Ray got a haircut this morning! First time in over two months!!!
No, barber shops are not open yet in NYS due to Covid-19, but the governor told him who has been secretly trimming his hair! That’s who Ray went to.
Anchored at our usual place for the afternoon.
Tonight we got to see the ISS, International Space Station, with the naked eye again. There are great apps that help you determine when the best viewing times will be. There is another visible pass tomorrow evening when the new SpaceX capsule should be linked up.
Nights are fun aboard Shellerina, either at S-Dock or on-the-hook. I like on the hook, but having shore power for heat and microwave is handy, must admit.
68F water was not bad after a minute or so!
In this video you can see how the wind was out of the NW when we left. But, it started shifting to west and it will continue to shift until it is SW around sunset. The changing color gradient indicates wind speed (mph) on the color scale at the bottom.
The Predict Wind app is amazing!
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.
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.
Shellerina's Blog 