From City Island to NY Harbor
June 1998

City Island

• has many docks, piers and the bustle of marine business
  
• 4 yacht clubs (5 including South Minneford YC), most monitor channel 72
  
• 1.5 mile long, settled by Dutch and called Minnewits Island
  
• some of the finest racing and cruising yachts in the world were built here
  
• including many America's Cup boats, most notably in 1980, Freedom
  
• visit the North Wind Nautical Museum
  
• City Island Public Library -- has the largest maritime collection in NYC
  
• west side of the island has 4 yacht clubs and the main anchorage area

Throgs Neck

• demarcation point between the L.I. Sound and the East River
• Throgs Neck is a dog-leg of land first settled by farmer, John Throgmorton, in 1643; later became Fort Schuyler and defended the eastern approach to NYC


• today is occupied by NY Maritime College
  
• the Throgs Neck Bridge is 138' high and the first of 8 enroute to NYC harbor,
  
• all 8 bridges have ample clearances
  
• tidal range in this area is up to 9 ft.
  
• current runs at 2+ knots
  
• watch for possible cross currents under bridge

East River
1. This river has the unfortunate reputation of being a tricky passage with strong currents and busy commercial traffic, when in actuality, it can be a very easy passage

• with proper timing the trip is surprisingly simple and very enjoyable
  
• offers a unique view of NYC inner workings:
  massive piers, power plants, modern industry and bridges
  and in the southern area, attractive treed walks along west shore
  beyond the trees, the magnificence of NY architecture
  
• the entrance from L.I. sound is a deep channel leading from Throgs Neck to Rikers Island

2. Plan this as a motoring trip through to NY Harbor (not a sailing one)

• La Guardia Airport is to the south
  
• watch for Flasher "5"
  
• Rikers Island farther west and to south, houses a NY prison and
  may have barges alongside with additional long-term accommodations
  
• North and South Brother Islands ahead, channel between can be turbulent
  
• another channel to the north of North Brother is usually calm and void of traffic
  (Typhoid Mary was keep on this island for a period)

3. Next landmark is Point Morris to west

• waters here hold a famous victim of bad timing: the British warship, "Hussar"
  
• it was loaded with 80 American prisoners and almost a million pounds sterling
  
• the captain tried to run from George Washington's advancing army by
  sailing through East River to L.I. Sound and on to safety in Newport, but
  the wind died, currents swept ship into an obstruction and the ship sank in 80' water
  
• British crew escaped overland through the Bronx, leaving the shackled prisoners and silver behind
  
• salvage attempts have so far been unsuccessful
  
• the obstruction known as Pot Rock was subsequently dynamited

Hell Gate
1. Dutch explorer Adriaen Block gave it the name "Hellegat", meaning "beautiful pass"

• traveling from north to south, the entrance into Hell Gate is at the convergence of 2 rivers
  
• here currents of the East River combine with those of the Harlem River at Mill Rock
  
• running through Hell Gate is primarily a matter of good timing
  
• tides and currents vary, but generally
  flood current sets eastward to L.I. Sound, ebb sets westward into NY Harbor
  
• currents up to 4-5 knots at max, winds can be variable coming off high buildings
  
• go with the current (ie travel south in the ebb) and avoid the max times
  
• keep track of position on charts, note that the bridges make great landmarks
• monitor VHF 13 -- to keep track of commercial traffic (tugs, barges, etc.)
  
• remember that large vessels have right-of-way and cannot change course easily
  
• port-to-port passing is generally observed
  
• keep a lookout for debris in water

2. Roosevelt Island area

• previously known as Welfare Island where many mentally ill and prisoners were housed
  at the south end of the island, crumbling remnants of their housing still remain
• now a city of its own with apartments and condos and a tram across to Manhattan
  
• channel splits north of the island, keep to west channel
  (east channel has only 40 ft. height clearance under bridge)
  
• on west shore, United Nations building
  
• don't cross between southern end of Roosevelt and 57 ft. green flasher

3. Southern end of Hell Gate

• current decreases
  
• the channel is wider
  
• entrance into the harbor area

New York Harbor

• the final 3 bridges -- listen to the humming of the cables on the last one, the Brooklyn Bridge
  
• South Street Seaport on west shore just south of Brooklyn Bridge
  
• at the lower tip of Manhattan, watch for ferries, leaving from the green ferry terminal (several bays) and traveling fast and south to Staten Island and to Governors Island and back
  
• continue west around lower Manhattan and cross the Hudson River
  
• glory in the majesty of the Statue of Liberty and just to its north, the beauty of Ellis Island
  
• then north of both islands, there is the old railroad station and unused ferry terminal on west shore
  
• entrance just to the north for Liberty Landing Marina

Libery Landing Marina
located at site of the beginning of the former Morris Canal which connected to PA's coal deposits

Emergency Marine Facilities
Coast Guard Stations, monitor VHF Channel 16