First of all...I'm tired! We sailed back from Morris Cove in just over 9 hours.

Here's how it went:

Left City Island at 3:30 dispite a lot of people suggesting we wait until the
T-Storms pass. We caught good, if not strong air until we reached Oyster Bay
when the wind picked up. We anchored for dinner, then Suzanne reasoned we might
be better off making for Port Jeff. We enterer Port Jeff LATE, after 2:00 am I
think and grabbed a mooring. Bit of a challenge due to MAJOR waves and chop in
strong wind as we entered.
Morning at about 8:am we went tried to find a 40 foot Heron (as mentioned in my
badly dated guide) and found none! But we went into town, grabbed a few things
and Suzanne got herself a McDonald's coffee. We headed out into a beautiful day
and we agreed that the Thimbles still might be a bit of a haul if we wanted to
swim and have a bit of fun. But as the wind increased she determined we could
make it and quickly. We hit the thimbles at around. I tried many times before
and after, up until 5:00 to hail Bill. I even ****ed off a few people doing it
too often. Note: The wind was quite fresh and we were reefed and furled down,
still at hull speed. There were VERY few boats sailing, unless I saw what was
typical for the area
We had a bit of a tricky time figuring out where to enter the Thimbles, finally
found the anchorage indicated (between Pot and Hi, if I remember right. Steve
walls with homes and A TON of boats anchored for fun. Some lucky devil had a
J27 (I think) actually at his own dock between two narrow cliffs. Small
cliffs...but still very pretty. There was just too many boats there and many
more coming in. We toured the area...ran into a patch of sand not far past the
cable run area...managed to get around it. The best places to anchor, shielded
from the wind, were all full up. We had lunch and left, making for East Haven
at around 3:30 or 4:00. Again, hailed Bill. Nada. I was bummed. Meeting someone
there would've been fun.
We hailed Morris Cove and got...A FREE MOORING! Wow! Even the kid in the launch
came around and brought us ashore where they had outdoor stall shower for
guests-better than our puny shower. Came back, cooked a steak for her, fish for
me and watched Bowling for Columbine...a bit overated.
We left at 6:am sunday and it was COLD! We had sweatshirts and foulies on! The
wind was great, clipping along at about 7.5 or so...then....6.5....6. Slowing
down on the GPS as the current kicked in. After 5 hours we'd made 26 miles, but
the trend was slowing down. Then the wind flipped on us and died! Zikes. We
motored 2 hours before catching good air again near Oyster Bay.
We had a great time. Suzanne loved it....we tried to change plans to allow two
more days...couldn't.
Here's a pic of Alien powering toward the channel at the Thimbles.
http://hometown.aol.com/bobsprit/images/thimble4.jpg
More pics to come. I'm going to sleep!

Capt RB

"Bobsprit" wrote in message
...
|
| First of all...I'm tired! We sailed back from Morris Cove in just over 9
hours.

That means nothing to those of us who have no idea of the distance Bob....

|
| Here's how it went:
|
| Left City Island at 3:30 dispite a lot of people suggesting we wait until
the
| T-Storms pass.

Did you discuss route planning with them or were they concerned because you
had no sail plan and were unaware of the weather forecast?

We caught good, if not strong air until we reached Oyster Bay
| when the wind picked up. We anchored for dinner, then Suzanne reasoned we
might
| be better off making for Port Jeff.

If I understand this correctly... you decided to anchor when the wind picked
up... so you could have Dinner??


We enterer Port Jeff LATE, after 2:00 am I
| think and grabbed a mooring. Bit of a challenge due to MAJOR waves and
chop in
| strong wind as we entered.

H-m-m-m-m 11 hours with an estimated 1.5 hour dinner break for a total of
9 and a half hours of sailing. That would be what.. about 40 miles for your
boat? So.. did you navigate in with your radar? How did you find the
excercise of locating a mooring in an unfamiliar harbour with major waves,
choppy water and a strong wind?? Did you use your spotlight?? I can't
believe you didn't even look at your watch to confirm times while underway
to destination.


| Morning at about 8:am we went tried to find a 40 foot Heron (as mentioned
in my
| badly dated guide) and found none! But we went into town, grabbed a few
things
| and Suzanne got herself a McDonald's coffee.

Heh... I thought you had provisioned the boat... can't you even make coffee
on board???

We headed out into a beautiful day
| and we agreed that the Thimbles still might be a bit of a haul if we
wanted to
| swim and have a bit of fun.

Exactly how far is a "haul" ??????

But as the wind increased she determined we could
| make it and quickly. We hit the thimbles at around.

Glad she waited till the wind increased to determine you could make it ...
even though you decided to set it as destination prior to departure. You hit
the Thimbles ... when???? distance covered? chart used?

I tried many times before
| and after, up until 5:00 to hail Bill. I even ****ed off a few people
doing it
| too often.

