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YOUR FIRST WEEK-LONG SUMMER CRUISE:
The Five Biggest Stumbling Blocks to Actually Setting Sail
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For those new to cruising, progressing from an overnight trip across the Sound
to actually planning and executing a week-long voyage can be daunting. In those
October conversations about the “cruise we meant to take last summer,” the same
five “stumbling blocks” seem to pop up again and again. And, not to sound
sexist, they are usually gender-specific….
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| 1. |
Planning the Itinerary. Deciding where to go, how far to go, where to stay and what to do once you get there is a major undertaking – even for long-time cruisers. It takes time, research and thought. For a first cruise, plan a manageable 6 day trip with at least one lay-day - targeting 20 to 25 NM a day. Leave on a Sunday morning and return on Saturday night so there’s a week-end day at each end for prep and clean-up. Agree to keep the schedule flexible to accommodate weather issues and personal whims. Try to pick a variety of landfalls. A few categories are listed below; consider choosing one from each. |
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Bustling Dockside Towns – LIS has some great water-front villages that are boater-friendly and fun for the whole family: Northport, Mamaroneck, Port Jefferson, Mystic, Greenport, Riverhead, Milford, Essex, Oyster Bay, Sag Harbor, Stonington, and Watch Hill. |
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Quiet, Scenic Mooring Fields – The eternal quest for that undiscovered, bucolic anchorage is part of the fun of cruising, but, if you’re new at this, consider the compromise of a mooring field. The 1000 pound block at the other end of the tall boy will eliminate a lot of stress and guarantee a good night’s sleep. A few suggestions: Three Mile Harbor’s East Hampton town moorings, North Hempstead’s town moorings in Manhasset Bay, Port Jeff Moorings, Cold Spring Harbor, Oyster Bay, Fisher Island’s West Harbor, Stirling Harbor in Greenport, Old Lyme. |
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Kid-Friendly Places– It’s very possible that the water-borne and family-centered activities served up by life on the boat will eliminate the need for these, but kids are unpredictable so including destinations that spell civilization to the younger generation is crucial -- particularly to the teen and pre-teen set. Try Compo Yacht Basin in Westport and South Benson in Fairfield--both have skateboard parks; Saybrook Point and Norwalk Cove have miniature golf, Port Jeff is just plain fun, Essex Island has a plethora of activities for kids of all ages (including a video arcade), Greenport and Watch Hill have beautifully restored carousels, and, of course, always look for pools and beaches. |
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Sightseeing or “educational experiences” – Mystic is probably the best family destination on the Sound – stay right in the Seaport and at night the place belongs to you and the ghosts of sailors past--plus the highly-rated Mystic Aquarium is nearby. Norwalk’s Maritime Center also has a good aquarium plus an Imax Theater. Essex ’s Steam Train stops at the Hadlyme Ferry, so you can ride across and hike up to Gillette Castle. East Haddam’s Goodspeed Opera House has its own dock. Take a short cab ride from Oyster Bay to Teddy Roosevelt’s Sagamore Hill. |
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Destination Marinas – These are real resorts with pools, tennis courts, restaurants, lodgings, courtesy vans – some even offer luxurious spas and room service to the boat. Montauk Yacht Club, East Hampton Point, and Saybrook Point are three of the best |
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| 2. |
Provisioning so the Cruise is a Vacation for Everyone - How galley duties are managed can make or break a cruise – share the responsibilities. Do as much pre-trip preparation as time permits but don’t stress -- there are stores along the way. |
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Outline the menus in advance – plan breakfast and lunch for every day plus lots of snacks and only four or five dinners. Post the menus so it’s easy for anyone to volunteer to prepare a meal (or pre-assign galley duties). Consider eating out two or three nights. |
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Pre-package meat, poultry & fish; add a marinade and freeze. Let them slowly defrost in the boat fridge. If you have a vacuum sealer, the results will be even better. |
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Don’t overstock; leave room for discoveries as you explore new towns and markets. The anglers on board might get lucky or you may add another restaurant night. But, just to be safe, plan a couple of extra meals based on non-refrigerated, pantry items. Those provisions can always stay on the boat for the summer. Pastas, designer sauces, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, canned chicken, tuna, or pre-packaged ethnic dishes like Pad Thai and Indian curries. |
