NYC

Our trip down Delaware Bay and up the New Jersey coast was uneventful except for the brief view of the nude beach at Sandy Hook NJ.  "Look Mary, all those people are wearing flesh colored bathing suits!"  We cruised under the Verrazano Narrows bridge and around New York Harbor before going to an anchorage behind the Statue of Liberty.  We anchored here in 2009 when we did the Great Loop and decided we needed to do it again.  She is just as stunning when viewed from behind as from in front.

The sights and sounds of the harbor are overwhelming at times, the architecture so diverse.  It was Fleet Week so there were extra patrol boats everywhere as well as helicopters of all kinds, including Osprey.  We had seen Osprey while anchored in Mile Hammock (SC), they are pretty amazing.  

The Battery

Visiting military vessels

Statue of Liberty from anchorage

Interesting old buildings in Brooklyn

Staten Island Ferry with armed CG escort

Staten Island Ferry & Osprey VTOL aircraft

 While anchored, we noticed a custom ferry coming and going from a modern glass building on the shore (Jersey City) and discovered it was for the Liberty National Golf Course.  The glass structure was the clubhouse and the ferry, M/V Liberty National, was bringing people back and forth from Manhattan.  The 18 hole course was designed by Robert Cupp and Tom Kite.  Members include Rudolph Giuilani, Phil Mickelson, Mark Wahlberg and more.

Liberty National Golf Course - Jersey City

Erie Lackawana terminal

Ellis Island

We opted to move the boat north of the Tappan Zee Bridge and take the train into the city.  Croton-on-Hudson to NYC was a 40 minute train ride along the Hudson River and the Harlem River to Grand Central.  In 2 days we logged over 25 miles walking!  We scored discounted theater tickets to An American in Paris by entering an online lottery.

A new career for Scott - maybe

Mary filling in for Hoda

Times Square

Van Gogh's Ear sculpture at RockCenter

Upper West Side Deli - Yummy!

Central Park

Penthouse overlooking Central Park

Chesapeake Bay to Delaware Bay

We finally had a favorable weather forecast for the Chesapeake so we left Portsmouth and headed out onto the bay with at least a dozen other sail and power boats who had all been waiting for good weather.  Cruising the bay requires an attentive crew to watch for fish weirs, crab pots, and other hazards.  A fish weir is a series of stakes or poles driven into the bottom of tidal waters to direct fish into nets and trap them.  They are sometimes located quite a way offshore.  It would not be good to get entangled in one!
   

Flotilla of boats northbound on the Chesapeake

Fish Weir

We found great anchorages along the western shore and in Annapolis, we had the opportunity to enjoy dinner with our Great Loop friends, Carol & Lee.   

Waterfront dining in Annapolis with Carol & Lee

Beautiful mirror image in Chesapeake City, MD

Delaware City, DE was a funky stop.  The marina gave us precise directions on entering the channel to their marina, and any deviation from them would put us aground. Whew, we made it in without a problem!  We found a couple of interesting restaurants, Crabby Dick's and Lewinsky's on Clinton (get it?).  Lewinsky's on Clinton St. had a fantastic blues band playing when we walked by so we went in and listened to their entire set.

Lewinsky's on Clinton

We chose Delaware City because we could rent a car and visit Mary's brother Larry in Philadelphia.  When in Philly, what else to have but Philly Cheese Steaks from Chubby's - Yummy!  Larry also prepared a wonderful feast including mussels, shrimp, crabs and pasta!  Always special to see family! 

Seafood feast at Larry's Backyard Cafe

Larry & Mary

Southport, NC to Norfolk, Va

The last section of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) took us from Southport NC (mile 310) to Norfolk VA (mile 0).  Ever since Florida, the boat had been feeling a little sluggish so we decided to get a ‘short haul’ and have her bottom cleaned at Zimmerman Marine in Southport NC.

In the slings ready to haul

A few too many barnacles!

It's bath time

We had a perfect weather forecast for taking a side trip to Ocracoke in the outer banks of North Carolina.  We anchored for 2 days in the very protected harbor and took our dinghy to shore.  Renting a golf cart allowed us to ride in style while touring this small beach town. We visited Ocracoke Lighthouse, the British Cemetery, Blackbeard's former stomping grounds, the ocean side beach and more.  We also found a wonderful coffee store, Ocracoke Coffee Co, owned by a Massachusetts native and proudly displaying memorabilia for Boston sports teams.

Vocational students construct a boat planter

Beautiful beach on the Atlantic

Ocracoke Light

Car ferry headed for Ocracoke

Manteo was another fun stop on the Outer Banks. It is a very quaint town with good restaurants and shops, and a really great maritime museum with interesting displays.

Vintage outboard motors

Hydroplane

Wood Optis ready for the kids to sail

Ranger Scott

Mile "0" of the ICW is at Norfolk, VA.  We stayed for 2 days in one of the downtown basins across the river in Portsmouth.  These are free docks directly in the city and give easy walking access to shops and restaurants.  A ferry visits the basin every half hour and for $1.75 you can get a ride across the river to Norfolk.  We visited the Chrysler Art Museum, the Freemason Historic distr and walked all over town.

Docked in south basin downtown Portsmouth

Mermaid sculpture in downtown Norfolk

Tiffany exhibit at Chrysler Museum in Norfolk