Very Social Cruising In New England

Beautiful New England

Since leaving New York City our cruising life has become extremely social. An unplanned series of connections somehow linked up, to create a cruise through beautiful New England like no other.

We started with a visit to the New York Athletic Club Yacht Club, at Travers Island, Pelham, just north east of the city.

Here we celebrated Independence Day on July 4th, with our good friend Steven Shaw and his sons Eli & Ethan. Steven's friends Paul and Elaine Osmolskis arranged access to the club for us, and became truly sensational hosts. I should say here that Steven was Best Man at our wedding, and Ethan is our Godson, so it was a great and long overdue reunion.

It is hard to understand how important the 4th of July really is, unless you call America home. Its a time of family reunion, contemplation, celebration and fireworks.

We dressed Crystal Blues with signal and club flags, plus our big battle flag, and made ready to join the party. We learned that night that the New York Athletic Club was pivotal in the start of the modern Olympic Games - together with a similar club in Chicago they basically kicked the ball off and started the modern Olympics. While berthed at the club we also received a visit from Thomas and Linda Delaney, OCC Port Officers for New York, who had seen our burgee flying and wanted to make sure we were looked after ... which we certainly were.

Incidentally, the US Declaration Of Independence is reprinted and published each year on July 4, by the New York Times. Check it out here.

NYAC Yacht Club Launch - A Proper Way To Go Ashore

The 4th Of July Picnic Cruise

      
We started the 4th of July with a delightful picnic cruise on Long Island Sound, before heading back to the yacht club for a serious overdose of fireworks that night.

Two Old Friends - Now Very Old !

Next day we moved on, arriving in the town of Norwalk, Connecticut, after a four hour passage. There we met with David and Jody Neaderland, long time friends that started with a business relationship back in the 1980's.

Dave and Jody were at our wedding in 1998, and also cruised on Port Philip Bay with us.

Now they have two great children, a growing business building AV middle-ware and a marvelous newly renovated home. It has been a long time ....

The reunion in Norwalk was warm and memorable, however once we recovered the next morning we needed to move on, and departed before the Norwalk dock authorities could attack our bank account again ..... (fifty US dollars for every six hours on a very crappy town dock was a bit steep).  Dave & Jody - we'll be back guys!

And the unusual part about the start of our New England cruise ? In two consecutive ports we met with old friends who were present at our wedding - couldn't have planned it better.