The Voyage of the “3rd Wave”
After several compatibility issues with the solar controller and
the motor controller were worked out by electronics wiz, Ron Schroeder,
I decided to leave the very next morning from the dock in Flanders.
The weather report said summer was here for at least 5 days so I
spent the day loading the boat with mostly useful stuff. I made quick
arrangements to care for the business while I was gone.
• June 26, 2003
Thursday morning brought sunshine through the haze as I waved goodbye
to my wife, Sue and my son, Brian watching from the beach at the end
of Long Neck Blvd. I ran with the current down to the Shinnecock Canal
at 4 knots and was pushed through with 5 knots to the Shinnecock Bay
at the other side. I passed the buoys just east of the Ponquogue Bridge
and made my turn Westward under the bridge, through the Quogue canal
passing Tiana and Moriches Bays and under the Smith Point Bridge toward
the Great South Bay. My goal was to reach Sayville by evening but,
an associate, Jamie Blumenthal assisted in landing me a dock for the
night in Bellport. This afforded me the opportunity to take Ron and
his wife, Naomi to dinner at the “Chowder House”. I was
met there by my wife, Sue for a final meal together for a while. We
were later met by my business partner, Dean Hapshe and his friend,
Anita. Afterward, I found myself alone for the first time on my journey.
The cabin is tiny and all the stuff that I had in the cabin had to
be placed on the deck to make room for me. I couldn’t sleep very
well so I got up at 3:30 Friday morning and started my second leg to
points west.
Total distance for the day was 29 NM (Nautical Miles) — 23 NM from
just east of the Ponquogue Bridge
• June 27, 2003
Starting early gave me a chance to get back on schedule by passing Sayville
around 05:30. The water was totally still and visibility was very good
as the sun rose behind me. I crossed paths with many work boats bringing
workers and supplies to the various Fire Island Villages in the Great
South Bay. I had several motor boat wakes to contend with. Further
along I passed under the Robert Moses Causeway Bridge to South Oyster
Bay. It was getting late so I started looking around for a place to
anchor. The wind was strong from the southwest, visibility was poor
and there was not much in the way of anchorages so I took a turn to
the right into Ketchams Creek in Amityville. As the creek narrowed,
I came upon a bar and restaurant called “Toomey’s Tavern
on the Crik”. There was enough interest by the local people in
my endeavor to get me a few beers and a dock for the night. Again,
I avoided cooking on the boat and bought a cheeseburger deluxe with
several Bass Ales to wash it down. I ran into an acquaintance from
out east named Jeanne so I wound up with another beer bought for me.
I slept well that night and woke up at daybreak, made coffee and headed
out to new waters for me.
Total distance for the day 27.4 NM.
• June 28, 2003
Leaving Amityville Creek the sun was rising and the wind was light. The
current was running against me slowing the boat by about .5 Knots.
I worked my way down to the southernmost of the Wantagh Parkway Bridges
and passed under with the Jones Beach Theater off to my left (port
side). At this point, at 10 AM on a Saturday, I encountered my first
taste of lots of motor boat wakes coming from all directions. Since
my boat was roundish type of sailboat hull with the keel reduced to
a smaller skeg, it tended to roll a bit so I had to steer into the
larger waves constantly. I finally crossed under the Meadowbrook Parkway
Bridge to the Reynolds Channel. The speeds of the boats were limited
in the channel and that was just fine with me and 3rd Wave. I proceeded
to the end of the channel to East Rockaway Inlet. It was still early
at 2 pm and the ocean looked calm enough so I decided to make the 16
mile ocean run to Sheepshead Bay. I was invited by the Miramar Yacht
Club to take a mooring, thanks to the efforts of members, Pat and Patricia
Murphy. We met at the dock of the club for the first time and Pat basically
calculated all of the times and points I had to be at to make the next
leg through the city efficient by having the current running in my
favor through most of the trip. They gave me a key to get back into
the Yacht Club and I cleaned up and went walking about the town. Dean
called and he and Anita wanted to join me for dinner. They raced out
to where I was but could only get to around the Kennedy Airport where
traffic stopped solid. After an hour they gave up. I went all over
and looked at every window menu. This area needed more restaurants.
