HURRICANE HENRI PREP

 It's been almost 36 years since Long Island suffered a direct hit from a Hurricane. So I spent the the morning on BIANKA doing storm preparation as hurricane Henri approaches.

Added a second line to the mooring.

Removed anchor from the bow roller to prevent it from cutting through the mooring lines.

Finally dropped the sail and cover on deck to reduce windage.

I took a photo as I headed for shore. Hope it's not the last photo I take of BIANKA. Now I can only hope for the best.

HURRICANE STORM PREP: Before and After

In early September I was facing a serious dilemma. Hurricane Hermaine was heading up the coast. This meant I would have to try and prep BIANKA in advance of the storm. But, I also had booked passage on a Cruise ship leaving New York and heading to Bermuda during the same week the storm was expected to hit. Due to a number of SNAFU's and personal travel plans I had decided to give up on sailing this season and just hung out of BIANKA at the mooring. This decision was fortuitous because I did not have a need to put the sail on the boat. This made storm preparation a little easier since I did not have to remove and store BIANKA's 540 square feet of sail to reduce windage.

I did have to do a few other things to give me some piece of mind in case the Hurricane hit the area. One thing I needed to do is remove the 33 pound Bruce anchor off the bow roller.

 The flukes of which can cut easily cut through the mooring line like a knife and set the boat adrift. It's not a difficult job but, it is awkward handling the anchor while leaning over the bowsprite. An extra line helps make sure you won't accidentally drop the anchor while handling it. I was also glad I had previously coated the shackle pin threads with Tef Gel . This made for a quick and easy removal of the shackle holding the anchor to the chain. I wish the neighboring boats would do the same but, I have not seen anyone else come out and start to prep their boats.

Once the anchor was removed and the mooring pennant lines set in the bow rollers. I used several large Ty Wraps through holes in the rollers:

These will prevent the mooring lines from popping off the  rollers and start chaffing as the bow pitches up and down in a storm. This could possibly set the boat adrift.

I also made up some spare mooring lines I planned to add to the existing mooring line as extra insurance. I got the last two 3/8" thimbles at the local West Marine and sliced them into some Tenex line I had on board:

I used a hot knife to cut out the bad section of the line before installing the thimble:

 The hot knife really helps to make quick neat cuts in some of these new high tech lines.

I also used some Parachute cord to secure the BIANKA"S Solar Bimini. The bimini had survived the 95 MPH winds of super storm Sandy but a little more security never hurts when expecting a blow:

My plans to add two additional lines to the mooring did not work out since the attachment point on the mooring ring did not allow room for two shackles so I was only able to add one line:

This was better than nothing. Though it would have been better to find this out before a storm approaches. I may see if the boatyard can increase the size of the mooring ring next year so I can fit two additional storm shackles instead of just one.

A LESSON LEARNED: Hermaine did not hit the area full strength which I was glad to learn of while on the cruise ship. There were some strong gusts but, nothing near Hurricane strength. However, after I returned and was rowing out to the boat for the first time since returning from the cruise. I saw that my spare storm mooring line was dangling in the water. I thought at first it had broken even though it was rated at over 5,000 pounds. When I inspected it this is what I found:

Apparently, I had secured the shackle pin to the thimble with a Ty Wrap to but, I had forgotten to do the same to the shackle that attached to the mooring ring. As a result of the pitching up and down the pin loosened up and eventually fell out make my spare storm mooring line useless. When this happened is anyone's guess. But, it is a lesson learned to make an inspection list before leaving the boat when prepping for a storm.

POSEIDON SPEAKS TO ME: Part Four

So it has finally come down to this. Because of the battery problem which delayed launch. Followed by the surprise of the failed EP Controller. These issues had pushed the idea of sailing even further out in the season. Yes, I could just replace the controller but, Dave at Annapolis Hybrid Marine said they no longer use that controller because several others had  surprise failures too. They are using a new controller but it requires a bigger enclosure box. He had one in stock and I could have swapped it out pretty quickly. But, I had other considerations to take into account. Namely a girlfriends beach vacation and a cruise to Bermuda for my grand nieces wedding reception that would take me away from the boat for additional weeks. I'd not be able to start to fix  things  until mid September. Since I'd probably be pulling the boat in mid October anyway it would not leave much time for sailing even if the weather cooperated. So I decided to scrap this sailing season and use BIANKA as my floating harbor home. I don't have to put the large sail up and I have plenty of projects to keep me busy. Plus I could jump over the side for a refreshing swim anytime. Actually, It's not a bad place to be. Perhaps Poseidon is right.

