The previous day we had taken Aisling for a sea trial to test her new engine. Finally, with the new corrected size engine sea-water thru-hull seacock and strainer, she PASSED with no overheating.
We returned our rental car and started organizing Aisling for cruising to distant ports.
We took our lines off the Niemiec Marine dock and went through the swing bridge opening. We passed the Hurricane Barrier at 1:30 PM. We were traveling at 3600 RPM and the engine temperature was 212 -- we were still in the habit of watching the engine temperature very closely. The sea swells were 5.6 feet every 12 sec from the south, The wind was 15 mph from the north. However, this was not an ordinary day in Buzzards Bay and Block Island Sound where we were travelling. The powerful hurricane Maria was positioned off Norfolk, VA and was churning up huge sea swells that were coming up from the south. With the counter-clockwise rotation around Maria she was sending 15 knot winds to us from the North. Before we left New Bedford we asked Brad Niemiec's advice concerning safe sea conditions for a boat our size. He recommended not going out when wave height was 8 feet or higher and period between waves was less than 10 seconds. We were within the guidelines -- but just barely!
Leaving New Bedford Harbor
Our destination was Newport, RI and as we left the relatively sheltered waters of Buzzards Bay and into Block Island Sound, we were experiencing the full effects of the weather. According to Windfinder.com we were in 9 foot swells coming from the south with a period of 12 seconds and winds from the north gusting to 20. This combination was kicking the sea into a rather confused state.
Hurricane Maria was sending us 9 foot ocean swells
Waves were splashing over our bow about every 30 seconds and the spray was landing on our pilothouse windshields. Barbara took some videos and called it "being in a washing machine". Aisling was taking the waves over the bow and we were were rocking from side to side. We would climb a swell and then slide down the other side into the waves.
Barbie was thankful for the autopilot that kept the boat heading the right direction even after having the stern get whipped around. Neither Jeff or Barbie felt unsafe or scared. We did feel surprised and in awe of the waves as they washed our windshield. Hans and Greta (the 14 year old puppies) did not seemed concerned at all - they just stayed in their beds. Aisling is a very tight and dry little boat. Nothing inside got wet except in the head (bathroom) because we forgot to close the window!
Underway in 9-ft swells and 20 knot winds
Around 3:00 PM we started to turn north into the Narragansett Bay East Passage toward Newport. Still riding the giant ocean swells, as we neared the shore we could see giant waves breaking onto the seashore. As we went further into the harbor at Newport, we were thankful that the waves were gone. The wind, however was still a strong 15 knots from the North. We called the Newport Harbormaster on the radio and asked for a mooring. They came to Aisling and led us to the mooring around 5:00 PM where we stayed the night. We rocked and rolled and heard the banging noise of the mooring ball or line most of night until the winds subsided towards dawn.
Distance covered underway 41 miles.
Fuel dock in Newport, RI
Friday, September 29
Upon leaving our mooring, we went to the fuel dock and filled up. Today the seas and winds were not as strong as yesterday. We were getting some spray onto the windshield, but not as often. Once we entered Long Island Sound, the sea swells were no more -- we were in the protection of the land of Long Island. Barbie was even able to knit! We were not sure what harbor we would stay at, so we just kept powering westward while the sea conditions were favorable. There was a wind shift to a west wind, and the wind strengthened to 12 knots. We were getting lots of spray over the bow and onto the windshield and had to hold on to our seat so we didn't fall out. We took shelter in the nearest port -- Westbrook, CT. Brewer's Pilots Point Marina had diesel fuel and we filled up. Rather than anchor that night, considering the wind and sea state, we chose to get a slip at the marina. Everything about the marina was just perfect -- as it should be since we spent an outrageous slip fee of $4.00 per foot! However, it was a long walk and not much grass for the doggies.
Distance covered underway 67 miles.
