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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/23/2019 : 16:09:09

It�s been a crazy year. Folks in hospital. My garage caught fire on July 4th which destroyed many boats and much boating gear. Work has been demanding, so as northern summer begins to ebb, I felt it was time to take life by the shorts and make a trip aboard Passage.
I let my family and colleagues I�d be away starting on Sunday and not to expect me back before Wednesday night. Really, just a short trip.
On Saturday I prepped gathering clothes, supplies, food and comforts. On Sunday, I had breakfast with my wife and headed to the dock with my supplies. Since I keep Passage cruise-ready at all times, I simply had to wash off the bird crap, hit the cockpit with bleachy detergent and the hose, and I was ready to go.
My 6.5gal fuel tank was lost in the fire, but I had a 5 gal tank in the shed. My 2 gallon tank was full up and ready to go so I was set.
I bought ice for my 3-day cooler, put some frozen burgers, Omaha steaks and marinated cube steaks, plus eggs, cheese, butter and frozen vegetables in the cooler, and had plenty of dry foods like Ramen, peanut butter, triscuits, tuna in tins, fruits and bread in the stores. My butane cooker was ready plus an extra bottle of butane.
My five gallon water jug was full, plus my water filter was ready.
All set to leave the dock. Departed at 1400 hours with sunset at 1945.

Leaving Milford Harbor Entrance

Starting out ready for adventures

Wind was 8+ and a 60� apparent for my point of sail. Ideal conditions, making 4.5 knots with the current.
In Long Island Sound I like to sail 5-7 miles offshore to avoid the rocks and reefs out where the water is 60 ft deep.
First day I reached the Thimble Islands by 1800 and because the wind was 10+ it was kicking up 1-2 ft waves, I found a small bay behind an island that was protected from the wind. Dropped anchor.

Anchoring behind Outer Island

Showing the NFW outpost part of the McKinney Wildlife Refuge

I started cooking my steaks and the local US Fish & Wildlife Service ranger stopped by, so I threw on another. We shot the bull and enjoyed the evening, food and company.
That night, I thought I was dragging anchor. Next morning I found my anchor was snagged on another anchor and 100ft of hemp line.
Glad to have a spare Danforth anchor.
The outboard engine had a problem: the safety lanyard switch snapped off, effectively neutralizing the engine. I found a fix for that using a screw, washer and piece of rubber hose.
That was day 1 and the overnight....

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 08/31/2019 11:04:40

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 08/23/2019 : 19:24:21

Boy, you know how to handle the local law enforcement--throw on another steak and pop another beer! Happy to hear Passage is helping you decompress... But best to your wife.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 08/23/2019 19:31:29

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5231 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2019 : 06:42:00

It gets better. Next morning I fried up a one-pan breakfast. I used my cockpit table (a piece of 1x8� pine lying across the cockpit seats) to hold my butane stove and a cast iron pan where I made toast, egg, ham and cheese. Boiled up some coffee and that�s living.
Sailed until noon on light airs to Faulkner island, a glacial terminal moraine (rockpile) about five miles offshore.

Approaching Faulkner on a Calm Day

A Closer Look at Faulkner

The traditional lighthouse and surrounding area

There�s a second Island nearby that mostly just a rocky area breaking the surface, but in between it�s calm and full of birds and fish. Did a little catch and release fishing for bluefish (watch out for their sharp teeth!) and an occasional striped bass. It was amazing how much life was there.
Using the same cooker I made a burger for lunch.
I called a buddy who lives nearby and asked if he had plans for dinner. He was open and looked forward to getting together.
Afternoon the breezes picked up and the Weather Service posted a severe weather watch. Sun was out, summer was in full effect and I was sailing at 4.5-5.0 kts on a beam reach. Seas were flat for a few hours with a favorable current but you could see how the waves were building. Passed by some beautiful large sailboats and power boats transiting Long Island Sound between Block Island and NYC and stopping off at my favorite CT State Park at Hammonasett. It offers a beach, camping, rock climbing on the bluffs and marsh nature hiking and is about 3 miles long. The beach was sparsely populated on a Monday. I did a bit of swimming and brushing the grass off my waterline. Fins, mask and snorkel, it was great to commune with the sea.
Started hearing crackles on the radio and noticed clouds were building in the late afternoon. Waves were starting to crest and the breeze built up.
I realized it would be a good time to think about a transient slip at a marina for the night. Just behind the park is the sweet little harbor of Clinton, CT. It�s a great kayaking area but I�ve never ventured in with Passage before since it�s quite shallow. I called a few marinas and one could accommodate so I made a reservation.

Chart of Clinton Harbor

A Wendy Path in a Skinny Harbor. The blue dot is Passage near Cedar Island marina

The clouds were getting bigger, darker and closer so I headed in through the channel, rather quickly now. Other boaters had the same idea.
As I got near the dock I hailed them on the radio, so the dockhands came down to assist and check me in. �Not a moment too soon�, said one of them as the first cold downdraft hit from the oncoming storm. I battened down my open hatches, secured the sail with the Velcro strap and grabbed all my gizmos (GPS, VHF, radio, phone, etc) off the decks and got down below.

Dark Skies Approaching Quickly

Tempest in the Harbor with 50+ kt winds

Rain started and the winds picked up to about 40kts, with gusts, then it blew harder! The small bay turned into whitecaps, the whiteout conditions while lightning, thunder and rain came right overhead. Then the hail.
Twenty minutes later it was all over. First the sun, then a rainbow, then a double rainbow in a full arch from horizon to horizon.