Bill claimed he attempted to hail you... did you shut off the VHF at 1700
hrs?

Note: The wind was quite fresh and we were reefed and furled down,
| still at hull speed. There were VERY few boats sailing, unless I saw what
was
| typical for the area

Good gawd... very fresh?? How fast is that?

| We had a bit of a tricky time figuring out where to enter the Thimbles,

You'll find charts are a real help in that situation.....

finally
| found the anchorage indicated (between Pot and Hi, if I remember right.
Steve
| walls with homes and A TON of boats anchored for fun. Some lucky devil had
a
| J27 (I think) actually at his own dock between two narrow cliffs. Small
| cliffs...but still very pretty. There was just too many boats there and
many
| more coming in. We toured the area...ran into a patch of sand not far past
the
| cable run area...managed to get around it.

Odd you can describe everything with such clarity as long as it doesn't
include navigation.

The best places to anchor, shielded
| from the wind, were all full up. We had lunch and left, making for East
Haven
| at around 3:30 or 4:00. Again, hailed Bill. Nada. I was bummed. Meeting
someone
| there would've been fun.

You claimed you weren't going in one of your last posts.... what do you
expect?

| We hailed Morris Cove and got...A FREE MOORING! Wow! Even the kid in the
launch
| came around and brought us ashore where they had outdoor stall shower for
| guests-better than our puny shower. Came back, cooked a steak for her,
fish for
| me and watched Bowling for Columbine...a bit overrated.

Claimed visiting Yacht status? What time did you arrive there?

| We left at 6:am sunday and it was COLD!

It usually is before sunrise....

We had sweatshirts and foulies on! The
| wind was great, clipping along at about 7.5 or so...then....6.5....6.
Slowing
| down on the GPS as the current kicked in. After 5 hours we'd made 26
miles, but
| the trend was slowing down. Then the wind flipped on us and died! Zikes.

Zikes is right... an average of 5 knots!

We
| motored 2 hours before catching good air again near Oyster Bay.

What was your return time that allowed you to make such a passage within one
day?

| We had a great time. Suzanne loved it....we tried to change plans to allow
two
| more days...couldn't.

Well it's nice to have a Plan B.... if you have a Plan A.

| Here's a pic of Alien powering toward the channel at the Thimbles.
| http://hometown.aol.com/bobsprit/images/thimble4.jpg
| More pics to come. I'm going to sleep!

Well the photo says a lot.... fenders laying on the deck.... [sort of
indicates you've departed from a nearby dock] powering in a moderate breeze
[ what's up with that?]

Bob... this little adventure requires a better standard of reporting... or a
better comprehension of sailing to confirm it's authenticity. I'm certain
you will be able to provide the particulars.

Glad to see you both back safe and sound.

CM

| First of all...I'm tired! We sailed back from Morris Cove in just over 9
hours.

That means nothing to those of us who have no idea of the distance Bob....

About 44.5 Miles after we cleared the breakwaters (less than a mile).

RB

Did you discuss route planning with them or were they concerned because you
had no sail plan and were unaware of the weather forecast?

Weather had been warning of severe stormsin our area all day. It was even
mentioned on this board before we left.
I judged the sky of an even cast indicating that we had time to make for wider
water, where we'd have room to work if a storm clobbered us. That meant making
the few short miles past Execution rocks where the sound opens up. Though there
was plenty of thunder and lightening, we never felt a drop and the radar was
clear. Good luck.

RB

If I understand this correctly... you decided to anchor when the wind picked
up... so you could have Dinner??

No. We caught good air at Oyster Bay, anchored some time later for dinner.

RB

How did you find the
excercise of locating a mooring in an unfamiliar harbour with major waves,
choppy water and a strong wind?? Did you use your spotlight??

It was tough, even with the GPS. We used the spotlight and crossed back and
forth twice to make sure we understood the entrance which is somewhat narrow.
In the light of day it was a very obvious entrance and we couldn't believe how
confused we were!
Port Jeff was a parking lot with next to zero room to drop an anchor. We
motored in where there's a huge ferry and a lot of work boats. The clubs were
all sleeping. We grabbed someone's mooring instead.

RB

Glad she waited till the wind increased to determine you could make it ...
even though you decided to set it as destination prior to departure.

Our "plan" as it was from the start, was to make for the Thimbles, but not if
we had to motor hour after hour in dead air or if wind direction worked soundly
against us.
There are plenty of places to pull in for a swim.

RB

Odd you can describe everything with such clarity as long as it doesn't
include navigation.

What would you like to know? You want coordinates?

RB

Claimed visiting Yacht status? What time did you arrive there?

About 6:00. The kid asked us if we were from a club and that was it. We tipped
him for the launch service. I was happy not to bother with the dinghy.

RB

| We left at 6:am sunday and it was COLD!

It usually is before sunrise..

No, no, no! COLD. As in truly COLD. It stayed that way until well after noon.

RB