SPRINGING FORWARD AND GETTING OUT OF THE DOLDRUMS

I've been in sort of a boat doldrums for a few weeks now. I've not had much urgency to get down to the boat since my Electric Propulsion system does not require a whole lot of maintenance. I've instead been spending some time spring cleaning around the house and trying to figure out what to with some of the left over stuff I pulled off the boat when converting to Electric Propulsion. Thinking about EBAY, donating or selling out right. I've been cleaning out a lot of stuff in the Den where I'll be hopefully working on a new sail cover and cushions for the Engel refrigerators in the main cabin. Now that Spring has officially arrived I feel the boat calling again. So I ordered a few items I know I'll be needing for the upcoming season.

I pretty much am a single hand sailor these days. One thing I bought since it really makes a lot of sense for me to use is a Pick Up Buoy.   I don't know why it has taken me so long to buy one. I was getting along quite well with an empty milk container tied to the mooring pennant lines and a boat hook since 1996. But, after watching a neighboring sailboat use his it just makes a lot of sense for me. Especially since the winds and the currents in the harbor do not always cooperate sometimes requiring me to sometimes make another pass to snag the line.

Another item I knew I'll be needing in the up coming weeks is some Cetol Marine Natural Teak Wood Finish. I've been using Cetol for years mostly on the cockpit hatches, bright.work and handrails. Last spring I decided to use it to spruce up the galley area, companionway steps and the headliner project . I was pleased with the look and ease of application. So I'm planning on using it on other areas of the cabin this year. I bought two quarts since I also plan to use it on some unpainted molding at the house.


I've got a few more things I'll need to order  for the up coming season but, they can wait until I get closer to a launch date. For now these along with 9 yards of Sunbrella fabric for the new Sail Cover will keep me busy enough.

ASSUMPTIONS PART TWO: Moorings

So since I got a late start on my cruising plans I headed out as soon as my schedule was clear.  When I got to Mattituck I was looking at a pin that held the swivel to the anchor chain. It was looking somewhat iffy. I had  new replacement shackles and swivel on board. So I thought when I got to my next destination which was Three Mile Harbor on Long Island I'd pick up a town mooring and replace the anchor swivel and shackles.  I arrived at the channel to the harbor at just about sunset and by the time I got into the harbor after dark. I could not find the town moorings so I picked up and vacant one. In the morning I gave the harbor master a call to ask where the town moorings were located. He replied that the town trustees had decided not to put them in this year. Once again my assumption that the moorings would still be available turned out to be my mistake. Luckily, I was able to get on another mooring thanks to a local boatyard who had a spare mooring available due to the owner being away. At least I was able to replace the anchor swivel at a leisurely pace. But, it was a reminder not to assume that things that were there before will still be there on your next visit.

THAT WAS QUICK

I went down to the boatyard again on Friday to look for the Kings Loran manual that a sailor in Norway asked me about. While there I found out my new 500 pound mooring was already rigged up and ready to be dropped. But, that also meant the bill would soon be coming in the mail too.  At least I'll be able to relax a little in case another storm like Sandy heads this way knowing the mooring is 200 pounds heavier and has some new chain on it.

A NEW MOORING

I was working on board the boat yesterday when there was a tap on the hull. It was the boat yard manager asking me what I wanted to do about my mooring since they were starting to set things up for the up coming season. We had talked about increasing the size of the mooring ever since I found BIANKA a thousand feet from it's usual location after Hurricane Sandy. The original mooring that held BIANKA since 1996 was 300 lbs. It did an admiral job until superstorm Sandy came ashore last year. I could have jumped up to 400 lbs but, he mentioned BIANKA's bow mounted mast that maybe 500 pounds might be better. I had to agree. Might as well go BIG and not push my luck this Hurricane Season. I drove out of the boatyard singing the Bob Dylan song  New Morning but, changed the lyrics slightly singing the chorus as "new mooring" instead.

WHY I'M AN OPTIMIST

While some sailors may look out their front door in despair at this scene courtesy of the blizzard Nemo. As for myself, I take comfort that I mailed in the application for this seasons mooring permit yesterday. So I know the sailing season is on it's way.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM HURRICANE SANDY

It's been almost two weeks since Hurricane Sandy came ashore and decimated parts of the northeast United States especially those living near the shore areas. I was pretty lucky despite finding BIANKA over a thousand feet away from where I left her the night before the storm I found her floating and still attached to her 300 pound mooring. Here are some of the lessons I learned from Sandy:

1) Putting an extra line on the mooring works well as a precaution to keep the boat attached to the mooring. I probably don't need to attach the anchor chain on board to the mooring chain as I did when Hurricane Irene threatened last year.




