Monday, July 21, 2008

Last Monday’s rainy morning gave way to a beautiful afternoon, and after some conversations about the Five Mile River at Rowayton CT, we opted to tie up at the Town Dock in Norwalk, CT. ‘Twas a very hospitable spot for us, but we’re told that in Revolutionary War times, whaleboat crews darted in and out of this rocky harbor to harass British Ships. Power Squadron friends Jeff and Norma Gerwig joined us for a delightful evening visit. Next morning we set off to explore Ziegler’s Cove, where we picked up a mooring (first time) and took the dinghy down for a lazy ride. The dinghy lives atop YA, and we’re becoming more and more proficient at launching and retrieving it. These old dogs are learning lots of new tricks! We set off in the afternoon to cross to the South Shore of the Sound, (which is the North Shore of Long Island) to tie up alongside “Breezy”, Joe and Leslie McCarthy’s sailboat in Oyster Harbor. Had a good laugh when Leslie phoned to see if we were underway, only to turn 180 degrees and see YA’s big bow bearing down on her! She yelped! Once YA was securely rafted to Breezy, the Oyster Bay launch took us ashore for dinner and ice cream--and grocery shopping! Nice! We stayed with Breezy until Thursday morning--enjoyed relaxation, ‘shipswork’, and dinghy rides around the Harbor and under the bridge to Bellville. Oyster Bay is the home of one of the oldest Yacht Clubs in the USA--Seawanhaka-Corinthian. According to our Cruising Guide, it was here that do-it-yourself boaters introduced the concept of being skipper and crew on their own boats, a radical change from the hired skipper and crew used by the wealthier yachtsmen. The great American way! Oysters are actually harvested (and seeded) in Oyster Bay--around the edges in the summer, and in the center when all the boats and their moorings have been put away for the winter. We had dinner under a nearly full moon with Joe and Leslie, and in the morning we had coffee and a chat with a Power Squadron friend who’d just toured Teddy Roosevelt’s home--Sagamore Hill was his little White House. It is located about a mile and a half from the viillage of Oyster Bay. On our way to our next stop, Cold Spring Harbor, we passed Malcolm Forbes’ 151’ yacht, the Highlander, complete with heliport. Google says that this is the fifth Forbes boat with that name. We waved from the fourth boat (that we know of) named Young America. The four Forbes sons entertain on the Highlander from April-Nov. and the decks were crowded. Cold Spring Harbor was once a busy whaling port, and we docked overnight at the Whaler’s Cove Marina. Sunday morning we missed connections with the Huntington UU Fellowship, so we left early to sneak up the bay into the Sand Hole. We anchored there for the afternoon and I had a great swim--saw NO purple jellyfish. They’d stung me in Stamford, and chased me out of Oyster Bay! Two swans followed our every move. By late afternoon the Hole was filled with boats full of families spending Sunday afternoon swimming and relaxing. We moved on to Huntington Harbor, with great care. How many sailboats could there be? And are they all moored or moving together right here? To give you an idea, we’re nestled into the West Shore Marina, which has 250 slips. It is one of nine marinas we had to choose from. This afternoon we walked to the Marine store, lunched on the lawn by the pool, and then spent half an hour watching a school of Bunker fish circle and leap in front of our bow. Apparently they are regulars in the Harbor at high tide. It’s cool enough now that Fred is heading up to the dinghy to affix it’s registration numbers and decals--make it legal. This is our home, and like every home, there is always something! See you next week…… Fred and Linda