They all had valet parking which I think meant driving your car around
all night till you needed it back. I opted for a fish on a bun with
cheese and fries and a root beer. For $9 it was overpriced. In the
morning I got another ride to shore from Willie Burns, the launch operator.
We discussed solar powered boats. I used their facilities and picked
up three bags of ice. The mooring cost was waived and the total bill
came to $15 for the ice and Willies tip (no receipt)
31.3 NM for this leg
• Sunday, June 29, 2003
Left the mooring at the Miramar YC at 10:15am. Headed out Sheepshead
Bay, past Coney Island, Graves End Bay towards the Verranzano Narrows.
As calculated, the tide was running against 3rd Wave at about .5 knots.
This part of the trip seemed to take forever because the bridge is
so large that the distance to it was deceiving. I was warned ahead
of time about the coast guard stopping all boats in that area and was
told to motor through the center of the bridge pylons. I was feeling
contrary, so I took the right hand entrance under the bridge. I think
that I was going so slow and rocking so much from all the motorboat
wakes that they just let me go. All through the upper harbor boat wakes
either followed me or plowed into me. As I was going through the right
hand passage around Governors Island, called the Buttermilk Channel,
the motor made a very strange rapping sound and just died. I felt that
the propeller had broken. I used the power trim/tilt to inspect the
motor and found a large plastic construction bag wrapped around the
propeller. I took out the sheet rock knife that I carried in the tool
kit and cut it off in short order. Being motor less in New York’s
upper harbor is no fun because none of the oncoming barges, tug boats
and pleasure boats are slowing down in passing and without the motor,
I would simply get tossed about until something broke. Luckily the
motor took off running as good as ever. Riding along, I found myself
on a collision course with a barge being pushed by a push boat. I steered
right as is normally done out east. He steered towards me? I steered
more right he steered towards me even more – I made a hard right
towards the bulkhead at the right side of the channel and he gave up
and moved away, blowing his horn? In retrospect, I should have passed
to the left (starboard to starboard) because it turns out that his
blind spot was where I originally headed. Further up the East River,
I encountered 2 large boats coming at me. On my port was a tow boat
towing 3 barges like a train and on my starboard was a very serious
looking tug boat. I simply motored right down between them blasting
them out of the way in the process. I proceeded up the East River through
the Randal’s Island area with the current building. Steering
clear of barges, ferry boats and big wakes was the major concern for
me at this point. I was doing an additional 5 knots just from the current
alone as I approached the Tri-Borough / Hell Gate Bridge area where
the Harlem River, East River and Long Island Sound meet causing lots
of twisting-turning whirlpools. Luckily, I was running with the current
at 9 knots through here and the boat handled just fine with the motor
and underbody skeg keeping her straight and easy to control. I continued
running through and under the Whitestone Bridge and met a friend and
fellow solar contractor, Doug Roether who came out in his sailboat
to run along with me back to the Bayside Marina in Little Neck Bay
where he arranged for me to tie up to a floating dock for just $20.
He took me out to dinner at a fine Mexican restaurant in Bayside. Another
night without having to cook a meal.
29.3 NM for this leg of the voyage
• Monday, June 30, 2003
Up at 0800 – made coffee on the boat, spilled the pot on the deck
so I went to the marina snack bar picked up a fresh cup of coffee and
some ice to keep the food cold that I was supposed to be cooking for
the last four days. I had a discussion with Danny who worked there. The
marina dockage, the launch and the snack bar is operated by one person
most of the time so when a boat hails for launch to bring the people
ashore – he closes the snack bar and locks up the office. Afterwards
I thought – how does he get the people out of the snack bar to
close it up when he has to work at the dock? Waiting for the current
to change, I found an available fresh water hose – so I hosed down
the boat and spread my laundry on the floating dock and hosed it down
using some soap and a bucket. I rigged several bungee cords just under
the solar modules over my head and made a great clothesline. Headed out
to sea at 0930. The boat looked much lived on as I headed out Little
Neck Bay to Long Island Sound and points East. I passed Sands Point and
the US Merchant Marine Academy. I slowed and turned but saw no one about
and wanting to stay with the current, I proceeded to Eaton’s Neck
Cove where I found the Coast Guard and a 30’ Catalina sailboat
called Xanadu. The couple had their dog with them which required frequent
trips to the environmentally sensitive bird nesting area on the beach.
