First Overnight

A Dream Deferred

We bought Peregrine in January of 2023. My goal last summer was to spend one night on the boat with my wife and kid. This didn’t happen, partially due to the 7 straight rainy weekends in the Fall. So, that goal carried over to this year’s season. I’m happy to report that, with a little extended family help, we did it! Not only did we do it, but we survived, and nobody has vowed to never do it again. I think we can call that a success?

Daily Provisions

My dad sailed his boat, Willow, up to Nantucket a couple weeks ago. My mom drove up to meet him, and then they worked their way back west along the Long Island Sound. We had the idea to raft up together for the night of Saturday July 20th in Oyster Bay. Willow has refrigeration, a working stove, and a grill, which would make for easier overnight conditions for the Peregrine crew.

Nevertheless, we didn’t want to be total freeloaders. We filled up my cooler backpack with ice packs, made sandwiches for Saturday and Sunday, and bought bagels and cream cheese for Sunday morning. We took the train out to Port Washington, bought two gallons of water, and then made our way to Peregrine (via Uber + water taxi, as always).

A Motor To Remember

Oyster Bay is two bays east of Manhasset Bay, where we keep Peregrine. It’s about 14 nautical miles to the mouth of Oyster Bay, but then another 4 circuitous, nautical miles to the Oyster Bay anchorage. This would not be Peregrine’s farthest trip (that honor is reserved for the Jersey City <> Port Washington trips). But, it would likely be the longest trip in terms of time, since we wouldn’t have the benefit of the rapid East River currents.

Sure enough, it was the longest trip, since there was absolutely no wind. It took about 4 hours of straight motoring to get there.

We saw numerous, beautiful beaches along Long Island’s north shore. Every time I looked them up online, my heart would first rise when I’d see that they’re public, and then it would sink when I’d read that “public” means “public for residents only”.

We’ve enjoyed sailing along Manahasset Bay and Sands Point, voyeuristically gaping at the Gold Coast mansions. Oyster Bay took this to another level. The limitless wealth of mansions and private clubs spills out onto the sea in the form of mega sailing yachts and impossibly pristine old wooden boats.

Rafting

We eventually rafted up with Willow. For my first time rafting up, I was pleased that it only took two passes.

We tied the boats together, hung out, flew kites, the kid went on a dinghy ride with Grandpa, cooked dinner, fought with the kid to go to sleep in the V-berth while dinner got cold, and eventually the sun set.

We drank some wine and then got ready for bed. I unrolled the sleeping bags for the first time, extended the port berth, and everything was surprisingly comfortable…

…Until the kid woke up the moment the sun appeared at 5:30AM. I can’t complain, though – he made it through the night! Anything’s easy compared to when he was a newborn.

A Second Motor To Remember

Sunday morning, we ate bagels. I vowed, for the second time, to never eat Everything bagels on the boat, since the seeds get everywhere (we’re in New York, though, how can I resist?). We blew up a raft and a paddleboard and futzed around in the water. We took the dinghy to shore and dropped off trash. But before the day wore on too far, we set out for the return trip.

On our way out of Oyster Bay, we stopped at the free(!) pump out station to pump our holding tank. The pump out station is a random self-service “thing” on a mooring. It’s pretty disgusting, with the bird poop adding a nice contrast to the human sewage. Still, you can’t argue with a free station. And the self-service aspect allows me to avoid the embarassment of attempting to dock in front of any other human.

Just like on Saturday, there was no wind. Unlike on Saturday, the kid (and wife) slept for almost the entire trip home. And so, I motored by hand for about 4 hours. Sure, it was kind of boring. But when else can I be out in the sun, with no distractions, listenting to music, left to my thoughts, with slightly too much responsibility to stare at my phone? I even learned how to free my hands when steering.

Along the way, a bunch of dragonflies landed on various lines on the boat. It was a little odd, but it could’ve been worse.

Fin

We eventually made it back to Port Washington. Willow was following us the whole way and grabbed one of the town transient moorings. We packed up everything and headed home.

The next day, Monday, Willow made their way down the East River to Sandy Hook. I rode my bike across town and snapped some pictures from the east side of Manhattan. Even though Willow came pretty close to the shore, she felt impossibly far; the Manhattan shore is so inaccessible from the sea.