Deciding to put the inverter ‘crisis’ in abeyance (or denial), on Wednesday 15 September we rode the Staten Island Ferry passing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to Manhattan. Our objective – to walk the High Line – a disused freight train rail spur on the west side which is elevated above the street and now turned into a pedestrian walkway. It has cultivated gardens to entice bees and butterflies and wends it way very closely between buildings. No social distancing here! Can look straight into apartments and offices. We had lunch on the High Line with glimpses of the Hudson River.

That part was great, but the getting back to Great Kills was tortuous. In high humidity and temperature, what should have been a ‘short’ walk and express bus back, turned into a 2 hour walk, then metro from Grand Central to Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island train to Uber ride back to the boat. Ah… the best laid plans…

Long Island Sound… we’re here!

Sailing the Upper NY Bay is exciting, exhilarating and hopefully, once in a lifetime experience.

Once under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge we danced with and dodged the big ships, ferries and barges. We sailed by Governors Island on starboard and The Battery on port.

We entered the East River and began our journey of ducking under seven bridges, beginning with the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and ending with Throgs Neck Bridge.

We sailed past the UN building and Roosevelt Island, judging our transit of Hell Gate (confluence with the Harlem River) at slack tide. Further on we passed Rikers Island – the home to NYC main jail complex. It looks desolate and forbidding. We spotted LaGuardia Airport situated in Queens. On past Hart Island, located in the Bronx, which has such a rich history: army training for coloured troops; prisoner of war camp during the Civil War; potters field where over 1 million people were buried; quarantine station; psychiatric hospital and sanitarium. And the island is only 1 mile x .33 mile!

Now we are enjoying the delights of Manhasset Bay on Long Island Sound.

We are also enjoying the reunion with Rick and Mary on Exhale. We first met Rick and Mary on the Tenn-Tom in 2018. We have enjoyed their hospitality on their boat and in their Fort Meyer’s home. They are great friends who help with troubleshooting problems and provide moral and physical support when needed.

We have a hoot when we are together. Tomorrow they head for Baltimore. But tonight, we dine aboard Exhale and will make wonderful memories.

Such is Life!