Bel Sito and Hell Gate

Today is a white-knuckle day as we travel 15 miles in some of the most heavily trafficked waters in the world with currents strong enough to push us right into big ships.

Scare, scare, scare.

Then tomorrow it gets even scarier as we get out of New York through a narrow tidal straight with currents flowing 5 knots into Long Island Sound. Skipper G is studying the tide table at the moment.

We hope to see Manhattan daughter Liz and two boat-buddies Jon Vesey and Ada Whitney. Anyone else in the area, come on down to Liberty Landing Marina for a 'Docktail'.

Here's what RWG just wrote to a friend:

There's a slack tide at Hell Gate tomorrow at 11 a.m. then the current will turn against us. So my strategy is an 0800 start from Liberty to catch a favorable current on the East River riding it through Hell Gate before it turns. We'll see. Hell Gate, by the way, is a corruption of the Dutch word "Hellegat" which roughly translated means (are you ready?) "Hell Gate".

This brings new meaning to 'current planning'.

Location:Atlantic Highlands, United States