DAY TWO -- September 18, 2009

6:25 am -- Captain Ed and I go for our walk -- Stamford is not pedestrian friendly --  we find ourselves dodging cars as they careen around the winding streets leading out of the marina.  Undaunted -- we get in a good 40 minutes without incident.

As we eat breakfast and get ready to go to the fuel dock on the west side of the marina a call from my cousin, Denny, comes in.  He is heading our way pushing a barge of stone.  Apparently the stars are aligned to allow us to meet this way. 

We pull out in search of the fuel dock -- we see Denny coming in piloting his tug, the Cheyenne.  Denny directs us to the fuel dock --- and in the process tells us that he has a gift for Captain Ed.  As the Cheyenne passes us at the fuel dock a member of their crew throws a package onto the Navigator.  The package contains a T-shirt and a Hat from the Waterford Tugboat Roundup and an apple for weight.  These tugboat guys are so smart.

We took lots of pictures and did a lot of waving.

As the refueling process begins --  Navigator MaryAnn realizes that we left our doormat on the dock where we stayed.  Jamie at the fuel dock offers to drive me to the east side to retrieve it.  If we could have gone “as the crow flies” it would have taken five minutes.  But  -- this is Stamford, CT and that was not possible.  Jamie wondered as we left if Captain Ed would be finished fueling before we got back -- fueling takes 30 minutes.  We arrived back mat in hand just as he finished -- I saw a lot of Stamford.

We’ve had a very busy morning at Brewer’s Yacht Basin but it is time to go.

9:23 am -- we start heading south.

10:36 am -- we pass under the Throgs Neck Bridge bringing us officially into the East River -- again the Manhattan skyline is spectacular -- a photo could not do justice.

Traveling down the East River is such a treat -- passing Roosevelt Island with the cable cars -- catching glimpses of the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building -- going under all the bridges -- provides a very different perspective of Manhattan. However, going down the East River is also complicated and instead of looking out for lobster traps -- we are on the alert for debris floating in the water.

11:33 am -- as we leave the East River at the base of Manhattan the most beautiful site is  “Lady Liberty” with her torch raised.  It is very touching.   The last time I came out of the East River on a boat was with Navigator Mary Ann in November 1969 on the, ZVIR,  a Yugoslavian freighter we took to Europe -- we had the same feeling then.

For the rest of the day we traveled the coast on the open ocean -- it was very rough -- with a lot of bouncing around.  Mary and Ed don’t think I know the meaning of the word “very rough” -- which makes me a little nervous about what is to come.

5:00 pm -- We arrive at The Canyon Club in Cape May, NJ.  It is good to be still and not  bouncing around.  All in all -- a very good 2nd day.  Tomorrow we hope to make it to Norfolk, VA.  We are eating in tonight so we can get an early start.

Thanks for reading --