Atlantic Highlands raftup successful despite everything...

[Catherine Monaghan]

<H2><CENTER>September 29-30, 2001</CENTER></H2>
Despite the closure on New York Harbor due to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and New York City, small craft warnings (Saturday), gale warnings (Sunday) and some last minute cancellations beforehand, three vessels and eight sailors attended the raft-up at Atlantic Highlands, NJ over the weekend of September 29th and 30th.

Attendees:
<DL><DD>CD32 Realization: Catherine Monaghan, Bruce Halley and Cimon, Leo MacDonald and Joe Karger
<DD>CD33 Gemini: Howard and Joe Kolsby
<DD>Contessa 32 Blue Moon: Bill Gaughan and Karen Karpinski
</DL>

Leo MacDonald drove down from Lisbon, CT to join us aboard <I>CD32 Realization</I> on Friday, the 28th. My husband, Bruce Halley, and I met him there after work, provisioned the boat and enjoyed a great pot of stew for dinner graciously provided by Ruth MacDonald -- mmmmm, Leo, make sure Ruth prepares a pot for our next get-together too! Joe Karger, his boat stuck at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, drove down and joined us Saturday morning. Before leaving we put two reefs in <I>Realization's</I> mainsail.

We shoved off from the dock at Lockwood Boat Works, Morgan, NJ at 1140 and headed for the Cheesequake Creek, passed under the NJ Transit Morgan Rail Bridge, called the bridge tender of the Cheesequake Creek Rte. 35 Morgan Highway Bridge and waited for the 1200 opening. It was difficult to keep <I>Realization</I> sitting idly between the two bridges in the 20 knot winds and the current, but we managed. The bridge opened and we went through with just one other sailboat. Our goal was to be in the anchorage at Atlantic Highlands by 1600 -- no problem with this wind!

We plowed our way through the inlet into a 20 knot and freshening north wind and chop and hoisted the double-reefed main followed by the staysail and sailed on port tack all the way past the Earle Naval Weapons Station piers. Boy was it odd to see their piers empty -- not a single ship. I had never seen those piers empty before. We fell off as we rounded Earle to enter Sandy Hook Bay and just then were hailed by Howard Kolsby, <I>CD33 Gemini</I>, who was already at anchor. (Howard and Joe had sailed from Avon, NJ on the Shark River the day prior.) We told him that we had just entered Sandy Hook Bay and would be there within an hour. It was only 1400 and the winds had reached 25 and were still freshening! <I>Realization</I> had been flying, under reduced sail, at better than 7 knots for a good portion of our 18-mile trip.

When we arrived in the anchorage, <I>Gemini</I> was solidly at anchor (35 lb CQR and all chain rode). The winds were getting stronger and I was concerned about rafting but Howard had four humongous fenders, which made our four 8-inch fenders look miniscule, and we decided to go ahead with the raftup. He and his brother, Joe, set two of those fenders on <I>Gemini's</I> starboard side and we rafted. Shortly after making the final adjustments to the fenders and lines we were hailed by Bill Gaughan aboard <I>Contessa 32 Blue Moon</I>. Bill and Karen were just rounding Earle and were on there way. A few minutes later we were rafting them to <I>Gemini's</I> port side, Bill making the same decision after seeing those gigantic fenders. The wind continued to build and howl and the boats began to pitch and roll a bit. We watched and were satisfied that the boats wouldn't touch.

We all hunkered down in <I>Realization's</I> cockpit, protected by the dodger from the spray that was now flying over the bows of the three boats, and enjoyed snacks, drinks, conversation and comraderie.

Around 1800 we hailed the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club launch and they picked up me, Bruce and Cimon, our dog. Cimon needed to go ashore to "take care of business". The ride to their dock wasn't bad, but the ride back was good and wet. I tried to protect Cimon from the spray with my body as best I could, plus he was wearing his coat, but he would still get it in the face and try to get away from me and it whenever he got doused. There was no getting away from it, and he rolled all over the cushions in the cockpit to dry off once we returned to the boat. Then we sent everyone over to <I>Gemini</I>. We needed a clear cockpit so that we could carry the dingy up from below and inflate it. Joe Karger helped me inflate it and we sent it overboard, tied to the stern, while Bruce prepared dinner (vegetable tortillas) for the potluck dinner to follow.


When the food was ready, we had everyone aboard <I>Realization</I> and had dinner down below while the wind continued to freshen. Everyone contributed to the potluck and we feasted. At one point there was a loud bang and I ran up on deck to see what was going on but couldn't find the source of the bang. I think it may have been the chain snapping as the boats began pitching again. The boats' motion was more wild now but the giant fenders were doing there job and nothing was touching -- the boats were well clear of each other and the rigging was well clear as well. I asked Howard to let out more rode since all three boats were depending on his ground tackle and the winds were continuing to strengthen. He let out more chain and the boats settled down. Bill and I had to make a decision, whether to stay rafted or not, and we decided, uncharacteristically on my part anyway, to remain rafted to <I>Gemini</I>. Thank goodness Howard had those big fenders, though I cannot figure out how he stows them when not in use.

