"A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations which require the use of his superior skill." - Frank Borman
In this case it's Roger Long on SV Strider!!!
After a false start earlier in the year when I bailed out on Roger's sail north from Cape May to the Hudson, I got to spend last Friday and Saturday, and a wee bit of Sunday accompanying Roger on his trip south from Croton, NY to Cape May.
The superior judgement in this case, refers in part to Roger's weather forecasting abilities. I bailed out of his trip north for fear of becoming seasick on what would be my first overnight and offshore sail. On the south leg, however, Roger postponed the planned departure a couple of times and found the perfect window to get to Cape May.
We left Croton mid-morning on Friday and proceeded to motor-sail down the Hudson. The plan was to anchor off Coney Island and continue the next day to Atlantic City. Conditions when we cruised under the Verranzano Bridge were looking pretty good though. Roger asked if I was up to continuing on instead of anchoring. I was ready! We continued on towards Sandy Hook, sailing grounds that I am familiar with doing day trips. Once south of there, though, it was new territory for me and night was falling.
Roger says they were "sizable swells". "Am I going to chum the fish?", I asked myself. Roger very discretely brought out the can of crystallized ginger. "One of my favorite snacks" he said as he passed it to me ;-) We had some dinner and settled into the rhythm and the darkness. I was given the 24:00 - 04:00 watch, so soon after dinner I hit the berth.
I slept on and off, waking a few times wishing I had a lee cloth. Rolling out at 23:30, I saw Roger had his foulies jacket on ... hmmm, must have gotten chillier. I donned my wool sweater, windproof fleece and then my jacket. Later in the night I wished I started the layers with my long sleeved base layer too, but was not totally uncomfortable. The chill helped keep me alert on my first midnight watch.
As Roger warned, the western view was nothing but a blurry string of lights shining from every town along the Jersey Shore. To the east, however, the night sky was sparkling with stars. The first part of the watch, there was also a line of passenger jets lined up for JFK with their landing lights on. Later, towards the end of my watch, a planet shown in the east (Jupiter?) that stood out like a large diamond. On the less majestic side of things, the glare of the casino lights from Atlantic City was visible most of the watch, and growing gaudier every mile.
As the clock hit 04:00, Roger was back on deck, and it was my turn to report "All is well on Strider". And off to the saloon I went, but only for an hour or two ... I wanted to be up top for our approach to Atlantic City.
Big hotel/casinos, entire skyscraper facades turned into massive LED billboards ... ugh ... oh well. The approach to the anchorage was uneventful, but we found a large SV already docked at the fuel dock. We anchored out for an hours nap ... and around 07:00 we were up and debating whether I should disembark in order to make it home in time for work Monday, or continue on to Cape May. Continue on!!! Roger knew we had enough fuel to make it to the Cape and we didn't need to wait for the boat at the fuel dock.
Heading south again, we found favorable winds and were able to shut down the iron genny and find the peace there is under sail. What a day!
We made it into Cape May by mid-afternoon. By the time we fueled and headed back toward the anchorage, there was already competition for the prime spots. Roger deftly dropped and set the anchor and we were the third boat at the anchorage. A couple of the 5 or 6 boats that made it in after us provided entertainment with their anchoring antics while Roger and I "taste-tested" a few of the IPAs onboard.
We kept a cruiser's schedule and were in the sack not too long after dinner. The cadence of the Coast Guard Cadets on drill reminded us where we were anchored. And with the bugler's tattoo, it was lights out.
Roger needed an early departure in the morning to make it up the Delaware, so at 07:00 I was off to the hardest part of the weekend - a bus trip back to NYC and train home from there.
So all-in-all, what a weekend it was! I got offshore for the first time. I overnighted for the first time. And I had one hell of a great time with Roger! Thank you Captain!
Now all I have to do is retire and get rid of that damn schedule! ;-)
In this case it's Roger Long on SV Strider!!!
After a false start earlier in the year when I bailed out on Roger's sail north from Cape May to the Hudson, I got to spend last Friday and Saturday, and a wee bit of Sunday accompanying Roger on his trip south from Croton, NY to Cape May.
The superior judgement in this case, refers in part to Roger's weather forecasting abilities. I bailed out of his trip north for fear of becoming seasick on what would be my first overnight and offshore sail. On the south leg, however, Roger postponed the planned departure a couple of times and found the perfect window to get to Cape May.
We left Croton mid-morning on Friday and proceeded to motor-sail down the Hudson. The plan was to anchor off Coney Island and continue the next day to Atlantic City. Conditions when we cruised under the Verranzano Bridge were looking pretty good though. Roger asked if I was up to continuing on instead of anchoring. I was ready! We continued on towards Sandy Hook, sailing grounds that I am familiar with doing day trips. Once south of there, though, it was new territory for me and night was falling.
Roger says they were "sizable swells". "Am I going to chum the fish?", I asked myself. Roger very discretely brought out the can of crystallized ginger. "One of my favorite snacks" he said as he passed it to me ;-) We had some dinner and settled into the rhythm and the darkness. I was given the 24:00 - 04:00 watch, so soon after dinner I hit the berth.
I slept on and off, waking a few times wishing I had a lee cloth. Rolling out at 23:30, I saw Roger had his foulies jacket on ... hmmm, must have gotten chillier. I donned my wool sweater, windproof fleece and then my jacket. Later in the night I wished I started the layers with my long sleeved base layer too, but was not totally uncomfortable. The chill helped keep me alert on my first midnight watch.
As Roger warned, the western view was nothing but a blurry string of lights shining from every town along the Jersey Shore. To the east, however, the night sky was sparkling with stars. The first part of the watch, there was also a line of passenger jets lined up for JFK with their landing lights on. Later, towards the end of my watch, a planet shown in the east (Jupiter?) that stood out like a large diamond. On the less majestic side of things, the glare of the casino lights from Atlantic City was visible most of the watch, and growing gaudier every mile.
As the clock hit 04:00, Roger was back on deck, and it was my turn to report "All is well on Strider". And off to the saloon I went, but only for an hour or two ... I wanted to be up top for our approach to Atlantic City.
Big hotel/casinos, entire skyscraper facades turned into massive LED billboards ... ugh ... oh well. The approach to the anchorage was uneventful, but we found a large SV already docked at the fuel dock. We anchored out for an hours nap ... and around 07:00 we were up and debating whether I should disembark in order to make it home in time for work Monday, or continue on to Cape May. Continue on!!! Roger knew we had enough fuel to make it to the Cape and we didn't need to wait for the boat at the fuel dock.
Heading south again, we found favorable winds and were able to shut down the iron genny and find the peace there is under sail. What a day!
We made it into Cape May by mid-afternoon. By the time we fueled and headed back toward the anchorage, there was already competition for the prime spots. Roger deftly dropped and set the anchor and we were the third boat at the anchorage. A couple of the 5 or 6 boats that made it in after us provided entertainment with their anchoring antics while Roger and I "taste-tested" a few of the IPAs onboard.
We kept a cruiser's schedule and were in the sack not too long after dinner. The cadence of the Coast Guard Cadets on drill reminded us where we were anchored. And with the bugler's tattoo, it was lights out.
Roger needed an early departure in the morning to make it up the Delaware, so at 07:00 I was off to the hardest part of the weekend - a bus trip back to NYC and train home from there.
So all-in-all, what a weekend it was! I got offshore for the first time. I overnighted for the first time. And I had one hell of a great time with Roger! Thank you Captain!
Now all I have to do is retire and get rid of that damn schedule! ;-)
