Trip Report: Long Island Sound To Statue of Liberty

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Author Topic:   Trip Report: Long Island Sound To Statue of Liberty

Dan posted 10-21-2009 08:09 PM ET (US)
Due to work I wasn't able to attend the last two Whaler Outings to New York Harbor. I always wanted to make the trip, but I thought my Montauk might not be big enough. This past December I bought my 1990 18 Outrage, and have been anxiously waiting for the right day to go. Finally with the right boat, engines running well, 4 mph wind, temperature in the low 60's, and 1pm slack tide at the dreaded Hellgate bridge, I decided to go for it.
I found Google Maps satellite photos very helpful, and they enabled me to visualize the route I would be taking.
Here's a link to the photos: http://www.danwagner.com/NYCWhaler10212009/index.htm
I left Cold Spring Harbor at 11am, and with a few quick stops arrived at Hellgate bridge around 12:30pm. The tide was rising with slack tide at 1pm. What I didn't understand was the current runs East as it rises and West as it lowers. I was hoping to run with the current. Fortunately it didn't matter because the Hellgate Bridge wasn't too hellish. On the return 1 1/2 hours after slack tide, my GPS indicated that the current was slowing me down by about 4mph. But this is when I was on plane, and would probably be stronger if more of the boat was in the water.
Most of the trip my twin 70 Yamahas ran at 4K rpm and pushed the boat at 24 mph GPS.
Just past the Hellgate Bridge there's an area to the right that's good for laying up and fishing. Evidently, the striped bass fishing can be fantastic in The East River. One fisherman proudly displayed a huge striper (see photos).
Two of my concerns were floating objects like logs, and commercial boat traffic. I saw about 8 or 9 large wooden beams that would have seriously damaged my boat. I don't think I'd want to make this trip at night.

I made friends with three men in a 1985 22ft Outrage (see photos) who were kind enough to snap some photos of me. They knew about this site. I told them I would be posting a link to the photos.
Boat traffic in New York Harbor wasn't bad, and the swells were a lot of fun. You have to really pay attention, unless you want to find yourself with a ferry coming right at you.

The trip took a little over 4 1/2 hours and covered about 100 miles. I'm looking forward to doing it again, and hope I don't have to work on the day of the next official Whaler round-up.
jamesmylesmcp posted 10-21-2009 08:57 PM ET (US)
Great shots, I was planning to do the same today but a sick child changed my plans. The East River and the area around the Statue give up some Huge Bass.
We are working with Liberty Landing Marina to firm up their site for next years venue and set a date.

Dan posted 10-21-2009 09:04 PM ET (US)
James, sorry to hear about your sick child. It would have been cool to see you today. Maybe next year, or if you want to cross the sound to Cold Spring Harbor, let me know.
jimh posted 10-21-2009 09:07 PM ET (US)
Moved to TRIPS AND RENDEZVOUS.
Dan posted 10-21-2009 09:41 PM ET (US)
Yeah my fault, I should have just titled post I went to the Statue of Liberty Today. Better yet, next time I'll keep it to myself and NOT make the effort to upload photos and write it up.
Dan posted 10-22-2009 08:34 PM ET (US)
Yesterday I tackled the Hellgate Bridge and East River with my 1990 18 Outrage. Conditions 4 mph wind, temperature in the low 60's, and 1pm slack tide at Hellgate bridge. The tide was rising with slack tide at 1pm. What I didn't understand was the current runs East as it rises and West as it lowers. I was hoping to run with the current. Fortunately it didn't matter because the Hellgate Bridge wasn't too hellish. On the return 1 1/2 hours after slack tide, my GPS indicated that the current was slowing me down by about 4mph. But this is when I was on plane, and would probably be stronger if more of the boat was in the water.
Most of the trip my twin 70 Yamahas ran at 4K rpm and pushed the boat at 24 mph GPS.
Just past the Hellgate Bridge there's an area to the right that's good for laying up and fishing.
Two of my concerns were floating objects like logs, and commercial boat traffic. I saw about 8 or 9 large wooden beams that would have seriously damaged my boat. I don't think I'd want to make this trip at night.
Boat traffic in New York Harbor wasn't bad, and the swells were a lot of fun. You have to really pay attention, unless you want to find yourself with a ferry coming right at you.
Does anyone else have any advice or stories regarding the Hellgate and East River?
jimh posted 10-23-2009 10:20 AM ET (US)
[A sidebar discussion about how the website organizes the various discussion areas into specific topics has been deleted. Please contact the moderator, me, if you need advice or clarification on how the website organizes the discussion areas into various topics. Thank you--jimh]
jmorgan40 posted 10-23-2009 10:21 AM ET (US)
[Restarted the sidebar discussion.]
Dan posted 10-23-2009 10:24 AM ET (US)
FYI: I went through the effort of creating almost 200 images, naming them, uploading them etc, and writing up the day to have a dialog, not solely provide reference material (which I'm happy to provide). [Changed topic to begin discussion of how the website is organized, and how it contrasts with other websites. Again, the website tries to focus on boating topics, and discussions about the website itself are no longer collected and archived.]
jimh posted 10-23-2009 10:33 AM ET (US)

Dan--I viewed all of your pictures. Very enjoyable. Thanks for identifying the species of fish as a striped bass. I was wondering what that huge fish was.
My experience with ferry boats is that they all seem to presume they have the right of way in all encounters, particularly with much smaller boats.
Dan posted 10-23-2009 10:46 AM ET (US)
[Changed the topic to a discussion of how the website should be administered. Please contact the administrator, me, via email to discuss the administration of the website. The website collects and organizes articles on boating topics, and it no longer collects and organizes articles in which the topic of discussion is the website itself. Other articles which continued this sidebar discussion of the discussion itself have also been deleted.--jimh]