2)  The surge from a storm is going to have a big impact on weather the boat stays put or decides to wander across the harbor. I may need to think about adding additional anchors to the mooring chain to try and keep it in place or close to it when the tidal surge comes in. This will involve some prep and diving before the storm hits. Perhaps a heavier mooring might be in order.  Upon inspection earlier this year the eye of the mooring was showing quite a bit of wear following last years Hurricane Irene.
This yearBIANKA's mooring had a new eye welded on to it at the beginning of the season. I'll be interested to see what it looks like when it is pulled after Sandy.




3)  I need to be more thorough in making sure I have dogged the hatches. I'm still amazed I missed  latching the overhead hatch in the forward cabin. It was closed but, not secure.

The winds from Sandy were able to lift it and fling it wide open damaging the Charlie Noble vent for the water heater. Luckily there was not a lot of rain when Sandy hit the area and I only found about an inch of water in the bilge and a damp bed quilt.

4) The solar bimini with it's solar panelsI built over the cockpit is strong enough to stand up to hurricane force winds and there is no need to take it down before the storm. The design has now been through three hurricanes with Sandy's gusts to 95 MPH being the strongest so far. I do have to secure the clear  Lexan centerpiece better as the two screws holding it to the frame were not enough to hold it in storm conditions but, that was just a temporary install at the time Sandy hit anyway.



5) I should have probably taken the sail down below. I did for Hurricane Irene last year. But, this time I opted not to do it. I was on the boat the day before Sandy and the winds were blowing 30 to 35 knots at times and the boat seemed to be riding well. So I opted to leave them on. Not sure how much of difference it would have made since BIANKA's beam is over 11 feet and there were plenty of other boats that dragged that had there sails stripped off of them. But, in the future I will store it below when another storm threatens.

6) I ran out of propane about two weeks before Sandy. Even though I was heading out on a fall cruise I opted not to refill the propane tank  since it was toward the end of the season. I thought I would refill it in the spring. I would use my backup cooking devices for the few remaining weeks. One of my backups is a butane single burner stove. I bought some additional butane canisters but, when I went to try it I found the butane did not flow to the burner. Some parts looked a little corroded  and I did not think it safe to use it.  I then went to my second backup which was a  Coleman PefectFlow 1-Burner Stove which works very well 

as a backup but, can only be used at an anchorage in calm conditions because cooking pots and pans are not secure from toppling over. Luckily, I bought some extra Propane Fuel Canisters  for it's use before Sandy hit. Because they might have been scarce after the storm knocked out power and some people on land would be using alternate cooking devices like I was.  As it was I was on my last propane canister when power was restored back at home and was beginning to wonder if I would be able to find more if I needed them. So getting the on board propane tank refilled should be a priority if one wants to be able to move on board after a storm without worry.

7) Communications can get spotty after a storm like Sandy hit's. At first things seemed to be ok but, as the days wore on and the batteries and generators of the cell phone towers ran down communications began to get flaky. Cell phone calls dropped out, internet access via the cell phone modem was slow or non existent at times.  It seemed that emails sent from my Blackberry were the most reliable form of communications when the others were not reliable.

8) Having an  Engel Portable Refrigerator - Freezer and a cooler on board was a great asset to have. I made the decision to move on board primarily because I had all my basic needs available there. Including refrigeration with the Engel . I was able to empty the freezer at home and store most of the frozen items in the Engel in freezer mode and use the Coleman cooler for the items that just needed to be refrigerated. So I threw very little of the food at home away and had plenty for a week of meals on board the boat without having to find a supermarket or grocery store. I took frozen items from the Engel and defrosted them in the Coleman cooler as needed where it helped to keep the cooler items cold too. As I emptied the Engel I froze plastic water bottles to use as the ice ran out in the cooler.





9) Since I was just getting back from a 200 mile fall cruise as Sandy approached I did not refill the gasoline jerry jugs I use for the Honda 2000 generator. I was winding down the sailing season so I had less than a gallon left of the six gallons I usually carry when cruising. Again since it was toward the end of the season I saw no need to refill them. But, after Sandy hit a lot of gas stations had no power for several days and then after power was restored there was a run on gasoline and they were soon shut because they no longer had gasoline. Even as I write this two weeks after the storm gasoline is being rationed by a system of odd and even license plate days. So the lesson learned when a storm threatens refill the jerry jugs before it hits. It turns out I did not need to run the Honda 2000 generator that much. I only ran it for a few hours one day out of the seven I was on board. But, if I had to use it more I might have run out of gas before too long. So the lesson is to keep your fuel supply topped up and ready until you are sure you won't need it. The same goes for the water tanks.

