# visiting eastern seaboard



## ashley_nathan (Aug 8, 2004)

We are an English flagged liveaboard boat and should be crossing from Europe to the Carribean next winter, we then wll spend a few months before heading north and wish to spend winter 09 in New York. Then head into the lakes Spring 2010. Can anyone please recommend ports of call on the way that are not to expensive...we will be anchoring whenever possible but would like to find a berth/slip for winter in newyork. I seem to be having trouble finding somewhere suitable. any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Many places on the Chesapeake Bay would suit your needs. It's located on the east coast between Maryland and Virginia. Good luck.


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## billyruffn (Sep 21, 2004)

Ashley Nathan --

As I'm sure you know, you'll want to be out of the Caribbean by late May. Many boats come north in late April stopping in Bermuda and then crossing to the East Coast. Another option would be to leave the Caribbean basin somewhat earlier, track downwind to the Bahamas, cruise there for a while and then come north using the Gulf Stream. The entire East Coast is vulnerable to hurricanes between June and November (with the highest frequency between late August and October), but the further north you are in summer the more time you have to prepare (or run and hide) should one come along. 

As mentioned above, the Chesapeake Bay is a good cruising ground, as is the coast of New England from Connecuicut to Maine. Maine is best later in the summer (less fog) and is one of the world's best, easily accessible cruising grounds. You could spend the entire summer there and not come close to seeing it all. Both Chesapeake Bay and the NE coast are no more than a few days sail from NYC and you could probably delay your arrival in NYC until late October or even early November to save some money.

I have no personal experience with NYC berthing, but I think you'll find it comes dearly (your strong currency will take away some of the sting). Unless your heart is set on living in the city, there are numerous marinas along the coast of Connecticut where you could lay up afloat for the winter and you'd be less than an hour from NYC by train most anywhere west of New Haven, CT. 

As you may know, winters in New England can be very cold with long spells of frigid temperatures -- unlike the UK, in winter the Gulf Stream seems to bring more moisture (often snow) to NE than it does warmth. The Chesapeake Bay area generally has a milder winter climate that may make living aboard more comfortable. You might also consider coming north for the summer and traveling south down the coast for the winter (to say North Carolina or South Carolina), and then return north again in the spring. It would probably take you two or three weeks of casual cruising in the Intercoastal Waterway to make the trip one way. (There are draft and mast height limits in the ICW). Offshore the trip from, say Charlestown, SC to New York would be perhaps a week plus or minus a day or two depending on the weather.

Fair winds...

PS -- I plan to be in the Caribbean next winter. Should we share an anchorage, I'd be happy to expand on any of the above....but only if you supply the grog.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Ashley...if you plan on living aboard or storing in water...then you do not want to be in New York. The water can get quite hard there in the winter!! I second the notion of the Chesapeake as a better alternative. If NY is a must...then check out Liberty Landing Marina on the Jersey side with water taxi service in to NYC. Here is their rate sheet. Bring your woolies!! 
http://www.libertylandingmarina.com/marina/rates.php


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

The Chesapeake Bay has ample cruising grounds with infinite anchorages.


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## danielgoldberg (Feb 9, 2008)

Ashley, I sent you a private message. Check it out and reach out to me if you need help. I live and sail out of the NYC area.


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## ashley_nathan (Aug 8, 2004)

hi Dan,

I did put a reply back to you privately but after a longish message when I went to send it, I couldn't because I didn't have enough posts - needed 10 only had 7!!! and now its lost in the ether somewhere...never mind.

ashley


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## ashley_nathan (Aug 8, 2004)

hi guys, thanks for your responses....very much appreciated.

Our plan is roughly to leave the Carribean by end of May 09 and head north towards New York for winter then leave and head north into the lakes and Canals to Chicargo then head south through the canals and rivers to New Orleans, then continue to Bahamas then down to South America back up and through Panama. That said, we dont know anything about the ins and outs of it all yet. We are a 37ft ketch with 2m draft (6.6ft) and mast height of about 18m (60ft). So we still need to find out about bridge and depth limitations.

