Crossing our Wake - Finally!

Saturday, the 9th of June at 14:30 we crossed our Great Loop wake.  It has only taken us 11 years, 37 days and 4 and half hours.  Six thousand engine hours and 40,000 estimated miles.  In May of 2001 our beloved Broulee was off loaded at Elizabeth Seaport, New Jersey. After a 30 day trip from Hong Kong aboard a container ship, we were there to meet her and start our incredible journey of the last 11 years.  She was one of  three Kadey-Krogens that never came across the pond to be commissioned in the US, but purchased in Hong Kong.  Ours was previously owned by an Australian, a pilot for Cathay Pacific and spent her first couple of years moored at Discovery Bay in Hong Kong.  She was named Broulee (pronounced Browlee) after his favorite surfing island in New South Wales, Broulee Island which is Australian Aborigine for Island In the Sea.  After his retirement he moved the boat to Subic Bay in the Philippines, where in December 2000, we found her on the internet, for sale.  We flew to the Philippines in January of 2001 for an inspection, survey and sea trial - it was a no brainer, we fell in love with her immediately.  We then flew to Hong Kong in February 2001 to meet the shipping company and arrange for transfer of documentation.  It has been an amazing 11 years of travel aboard her.  It was fun coming into New York Harbor Saturday, and remembering how hard our hearts were pounding when we first started the engine (the terminal allowed us to tie to the seawall after splashing her) and then trying to figure out what to do next, looking up to see a big freighter coming towards us needing to dock where we were and having to shove off before we felt ready to go. What great memories of  bringing Broulee home to Minnesota, the Erie Canal, the Great Lakes, the many trips down and back to St. Paul on the Mississippi, the first trip to Florida, Tennessee River to Chattanooga, the trip to New Orleans, the Abacos, the Exumas, the Caribbean to Trinadad, the Chesapeake in 2003 and surviving Hurricane Isabel. It has been a fantastic ride, so far, and are looking forward to the next adventures!

Beautiful morning leaving Barnegat anchorage Saturday morning

A challenge, again for us, getting out of the Barnegat inlet - it's very narrow to start, and then this guy has to have his floppers out and throwing off a huge wake.

West Bank Light and Horn between Sandy Hook and the Verrazano Bridge

Light rain as we approached the Verrazano Bridge.

No sooner had we crossed under the bridge, the onslaught of traffic started (New York City in the background).

Hazy city skyline.

Sharing the waterway with all of these guys.

and then there she was - with schooner America gliding past her.

Nice having our own boat to get up close and personal with the lady. Ya baby, this is what its all about

Our anchorage for the evening - we've got your back!

Playing around in the anchorage Sunday morning.  We woke to another hazy overcast day - it looks like its not going to be a good picture taking kind of day.

Ellis Island on a nice quiet Sunday morning.

The famous 50 foot Colgate clock.

Construction continues on One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower).

and, of course, the Empire State Building with the Chrysler Building off in the distance.

Looking for a golf driving range in New York City?  It's near the Chelsea Pier.

Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.  The space shuttle Enterprise has just joined the museum.  The British Airlines Concorde, just to the left of Intrepid is also part of the museum.

 Broulee heading for the George Washington Bridge.  Just a heads up, the Hudson is tidal all the way to Albany and the current is aggressive.  We timed our ride up to catch the 2 mile per hour current.

The Palisades on the Hudson River.

Our destination of this leg of the trip is Half Moon Bay, Croton-on-the-Hudson.  Rick's sister, Sandra, lives 20 minutes away so we will spend time with family, clean up the boat, pack our bags and on Thursday head to Minnesota for a grandkid fix, water skiing and weeding of the gardens.

Entering the Marina at Half Moon Bay, Croton-on-the-Hudson.

On a side note - Marina fees in this part of the country are astronomical and evidently they don't discount for a monthly rate.  Our first call to Half Moon Bay they quoted us $3,600 for a month.  FOR A MONTH!  Shame on us for not doing our homework. We started a frantic search for a cheaper place to leave the boat for a month.  Seems we are here at peak season and found a place on Long Island Sound in CT that only wanted $7,000  Haverstraw Marina across the river from Half  Moon Bay had a deal at $1,200 - still way more than what we wanted to pay, but after $7,000 it was starting to sound good.  Steve, the manager, at Half Moon Bay, which is our preferred marina, was willing to negotiate, so we are here. Sticker shock remember we have not been in this area for 11 years - and back then we were still working  - makes a difference.  Maybe it's better to not know just how much this grand adventure will end up costing us.
Stay tuned!