Marina in Westbrook, CT
Saturday, September 30
While we were getting ready to leave the dock, a 100-foot power boat left the marina. We left about a half hour to hour later and found that our course was the same as theirs. Their AIS reported they were making 12.3 MPH. Aisling, being on engine break-in schedule, was doing a schedule that Jeff worked out of every 30 minutes running the engine for 15 minutes at 3400 RPM, then 10 minutes at 3600 RPM, then 5 minutes at 3800 RPM. This put our speeds from 12 mph to 14 mph to 16 mph. After a few hours, we starting to catch up with the big motor yacht!
We never did get past that motor yacht, but followed them into our next harbor, about a half mile behind. We filled up with diesel fuel at the marina there. The large yacht docked in a slip. Barbie took Hans and Greta about 1/4 of a mile before finding grass. We looked for the yellow mooring floats that identify the Port Washington free moorings. We found one and had a fairly quiet night there in the harbor. By dawn the conditions were very calm.
Distance covered underway 77 miles.
Sunday, October 1
This was the day we would pass through New York City to the Hudson River. As we approached the city, we went through a body of water called Hell Gate. This is where waters from Long Island Sound, the East River, and the Harlem River come together to form powerful tidal rips. Barbie had been very concerned about going through Hell Gate. However, after going through "the rapids" at Woods Hole, MA, we doubted that the Hell Gate current would be any worse then that. Also, we KNEW that Aisling's engine was strong! We saw the swirling water but the currents did not bother Aisling at all, probably because we happened to pass during slack tide.
Hell Gate with Manhattan view
We turned into the Harlem River to pass around the north side of Manhattan Island. We passed under many bridges. Some of the bridges were 150 feet high and others were only 25 feet high. Aisling is only 13 feet high so we had no problems getting under the fixed bridges.
When we got to the last bridge before the Hudson River, we called the bridge tender for an opening of the 6 foot high railroad bridge. He told us that we would have to "tread water" for about 20 minutes waiting for a couple of trains. After we cleared that bridge, we were in the Hudson River.
Harlem River with view of low RR bridge
Waiting for RR bridge to open
We traveled at a good speed up the Hudson since the winds were light and the seas were calm. This area has mountains on each side of the river. To the west were the high cliffs of New Jersey called the Palisades. We passed under the Tappan Zee bridge. In the distance it looked like two snow covered mountains, but as we got closer we could see it was the suspension bridge supports.
Approaching Tappan Zee Bridge
Distance covered underway 48 miles.
Half Moon Bay Marina viewed from the city park
Panaramic view of Half Moon Bay
Monday, October 2
This day started clear but after we went past West Point around 9:00 AM, the fog started to get thicker and thicker until we could not see the shores any more. We navigated by reading the chart. keeping our Aisling between the river banks. Every minute or two, we would blow our ship's horn, to warn approaching vessels. The traffic was very light, and the fog faded in and out until finally it faded out for good around 10:30.
Navigating in fog on the Hudson River
We were headed to Coeymans Landing Marina -- and we arrived about 3:00 PM. Our engine had reached the 56 hour of operation and that is the time Yanmar recommends an oil change. We had chosen Coeymans because they have a full service repair operation. They got right on to our job and changed out oil while the oil was still warm. Warm oil is easier to remove from the engine, so that was great for us that they could get right to work. We could leave the next day without waiting for the oil change.
Coeymans Landing Marina for fuel and oil change
Distance covered underway 97 miles. Almost twice as far as we had originally planned. This put us in a good position to get through the Erie Canal and 22 locks before it closed on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
From our cruising in the salty ocean waters of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York we had taken a lot of spray over our decks. This had left salt crystals covering every inch of Aisling. We took this opportunity to hook up the hose to the fresh water on the dock and sprayed the decks down. We sprayed the anchor and anchor rode -- solar panels -- inside and outside the bimini top. We were now in fresh water in the upper Hudson River and the next part of our adventure would be in all fresh water. Starting the next day we would be entering the Erie Canal!
