Today was a day to which I had really been looking forward. A day that was delayed because of thunderstorms in the area. But today came and it was all I could have wanted despite the rain and clouds. Nothing could have dampened my spirits on this part of the trip.

A storm rolling in to Manhasset Bay

On Sunday, John checked the weather and told me that he thought we should sit tight in Manhasset Bay because there were going to be heavy storms in New York City that afternoon and he didn’t want to have to anchor during that weather. I don’t like to second guess his weather predictions because he has had a lot more training in them than I have, but I will admit that sitting in the sun Sunday morning made me wonder if he was being overly cautious. Just as he expected, however, those storms started hitting the city and we were happy he had made the decision to stay on our safe mooring. Some storms did come by us later, but we were really on the edge of the system so there was nothing to worry about.

Yesterday, Monday, wasn’t any better weather-wise, so we caught up on some tasks and I did a lot of reading. It was relaxing and actually kind of nice. For those of you wondering, the dogs have both become perfectly comfortable using their mat outside for a bathroom, so we never even had to leave the boat for those two days.

This morning we decided it would be safe to move on. Going into New York City can be tricky by boat because you have to go through an area called Hell’s Gate. The current there is very strong and, if you go against the tide, a slow boat would have a hard time making any headway. If you ride the tide in, though, you can go a lot faster than hull speed. The difficulty is that there is often a lot of traffic in this area and, even though you time it to go with the tide, a slower boat like ours can be difficult to control. Therefore, we waited until 11:00 AM to cast off the mooring and started our day.

Throgs Neck and Whitestone Bridges.  See the city in the background?

Rikers Island Prison

The floating prison.

Entering Hell’s Gate

Hell’s Gate Bridge

The United Nations

The Brooklyn Bridge through a rainy window.

South Street Seaport

Staten Island Ferry Terminal

I was in my glory for this part of the trip. Going out of the bay we passed those gorgeous houses that always line the shores. I also love lighthouses and there was such an adorable little lighthouse sitting in the middle of the water. Soon we came upon the Throgs Neck and the Whitestone Bridges. Through them, you could catch a glimpse of the New York skyline in the distance. As we proceeded up the East River we got closer and closer to New York City. We started seeing familiar and famous sights and we both really enjoyed the ride.

One landmark that everyone who passes through New York by boat looks forward to is the Statue of Liberty. Catching that first glimpse of her is such a thrill. As you approach her you pass by Governors Island and see Ellis Island to the side. Of course I was busy with my camera as we neared the little island on which she stands. It was rainy so I shot out the door, but I made sure I didn’t miss the experience. Now we are anchored in a wonderful little anchorage behind the Statue. It is calm and there are only a couple of other boats here. It’s hard to believe this little, quiet spot is so near one of the most famous landmarks in the world. Although Lady Liberty’s bottom half is behind trees, we can see the rest of her from our boat. I’m amazed and content. It was a perfect day.