“Muster in the Sound”
July 4, 2022
Sunsets and Sunrises
In the Long Island Sound
Our original plan was to simply to visit the Larchmont Yacht Club over the 4th of July holiday in 2022, visiting several friends but also our host Gabriel Asaftei.
We ended up working from and staying in Port Washington (just across the Sound) for almost 2 weeks, which was wonderful and educational.
Marcus Eich and Jolanda Blum joined us at the Larchmont Yacht Club for the first few days in their motor yacht, “Sky’s the Limit”.
Malisa driving as we leave Manhattan
Marcus & Jolanda cruising under the Brooklyn Bridge
Motor Vessel “Sky’s the Limit”
Marcus and Jolanda skydive, fly and all sorts of fun things in addition to sailing, boating and the “usual” stuff.
Larchmont Yacht Club mooring field
Todd assuming the position after we secured the boat for the evening.
Boom!
A thunderstorm nearby reminded us nature’s fireworks are way better than anything we might do
Boom?
It’s hard to capture with an iPhone, but we were surrounded by fireworks in the bay as various small towns around larchmont and across on Long Island launched their shows.
Boop!
After sailing a small “Laser” dingy, around the mooring field, Malisa took a break on Jolanda’s signature pink flamingo.
July 4th BBQ
Gabe and his family hosted a bunch of sailors in his new home right next to Larchmont Yacht Club, and tried to kill us with dozens of courses of food, cocktails and good fun. Thank you!!
We left Larchmont for a short sail over to Port Washington, where our friends Fabio and Rose spend their summers on “Fata Morgana”, a beautiful Hylas sailboat.
Port Washington
As we were now on the western side of the sound, the sunsets (looking west over the water) turned out to be amazing every evening!
Afloat
This was our first trip staying almost exclusively on mooring balls, and we loved it! (versus a slip). Turning and floating freely invited the breeze and always had amazing views.
Rose
& Fabio
Fabirose?
Louie’s
Dinner with Fabio and Rose on the patio of Louie’s, a restaurant on the Port Washington waterfront.
Happy B-Day Margaux
Margaux, another friend from NYC, also came out and stayed with us for a few days as we have a guest cabin.
After a week or so working remotely during the week of the 4th, we finally left our mooring ball, said goodbye to Margaux, picked up some new friends at the Port Washington dock and set sail further up the Sound, to North Port, where we secured another mooring at Seymour’s.
Got Gennaker?
On the way from Port Washington to North Port, we unfurled our Gennaker (a big sail we had never used since buying the boat) for the first time. It worked great in light air, and we used it upwind from 60 to 90 degrees. Our next experiment will be downwind (90 to 180 degrees).
Captain Malisa
Malisa drove while we managed the gennaker for the first time, which was a lot of fun!
Starting in Port Washington, Rebecca and Ramon joined us for the sail up to North Port and the return all the way back to Manhattan.
CREW
Our gennaker foredeck union…
Fata Morgana
Rose and Fabio sailing alongside
North Port
Breakfast
Home made french toast, fruit, juice, eggs…fantastic.
Happy Sailors
The gang, minus Jeff and Sonita who arrived just before dinner on their boat, S/V Halcyon.
Cruising
A short cruise around North Port in Fata Morgana as we looked for S/V Halcyon.
I believe the guys were discussing boats and the girls were discussing how often the men changed their underwear. Really.
Mermaids
Trouble in progress…
FMFU?
Fata Morgana Foredeck Union
Saturday Afternoons
Winches
They totally work better when you look at them like that.
These two and
Those Two
There are simply no good photos of them. Ever. And never on boats.
S/V Halcyon
We found Jeff and Sonita on the water.
Water Taxi
Time for dinner!
North Port
Dinner
After a tough breakfast and tour of the Vanderbilt mansion in North Port as it rained a bit in the afternoon, we refueled in downtown North Port. Caner, Kerry, Jeff and Sonita joined us!
Ice Cream
Of course we had ice cream and it’s totally possible to toast with it.
Heading Home
5 AM cast off
Dead calm
We left early to arrive at a very difficult area to navigate, Hell Gate, at slack tide which only happens once or twice a day. We targeted a ~2pm transition, which meant leaving North Port at 5 am. However, the sunrise was beautiful with a little fog and mirror flat water.
Homeward Bound
Rebecca and Ramon drive us down the East River, under the Manhattan bridge and the Brooklyn bridge.
