Skies have cleared up nicely here on the south shore of Long Island.

After watching the paint dry on our anchor rode we decided to go try it out. CB Cove as usual. We are back all secured at S-Dock 6:30 pm. Planning to stay aboard for the night.

So exciting to wait for paint to dry! It is time for our annual anchor chain marking paint to be re-applied. Each end of our 75 feet of chain is painted, as well as a 1 foot marker at 25 feet, and two foot long markers at 50 feet spaced a foot apart. “We always know exactly how much chain is out.” Behind the chain is 150feet of half inch nylon. The anchor is a 26 pound Ultra Anchor… stainless steel with lead inside the casting. We love it… and this whole system gets used a LOT!

I got up early enough to beat the sunrise this morn!

100% clear sky and light wind points to a probable great boating day today.

Awoke at slip Saturday to fog and rain… just hung out here as long as we could before leaks in the biminis forced us to head home for the rest of the afternoon.

Thirteen boats are tied up here now, the most we’ve seen in a few years. Matt and Diana are back in their Chaparral 28 + center console. Their dog needed some extra persuading before daring to jump across the gap between the dock and their swim platform. Restauranteur Anthony is promising to show up with FOOD on Memorial Day so we will all have to figure out how to socialize with Covid19 distancing rules still being the smart way to assemble.

This was the set up Friday, enabling Ray to check in with his co-workers at Microdesk for their weekly Virtual Happy Hour.

The laptop has a webcam camera built into the bottom of its bezel; this was the resulting “background” for his resulting broadcast!

So called “Virtual” Happy Hours have become common since the Covid19 Pandemic has prevented friends and coworkers from gathering at bars and restaurants.

Needless to say, our ability to self quarantine both at home AND here on the boat has given us an unfair advantage on our mental health. <grin>

There is some good news this week:

Today I finally figured out what the big construction project is that is happening very close to our favorite anchoring spot!

For a year or two there has been a sizable construction project going on just west near Cedar Beach cove.

It is part of a new 2.6 mile wastewater outfall tunnel / pipeline which will bring treated effluent (water clean enough to reintroduce into the environment) out into the Atlantic Ocean.

FMI click here. https://www.ohlna.com/projects/tunnels/bergen-point-outfall-replacement/

Herehttps://tunnelingonline.com/ohl-led-jv-awarded-bergen-point-outfall/

And Here

https://tunnelbuilder.com/News/Bergen-Point-WWTP-TBM-ready-to-be-shipped-to-New-York-.aspx

Since I was a young boy when Senator Ed Muskie D-ME got the Clean Water Act passed into law (and the Clean Air Act) I have marveled at how good-for-business the environmental movement has been. Of course it has also been good for public health and quality of life!

It is GREAT to know that this big construction project is a clean water initiative! Makes my day!

Bergin Point WWTP, walking distance from our home.

This nautical chart (NOAA 12326) shows where the Bergen Point WWTP is located, where the construction site is for the new 10ft diameter pipeline-tunnel, and where the outfall is out to sea.

Wind was light out of the north when we left this morning, we anchored in Cedar Beach cove. As predicted by our app, the wind zeroed out at 1:30 pm and did a 180. It was our of the south by 2:30!

Got a few minor projects done, like the ensign and bow pendant as well as the new 22″ wiper blade. Pumped out on the way back.

Shelly spied this Southport center console near us today, manufactured in Maine by a friend, George Menezes. This one had FLIR night vision and computer controlled joystick maneuvering options! Very nice.

We had Shelly’s Lobster Rolls for supper aboard tonight.

Ray coached a couple who are first year boaters… they went out for a bit but turned back due to white caps etc. Good choice. But then they had to figure out how to dock into their slip!

We’ll keep coaching so long as we see them following our tips!!! e.g. #1: PFDs on the kids!!!, also getting a reliable VHF and SeaTow membership, learning how the wind affects their boat, etc. We also donated our waterproof NOAA Chart of Great South Bay to them… and recommended they both bring it out on the boat AND bring it home to study and plan their adventures from the dining room table.

