#26. 2016 The Great Loop From NY to Home

After crossing my wake at NY City, I decided to go up the Hudson to Half Moon Marina and leave Firebird there with the pending Hurricane on its way.  Being there will provide the protection needed and allow me a chance to fly to Williamsburg VA to retrieve my car and bring it back to my home in MA.  I have been "hop-scotching" my car over the East coast from Ft Myers to Jacksonville to Norfolk to Williamsburg as I traveled the Great Loop (GL). Having access to my car while at boat stops for extended periods provided for a more enjoyable GL experience.

After returning my car to home garage, I rented a car to return to Half Moon Marina and Firebird.  While I had the rental, I was able to visit the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). I even was able to have a meal at the Italian restaurant on campus. The following are pictures of the CIA visit:

A student kitchen:

Student dining hall:

Class on lettuce

Italian dining restaurant

Students work 3 weeks in the kitchen and 3 weeks as waters and Matre'ds in the 3-4 restaurants on campus before they graduate. I had a meal at this restaurant and it was Very-very good.

The Italian kitchen in action.  Most of these people are students, there is one professional chief who oversees all.

After the storms had passed and weather was more settled I left Half Moon Bay and started back thru NY city toward home:

9/8/16: CROTON ON HUDSON NY TO OYSTER BAY NY, Travel time: 9 6/10 hrs.

9/12/16: OYSTER BAY TO CONN RIVER, Travel time: 9 8/10 hrs.

9/13/16: CONN RIVER TO MYSTIC SEAPORT, Travel time: 4 1/10 hrs.

I anchored up in the estuary behind Mystic Seaport. I rowed ashore to a local seafood for diner. My friend Randy drove down from MA to join me and we spent the night at anchor and weighed anchor the next day to go to Block Island. Randy would accompany me thru to Woods Hole where his wife would meet us and take him home.  It would be good to share some time at helm with company. 

9/14/16: MYSTIC SEAPORT TO BLOCK ISLAND, Travel time: 4 8/10 hrs.

On the way home I stopped at Block Island

Restaurant in the harbor has a unique decorum of Oars...I found a few oars identifying some friends who had left their identifying mark here (Fiddlers Green for example).

9/15/16: BLOCK ISLAND TO NEWPORT RI, Travel time: 4 3/10 hrs. 

Newport Navy Marina

 Woods Hole MA:

 Another funny sign:

 What do you suppose his last tune was?

 Plymouth MA and Mayflower Replica

 Provence Town MA

 Saw this show one night, it was very good.

Night cap

Stillwaggen Bank

Leaving Provencetown MA I took a slight course adjustment to the east to Stillwaggen Band and a show put on by several Humpback whales feeding at the bank.

I stopped for the evening at the entrance to Beverly/Salem Harbor at Misery Island for the night.  I was prolonging one more day before I ended my trip.

Firebird heading up the Porter River to its resting place for the winter proudly flying its Gold Looper Burgee.

Firebird travel of the Great Loop officially ended and was home and ready to rest for the winter and some routine maintenance.