For sure, see City Island, Port Washington, Oyster Bay, Northport (none are
crowded), and probably Block Island (definitely crowded weekends).

Port Jefferson is okay, but it is a ways from the anchorage to town. Mattituck
Inlet is nice, but not near much and rumor has it it has shoaled to under
4-1/2' at low tide. Newport has no effective anchorage, and you need to arrive
early in the morning to catch a mooring (was $50, may have gone up).

In NJ, Horseshoe Cove and Atlantic Highlands are decent anchorages. Plan on an
overnight trip Cape May to AH.

Watch currents at Hell Gate. Plan on arriving at HG 1 hour 20 minutes after
high tide at The Battery for high slack water at HG and a ride with the current
to HG and away from HG.

Watch current through The Race (eastern end of LIS) whick can be strong. If
caught in adverse current there go close to shore.

Lots of anchorages along CT coast, but lots of rocks protecting the approaches.

LIS can be a mite cool into early May.

NY City Parks and Rec has mooring available at 79th Street boat basin. Last
summer, in season, theye were I think $40 a day. You *definitely* need a motor
on your dinghy as the currents can be strong. Restaurant right there, plus a
two block walk to tons more of everything on Broadway, plus a subway station to
take you anywhere. Buy a Metro card and go, with free transfers to MTA buses.
79th St BB is recommended if you want to see Manhattan, and a lot of tourist
do.

Liberty Landing Marina and Libertay State Marina (can't remember which is
which, but the one on the south side of the old Deleware Canal is far better,
ignore the one on the north side) each have (separate) ferries to Manhattan
(which ferries -may- have run out of funding and stopped running, there was
talk of that about to happen). neither is effectively close enough to a PATH
train (to Manhattan) to be useful. The other marinas on the Jersey side of the
Hudson don't want you there unless you have a mega-buck$$ Yotte.

Forget staying at Chesea Piers in Manhattan.

Enjoy.

In the process of planning a possible spring and/or summer cruise in
Long Island Sound and nearby, after shipping "Gambier," a Eastbay 43,
drawing four feet, by truck from Ft. Lauderdale to probably northern NJ
for offloading and pick-up, I am asking for suggestions and comments
about:

How early ought one to begin a cruise on the Sound?
Crowdedness in general on the Sound?
Crowdedness in ??? ports, marinas, anchorages?
Better and best anchorages and marinas?
Better and best villages, towns and cities to visit, and why?
Best fuel (deisel) sources?
Your best comments and advise re cruising Long Island Sound?
Thanks much.

Ed Wagner
m/v Gambier