Nice people to welcome to S-Dock. It was good to hear that they have Progressive Insurance whose Sign & Glide towing service *should* be as good as the others like SeaTow and BoatUS. This is our first year with Progressive too; hopefully we don’t need to learn firsthand how good it is!

Yacht Dogs and beans tonight.

Nice and calm.

Looking west the clouds are setting up for our first sunset afloat of this season.

Three different sources show that the tide is supposed to be high right now. But that is not what we are seeing here at S-Dock. Very odd. I’ve never seen anything like this.

Headed out to anchor in Great South Bay … everything is running great so far this year. Back at S-Dock, freshly hatched goslings are being given a tour by closely guarding parents! … off our starboard bow. Nick and gr8 GF Desiree visited yesterday!!! We are SOOoo proud of our son Nick for joining forces as a health care professional to combat COVID-19 on the front lines here in New York state!

Be Healthy all.

Capt Mike Winter delivering Shellerina to her slip on S-Dock this morning.

We are all waxed, bottom painted, and tuned up!

Won’t be long now!

We hopped the 10:00am ferry from Orient Point to New London.

On the way to E Greenwich RI, where the boat was, we stopped at this pizza place made famous by the 1988 movie which spring-boarded Julia Roberts’ career.

The pie here really was the best ‘Za’ we have had in a long time!

http://www.mysticpizza.com

These two pics (above) are from last season… whereas this time of year it is up on “the hard”. So we could inspect things below the waterline.

Looks like lots of love (wax and elbow grease) has gone into this boat over the years. Inside, things were also in good condition; the bilge was clean. Not bad for a 20 year old boat.

There are some concerns to learn more about… but we’ll see!

Huntington Harbor

This pic was taken on our first Christmas here on Long Island, 2015.

Robert Moses Causeway, from a unique viewpoint…

… from Captree Island…

Our boat was secured on the hard for winter the week before Thanksgiving.

Four more months until we launch. The Winter Solstice happens today! So days are getting longer starting tomorrow.

Last log entry.

Opened seacock valve.

Last glass of wine aboard.

Greenhouse effect + electric space heater made it comfortable for about an hour or so.

Planning our trip to Maine now! Saturday to Saturday of Thanksgiving week.

Good bye boat! See you in 4 months!

Last two boats on S-Dock.

These pics were taken at S-Dock today on our way to closing up our boat for the season.

When a dripping faucet on the dock shows signs of ICE, that usually means the season is over!

We did push off and go for our last ride of the year. We fueled up (to reduce fuel tank condensation over the winter) and pumped out the holding tank (no explanation needed.)

We shuttled several loads of “stuff” off the boat to the car. We have a few things to finish up tomorrow.

This pic of the chart plotter today shows our total statute miles underway for the season, 713, and hours moving underway, 85.34 hours… many more than most other boaters.

But it is a lot less than last year’s record:

1024 statute miles

120.3 hours underway

More details will follow on this. But, we had a great season, by all measures!

50F outside, it’s over 70F under our dark blue bimini top!!! Loving it our here.

Lunch! Leftover vegetable Lo Mein (with extra pork! <wink>). Very nice out here… greenhouse effect under this canvas!

Spending the night aboard tonight; it may be the last night aboard this season. We met “Mike” the electrician; he got the dock lights working. One of the 3-Phase leads was open, and needed to be fixed. It looks awesome, and it is safer! Maybe we’ll stay next weekend too!

Call it 73F under the canvas today, anchored at our usual haunt. At least a dozen other boaters out here with us on a beautiful fall day. So long as the sun is shining (and not too windy) we will be comfortable under our dark blue Bimini/Camper Top covers.

S-Dock this hour.

The sun is setting now at 5:48pm ET. Heat is on!

Great South Bay, Lindenhurst Cut as seen from the entrance to Nuguntatogue Creek this hour.

Can’t imagine any other place where I would rather be on the planet at this time, or with any other person!

Shelly’s new fav!

w/ Tito’s handmade and ice!

Next weekend: season finale at Cedar Beach.

Anchored in Great South Bay on a fantastic fall boating day!

