September 24, 2014 .. moved to the Coast Guard Station for east wind protection

this is the Navel Weapons Station Earle, about 1 nm SW of Sandy Hook Lighthouse, and is patrolled by the Marine Police … close by in the middle of Sandy Hook Bay is Navy Pier, this pier is used for loading and off-loading explosives. In May 1950, an explosion on the docks killed 31 workers and shattered doors and windows for miles around .  If you venture near this facility, the first fine is hefty.

this is an abandoned military base, there must be 50 buildings here all looking alike, some we understand are being used

fishing weirs are in this area, and these fishermen are mending the nets … also in the bay, is about 30 Oyster Fishermen, fishing

in an area that we wanted to anchor is about 30 steel drums, with lights on the top, it is a fish farm, we then moved on, closer to the C. G. Station

as we got closer to our anchorage we saw about 20 officers on the beach shooting off flares, then smoke bombs … we anchored away for a few hours, as we heard on the VHF that the practice drill was ending at 11am … then back to the ideal anchoring spot

the weather was getting sunnier and warmer as the day went on, and we kept saying "we should of left this morning"  … to cure that we went for a walk on the beach

right at the spot that we beached the dinghy, was a sign with no trespassing, so we tied the dinghy line to it, (remembering what happened to us at Martha's Vineyard), and walked the other way

the beach was littered with everything plastic that you could think of …. then we remembered that this area was destroyed with Hurricane Sandy, so this was probably where most stuff ended up

it was so hard to believe all the junk, from shoes, hats, bottles, plastic everything (it floats, and does not break down)

even seats

then we saw the Horseshoe Crabs, by the hundreds, all dead

at anchor, you just don't have enough pictures of your own boat, lol

also there was layers of shells

this was rolls of cable, not too sure what it was used for

shore birds

lots of sea glass, in these pools we think the Horseshoe Crabs are caught and die before the tide returns

peeking thru the fence to take a picture of Military abandoned buildings

Joe and I are back at the dinghy getting ready to shove off and like magic out of the dunes come two Coast Guard men, to tell us that we are close to the restricted area, and to not venture onto their property.  they said that cameras were watching us .. we asked a few questions about the area and they didn't know the answers, but they said that our sailboat is alright where it is anchored

our find for the day

more Moon Shells

I've been having problems keeping the veggies healthy, so I'm trying a trick that was on face book … wrap them in tin foil and store them in the cooler

we are still at Sandy Hook … hope to leave Saturday morning !!!

September 23, 2014 ….. should of left for Cape May ? or not ?

our Canadian friends on "JUMP". Catherine and Gaven, decided to head out in the morning for Cape May, an email from them later told of their 18 hour passage, they got in at 2:30am, and anchored … the weather man did not predict the seas that they encountered … in the morning they decided to move to a dock because of the uncomfortable seas …. on their way there, they ran a ground, but managed to get them selves off, before the Coast Guard came ….  later they had to fill in Coast Guard papers, and then the Customs guys arrived, and gave them a warning, that if they don't phone in their position the next time, the fine is $5,000. dollars ….  so lesson to us, even if we come in to a new port in the middle of the night, and then next day run aground, the priority is phone the Authorities.

we second guessed our selves if we should of left at the same time as "JUMP", we are a smaller boat and the passage would of taken us at least 24 hours … we went to the fuel dock to full up, and get a $5.00 pump out .. then back to a new anchoring spot, closer to the marina

later we went to shore for a walk and came across another Horseshoe Crab, not wiggling

Joe in background with Modaki in the water

what I found on the beach … new fishing tackle

some sea glass 

a moon shell, Sharks Eye

September 22, 2014 Atlantic Highlands, N.J.

time to change the maps on our table top … from Wood Island, Mass. to Manhasset Bay, Long Island Sound, N.Y.   August 28 to Sept. 19    299 nm

thank you Mariam Gibson ( Don Gibson) for all of these maps, we use them every day

September 21, 2014 Atlantic Highlands, Sandy Hook, New Jersey

fisherman beside our boat Oyster fishing

our Canadian friends on "JUMP", Catherine and Gaven, they are from Toronto, and live aboard, and heading south like us, we met a few 100 miles before and finally caught up to them … but they have now left for Cape  May

we headed to town and wanderer what all the commotion was happening in the boat launch, diver in the water and all … see to right

a truck backing down the ramp at low tide hit the slimy part of the ramp, and it went in with the trailer attached … we found out later from " JUMP" that when the truck was finally hauled out, the lady reached into the front seat and pulled out her purse all full of ????

these are the fishing boats lined up to take people fishing, at lease 8 boats go out just about every day 

we are anchored just off the mooring field

Moroccan dinner, thanks Sue Allison for the spices, my favourite way to make supper

September 20, 2014 … New York … part 4

there she is … what we have come to see

this was a Sataurday, and there was a line up way out to the right, of thousands of people that want to walk around her, also helicopters, circling , and too many tour boats all fighting to get the closest to the statue … the wind was picking up for us and right on the nose and we turned off to head to Sandy Hook

and yet another bridge to go under

look at the people fishing on this boat, they are lined up side by side on both sides of the boat, it was very rocky, even for us 8 -10 ft seas, and our bow was under water on every 6th wave, it slowed us down to 1.5 - 2.5 knots, for the 2 hour crossing … thank goodness the tide was with us 

7 hours ….. 37 nm …. to Atlantic Highlands, Sandy Hook

we are at anchor right on the flight path to New York

I called the authorities and told our position … and he said " you did all that in one day" (Samford, C.T.  thru N.Y. state to New Jersey), "oh yes I said we had the tide with us" … okay you are checked in then …. truth be told we forgot to check in at Manhasset Bay … oops !!

September 20, 2014, …. NEW YORK, N.Y. … PART THREE

the United Nation Building

our private escort past with machine guns and all …. UN talks are in progress, and next week this side of the river is shut down, because the President of U.S.  is talking

another beautiful bridge

just about out of river where the Hudson River connects … sorry for all of these parts but wifi is not working very well