We have spent the last 5 years cruising the Med with its warm winters and I know it may sound weird but we are looking forward to a cold one! So we thought New York would be a great place to spend time sightseeing etc and looking at the slip prices 
(Lincoln Marina) it seemed cheaper to stay 6 months during winter. We would be more than happy to stay somewhere within an hour of NYC by train, but not in the middle of nowhere with nothing do do or nobody around, also need to way up the cost of travelling in and out of the city, sometimes it ends up costing more in trains and ferries or taxes than paying the higher slip charges and being within walking distance... The problem we have is that we do not know the area or the city at all. I've visited a couple of times but not enough to know which, where or how to get a berth for winter. So we will be relying on word of mouth and recommendations. Ideally we would get somewhere close within the city thats not too outrageously expensive. I have looked at Liberty - thanks Camaraderie and filled in a waiting list form. I also found Worlds Fair and 79th st boat basin marinas - are they government owned and operated??? and if so how do you go about booking one?? Are they in bad areas? ie crime? close to the city? etc Are there any others not widely known about?. There is a similar thing in Spain, government owned ports, and they are better located and less than half the price of private marinas. Is it the same in the States?? if so we would really like to hear more about them!!! 
Another consideration is that we have a small Jack Russell dog, he's no problem for us but do marinas have issues with pets, only problem he might get into trouble for is - he cocks his leg up over the side of the boat and pees in the water!!

look forward to anything help or advice you guys can give us

regards
ashley


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## billyruffn (Sep 21, 2004)

Smart dog! How'd you train him to do that?


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

Ashley - it sounds like you are talking about doing the Great Loop/Great Circle route. It's more oriented towards trawlers and powerboats as there are many places you would have to take your mast down for extended periods of time, but it's supposed to be a pretty unique way to visit the US.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

*I also found Worlds Fair and 79th st boat basin marinas - are they government owned and operated??? and if so how do you go about booking one?? Are they in bad areas? ie crime? close to the city? etc Are there any others not widely known about?.

*Neither are suitable...bad areas/crime...high wakes and shoal depths. 
You should do a search here and look at some of the ICW threads. Mast heights up the east cost will be no issue for you but depths will be in the ICW in many spots and you will need to wait for tide as you will in the Bahamas. 
I know you will need to take your mast down to get through the Erie canal and into the Great Lakes but don't know about bridges south of there. Your plan to head south from the Great Lakes is not one often attempted here in a sailboat. Lots of perils. You might also consider heading back south by heading out the St. Lawrence seaway to Nova Scotia and then down the East Cost seeing Maine and New England along the way. But I'm sure you'll sort that out. 
Since you seem to want to be close to the "action" for your winter...perhaps you should consider Washington DC instead of NYC. You can sail up the Chesapeake and then the Potomac to DC and have all the wonderful sights, museums etc. only a Metro ride away...and trains leave for NYC on the hour as well. 
I think BTrayfors here keeps his boat there and may be able to give you some tips if this is something you would consider. Note that it is less than a weeks cruising (with nightly stops) from DC to NYC when the weather warms up. 
Given your plans...I suggest reviewing this guide for the River portion of your trip:

*Cruising From Chicago to Mobile *
Cruising the Inland River system from Chicago on Lake Michigan to Mobile, AL on Mobile Bay. Information on anchorages, free docks, marinas, bridge and lock restrictions, and navigational concerns for this route. Includes the Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland, Tennessee, Tombigbee and Mobile Rivers as well as the Tenn-Tom Waterway. (3rd edition)
ISBN 0-9727501-5-0 *$15
* Available at www.skipperbob.net


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## ashley_nathan (Aug 8, 2004)

thanks, didn't know the route had a name! We had only heard about being able to do it, so hence trying to get the info....had heard we would need to take down the masts in Chicago and send them via road to New Orleans for collection once we get there, 
also didn't know that it was mainly for trawlers and motor boats....sounds like I need to do a lot more research...hopefully 12 months will be long enough to plan it!!!.....also now finding out about visas!!!

We can only stay for 3 months as a british citizen without a visa...so now trying to find out which visa we require, of course the other problem is we have to go back to London to be interviewed by the US embassy before they will issue one...has anyone heard about a transit visa???? rather than a holiday visa? Will there be any problems being a british boat in american waters for 2 years? 

Like the idea about Washington instead of NYC, but would still prefer to be in NYC if possible.

rgds ashley


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

Having spent winters in England (Holy Loch, Scotland - naval base), I think you will find NYC quite colder as the Gulf Stream doesn't help it.
Mayo Maryland (the city of Mayo) is just 20 miles south of Annapolis Md and has quite a number of marina's that allow liveaboards. You might even be able to sublet a slip from a owner who has hauled for the winter.
The eastern shore of Maryland is still undeveloped and much less expensive than the western shore with a lot more anchorages that are not claimed by mooring balls and cities looking for revenue. Make sure you scope out the prevailing wind patterns and storm directions in choosing an anchorage - there are many good guides for the area.
Of course if what you are looking for is a city with metro to get around then Mayo will not be ideal, it's population is quiet small.