10) Having solar and a wind turbine on board is a real plus for after storm living. As I mentioned above I only had to run the Honda 2000 generator one day for a few hours. That was because we had a some cloudy days during and after Sandy and with the ENGEL running in freezer mode it was draw a few more amps than usual. But, after things got charged up I was able to use both the 12 volt house bank and the 10 kilowatt 48 volt propulsion bank efficiently.  During the day when the sun was out I would power the Engel freezer from the 12 house bank as the two 75 solar panels were able to power it and charge the house bank  a little. I used the 48 volt propulsion bank to power my laptop as I checked emails and blogged. In the evening after I was done using the computer I would then power the ENGEL freezer from the 48 volt bank because in addition to some solar I also had the Marine Air X 48 volt wind turbine helpeing to charge things overnight. I needed to use the 12 volt house bank to power some LED lights and a small radio.

In short I found that after a storm reeks havoc on land moving onto ones boat is better way to weather the aftermath until things get back to normal on land. Provided of course you already have the systems and provisions on board to live for an extended time at anchor which I did.

HURRICANE SANDY: DAY TWO

I woke up after a restful sleep and things were pretty quiet. But, that's because of triple pane argon filled windows can insulate the sounds pretty good. not like being on the boat where your senses are well aware of what's going on with the weather.  Looking at the trees through the window I could see things were starting to blow a  harder than last night as Hurricane Sandy approaches. I went to the dentists office where of course I found out that the dentist would not be in because of the storm so I decided to drive to the harbor where BIANKA was moored. Since it was 9 AM I thought there was a pretty good chance I could get there since high tide was not until 12 noon. But, I was wrong:

There use to be a road underneath that rising water.  Notice the sign on the left. The bad news is this was taken at 9:30 am and high tide would be at 12 noon. I turned around and took another route. But, that was starting to flood too! However, I took a chance and after I got through parts that were starting to flood. I found the road to the boatyard blocked by town vehicles. I was able to park and get a glimpse of BIANKA which was still floating in the same place I left her last night despite the increase in winds. I could not stay long as the waters were rising and I had to get the car out of there before I would be trapped. Here is a little look of what it was like heading back along the harbor road. Again, this was two hours before the days high tide:


Here is some video I took of  Long Island Sound raging like an ocean. The beach was entirely covered and water was lapping at the parking lot. Again, this was two and half hours BEFORE high tide:



The bad news is this is just the start of the major part of the storm. I don't know when I'll be able to get back near BIANKA I just hope she is floating somewhere in the harbor when I do.

BLOG UPDATE MONDAY 5:45PM:
I've tried contact the boatyard several times today and there is no answer. That's not good news as they maybe busy trying to save the docks, boats etc... I was hoping they might get a visual on BIANKA and let me know if she is still where she is supposed to be. The flooding this morning was not a good sign. Then this "Special Weather Statement" came from NOAA:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED WINDS UP TO 110 MPH
BETWEEN 1500 AND 3000 FEET. SOME OF THESE VERY STRONG...DAMAGING
WINDS WILL OCCASIONALLY REACH THE SURFACE...PRODUCING GUSTS OF
70-90 MPH ACROSS THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA...LONG
ISLAND...AND SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT THROUGH 8 PM. THE GUSTS TO THESE
LEVELS WILL BE MORE FREQUENT OVER SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT AND 

LONG ISLAND THAN OVER THE NEW YORK CITY METRO AREA. 

Uh oh just lost power again!  I keep thinking that BIANKA with it's wind turbine has all the power I would need. Better sign off for now and save my laptop power.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Here in the states it is the three day Labor Day weekend. If you are to believe the mainstream media it is the end of summer.  But, a quick check of my Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book  tells me this is not so. Still millions of people believe it and so make a mad crowded traffic filled dash to enjoy it. That goes for those on the water too! Where many harbors and anchorages are very crowded with boaters trying to squeeze in some boating during the last three day holiday weekend of the summer:

Not me. I sometimes live a complicated life, this summer was no exception. These days I work freelance and work when the phone rings. This summer I worked about five weeks between July and August and then my girlfriend wanted to spend a few days on the beach on the eastern end of the Island of Long where I stared at the seagulls and they stared at me:

