After our long push westward we finally reached New York City! Equally important, the winds finally calmed. After days of going out and getting battered about by strong winds and seas, having a day of flat seas was a welcome respite.

We left the Cedar Point Yacht Club at 6am yesterday and, for the rest of our time on Long Island Sound, we never saw winds over about 8 knots. After refueling in New Rochelle, we continued through Hell Gate and down the East River into New York harbor. This was our fourth time passing through these waters and, while the timing of the currents (we hit it just about perfectly this time) and the commercial traffic is much less intimidating than the first time, the thrill of riding through the heart of New York was still fantastic.

We pulled into the Liberty Landing marina yesterday afternoon intending to stay just one night and then head off down the New Jersey coast. But after a whomping thunderstorm complete with hail, and a careful analysis of the weather trends and our energy levels, we decided to stay here for the day and not head off until the wee hours tomorrow...Of course, I had my work to do and Anne did laundry and other chores while Evelyn and Leslie did schoolwork so it wasn't a day of rest in the classic sense. Nevertheless, it felt like a rest day and while we may be a bit short of sleep as we set off for Cape May tomorrow (we won't get there until sometime quite late tomorrow night), it will be with fresher minds and cleaner clothes!