We had set two of our "little" 8-inch fenders forward of Howard's big ones and two aft. The two fenders forward had been flying horizontally in the wind and banging up against our hull and one of them set itself on deck. The wind was howling and the water in the harbor was choppy with the waves heading straight at our bows and occasionally crashing over them -- yes, we were taking "breaking seas" as well as spray over
the bow. Needless to say, it was a mostly sleepless night for me. I found myself constantly checking our position, our motion, our lines and our fenders though I did manage to get some sleep.

In the morning it was cloudy and threatening and we had to make one final trip to shore with Cimon -- even wetter than the two trips the night before. After we got back to the boats we had breakfast then it was time to break up the raft. <I>Blue Moon</I> was first to leave, followed by <I>Realization</I>, then Howard had to retrieve his anchor which must have been well buried -- good thing he has a windlass.

All three boats were heading in the same direction, west. <I>Blue Moon</I> was returning to Perth Amboy, NJ and <I>Realization</I> and <I>Gemini</I> were heading to Morgan, NJ. Howard was delivering <I>Gemini</I> to Lockwood's for winter storage.

Both <I>Blue Moon</I> and <I>Gemini</I> hoisted their sails on Sandy Hook Bay but I wanted to wait and see what the conditions were on Raritan Bay as we cleared Sandy Hook. The wind was blowing from the northeast at 35 knots and gusting to 40 with a 3 to 4-foot chop 3 seconds apart on Sandy Hook Bay. We were plowing into it and taking quite a bit of water over the bow, over the dodger and into our faces. Our dingy was airborne and flipped upside down on several occasions, each time righting itself. I knew that once we rounded Earle, we would lose the protection provided by Sandy Hook but the wind would no longer be on our nose as we turned westward toward home. I thought about using the same sail combination that we had used on Saturday, double-reefed main and staysail, but thought we'd be overpowered. Since we'd be on a reach, we unfurled the yankee alone and <I>Realization</I> began her flight home, this time sailing at speeds approaching 8 knots! At the eastern end of the bay the wave heights were about 4 feet with occasional bigger ones (I'm glad we weren't heading out on the ocean where NOAA was predicting 20-foot seas -- we would have stayed put.). Leo was at the helm, and at one point buried the rail to the portlights. My husband was down below with Cimon and he said he could hear the water flowing over his head. I eased the sheet. Shortly afterwards, Joe wanted to take his turn at the helm and Leo went below to find his boots and dry socks. His feet were soaked and cold. Then the bay started to throw foam at us in addition to the spray, it began to rain though we hardly noticed, and <I>Realization</I> continued to fly.

The sky on the western horizon was clear and slowly heading our way. By the time we reached South Amboy the wind had diminished considerably and there were a few other boats now sailing on the bay, whereas earlier we were the only three boats sailing during the gale. We were late for the 1:00 p.m. bridge but too early for the 2:00, so <I>Realization</I> and <I>Gemini</I> continued to sail on the bay as <I>Blue Moon</I> headed for her mooring in Perth Amboy a short distance away. We sailed over towards Great Beds Light then turned back towards Staten Island before heading for the inlet.

By then I was down below. It was my turn to babysit Cimon. And I hailed the bridge tender as we approached the inlet. The guys brought us back to the dock and Bruce made a perfect landing then they ran down to the transient dock to help Howard tie up <I>Gemini</I>.

Bill and Karen drove over from Perth Amboy and we talked some more before saying goodbye to them. Then the rest of us, except for Joe Kolsby who was <I>Gemini's</I> "boat boy" and relegated to cleaning the boat, had lunch, which was provided by Howard, aboard <I>Realization</I> followed by dessert provided by Joe Karger.

We all had a great time despite everything and would like to do it again next year. Hopefully things will be different next year and the folks who were stuck on the other side of a closed harbor will be able to make it next time around.

So mark your calendars everybody and plan to attend next year.

Cape Dory Get Together
Atlantic Highlands, NJ
September 28 and 29, 2002



catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Captain Monaghan,

You should be an author! Wouldn't have to work for a living, and could write from the comforts of Realizations' cabin! Titles might include: "My life aboard a Cape Dory 32", "Friends, Sailors and Pirates I have met at randeveous", and finally: "How I was Beaten at Sea by a Cape Dory 30" ! ! !

All kidding aside, it was a great story and I enjoyed it...it was really blowin' up here on Sunday...got to get the mains'l patched...hate it when that happens....I remain.....your most HUMBLE servant.......

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30C "#1"

P.S. Sorry to have put you under the gun for the "burgee" thing!

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi Cathy,

Thanks for the invite to 'crew'. Sat & Sun were GREAT sails. I cannot imagine a place I would rather have been - good breeze, rail in or at the water, with like minded sailors. It was just Great!

RE: Cape Dory Get Together

Atlantic Highlands, NJ
September 28 and 29, 2002

Let's make this the 'Late Season Fling' for the NE Fleet???

Fair Winds,
Leo
(treading water in Fisher's Isl. Sound)



macdore@aol.com

[Michael Heintz]

Captains,

Ya know...... we just have to beat this guy next year !!!

Michaek Heintz
Captain Commanding
Macht Nichts
CD 30 MK II Racing Sloop