After waiting 5 days the weather/winds finally calm down and we make our last passage in the open Atlantic from Manasquan, New Jersey around Sandy Hook and arrive in New York at the mouth of the Hudson River. This also marks the beginning of our transition from saltwater to freshwater. It will take a couple hundred miles of going upstream in the Hudson until we are in totally “fresh” water, but this also makes us remember that Happy Happy was baptized into saltwater almost 2 years ago as we left the lock on the Black Warrior River/Tennessee Tombigbee and entered upper Mobile Bay.
Midway on our crossing of Raritan Bay we are greeted by the breaching of a whale (likely a humpback)!!! How special (and unlikely) is that!?
As it turns out, the Hudson, like Chesapeake Bay, after decades of work in response to understanding the impacts of poor water management practices is responding! Whales, seals, eagles, Oh my!!
Our first stop is at the Great Kills Yacht Club on Staten Island where another one of the AGLCA’s Harbor Hosts keeps his boat and works to support loopers as they transit the area. From here we’re able to take a convenient metro train and the famous (and free) Staten Island Ferry to downtown Manhattan for some sightseeing in the Big A.
One of the “roots” highlights of the trip includes a Chinatown lunch at the restaurant of Timmy Moy, a distant cousin Terry met at his house in the home village of San Hew/Din Fun, Taishan Province. What a small world.
From the non-stop action of New York City we start the next major run away from the Atlantic Ocean and saltwater going upstream on the Hudson River on our way to the St Lawrence Seaway and Canada.
This next segment includes cruising through the remote and unspoiled Hudson River valley, Lake Champlain and the upstate waters of Vermont before we cross into Canada.
The 911 Memorial, a powerfully special place.
