When in Jersey
While in New Jersey, I visit the Atlantic Highlands Marina. This marina is just across the bay from NY City. It is about a 10-15 mile boat ride across the water to the Verrazano Narrow bridge. This bridge is the gateway to New York City. Once you travel under the famous bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Manhatten and the Hudson and East rivers all come together.
New Jersey kid memories
I went there primarily to look around at a place we used to go often as kids. We would go with my dad and watch the boat ramp. It is always exciting to watch the boat ramp and see the drama that can unfold amongst the impatient boaters waiting to dump and go. I think my dad was the first to give me the appreciation for this people-watching aspect and I still enjoy it today. If there is a bench by a crowded boat ramp, I will sit and sip coffee and just watch. It is like a non-creepy voyeur.
Boat ramp drama
Life certainly takes all kinds, but over the years I have seen the following in these scenarios.
- Nearly sinking boats without a plug inserted (I am guilty of this one)
- Yelling couples
- People who just can’t back up a trailer to save their life
- Cars that went too deep in water and had to be towed out
- Broken equipment from rough landings on the trailer
- Wet people who planned to stay dry
- Royalty who sit in the boat and don’t do a thing to help until the boat is safely on the trailer at the top of the ramp
- Near fisticuffs when someone is waiting on another person who is taking longer than they think they should
- Boats floating off the trailer without a line attached that have to be rescued by another boater.
New Jersey Beach
I then drove out to Sandy Hook. Sandy Hook is a small hook shape peninsula that separates the Intracoastal Waterway (Navesink River) and the Atlantic Ocean. If you went straight off the end of the peninsula heading north across the water you would eventually be on Long Island.
It was still too cold to get in the water, but it was great reminiscing about the times we went there as kids. We would swim on the ocean side, jump in the waves, and body surf for hours. Then when we wanted to rest, we would cross the road to the river/bayside and relax in the calm water there. We would find horseshoe crabs and pick them up by their tails and look at them. They looked so prehistoric. We would then put them back in the edge of the water and watch the scurry back out to the safety of the water depths.
The Fort
As an adult, I went beyond just the shoreline and explored Fort Hancock at the end of Sandy Hook. This fort sustained some damage from Hurricane Sandy a few years back but is still an active NOAA and Coast Guard base of operations.
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Tools and supplies
Tools and supplies we use regularly can be found here:
- Jet Band Saw
- Sanding Tape 120 Grit – 1 inch wide
- Sanding Tape for Spindles (220 Grit)
- Small Sanding Cord for Spindles (150 Grit)
- Screwdriver with nut ends
- Pry Bar Set
- Oscillating Multi-tool (about $35)
- The Best small wood cutting blades
- Great “plunge cutter”
- ABSOLUTE Best metal cutting blade (for cutting bolts, etc.)
- Safety Glasses
- xActo Blade Knife
- Ryobi Variable Speed Jigsaw
Video and Camera Equiptment we use
Video equipment used is: Canon Vixia G40
Our Lifestyle Cruising and living aboard.
See how we go about living aboard and sailing with kids (Grandkids 4 and 12 years of age). We are in the middle of a huge sailboat refit. Our Boat is designed by Bill Garden and built in Taiwan. See how to become a liveaboard whether you stay in a marina or are a cruiser. #boatlife #saillife #SVDreamchaser
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