Yesterday we spent the day ashore in Shelter Island. Beautiful scenery, nice people, good food, quiet mooring. I seemed a shame to move on without looking around. In the afternoon I found myself sitting on a beach with an ice cream and a beer, throwing stones idly into the tide. For months and months every waking minute has been spent on OSTAR preparation, and then in Newport it was all fun, fun, fun, busy, busy… Suddendly it dawned on me that that part of my life is all over. A strange hollow feeling developed inside. Is this boredom? Of course it didn’t take long for new personal challenges and goals to start popping into my mind, but first things first. I’m still on the wrong side of the Atlantic, cruising, and I have a date with the Statue of Liberty on the 4th of July!

We had a really great bbq right next to the boat last night. One of the bottles of champagne I was given on the OSTAR finish line was quickly polished off. And we had an early night. What’s happening to me?

This morning we were all up early for the long sail to Port Jefferson. We came back round the North end of Shelter Island, and squeezed ourselves through the gap between Long Island and Plum Island (a narrow treacherous passage by the name of “Plum Gut”) to get back into Long Island Sound. Conditions were super with 15knts breeze, albeit from the wrong direction, but still warm, and flat water.

We made great progress down the Sound until mid-afternon when the breeze started to die off. It was at this point the tragedy of the day was discovered. Somebody forgot to replenish the beer stocks after the bbq last night, so we found ourselves in 24deg water, 26deg air, and not a beer to be had! Bad form… Soon we were under engine again making directly for Port Jefferson.

As we came through the narrow channel into the harbour the local ferry, the “PT Barnum” passed us. According to the guidebook apparently Barnum was a resident, and as well as building the famous circus he also set up the local ferry company back in the late 1800’s. We pulled into the marina at 20.00, conspicuous in the fact that we’re one of the few non-“superyachts” here.

Time now for a shower and dinner, before what sould be a shorter day on the water tomorrow heading to Manhasset, the last stop before the Big Apple.

Barry

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 4:10 am and is filed under Newport to Manhatten.