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Author	Topic: Trip Report: Long Island Sound To Statue of Liberty
Dan	posted 10-21-2009 08:09 PM ET (US) Due to work I wasn't able to attend the last two Whaler Outings to New York Harbor. I always wanted to make the trip, but I thought my Montauk might not be big enough. This past December I bought my 1990 18 Outrage, and have been anxiously waiting for the right day to go. Finally with the right boat, engines running well, 4 mph wind, temperature in the low 60's, and 1pm slack tide at the dreaded Hellgate bridge, I decided to go for it. I found Google Maps satellite photos very helpful, and they enabled me to visualize the route I would be taking. Here's a link to the photos: http://www.danwagner.com/NYCWhaler10212009/index.htm I left Cold Spring Harbor at 11am, and with a few quick stops arrived at Hellgate bridge around 12:30pm. The tide was rising with slack tide at 1pm. What I didn't understand was the current runs East as it rises and West as it lowers. I was hoping to run with the current. Fortunately it didn't matter because the Hellgate Bridge wasn't too hellish. On the return 1 1/2 hours after slack tide, my GPS indicated that the current was slowing me down by about 4mph. But this is when I was on plane, and would probably be stronger if more of the boat was in the water. Most of the trip my twin 70 Yamahas ran at 4K rpm and pushed the boat at 24 mph GPS. Just past the Hellgate Bridge there's an area to the right that's good for laying up and fishing. Evidently, the striped bass fishing can be fantastic in The East River. One fisherman proudly displayed a huge striper (see photos). Two of my concerns were floating objects like logs, and commercial boat traffic. I saw about 8 or 9 large wooden beams that would have seriously damaged my boat. I don't think I'd want to make this trip at night. I made friends with three men in a 1985 22ft Outrage (see photos) who were kind enough to snap some photos of me. They knew about this site. I told them I would be posting a link to the photos. Boat traffic in New York Harbor wasn't bad, and the swells were a lot of fun. You have to really pay attention, unless you want to find yourself with a ferry coming right at you. The trip took a little over 4 1/2 hours and covered about 100 miles. I'm looking forward to doing it again, and hope I don't have to work on the day of the next official Whaler round-up.
jamesmylesmcp	posted 10-21-2009 08:57 PM ET (US) Great shots, I was planning to do the same today but a sick child changed my plans. The East River and the area around the Statue give up some Huge Bass. We are working with Liberty Landing Marina to firm up their site for next years venue and set a date.
Dan	posted 10-21-2009 09:04 PM ET (US) James, sorry to hear about your sick child. It would have been cool to see you today. Maybe next year, or if you want to cross the sound to Cold Spring Harbor, let me know.
jimh	posted 10-21-2009 09:07 PM ET (US) Moved to TRIPS AND RENDEZVOUS.
Dan	posted 10-21-2009 09:41 PM ET (US) Yeah my fault, I should have just titled post I went to the Statue of Liberty Today. Better yet, next time I'll keep it to myself and NOT make the effort to upload photos and write it up.
Dan	posted 10-22-2009 08:34 PM ET (US) Yesterday I tackled the Hellgate Bridge and East River with my 1990 18 Outrage. Conditions 4 mph wind, temperature in the low 60's, and 1pm slack tide at Hellgate bridge. The tide was rising with slack tide at 1pm. What I didn't understand was the current runs East as it rises and West as it lowers. I was hoping to run with the current. Fortunately it didn't matter because the Hellgate Bridge wasn't too hellish. On the return 1 1/2 hours after slack tide, my GPS indicated that the current was slowing me down by about 4mph. But this is when I was on plane, and would probably be stronger if more of the boat was in the water. Most of the trip my twin 70 Yamahas ran at 4K rpm and pushed the boat at 24 mph GPS. Just past the Hellgate Bridge there's an area to the right that's good for laying up and fishing. Two of my concerns were floating objects like logs, and commercial boat traffic. I saw about 8 or 9 large wooden beams that would have seriously damaged my boat. I don't think I'd want to make this trip at night. Boat traffic in New York Harbor wasn't bad, and the swells were a lot of fun. You have to really pay attention, unless you want to find yourself with a ferry coming right at you. Does anyone else have any advice or stories regarding the Hellgate and East River?
jimh	posted 10-23-2009 10:20 AM ET (US) [A sidebar discussion about how the website organizes the various discussion areas into specific topics has been deleted. Please contact the moderator, me, if you need advice or clarification on how the website organizes the discussion areas into various topics. Thank you--jimh]
jmorgan40	posted 10-23-2009 10:21 AM ET (US) [Restarted the sidebar discussion.]
Dan	posted 10-23-2009 10:24 AM ET (US) FYI: I went through the effort of creating almost 200 images, naming them, uploading them etc, and writing up the day to have a dialog, not solely provide reference material (which I'm happy to provide). [Changed topic to begin discussion of how the website is organized, and how it contrasts with other websites. Again, the website tries to focus on boating topics, and discussions about the website itself are no longer collected and archived.]
jimh	posted 10-23-2009 10:33 AM ET (US) Dan--I viewed all of your pictures. Very enjoyable. Thanks for identifying the species of fish as a striped bass. I was wondering what that huge fish was. My experience with ferry boats is that they all seem to presume they have the right of way in all encounters, particularly with much smaller boats.
Dan	posted 10-23-2009 10:46 AM ET (US) [Changed the topic to a discussion of how the website should be administered. Please contact the administrator, me, via email to discuss the administration of the website. The website collects and organizes articles on boating topics, and it no longer collects and organizes articles in which the topic of discussion is the website itself. Other articles which continued this sidebar discussion of the discussion itself have also been deleted.--jimh]