Maybe we got too cocky. Or maybe we jinxed ourselves by thinking we could be to Newburyport within a few days of our entry into Long Island Sound. At any rate, it took us until Tuesday, May 28th -- exactly 2 weeks from our Hampton departure -- to deliver Marianna to the dock in Newburyport. The same fickle weather that had delayed our departure from Hampton took hold again as we tried to make our way through Long Island Sound and up the Massachusetts coast.

Take your pick: fog, rain, wind or all 3?

Little did we know that our arrival in Manhasset in the rain was going to be a portent of things to come.  As we left early Sunday morning, the rain was falling and continued all day, although the wind was light. By late afternoon, with the current now against us, we had rejected our most optimistic destinations (Newport, Fishers Island) in favor of an anchorage behind Duck Island off the Connecticut coast. With winds slated to build from the southwest overnight, we were a little uncomfortable with the protection we'd receive there. Dave started checking Active Captain and found a protected cove just inside the mouth of the Connecticut River. It just wasn't clear whether it had enough depth for Marianna's 6ft draft or whether the town moorings were set up this early in the season. We called the local TowBoatUS operator, who couldn't have been more helpful. He called the Saybrook harbormaster to confirm the depth and to identify a mooring that was available for the night with enough draft for Fred's boat. As we made our way around Old Saybrook light into the river, we picked up the outer marker for the cove and entered the narrow channel. The shallowest spot was just where it had been predicted, but with enough water for us to clear. Just after clearing the channel, we spotted our mooring and were secured in a couple of minutes. With protection all around, we were able to sleep well that night.

 “A Naval vessel will be transiting the Thames River. Please keep a distance of at least 500 yards.” That securite announcement probably meant a sub was leaving Groton, and we would be crossing its course line shortly after leaving the Connecticut River. However, in the fog that closed in just as we left the river, how could we know how to avoid it? So, we made our way east, studying the radar and scanning the horizon, trying to stay clear of anything that looked like a hazard, including the sub. By mid-morning, the chatter on the radio about the “naval vessel” and other boats rendezvousing with it was increasing, while we continued travelling in our little bubble of visibility. Then, out of the fog a boat came racing toward us. The Coast Guard escort with its obviously armed contingent hailed us and asked us to proceed north to leave the sub (now visibile) 500 yards to our south. Fred checked the chart to ensure we could travel north of our route line that far and we headed around what apparently was the “Event Alpha” rendezvous location being mentioned on the radio. Probably some transfer of personnel to the sub that had come in from sea to pick them up. At any rate, we left them behind as we made our way to Newport, until the fog swallowed them up again. Apparently, our effforts to avoid them weren't too successful. We couldn't have come any closer if we put a waypoint for their location in our route.  

By mid-afternoon, the fog had cleared as we rounded Point Judith into Narragansett Bay. The winds were now up, and the Newport sailboats were out taking advantage of it. We picked up a mooring and then took a quick dinghy ride in for – you guessed it – ice cream. With a forecast of more fog on Tuesday, and the need to take on fuel and water the next morning, it was unclear where or when we would be able to go next.

Weather. Weather. Weather. We studied it. Wrote it down. Analyzed it. Argued about it. It just wasn't cooperating with us to get Marianna the short distance left to get her home. Days of wind from the south or southwest should have made for a great trip the rest of the way, but the southerly winds were bringing in the fog and higher winds were kicking up the seas. On Tuesday morning, after pulling over to the dock for fuel, water and pump-out, we finally decided to take a day off and leave the fog to run its course. Although Newport stayed sunny and breezy, it was obvious that there was fog just outside in the sounds. We took showers, took a walk around town and then toured the International Yacht Restoration School for a 2nd time (having seen it on our last trip north in 2007). This trip was much more interesting as the students were all there and in the last 10 days before the required completion of their cat boats (the first year students' assignment). We then toured the Coronet yacht restoration building, where a mammoth project was underway to restore (i.e. rebuild) this amazing luxury yacht. As we returned to Marianna for supper, it was pretty clear that Wednesday's weather would be a repeat of Tuesday. As we went to bed, it seemed pretty certain we'd spend another day in Newport.

The next morning Cathy woke up to the sound of the engine starting. What happened to the bad weather forecast? Although overcast, the fog didn't appear to be as bad. Since the wind was up, we thought that it might blow it away. As we made our way out into the sound, the fog closed in again, but it wasn't as bad as our trip into Newport. With the wind and current behind us, we had a chance to make the last of the flood current through the Cape Cod canal and head to Scituate or Provincetown. That could put us in Newburyport on Thursday. Alright! But, not so fast. We were wondering why a tug that passed us around noon, began to slow down again so that we left him farther behind. Hmmm. What's up with that? We continued on, arriving at the canal's western entrance on schedule just before 2:30 pm. However, the answer to our question about the tug became clear as we made our approach to the canal. A police boat approached to tell us the canal was closed for work on high-tension wires. It was scheduled to re-open at 3:30. By that time the ebb current would have begun. Since it can run as much as 4.5 kts against an eastbound boat in the canal, we realized we had just lost a half day's travel and would have to turn in at Onset. That 1 hour closure ended up costing us 5 days.

