Sunrise, a light but steady northwest wind, a falling tide pulling the waters out of the marshes toward Bulls Bay and the Atlantic. These were the signs on my early morning run to the landing, all pointing toward a passage out to Bull Island. Kingfisher was launched and we were sailing at 7:45 to Andersonville […]
Loaded on Caretta, our group of twenty-seven hardy souls began our cruise south toward the drop on the southern tip of Bull Island. It was a cooler morning than some of our group anticipated. We gave a cold morning benchmark that our captain Chris Crolley and participant Gary Weart had experienced on the pre-dawn
Receiving far more Read More »
Strong northeast winds energized the sail out to Bull Island following a late start after noon. The following days would find a turn of the winds to the southwest and southern warmth flowing into the Lowcountry. This day was found to be windier, colder, and wetter than anticipated. Once in the Bay, headed to the
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were a frozen world. Fields were snow covered, the air was frosty, and waters were iced over. Here is a sampling. Ice across from Atlantic Highlands to Sandy Hook.
Venturing into the Santee Delta, I would neither be on Kingfisher or solo. I would again borrow a canoe, a Nova 17. from my friend Chris Crolley. After several years discussion, joining me on the trip was Ian Sanchez, a man of many talents
A cool winter morning helped me leave the highways of the Carolinas for the waterways of Cape Romain and the destination of Bull Island. Winds were northeast, and boded a stronger flow later. It was smooth heading out Andersonville Creek: relatively still waters accompanied by the drone of barrier island surf sounding over the marshes.
Possibilities of a winter sail Read More »
Sunday morning was a time to Fall Back. I used the opportunity of the hour of extra-time to launch Kingfisher for a sail out to the Northeast Point of Bull Island. I was prepared to get wet
There was an element to the morning after sunrise that was special – the fog obscuring Bull Island in the distance, a slight coolness, and the anticipation of a walk covering the entire beach from south to north end. After the group of twenty embarked on Caretta
Something about the Day Read More »
I left the preoccupations of home improvement, and the routine of dinner preparations behind, arriving at our landing to an uncommon August atmosphere. In fact it did not resemble August at all, despite heat and a familiar wind from the southwest. Humidity felt like it was on vacation
East wind forecast at 15-20 knots, and gusts to 25. Two hours after high tide. I can’t quite recall my last capsize – was it off of White Banks in 2007, or on the large Bird Bank shoal in Bulls Bay the same year? So five or six years – it was time
Nice Day for a Capsize Read More »
Out on the road in Monmouth County (NJ), my father and I made the familiar trip into Red Bank and Marine Park on the Navesink River, my ancestral waters. My life began there – learning to sail, boat, and waterski; fishing for snappers and crabbing; and teaching sailing out of the Monmouth Boat Club. And
Sandy Hook Surprise Read More »
Outgoing tide and a beckoning south wind at 7:30 AM conspired to get me on the water. All the little details of rigging and sailing were just that – little, insignificant, compared to the outward movement through the creek. These were stirring conditions