I'm not complaining by any means. Even though I did not get to spend much time on board the boat in July and August. Having some money coming into the wallet from the work gig and spending two weeks on the beach is not such a bad thing. But, it's not the same as being on board the boat. So today I finally get back on board with nothing on my schedule for the next several months. But, I'm not going to be joining the crowd on the waters just yet. I'll be hanging out on the mooring until at least Tuesday. I've got a few projects on board that can keep me busy until then.  I'll let the crowd of boaters get their frenzied last licks in while BIANKA stays attached securely to the mooring. I'm happy to wait until the crowds leave.While for many this Labor Day weekend marks the end of the sailing season for me it is just the beginning.

MOORING IN AMERICA

There was good news and bad news this week about BIANKA's upcoming sailing season. In the mail from the town came the approved 2012 mooring permit. So BIANKA has a home port to come back to when not out cruising.  It's a sure sign that start of the season is in sight. There was more good signs as I pulled into the boatyard yesterday:

The good sign was that the moorings were starting to be lined up and the boatyard was getting ready to be put them out in the harbor. Some had new chain. Some had new pennant lines.  Some just needed a new coat out anti fouling paint.

Then came the bad news. My town requires that the moorings be inspected every season before they are dropped out of sight onto the harbor bottom. I think it is good idea and also makes sure that only secure and reliable moorings are dotting the harbor. Which may have been why there was so few boats lost or damaged in the harbor when Hurricane Irene came to visit showing us her bad side.  As I was getting out the car one of the guys working the boatyard came up to me and said I need to show something on your mooring. This is what he showed me:

Yeah, it's looking a little worn at the bottom shackle attachment point on one side where the chain connects to the mooring. BIANKA having survived Hurricane Irene might not be so lucky next time with the mooring  looking like this. Some of this damage might have been a result of riding the Hurricane too. So it looks like a new 300 plus pound mooring is in BIANKA's future along with some unexpected expense for Capt. Mike. Though it's still cheap insurance if another storm like Irene should head this way.

BACK ON BOARD POST IRENE

What was unnerving for me as Hurricane Irene approached was the fact because of a work commitment I would be 250 miles away when the storm hit. Not only that, I would not be getting back to the boat for a least two weeks afterward. Happily, I got word fairly soon after the storm had past that BIANKA had survived. That was a relief knowing the boat was OK and my hurricane prep had worked. I tried a few things before I left the boat. Some ideas worked and some ideas need improvement. This is a picture of how I left things at BIANKA's bow before I left the boat:

You can see the anchor has been removed. Two lines the primary and backup are attached to the mooring and are free.  Not easily  seen is the anchor chain on the right roller that drops straight down below the surface of the water and is attached to the mooring chain at a different link than the lines above.  I've already expressed my how I like to have cable ties on board for all sorts of handy reasons. Here I am using them to hold some split tubing in position as some anti chafe protection. Also note I am using the cable ties through the holes in the bow rollers. The plan being to prevent the mooring lines from jumping off the rollers during the storm. I'm using cable ties in the belief they would not chafe the lines like a metal screw would. The cable ties worked as planned or at least the mooring lines never jumped out of the bow rollers. Some of my other ideas not so good.

Returning back to BIANKA after two weeks I found this scene:

Things got pretty twisted forward of the bow rollers. What I don't know is when this all happened. Was during the hurricane or was it during the two weeks of the boat spinning around the mooring before I returned. Both the chain and my anti sail drogue line got twisted up in the mooring lines too.  I did not notice any serious chafe on the mooring lines but, next time I hope to come up with a better plan and hopefully I won't be so far away should another hurricane approach.

SCENES FROM IRENE PART 2 WITH A HAPPY ENDING

An anonymous reader of the BIANKA LOG BLOG posted a link to a rescue of a wayward sailboat in a mooring field in Winthrop Massachusetts during Hurricane Irene. Unlike the previous SCENES FROM IRENE this one has a happy ending. Thanks to  a lot of luck as the boat seems to have missed hitting many other boats as it traveled through the mooring field:
WARNING: Thar be salty language in the video:

 

SCENES FROM HURRICANE IRENE

Who needs to go to the movies?  Say Goodbye to Hollywood there is enough action right here as Hurricane Irene came up the east coast. Makes you appreciate the importance of chafe prevention and prepping the boat for even minimal Hurricanes/tropical storms. Let's start off with one of the early casualties of Irene. A couple who tried to "outrun" the Hurricane and got into a whole bunch of hurt off of Norfolk Virginia. Photos of the beached boat were posted on the Internet and their plight made it into a lot of papers from the local newspapers up to the Washington Post and CBS TV. Here is some video of what it was like before the boat hit the beach:




Meanwhile in Moorehead City. This boat had it's sails taken off but, still is was no match for Irene's fury:




  Some boats designed to sail fast will do so even with the sails furled. Until they hit the beach that is:





Hope these make you appreciate what your boat might go through in such storms I know it did for me.