Over the next few days in Onset, we kept running into the same dilemma. The current in the canal was only favorable early in the morning or early in the evening. To make any progress once we exited into Cape Cod Bay, we had to take the early window. However, it was inevitably foggy in the early morning until it was too late to leave. By Friday, the threat was no longer fog, it was severe thunderstorms. Although they would be through by 10am, we couldn't wait for them to pass and still be able to get anywhere. After the front passed, there were going to be days of strong north winds, making travel north miserable at best. With the north winds, we were going to be treated to lots of rainy, cold weather. What fun. Fred finally decided that it wasn't worth being miserable on the boat for a weekend, when home was a couple hours away. On Friday, his brother was able to pick us up and take us to Newburyport, where we picked up Fred's car and headed to his home. It was a good decision.  

It wasn't until Monday that we saw the weather to sneak in the run north to Newburyport. The forecast was for light west winds going south during the day, with a similar forecast for Tuesday. We drove down to the boat in Onset in time for a 10 am departure. It was finally a sunny day, slowly warming up. As we exited the canal, we were disappointed to see whitecaps and waves from the northwest. We could only plug ahead hoping for the weather to settle into the forecasted 5 to 10 knot westerlies. Sure enough, it did settle down and we pulled into Scituate before 4 pm dodging the last of the Memorial Day boat traffic. After another trip to shore for the best ice cream of the trip at Nona's, we had supper and went to bed for a first light departure. The waters were smooth as glass as we pulled out into the Massachusetts Bay and stayed that way until the final hour after we rounded Cape Ann. For once the calm conditions weren't accompanied by fog. We were into the Merrimac River before the breeze started to build from the southeast with more oomph than the 5 knots predicted. But with the flood current and a perfectly timed bridge transit, we were sliding onto the dock at Merrimar Yacht Basin shortly after 1 pm with Jay and Pat catching the lines.   We had managed to deliver her safely, which was a good thing, since she is for sale.  (If you're interested in a Moody 40 center cockpit, you can contact Jay at Merrimar.)

Fifteen elapsed days and 8 travel days after leaving Hampton, Marianna was finally home.

Downtime


We managed to explore quite a bit as we made our way north, including our extended stay in Nottingham, as we waited for weather. We took in a Red Hook Brewery tour (even though none of us drink beer), tasting their Black Lobster brew (yes, lobsters were boiled to produce it). We sampled some whole clams at Bob's Clam Hut, cracked some lobsters at Pat and Fred's and reunited with Dave and Donna (from Merlin) and Jay and Debra (from Jadera) over hor d'ouvres for our final night in town. It was a great trip, whether we were traveling or chilling ashore. We enjoyed the company and the time on the water. It will be good to head home, but we'll miss Pat and Fred until we see them again. 

Maybe this fall.

As April turned to May, we bid Pat and Fred safe travels as they drove a carload of Marianna's contents north. Fred was returning a few days later, but Pat had to stay in NH to start up her canvas business for the season. The next weekend, we headed to NC for our niece's wedding on the same day our son closed on his first home. You can guess what we were doing the next weekend, as furniture and boxes were moved to the new house. By mid-week, we were on our way north on Marianna, as crew to help deliver her home. Where did the time go?

As Tuesday's daylight dwindled, the winds and the seas that had calmed during the day, slowly started building behind us. As we continued on through the night, the winds and seas built, but, since they were following seas, did not really make the ride uncomfortable. We dodged the big ships moving up and down the bay by hugging the shallower green side of the channel as we made our way north. Using the AIS app on Dave's phone, we identified the commercial traffic and were able to make sense of the blobs on the radar screen and the lights on the horizon. By 4am Wednesday, we had secured a mooring in Annapolis and were quickly asleep below decks.

Another consultation of the current tables said we were in perfect position to continue around Manhattan to Long Island Sound. We were near the max favorable current as we rounded Hell Gate and with the help of its push, were picking up a mooring in Manhasset by 2:30pm. After a couple dinghy runs to shore for diesel, we had an early dinner and were all out of it before the sun set. 

With a few more travel days to go, we are within sight of the goal of Newburyport and the Merrimac River. With any luck, the weather will get us there in less than a week.

Boat Stuff

Although we originally were planning on leaving the bimini down until we returned, with the delay in our departure, Cathy finally pulled it out, re-stitched any seams that were questionable and put it up for the season. With no enclosure panels in place, it was easy to waterproof it, and the rain the next day proved that it was doing its job. The next job to tackle was the Cetol on the woodwork, which Cathy managed to put on a little more than half of the wood on deck. The remainder will wait until we return.

Finally, you may notice, some variability in the pictures taken for this entry. Cathy's camera finally died and was replaced. While we were waiting for the replacement, she had to use Dave's phone and her tablet. Now that the new one is here, it's a matter of getting used to it and its capabilities. It won't take too long, though.