Today Brenda and I headed through New York aboard Pandora and had a wonderful trip. The last time Brenda and I made this trip together was 30 years ago on our 20′ Catboat. That time it didn’t go well at all. Had our son Rob been born at that time he would have called such a journey a “career limiting move” for my sailing with Brenda. Imagine a 20’ boat with a 5hp diesel inboard heading through Hell’s Gate with the tide and spitting out into the Sandy Hook Bay with the full ebb tide and a strong SW wind kicking up a massive chop. Well, at least massive to a 20’ underpowered catboat. Well, thank goodness it went well today as it took 30 years after the last trip for me to convince Brenda to give it a go again. Happily, the circumstances were very different today and even Brenda declared that she had a terrific time. It wasn’t all about being aboard Pandora that made it a great trip for Brenda. As this time our son Christopher (He wasn’t even born when she last did this trip) who lives on the upper west side in Manhattan, rode his bike over to the East River to greet us as we exited Hell’s Gate at the upper end of Roosevelt Island. It was such a thrill to see him standing there on the bike path that Brenda and I both were quite choked up. However, Brenda was able to hold herself together long enough to take dozens of photos of Chris taking pictures of her taking pictures of Chris… Well y0u get the general idea.
I have gone through NY by boat many times over the years but to do it again, and under such wonderful circumstances, with Brenda was indeed a treat for me. After “meeting up” with Christopher,uptown, the plan was to race him down to the bottom tip of Manhattan and Battery Park. So what happened you ask? Wh won this big race? Well, Pandora wins by a mere ten minutes. Glad that we had the tide with us. I can’t believe that Christopher did it at all, and much less that fast. We only waited at the Battery for about 10 minutes and then, there he was. I expect that our wild waving and his shouting to us must have been quite a sight for the many tourists that were trying to figure out what the display was all about.
The race is on…
Here’s a few more of the 135 photos that Brenda and I took on the short and fast run down the East River. Where do I begin?
The new Freedom Tower and my dad’s favorite bridge. The Brooklyn Bridge, I guess that makes it my favorite too. I still recall this same sight right after the twin towers came down. I was running my last boat down to it’s winter home in Morgan Creek NJ and passed just a week or so after that tragedy. Ths dark smoke and stench was terrible.
Brenda with the NYC skyline behind her. What fun.
Can’t have to many pictures of our son Chris. He would ride along, stop take pictures and ride some more. It was so much fun to see him peddling along next to us. So near and yet so far.
Always looking for a better shot, Christopher jumped the fence at the Battery. I wonder what the tourists on shore next to him were thinking of our screaming and waving back and forth. “those crazies are my parents, they have abandoned me for the high seas. I won’t see them for months… Isn’t this great!!!” 
Loads of traffic in the harbor. I wonder who chose the color for the Staten Island Ferry? I like it. Not the sort of bold statement you would expect from a public bureaucrat .
How about the Statue of Liberty to salute our passing?
Love this one. What sweet lines. Not!!!
The skyline fades into the distance. It will be a long time till we pass through here again. 
So, what next? Our weather router, Chris Parker, just told me that he recommends that we take a lay day here at Sandy Hook and ride a cold front with good NW winds down the coast on Saturday. A great day of sailing? Sounds good to me.