The 30 hour passage

Tuesday, Sept 2 – Julie took a couple loads of laundry ashore, planning to take a cab to get to the laundromat. She chatted with the Bernie the Launch Boat Captain who offered her to take his Cadillac…how nice is that! I stayed back for another attempt at the oil level issue…the oil had the proper consistency and didn't smell of diesel fuel…I measured our suction hose to the ‘full’ level, inserted it into the dip stick tube and started sucking…I pulled out a whole litre of oil. I was convinced that was the problem with the hiccup of the engine (too much oil causing too much pressure that feeds the oil through the breather back into the intake which fuels the engine more until it runs away…oil has the same amount of energy as diesel).

Our friend, Jamie, who just moved from Oakville to New Jersey, came to visit and stay the night. He brought with him a 1.5L bottle of Jamaican rum and 3 bottles of wine. Two days ago, Rachel from RCYC raved about the ‘skirt’ steak, so she marinated some that night and gave it to us at the party yesterday. (I had never heard of skirt steak, but she said ‘high heat for 2 minutes a side’). We BBQ’d the skirt steak and it was delicious. Another hot and humid night, Jamie decided to sleep in the cockpit…

Wednesday, Sept 3^rd -  …Jamie’s alarm went off at 06:30 as he had a 1.5 hour drive home and then on to work. We got a kick out of Jamie reminding us through the evening that he still had a “J.O.B”. and therefore wouldn't be able to join us for the overnight. We dropped the mooring lines again and took him to the dock on BoomDeYada, then made our final top up of water before heading down to Cape May later that day. We went back to the mooring ball, showered and went back to bed (we enjoy these rare opportunities). Unable to sleep too long, I got up and started last minute preparations for our departure – checked impeller (a rubber cog that spins to bring in sea water that passes through the engine to keep it cool…not real cool but not too hot), tightened up the shrouds (metal cables that hold the mast in place), emptied the four

Saying farewell to RCYC

 spare fuel tanks into the main tank, changed the batteries in SPOT GPS device, stored the fenders, side ladder and 30Amp power cord to get everything off the deck, paid for our stay on the mooring ball and then at noon, we dropped our mooring lines and headed across the Lower NY Harbour towards Sandy Hook.

Rounding Sandy Hook, there were many fishing boats, some very large tourist fishing

Large tourist fishing boat

boats that hold 40 fishermen. With no wind the seas were calm…we didn't want to motor for 20 hours, so we wished for wind…we got what wasn't forecasted, 15 knots of wind on our nose (coming right at us), we tacked back and forth and then understood what my brother Rick had said, ‘full steam ahead’…we brought down the sails and powered into the wind at 4.5 knts…not great. The 20 hour trip will take 30 hours at this rate. The winds veered a little and we motor sailed at 5-5.5 knts. Julie went below to make spaghetti for dinner, then we sat together and relaxed to watch the sunset.

Sunset

We powered up the radar (to see at night) and running lights (red & green lights on boat) Julie took first 3 hour shift. When not on shift, we both slept in the cockpit in case anything went wrong. A side from the lights a few miles to starboard along shore, the half-moon was there to help light up the sea until it went down around 01:30, then 100% we relied on the radar screen. When something would appear on the radar, which it did many times - it helped keep you awake while you analyzed what it was, and how close it was going to come. In a bitter-sweet way, it’s comforting to know that there are others out here in the night.

The engine ran flawlessly as we rolled with the swells. It was great to wake up and see the distance we had travelled…Julie was a trooper and when I asked her how she felt about her first overnight, she actually commented she had enjoyed it. We have found throughout this trip, our anxiety and apprehension is normal but overdone.

Thursday, Sept. 4^th - At sunrise, 

Sunrise

we were just passing Atlantic City, the fishing boats come out again crossing our path to get to the good fishing spots and the seas are dead calm.

Dead calm

In time, that changes and we are doing 7.5knts towards Cape May…it was one of those perfect days for sailing! Another first for our trip, a school of dolphins about 200 feet off starboard were jumping out of the water coming towards us. Julie had just commented how she looked forward to seeing her first ‘up close’ dolphins.

Rick texted us to discuss the weather system coming in, we might want to continue on up the Delaware River. We checked the winds, weather, tides & currents and everything looks good so we by-passed Cape May and continued on. We were surprised at the number of large ships

Delaware ships

coming and going on the Delaware. One must stay in the shipping channel as the Delaware has many shallow parts…they call it a river but you cannot side the banks on either side.

At the height of our trip up the Delaware, with motor, sail and current pushing us, we were doing 9knts SOG (Speed Over Ground). Then we turned to starboard for a two mile trek up the Cohansey River, where we will anchor for the night. Those two miles were tricky…2ft waves, 3knts of current and 15knt winds pushing us sideways; main sail up and motoring -  moving at 7.7knts…we weren't moving forward, we were moving on a diagonal. A mile to go and it’s a field of crab pots (crab traps below tied to a rope with a floaty thing on the surface) that we had to deke through…not easy under the circumstances. I aim low for the green buoy (20ft high metal structure) that marks the opening of the winding Cohansey River now with 2.5 knots of current pushing around the corners…we have one shot at dropping anchor in the river as it will be very difficult to turn around and come back at it. We drop our Rocna anchor and125ft of chain (the Rocna is one of the top rated anchors for setting quickly and holding power…it helps us sleep better at night…a great investment)

Canadian vessel from Vancouver, B.C.

Julie offered for me to clean up first; I sh**, shower, shave and pour an anchor drink in that order! Aaaah….after 30 hours we and the engine get a well-deserved rest. While sitting in the cockpit studying the winds, weather, tides and currents for tomorrow, a large different looking boat enters the river…and she’s flying a Canadian flag!
 Julie and decided that there was no choice but to leave at 06:00 in the morning to move with the current and beat the bad weather expected for the area.