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## duffer1960 (Aug 11, 2000)

Here is a website that should give you plenty of info and contacts. http://www.greatloop.com. They also sell a book called "Honey, Let's Get a Boat" about a couple that bought a boat and did the loop. Here is another website about cruising the eastern seaboard and the keys http://www.yearinparadise.com/, and lastly, a website for the Great Lakes Cruising Club, http://www.glcclub.com. They have any info on the Great Lakes and their ports that you may need. Can I go ?


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## Johnrb (Sep 21, 2002)

Ashley: Here is a website with detailed logs from a couple in a sailboat who took the same route that you are proposing - from Chicago to the Gulf. This was the first leg on their long cruise so it may be out of date (1998) but it should give you an idea of what to expect.

http://www.searoom.com/veleda/
http://www.searoom.com/veleda/logsec02/veleda4-log5aa.htm

The trip details begin with the second link and continue in sequence.


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## danielgoldberg (Feb 9, 2008)

Feel free to email me ([email protected]).

You have plenty of options for NYC and the surrounding area. The cold is the main deterrant, but you seem to be OK with that.

With the utmost respect, I disagree with Cam about the 79th Street Boat Basin (though I do agree that the World's Fair Marina leaves a lot to be desired, and it's not at all convenient to Manhattan). It's been a long time since that area was unsafe. It's now fine, and frankly desireable (Cam, if you can believe it the Upper West Side is more expensive than the Upper East Side these days!). The Boat Basin is owned by an arm of NYC, so its price is much less than private marinas in the area, though it's still $88/foot for the winter! The services are not four star by any stretch, but if you tie to the dock for the winter you will get water, electricity and security. It's also located, surprise surprise, at 79th Street and Riverside Drive. That's now an awesome area, close to all, with excellent, convenient public transportation aplenty. When you meet people just tell them that you live on the water at 79th and Riverside, and they'll think you are quite well-to-do. The one thing is that I don't know if they will have space available (the website says there's a waiting list, but it's unclear to me whether it's for summer or winter). A phone call will clear that up. Here's the website: http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/facilities/marinas/html/79th_boat_basin.html.

You have PLENTY of options for in-water liveaboard winter storage within a relatively short train/ferry ride into the city. It's probably better to email about that, as I don't want to clog the site and thread with the intricacies of berthing in the suburbs and commuting to the city. (As it is I need to find a way to write shorter posts!)

NYC surprises people as a sailing destination. There are many more high-quality, cruiser friendly facilities and anchorages relatively close to the city than people realize.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

The Erie canal does not open till May 1st and often faces short closures in the spring due to rain & snowmelt. You can unstep your mast at Albany NY. There are several marinas there to help. There will be plenty of used lumber left by southbound cruisers from the fall for building mast supports. But you need to have carpet scraps to protect your deck & the mast. At Buffalo (Tonawanda) you can re-step your mast and leave the lumber for fall cruisers. You are now on the Great Lakes. Stop at Put-In-Bay for the non-stop party and Cedar Point if you like roller coasters. Biggest in the world! Then up the Detroit River with 3 to 5 K currrents so make sure you have the engine for it. Duck the gunfire as you pass Detroit! You will have Canada on the other side and you should commit to one side or the other until Lake Huron. Crossing back and forth between US/Canada is a pain. Wave as you pass me on Lake St Clair! The St. Clair River also has strong currents especially at the mouth. Lake Huron is an inland sea and should be taken seriously. I've read more than one comment from ocean sailors that the worst seas they ever faced were on the Great Lakes.
You WILL want to go up the eastern side of Lake Huron into the North Channel. It is going to be one of the most beautiful places you will ever cruise. Allow plenty of time there, 2 months is good. Tieing your stern to trees ashore is a common anchoring technique there. Use those carpet strips to protect the bark please.
Next up is Lake Michigan and there are a lot of small charming ports all the way down both sides of the lake, but I think there are more on the Michigan side. Quite a few anchorages off the lake too.
In Chicago you will need to take down the mast again (keep those carpet strips?). I've heard several stories of trouble shipping the mast south on a truck. If you go this method, do your research. You may find other cruisers to load your mast with to save on shipping. If you do, they will be shipping to Mobile, Ala; not New Orleans. The lower Mississippi, below Memphis, is not cruiser friendly at all. No marinas and not many places to anchor safely. Heavy barge traffic 24/7. The vast majority of people turn left at the Ohio River, head upstream about 100 miles and turn right at the Tennessee River. There you enter the Tennessee/Tombigbee Waterway, AKA the TenTom. It is a series of rivers & locks that will get you to Mobile. Another pretty ride through the countryside similar to the Erie canal. I've heard nothing but glowing reports. If you must visit NO, then turn right at Mobile and head that way.
The greatloop link is a good resource with lots of facts for you to digest. There is also a newsgroup if you want to join and discuss with loopers. Most are trawlers; not that there's anything wrong with that. Lots of experienced loopers. http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/greatloop/greatlooplist.html