For years, this decal has adorned our cockpit’s port side. It was a gift of my brother Russ. So, I decided to feature it in tonight’s post. When it was given to us, this boat was a lake boat… Sebago Lake and Long Lake was its home in Maine. But, we had Jason Randall haul us to Falmouth Fireside ME for a two week cruise DownEast in the spring of 2014, when we met up with Russ and his family when he gave us this decal.

The boat is now a full time salt water boat! So the decal is more fitting than ever!

Good thing it was her first count, cuz I came from way behind. I’d have won if not for her first count.

Taken from this position on Great South Bay, anchored north east side of Fox Island, Lindenhurst Cut.

We are here for the night. Beautiful.

Earlier today…

At Seagull restaurant.

S-Dock Mates reunion!

61F water temp… I guess we’ll wait till next season before jumping in again.

53F Outside

Soon jumping on the ferry to New London.

Pushing off at Orient Point…

Pulling in to New London CT

I stopped to scoop up this well picked shell of a Horseshoe crab today in the Lindenhurst Cut.

Rafted up to Marc and Colleen, we listened to the local radio station carrying the Jets-Patriots game. 30-0 at the half. 14-30 final.

Anchored north side of Fox Island, GSB.

Now we are off to a cove with less wake and bugs!

Phil & Suzanne. Friends whom we have hung out with from Riverhead NY to Las Vegas NV finally made it out on Shellerina today!

It has been a long 11 days since we have been aboard Shellerina. Finally feeling ‘at home’ again.

Staying aboard for 32nd overnight aboard this season!

Good day at work too!

To avoid the NYC traffic, last evening on my way back from a business trip to Boston, I took the ferry out of New London.

Two jet skiers stopped by law enforcement for operating after sunset.

There was a different type of traffic in New London Harbor, as you can see! My kind of traffic.

Long Island Sound was calm for a great crossing.

Shelly: “An awesome mini-vacation!”We are happy to report that the east-west passage through Moriches is clear! This enables us to avoid the 50+ mile outside run between Fire Island Inlet and Shinnecock Inlet.

We simply followed the navigation bouys, past the USCG Station, with 5-6 feet of water at the shallowest points. We did it up on plane! Marc led the way.

It was the perfect weather day for this 62 mile inside trip.

The threat of T-Boomers and bad weather made both boats decide to stay in Riverhead for one more night.

Actual dopler radar and predicted future radar made us opt out of the trip 80 miles back to our west.

A waterspout was reportedly seen here in Long Island waters this afternoon… a tornado in Manorville NY, and a waterspout was seen near Fire Island Pines.

Fortunately, Jerry and the Mermaid was able to nourish us.

Shelly and Marc by their vessels on the transient’s dock at Treasure Cove Resort Marina, Peconic River, Riverhead NY.

Early start!

We arrived at the fuel dock around 11:00am. So just about 4 hours.

Chowder from Salt Shack at Cedar Beach, which we did not have room for last night, hit the spot as we secured at our S-Dock home around 3:00pm.

Stiff breeze out of the NE pushing us into the bulkhead and pushing our bow hard to port. It will take a careful plan to get out of here! There is no calming of the wind forecasted later in the day.

Update.

Noon.

We are now anchored in the cove, after an [almost] perfect departure from our windy slip.

1. Tied the two stern lines just looped around dock cleats and back so we could untie from the boat.

2. Warmed up the engine, idled into gear, pushing us off the bulkhead.

3. While in gear, but held in place by the two stern lines, I went up forward and untied all the lines to the pilings; brought them on board.

4. Still in gear, two stern lines holding us in place, the down wind stern line was observed to be slack and not doing anything. So, we untied it and brought it aboard too.

5. With only one line securing us to the dock, and the engine idling forward in gear, we had the owner of the boat next to us gently pay out that last line as we gradually exited the slip under control, but against a stiff breeze.

6. Just as he let go of that last line we started to be blown into his anchor / bow tackle. So I steamed ahead to clear his bow. Shelly was not ready for that, and was not sitting down. So, she fell, minor bumps and injuries.

So, we didn’t get an A+ for the maneuver. But it was otherwise pretty masterful.

Post Evaluation: Use a longer line for the last connection, so the dock mate paying out the line can keep some tension on the last line until we clear the boat downwind of us.

I wish I had this on video!