The Worst is Passed

Welcome the cooler breeze

Now dinner time I called my buddy and he drove over to meet me and we had a nice local seafood dinner.
Afterwards we relaxed at the marina pool and gazed up at the deepening blues and indigos as the stars began to twinkle.
He asked about breakfast and we set a date for the morning.
Between the marina and the state park, there was very little light pollution here. Because the storm scrubbed the air and quelled the humidity, the Milky Way was clearly visible across the heavens.
I did my ablutions then called my wife and wished her good night. Settled back on the air mattress and next thing I knew it was sunrise.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 08/31/2019 10:42:50

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2019 : 07:08:41

Bruce, Sounds like a great time and a nice break from the every day. Clinton Harbor is where I bought my boat from and sailed her back to Glen Cove from there so I know that you do not venture out of the narrow channel or you will be sorry. I remember a guy fishing while standing in knee deep water maybe 20ft off my starboard side as I was motoring out the channel. Enjoy the time!

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2019 : 07:48:46

Passage has had a few other razor-thin escapes like that... The most exciting was on our "delivery cruise" from Mystic where we bought her, to Darien where we lived. While motor-sailing to Mattituck L.I. for our first night, we heard a Coast Guard warning and saw the greenish-black sky to the west, so we rushed off Long Island Sound and into a cove on the CT River, picking up a mooring pennant just as a huge squall hit--reported 75+ winds that blew tree branches across the cove and into our cockpit, along with rain and hail. Passage jitterbugged around the mooring as we peered out of the cabin. If we had been out on the Sound, that probably would have been my wife's last sail on Passage (or maybe anything else)! As it was, the next few days gave us 30+ NW winds and 3'+ seas that made the rest of the delivery pretty tedious. (Never trust the Weather Service too much, and NEVER cruise with a deadline!) It also blew so much water out of L.I. Sound that when we arrived at our boat club, the slip we had for Passage didn't have ANY water in it--just mud. (We ran aground before getting close enough to see it.) The marine police couldn't believe we were out in that...

Basically, you're lovely week was the diametric opposite of that one--Passage had earned it!

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

glivs
Admiral

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USA
822 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2019 : 08:31:37

Best to you Bruce....always amazes me how a few hours/days on the water can be so rejuvenating.

Gerry & Leslie; Malletts Bay, VT
"Great Escape" 1989 C-25 SR/WK #5972

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2019 : 16:27:16

The last leg of the trip began at sunrise on Tuesday. 6:10AM EDT which shows that the summer is 2/3 of the way to the fall equinox. The morning was cool, dry and clear following the frontal passage the previous night. Wind was variable at that point but was forecast to be S to SSW for the day. Tide was ebbing for a low at 9:00AM.
My buddy was right on time so we headed for breakfast. We�d planned on a neighborhood place, unfortunately the storm put a tree through the roof. So we drove into town and enjoyed some �coffee and� at a cozy place.
Afterward, I thanked him for his hospitality and set out into the harbor. It is very skinny water but if you stick to the channel you�ll be fine. Lots of kayakers, anglers and vacation relaxers at their summer cottages, all on stilts.

A Sweet Place - Clinton Harbor

Even Yankees Slow Down in August

I got out to green can 1 and from there could see the headlands for Milford Point 25 miles to the west. Faulkner Island was right in line so I wondered whether to pass to the north or to the south of the island.
I decided on south since on previous trips the wind would make me drift toward the lee shore, so the farther from shore I was starting out, the better. It was a good guess because just as I passed Faulkner the south wind piped up to 8kts, with gusts to 10.
Perfect perfect perfect wind speed and direction for this leg, won�t need to motorsail.
I hoisted the main and rolled out the genoa, adjusted sails and traveller, then set my tiller tamer, and I was off. Compass heading 270�M kept me at 50-60� to apparent wind, with speeds of 4.5-5.0kts through the water. I got an extra 1kt from the incoming tide on my GPS speed over ground.
Because it was a fresh breeze that started roughly as I began my sail, seas remained smooth for awhile but slowly built over time.
I arrived at the last headland as I ran out of searoom on this tack. Because I�d be fighting the 1-2ft breakers to sail around the headland, I dropped sails and cranked up the Honda. A while later, I was safely in port.

Back to the Homeport

Nothing much has changed

The trip took about 6 hours where I sailed most of the way. Once around the headland I stopped the engine and sailed in. That�s my favorite way to end a trip.
I emptied the cooler, swept the floors, washed down the boat and put everything away that I needed while in flight.
Was great to get back and sync up with everyone back home at the ranch.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 08/31/2019 10:52:51

keats
Navigator

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USA
215 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2019 : 19:23:37

I can't read enough of these stories. Loved every minute of it, thanks.

Tim Keating
1985 C-25 TR/FK #4940
Midsummer
Lake Don Pedro, CA

TCurran
Admiral

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USA
588 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2019 : 08:53:16

Great story...thank you for sharing

Tom Curran
1981 Capri 25 Hull #101 "Dirty Debbie"
1988 Watkins 30
PAFB, FL

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3474 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2019 : 07:22:06

Sweet!

Ray in Atlanta, Ga.
"Lee Key" '84 Catalina 25
Standard Rig / Fin Keel

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2019 : 10:59:23

I added some photos. Wish it was easier, but then anybody could do it!

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

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