SIGNS OF THE SEASON

Years ago I read a book called SOUL OF A NEW MACHINE  . It chronicled the story of a company and the people who were building a new computer back in the late seventies. In the book one overworked burnt out engineer after dealing with digital signals moving around and circuits switching in nanosecond time frames decided he had had enough. He quit and left a note on the computer screen in his cubicle. The note read something like: 'I refuse to deal with any time frame shorter than a season from now on.'  Seems like a good idea to me.

Some people use the sighting of birds to signal the start of a new season. This sailor uses other signs. The cockpit of BIANKA becomes my personal crows nest when the boat is on land for the winter season. From there I can look out over the harbor and see the signs. The town requires that all boats (except the commercial fisherman) vacate the harbor and all moorings have to be pulled and inspected before next season. So the harbor takes on a rather stark look in mid winter from my vantage point:

Then one day I go to the boat look out over the harbor and there it is. The first boat of the season tied up to it's mooring. To me it's like seeing the first Robin returning in the spring. 

Then a few days later another one mysteriously appears to keep the first arrival company:

LET THE SEASON BEGIN!

DESTINATION: CITY ISLAND PART ONE

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I once traveled to City Island back in the 1980's when I had my first boat a Bristol 24. I arrived late in the day and left the next day. So I did not get to see much back then. A little evening walk some dinner and back to the boat. I thought it was time to return with BIANKA this time and spend a little more time in this unique part of the City of New York at the end western end of Long Island Sound.

City Island is a place that welcomes and seems made for sailors. Like other waterfront towns it has a rich history. City Island more so than most as a lot of nautical history. The Hell Gate Pilots were based on the island. Here is there office (now gone) where they would watch for ships coming up Long Island Sound heading for New York. Here is the Pilot Station back then:

Here's how it looks today:

The Hell Gate Pilots were merged in with the Sandy Hook Pilots a number of years ago and the piloting is now done by a few of the Sandy Hook Pilots who are also certified for Hells Gate.

Some classic Americas Cup yachts were built on the island over the years. Along with a bunch of other legendary yachts as well. In places like the Nevins shipyard.

It was at the Nevins Shipyard on City Island that a young Olin Stephens first met yacht broker Drake Sparkman and teamed up to form Sparkman & Stephens design firm. The shipyards are pretty much gone from City Island  but, there are still quite a number of yacht clubs and boatyards that will make a sailor feel welcome. 

I arrived on a Friday afternoon and picked up a mooring at Barron Marine. Barron's is not a Yacht Club or Marina it is a boatyard . Here is a photo of their eighty year old workboat:

This wooden workhorse is still working the waters around City Island. Barrons is my kind of boatyard.
There is no swimming pool, clubhouse or bar. But, it is a convenient location to get all that one needs for the boat whether it's provisions, supplies, laundry or a good meal. All can be had within walking distance of the location.  After securing BIANKA and taking a hot shower I wandered around admiring the small sensible houses of the hard working middle class residents of the island. The island population is only about 4,500 people. Which makes it feel more like a small town than a part of New York City. In a few minutes I was on the main drag of the island City Island Ave.
There are all kinds on small local restaurants along the street and no national chains that I could see in my travels. I really like that about City Island.

I stopped for lunch at a local Irish bar called The Snug on a recommendation from someone at the boatyard for some fish and chips and pint on Guinness. A good way to start my tour of the island. After the meal I headed over to the Post Office a mere three blocks away. I came across this typical old clapboard building which gives City Island it's small town charm.

It was filled with all things nautical. So much so it was hard to move around in it. Much of it used and prices that are negotiable. As I walked in there was a negotiation going on for an old miners oil head lamp. Yep it's that kind of place filled with that kind of stuff and shelves overflowing with nautical artifacts. It's a place only a sailor could love. The town is proud of it's nautical heritage and it shows even in the small park nearby:

As the sun started to go down it was time to head back to the waterfront and head back to BIANKA. Tomorrow will be another day for more exploring.
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DESTINATION CITY ISLAND PART TWO CLICK HERE