Today was our first official sailing day covering over 80 miles.  We got up and out early at 7:30am pushing off from Atlantic City. We were all very excited but also worried after yesterday’s rough ride. I personally learned that when sailing along the East Coast having the wind out of the west makes a big difference. The waves are much smaller and the wind is amazing. So with 80+ miles to cover we had wonderful winds ranging from 25-35 knots. For you sailors we started with a signal reef in the main but as the wind picked up we went to a double reef; I was surprised at how easy it was to reef the main. 

Everyone took a turn at the wheel and there were a number rainbows along the way to the west. They seemed to be calling to us, as we passed a large number of sail and motor yachts going south. We wondered if we were heading in the wrong direction and maybe we should be going south to warm weather, as the temperature dropped, and the south was calling.  As the first full day of sailing we also got used to how our bodies react to the boat and how much we can take. Some of us mentioned feeling like we got hit by a bus, and others were cold.  There were naps and time downstairs to warm up. 

When I was reading these blogs before I got on board, I always wanted to know what people were eating so I am going to end this blog with a run down of our meals: breakfast consists of yogurt with nuts and raisin or oatmeal, lunch today was chili which we made the night before (so leftovers), dinner tonight was Thai Curry Chicken soup. I can definitely say today we learned a lot about the boat and how she sails. I think the New York City part of this trip will be fun - but the real test for us will be the four days it will take us to get to South Carolina, following the New York City stopover.

Report from Bosun Bertram:

We pulled into a sheltered cove in a quiet marina on Staten Island around 20:00 last night, after a beautiful sail up the coast. We kept a great average of above 8 knots, though it took quite a bit of maneuvering at slow speed as we approached the bay. As with many nautical maps, they tend to differ from reality, which we experienced as we pulled in. Sand had shifted around, and even though we were in the middle of the entry, where we should have enough water, you could feel the keel touching the mud. No alarm - the engine and a steady hand from Jens, took us right around the sneaky places. This morning we left at even higher tide to make sure we were clear of the mud, and we have been motoring toward the entrance of East River since 07:00 this morning. We want to sail up the river into the sound of Long Island that we experienced with the previous crew, before we make our way back to Manhattan on the 11th. 

We are cruising steadily at 7.7 knots and plan to arrive some time this afternoon, depending on what scenic bay we choose. Local time on board is 08:40 and our current position is 40°39'355N 74°01'741W