The Journey from Atlantic Highlands to Cape May

Farewell to Atlantic Highlands- Wednesday October 8, 2008
We rose early that morning and prepared to leave for Cape May. I cannot describe the amount of anxiety it takes to head out on the Atlantic Ocean with a brand new transmission that your husband (not a diesel mechanic) has taken out and replaced. The weather was sunny and light wind so we knew that the engine would get a work out. The sea was flat and the wind on the nose. It was exhilarating to be moving again and when we left we silently took mental pictures of everything we had grown to love and appreciate at Atlantic Highlands over the past week. Eric and Paul the launch drivers, Mr. Asher and his catamaran, Dominos deluxe pizzas and the clubhouse and moorings. Dennis and Karen had left the day before on favorable winds and it was hard not to bemoan our fate. To date our transmission difficulties had put us behind about 10 days. The organized sailors conscience had planned for us to gather in Annapolis for the Thanksgiving Week-end and that was now impossible for us to make.
I guess the feeling of being left behind and the loneliness of now being solo had gotten to me. Quite the opposite was true as we rounded Sandy Hook and set out down the Condo laid en shore of New Jersey.
Not to mention fisher men commercial and recreational and there is the national defense system which is aircraft and helicopters. There must have been thousands of eyes out there and the loneliness seemed to dissipate as we continued on. The wind kept stiffening and the waves kept building. Dick made a decision to go into Barnequet Inlet for the night and take shelter there. The lighthouse is apparently visible for about 10 miles but that last 10 miles took over three hours to make headway. The waves were short and choppy. Even though they were not that steep they still would break over the bow and come crashing down the gunnel's. We made it threw the channel here and safe to the anchorage. The power boat at he entrance set up a wake that caused us to go aground but with soft bottom we were able to plough threw it. I was grateful that Dick had experience getting here from when he had come to pick up Grace C at he the Highbar Yacht Club. The anchorage was a bit rocky threw the night as the wind kept howling and the tide changing causes lots of different noises and movement. Dick set a course on his hand held gps and said if it moved one half inch (100 ft) off that mark to wake him. The poor dear was exhausted and mentally fatigued from the drill of putting the tranny back in.
Thursday October 9, 2008
Sun Rest and Healing
The weather forecast for today was more SW and higher wind velocity so we opted to lay at anchor one more day. We are mentally and emotionally drained. We seem to be recovering from post traumatic stress as the ability to maintain a consecutive thought for more that three seconds is impossible. We had a problem with the water heater yesterday overheating and sending water spewing out the safety value.
This situation had left us with no water and the only water in our tanks on deck had been with us since Port Stanley. Fortunately we had a gallon of bottled drinking water to tide us over to Cape May. It took me until 12:30 pm to get dressed for the day. Last night we discovered we could not find our 12 volt battery charger to charge the phone to contact the kids to make arrangements for Thanksgiving. We spent about three hours going threw stuff and found it had slipped into a black garbage bag that was protecting some Power tools in the Port Locker. We found the reflective tape and got some bills organized. The sun came up and the weather was beautiful.
Friday October 10, 2008
Got up around 6:00 am in the dark. Within a few minutes we had pulled anchor and were underway. We went aground in the mud a couple of times but then that is Barnegat Light. It was great to have Grace C return home again and we were fortunately to have been abreast of her ins and outs and water depths etc. Grateful to meet us was a west wind and following sea. The air was light so we had to motor most the way. The wind swung around to the north and we were screaming along around 7-8 knots. We arrive at Cape May around 4:00 p.m. Did a pump out and water and diesel at the Canyon Club and then headed over to the Utcsh's Marina to tie up of the night. The kids made their scheduled arrival at 11pm. Baby girl wasn't tired and we didn't get to sleep until 1am. My joy is full.