We discussed the solar powered boat and went our separate ways. I docked
there for the night and finally cooked on the boat, making two BLT sandwiches
with one pound of bacon. A perfect evening in isolation.
23 NM today
• Tuesday, July 1, 2003
Very quiet and peaceful morning with totally flat seas and no wind. Up
at 0630, made coffee and off again at 0800 heading east. Ran against
the current for several hours and then the tide turned fair at Port
Jefferson. I think I looked at the old decaying Shoreham Nuclear Power
Plant for 4 solid hours before it disappeared from sight. As I was
approaching the Mattituck inlet, I saw Xanadu one last time heading
east to points unknown. I finally arrived at the Mattituck Inlet and
ran in to a dock waiting for me at the Old Mill Inn. Sue, Dean, Ed,
Benja/Alta and John were waiting at the restaurant for over an hour
so the bar tab was building rapidly. We had a dinner together and afterwards,
they all left for home and I retired to my cabin. About 4:30 am I awoke
to loud shouting laced with various profanities from across the creek.
It appears that two fishermen were arguing over something. Anyway,
a rather large lobster boat tore out of the creek at a good clip taking
with it the annoying shouting. I went back to sleep. About 0530 (not
kidding) I started hearing flute music from above. I looked around
and realized that I was still on the boat and not some afterworld staging
area. I peeked out of the forward hatch and – yup, just Benja
sitting at the restaurant table above with his little dog Alta by his
side. He was playing on this Indian flute. Reluctantly, I got up and
went to breakfast since I needed to wait for the tide to switch direction
at around 1100am. I picked up a local newspaper and small propane cylinder
for cooking? I headed out around 1110am.
40 NM today
• Wednesday, July 2, 2003
Heading out of the Mattituck Creek I was thinking how much this creek
reminded me of an off the path fishing village. It’s hard to
imagine how this creek has, so far, escaped the suburban renewal that
seems to be sweeping over eastern Long Island. I am sure that this
area will not look the same 5 or 6 years from now so I was glad to
get to see it from the water one last time. Heading out of the jetty,
I got a call from Benja. We planned to meet on the Sound around the
end of the road that the Beachcomber motel is located. I waited for
a bit and then Benja showed up with a red kayak and Alta (of course).
He quickly threw it in the water and rowed out to meet me. He gave
me a copy of the website updates. I thanked him and moved on towards
Orient Point. I ran through Plum Gut with about a 1 knot current in
my favor. The weather reports for Montauk on the ocean were not very
good – High winds and 5’ to 9’ seas. I really wanted
to finish the rounding but also had to balance that against the risks
involved. I just sat in the water first aiming at Montauk off some
15 miles to the Southeast and then to Orient/Greenport, 12 miles to
the Northwest. I opted for Greenport and started heading that way.
The wind picked up and the current ran a full knot against me so I
ducked into Orient Harbor, just around Bug Lighthouse. I spent the
night on the anchorage – cooked up a good steak that Ed bought
me in Mattituck. The next morning I headed into Greenport tying up
at the town dock.
