We have always known that when you are sailing, you really can't make any firm plans. All plans are subject to change and are often changed due to weather conditions, but we have never changed our plans as often as we have in the last 2 days and for reasons not often encountered in an average sailing day!

We decided to leave for Great Kills Bay on the 25 of September and then due a day of shopping in New York from there. The weather conditions were perfect for going through Hells Gate and a cold front was due in on Wednesday so we figured we would be down a day anyway. We left City Island around 9 a.m. and were really excited about going through New York City on Con El Viento! We passed by LaGuardia Airport with planes zooming right over our mast and as we were approaching the last bridge before Hells Gate, a large freighter radioed us to tell us he would be passing us on our starboard. We acknowledged and then he informed us that East River Traffic had notified him that the East River was closed on both sides of Roosevelt Island was closed due to the fact that the President of Iran was in town for U.N. week. What a bad week to be in New York City as it goes until October 3rd! They were only allowing commercial boats through with a police escort. We had to turn around again and go against the current back again. We decided to go back to City Island and head into New York and go shopping. I won't say much about that as I didn't really have a very successful day. I don't know if it was because I was shopping with Bruce or maybe it was too hot to be walking around downtown, or it could have been the fact that I cut my hand when I was picking up a mooring ball back at City Island and my hand was was sore and swollen in the heat. the temperatures this week have been on average about 14 degrees above the norm for this time of year. It has been in the high 80's and not really cooling down at night as the water temperature is about 23 degrees. We are not complaining as we have finally been getting a stretch of great weather!

When we got back to the boat, we called the coastguard and he assured us that East side of Roosevelt would be open, with the bridge operating on a demand basis. Normally if you wanted to go down this side, you would have to give 6 hours notice. The UN if on the west side, so it would be closed to all traffic. We again planned our departure for favorable tides and left about 0930. As we were coming around the Brother Islands (where we had to turn around the last time) we heard on the radio that the bridge was broken and would not open. At this point we met up with another Canadian boat and decided to circle for a bit to see if they could get the bridge fixed. We could only wail about an hour or so and then there would be too much current at Hells Gate to go around it. We also didn't want to get in an area that we couldn't get turned around in due to currents. We had already head that there were a pile of boats stuck in the West Channel of Roosevelt Island and they were starting to panic that they would not be able to get turned around if the current got much stronger. What a mess and no one was talking to anyone! We finally thought we heard that the bridge was now working so we decided to continue in. When we got to the top of the island a police boat stopped us to ask how high our mast was. We told him 60 feet and he told us he would escort us through the side of the channel that the UN was on but we should stay close to the other side. We passed by in strong currents and our boat was doing 12 and 13 knots. I was afraid to take any pictures in case they mistook my camera for a gun!! Talk about stressful. We were told earlier in the day that there would be another closure further down Manhattan at Battery Park at 12:45. We made it to just under the Brooklyn Bridge when we were again stopped by the police (with guns) and told that this area had been closed earlier than planned! A large barge just in front of us tried to tell them that it would be impossible for them to turn and they told him to turn or else! They were right next to him with both guns manned and pointed at him. He turned! We were now stuck between 2 bridges for over an hour with police boats circling on the water and planes circling in the air. I sure hope nothing does happen or we will be right in the middle of it! Who ever said that retirement was boring. We did manage to finally get past New York and headed to Great Kills Bay on Staten Island where all 4 of the other Canadian boats had already arrived earlier in the day from 79th Street in New York. As you can imagine, we were very very glad to see everyone from home and we all got together on Steve and Shirley's boat for a reunion with everyone, which turned into ordering pizza for dinner. Spirits were high and there was an awful lot of talking to do and stories to tell! We really had a great time together.

We knew that we were going to be in Great Kills for a couple of days before starting down the New Jersey Coast so at 0630 in the morning, I made a decision to leave and fly to Sault Ste. Marie to see my mother before she had a hip replacement which was scheduled for Oct. 2nd. I knew that I would not be able to make it home for the surgery which was the original plan, but like I said earlier, all plans are subject to change on a boat. My sister from Denver was a bit more flexible and she flew in for the surgery to be with my mom and help my other sister Ruth out. I stayed just 2 nights before I had to get back to help Bruce move the boat. I will try to get home for a longer period of time later in the month when my mom gets home.

When I returned all of the boats headed out together on Monday the 1st of October with a destination of Barnegat Inlet. It was quite impressive to see a line of 5 Canadian flags heading out together. The forecast was not the greatest however as they were calling for SE winds and waves of 2 to 3 feet in the Atlantic. We were all doing fine until we got around Sandy Hook where the wind was more like 15 to 20 and the waves were very short. Steve and Shirley were ahead of the pack and decided that they would only go as far as Shark River, but after taking a few more large waves, they decided to head to Sandy Hook and wait there. Rick and Eidy's dinghy davit snapped so they decided to turn back also as when they were trying to fix the dinghy, they ran into a buoy and damaged the boat. In the end everyone tuned back except for Karen and Jim and us. It was fine for the sailboats as we could put our sails up and stabilize the boat. They could not find an anchorage in Sandy Hook so returned to Great Kills where they remain waiting for better winds. We will meet up again in the Chesapeake.

We anchored in Barnegat Inlet with Jim and Karen. We were the first to go in and scout out an anchorage or a mooring ball. As we were heading towards a mooring ball, or what we thought was one, we ran aground. We figured this was not too bad as it was the first time in 4 months! We were able to motor forward and get in deeper water without any help and decided to anchor in the first place we looked at that Bruce wanted to go. He didn't say "I told you so." Jim and Karen anchored beside us and we had dinner together and made plans to leave for Atlantic City the next day.

We left Barnegat Inlet about 8 in the morning and had a good day of sailing even though the waves were 3 to 5 feet, they were long and we didn't notice the swells too much. Karen on the other hand suffers from seasickness and was not feeling too well both days. We got a dock in Atlantic City, the first one we have had since Nova Scotia so it is a real treat. We went into Atlantic City for dinner and then took a cab home as about 4 people had told us not to walk home in the dark. No one won big at the casino however so we though we would try again the next day!

My mother had her hip replacement on the 2nd and came through it fine at first. The doctor said her knee was a mess and it wouldn't have been long before she would have been in a wheelchair. Just as we were getting ready to head into town, I received another call from home saying that my mother had suffered a heart attack and we would have to wait until the next day to see how severe it was. Thankfully it appears to have been a mild one but none the less I am really concerned and do wish I could be there but know that she is in good hands at home and in the hospital. I plan to head up once we get to the Chesapeake.

Today, we went into Atlantic City and shopped at the outlets and Bruce gambled a bit. We hope to leave tomorrow, but it may be foggy again there may be a small craft warning so if so we will stay put. We are right beside Jim and Karen on a dock so it is great company and a great city. The temperatures have been in ghe 80's and this should continue right into the long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We will try to celebrate here with all the Canadians. Don't have time to post my pictures but will try to do so soon.