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On the other hand, oversupply on easy-to-prepare hors d’oeuvres. Every evening seems to find a “cocktail” hour in the cockpit – and everyone is always famished. And, be prepared with a quick offering if invited to join fellow cruisers for drinks. |
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If all of this planning and preparation is not your style, then just pack-up a couple days’ worth of food from the home fridge and pantry -- and build provisioning stops into the itinerary. Up the Housatonic, Marina at the Dock is adjacent to a large supermarket (push the cart to the boat). You can see Costco from Port Chester’s Ebb Tide Marina. On Thursdays, there’s a farmers’ market on the Port Jeff waterfront. Claudio’s in Greenport is two blocks from a supermarket. OMA Marine on the Mianus is adjacent to a farm stand and fishmonger. Shelter Island’s Dering Harbor has a well supplied independent market. Or call a cab; there’s a supermarket within a few miles of almost any dock on the Sound. |
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Remember Neptune’s rule: s/he who cooks does not clean up. |
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| 3. |
Keeping the Crew Happy on Rainy Days and Long Passages. The specter of bored or squabbling kids has derailed many a cruise. |
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| 4. |
Getting
Connected. Being out of touch can
be disconcerting; there’s great comfort in knowing you
are reachable. |
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Check your cell phone(s) coverage have in the areas you’re cruising. You might want to adjust your service, if you’ll be roaming. Not only does the cell phone make being away more comfortable, but phones are quickly replacing the VHF for marina and restaurant reservations. It’s also indispensable in a medical emergency or for even minor medical issues. |
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Pack a lap-top – it’s great for navigating (with digital charts), for those rainy days on board, and for checking email. Most marinas provide some kind of internet access, and many marinas are now offering broadband wi-fi on the docks and even close-in mooring fields. Check-out the service providers (Beacon Wi-Fi is the largest on LIS) and consider purchasing a subscription. If you’re using a digital camera, a laptop is critical. |
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| 5. |
Addressing Health and Safety Issues The biggest fear that most cruisers have -- neophyte or experienced – is handling an accident or a sudden illness while on the boat. The only way to relax on this score is to be prepared and learn as much as you can. |
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Rule number 1: No one leaves the cockpit without shoes - ever. Rule number 2: If cruising at night, no one enters the cockpit without a life jacket or goes forward without a harness that hooks onto the jack lines. |
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Do a man-overboard drill before you leave the harbor. Assign responsibilities to each crew member. And be sure everyone knows where all the safety equipment is. |
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Buy a couple of good first aid books: The Onboard Medical Guide: First Aid and Emergency Medicine Afloat by Paul G. Gill and Advanced First Aid Afloat by Peter F. Eastman, M.D. John M. Levinson, M.D. are good starting places. Supplement these with a basic Red Cross first aid book. |
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Make up your own first aid kit, adding items from your home medicine chest. Either start from scratch or supplement a “bought” one. That way you know what’s in there, when it expires, and the overall quality. There are suggested lists in the books.
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Know where all the major hospitals are along your itinerary, their emergency room telephone numbers, and their nearest water access. Post those, along with other medical emergency numbers (including CDC’s poison control), at the Nav station. |
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Consider taking first aid and CPR courses. |
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Teach everyone radio protocol and how to use the VHS. Cell phones don’t always work. |
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Some last thoughts: Try to get everyone aboard to agree to head out early every
day and to tie-up early. That reduces the stress on the captain. Consider
inviting another boating family (or couple) to cruise in company. You can even
raft-up at night, share cocktails, perhaps dinners, and trade stories of the
day’s follies and successes. And, finally, take lots of photos to remind you
next October of how much fun you had on the “cruise you did take this summer.”
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Written by Beth Adams Smith
© Jerawyn Publishing Inc.
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