A week ago today we were all packed up and ready to leave aboard Jabulani, but due to a cold front (which produced snow in other parts of New Jersey) we delayed our departure until Wednesday, Nov 20th. Wednesday we cast off from the Fuel Dock at Liberty Harbor Marina with Pastor Eric Simons throwing off our docking lines and we were off, headed South (not as far South as originally planned - but more on that another day). That first day we motored most of the way to Sandy Hook and found a dock in the Atlantic Highlands on the southern part of the Sandy Hook Bay, because we knew that another cold front was about to come through. The kids enjoyed stretching their legs at a local park before the rain started (see pic). We spent two days there during the worst of the weather, doing school on-board and baking delicious choc-chip cookies - these seemed to come out better in my boat galley that I could ever produce them on land. As soon as we felt the weather was going to give us a break we headed out and made a run for Manasquan Inlet, we ended up doing so well that day that we pushed on and spent the night in Barnagate Bay which would give us a shorter sail the next day. Yesterday we planned on leaving the dockside and getting off to another good day of sailing at around 7:30 am to arrive in Atlantic City by around lunch time.
Philip said that I should not even bother coming out, rather to keep warm and dry inside and he would cast us off and motor us out of the Inlet himself. A few minutes later while starting to prepare us some coffee down below I felt the boat lurch forward and knew that we had run aground!! Oh my!! Our biggest learning after spending valuable time and effort and almost losing the dinghy (retrieved by the state police) while trying to kedge off with an anchor, was that no matter how simple the task seems, two pairs of eyes are always better that one. Also, that channel markers are not just a suggestion. We finally were under way again by just before 10 am and made it into Atlantic City by 4:30 pm, which is where we are right now. Enjoying Donald Trump's wifi connection in his Trump Marina. We will need to hole up here for another few days due to another cold front, but should be on our way again by Wednesday and easily make it into Cape May on the same day. We are enjoying our time on board. Here are some links to video footage from our trip on YouTube: