.  It is very high and not very wide (or long, for that matter) so it must have been one heck of a ride across the pond. The crew thanked her for being there and preserving the freedoms we have today.

The fireworks were plentiful and our vantage from Jim & Donna's Freedom 40 was unbeatable.
While "on the wall" in Oswego HD was inundated with "beautiful boat, what is that or this...".Also had the opportunity to be up close and personal to a cigarette boat and her crew of beer drinking, rap music playin' partiers. Made this crew grateful for not having to do that anymore to "enjoy" life.
Been in the Erie Canal for five days and have only two more days to the Hudson River.
Uneventful and mostly mundane especially as the crew is looking forward to cruising New England with what is left of summer. HD is anxious to get her rig back on top to be the sailing vessel she is proud to be.
Stopped yesterday in Little Falls which is an old manufacturing town ( what towns aren't up here?) and it was the type of town the crew had been expecting more of in the Ditch. Coffee shops and boutiques. We provisioned and continued the journey East.
The crew is convinced they are sailors not stink pottersand is so looking forward to the Hudson River and getting the mast back in place.