28 NM for the day
• Thursday, July 3, 2003
I got permission to stay overnight from Village Hall. Went out for a
meal with Benja (Alta stayed in his car). Had a Sheppard’s Pie
at the Rhumbline. A bit spicy and not as good as homemade but so rare
on a restaurant menu that it simply had to be ordered. Anyway went
back and got some rest with the marine weather channel getting most
of my attention. Woke up to overcast skies – windy and raining
heavily. Walked over to “Glory” a restored ELCO, electric
powered boat, run by David Berson. He takes up to 14 passengers on
one and two hour excursions around Greenport and up historical Sterling
Creek. I later came back the next day with my wife, Sue and took a
ride on “Glory”
5 NM total
• Independence Day, Friday, July 4, 2003
Woke up early, went for breakfast at the Coronet (the local favorite
luncheonette) and had a good breakfast. Got settled in at the boat
while the last of the clouds disappeared. I boated over to Shelter
Island and met with Nicholas Moorhead, a writer for the Shelter Island
Reporter Newspaper. We chatted a bit and maybe he will get his story
into the press. I really am happy with the local interest in the first
solar circumnavigation of Long Island. It is amazing how little interest
the larger publications back West had shown. Everywhere I have gone
people have given me thumbs up and, in general, encouraging me to complete
this journey. Went back across the channel to Greenport and waited
for Sue. Sue showed up and we walked around town for a while, had a
good dinner at the Rhumbline again. Had an ice cream sundae and went
back to the boat ready to enjoy the fireworks. The display was fun
to watch and after the show was over, Sue went home to Flanders and
I stayed on the boat ready to make my Montauk run starting at 0400
Saturday am.
• Saturday, July 5, 2003
Up early, left in the dark at around 0230 and headed out to Montauk Lake.
Said goodbye to Greenport with the music still blasting at Claudios.
Ran past the Bug Light and took the clockwise route around the Ruins
and Gardiner’s Island. Made it into Lake Montauk at 10:00 am,
anchored and took a several hour nap till around 12:30 when I decided
to leave and hang out closer to the Lighthouse for my final run. I
found a decent anchorage near Oyster Pond within one NM of the Lighthouse.
With the wind from the West and the many boat wakes from the North,
I rigged an anchor that held the boat into the waves which worked very
well until the wind shifted further to the Southwest and then South.
At that point the rig became useless anyway.
Total miles were 23 KM
• Sunday, July 6, 2003
Sue called and woke me up at 0330 and I started my run at 0400 as planned.
All hatches were battened down and I latched on the main cabin door.
With everything put away and the life jacket by my side I started towards
the Lighthouse. I went almost all the way around with very small waves
and low wind and then spotted darker water ahead. As I entered this
area, the seas built up to the stated 4’ to 7’ levels that
I was hearing about all weekend. I basically was going straight into
the waves riding up and over and down the back side only to rise up
again and again. The strong ones came in sets of three or four. About
one hour went by and daylight started to brighten the sky. The lighthouse
was disappearing in the distance and I was heading towards home. With
the daylight came slightly calmer seas. The wind was steady at 10 to
15 knots. My pace was slowed a great deal by the energy used in moving
the boat over the waves. I recalculated my run and now was looking
at a 7pm arrival at the Shinnecock Inlet. This was the longest day
running from 0400 until 1930 in the evening when I had Sue drive down
and look over the Inlet. Shinnicock inlet is known for bad currents
and is considered dangerous for new boaters. I had a good deal of experience
going for me with the past 12 hours of waves and rolling seas. My batteries
were low and the reserve power available was in question. I watched
several boats go through the inlet and then a large fishing trawler
deliberately lined himself up with the inlet and made a power run through.
I asked a boat that was near me about the conditions in the inlet because
I wanted to feel more confident. He said: what is that – an electric
outboard?? Giving in he just said keep it in the middle and keep it
straight. With the questionable confidence boost I lined 3rd Wave up
like the trawler did and powered in. It was sort of like body surfing
down one wave and up another. After 5 of those, I was released into
the calmer side of the Jetty. Sue said that I kept disappearing below
the waves and re-appearing again on the crests. I was home at last – arriving
just East of the Ponquogue Bridge that I left so long ago.
I pulled in to Oakland’s fuel dock and told them I wasn’t
buying. We talked about the boat for a while and the dock boys came on
the boat and took a picture of each other on the deck. They said the
gas dock was now closed so I could stay for the evening. With that, I
joined Sue for several cocktails at the outdoors bar. There were many
people interested in the boat and I ran out of flyers at that point.
41 NM for the final leg
• Monday, July 7, 2003
Sue dropped me off at 0645 and I got into the boat and moved it from
Oakland’s back home to Flanders.
6 NM to 3rdWave’s dock
Note: A Nautical Mile = 6080 feet, A Statute Mile = 5280 feet
The entire circumnavigation totaled: 283 nautical miles (NM) or 326 statute
miles
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