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Dan...Actually...my bad in lumping my sentence together. With regard to the 79th st. basin I was referring to wakes and depths...He draws 6'6" and at my last recollection this would be a problem at 79th unless my mind is failing me again! The "area" comment was directed at the world's fair which also has some approach depth issues issues. 
Am I out of date on 79th street?


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## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

Just a slight correction on Xort's wonderful narrative. You'll take your mast down in Catskill NY (about 30-40nm south of Albany) or do it yourself (depending on your skill) using the rig at the Castleton Boat Club, also south of Albany. Then you'll call us up to take you out to dinner (we live next to Albany), and then you'll continue to the Erie Canal.


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## ashley_nathan (Aug 8, 2004)

thanks all, great info...and much appreciated, we will need to be on the Canadian side a while and certainly look forward to seeing the views...still trying to sort out the visa's hoping to get away with a transit visa, will keep ya posted. We were looking this afternoon and figuring out the best way of dropping and lifting the masts and think we have a plan to drop them ourselves. Have to say I'm a bit concerned about depths...so may need to watch which routes we take...at 6ft6 draft...we are a bit limited sometimes...could really do with finding out where the no-go depth areas are...sent an email to NYC government parks re 79th st Boat basin so hopefully we will find out if it is deep enough and feasible there for the winter...


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

*Liberty Landing*

We are living onboard at Liberty Landing this winter and it is a very nice place to stay. It is well-protected from winter winds and wakes and there are quite a few liveaboards. There should be no problem getting a berth for the winter here as there are many empty docks. Cost in the winter is not too bad, but it is really expensive and full (not surprisingly) in summer.

We have an Espar heater and temperatures have not been a problem. Most boats seem to use a couple of electric heaters with success. The ferry to Manhattan does not run on the weekends in winter but you can get there by a light rail system and subway. The marina is in a state park and shopping, restaurants, etc are readily available in Jersey City which is quite nice (at least the part near the river is).

We moved here from the Toronto area on Lake Ontario and have quite a bit of experience with both the Erie Canal and Welland Canal. I would likely take the Erie/Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario and be able to cruise there in the early summer (late May). You would enjoy the Thousand Islands and Toronto. You can use the Welland Canal to get into Lake Erie. This is longer than staying in the Erie Canal to Buffalo but more interesting.

Let me know if I can answer any questions and if you do stay at Liberty Landing we will likely be here. Look for a dark blue cutter named Ainia.

Bruce


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## danielgoldberg (Feb 9, 2008)

There are spots in that marina that can accommodate 6'6" draft. Can't say I've surveyed every slip with a lead line, and I know they have their "we haven't dredged and some boats can 'navigate' within the marina only at high water" bit, but the outer slips for sure have that kind of water. Fair point about the waves, but I think if you are inside the outer bulkhead it's not too bad. Particularly in Winter (no recreational traffic on the river kicking up wakes)


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

As to the interior US part of your plan, you will have to unstep your mast to transit the Erie Canal, and from Chicago to the Mississippi. Though most go over through the Tennesse River, Tenn-Tom Waterway and Tombigbee River to Mobile, Alabama to reach the Gulf, you would have to unstep your mast for this section as the bridges are too low. So staying on the Mississippi River is probably what you'll need to do, unless you want to leave the mast down until the Gulf.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

You might want to look at Newport Marina in Jersey City. This is a state owned marina directly accross from NYC. It is walking distance from a Path train station with access to NYC. It is less protected the Liberty Landing, but still a nice place. Our marina is 18 miles north in Nyack, NY. We have used transient slips from Newport marina. Cheers.


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