OWNER REPORT
With the winds right behind us we goose winged down
Long Island Sound towards the entrance to the East River
and our first bridge.
It doesn't matter how much homework you do with bridges
and you know in your heart that you have plenty of room to
get under, it’s always a heart stopping moment as you get
closer and see your 95ft mast getting closer and closer to
what looks like a very low bridge!
We hadn’t planned to do the East River under sail, motoring
is generally the preferred option, but as we progressed with
the wind behind us and a favourable tide our confidence
grew and with many quick gibes, and sometimes just under
main, my ‘amateur’ crew performed like top pros. The early
One of the highlights of our trip to the East Coast of the
section of the river was pretty rough as we passed Rikers
USA has to be sailing up the East River into Manhattan.
Island, the state penitentiary and Harlem, but our first true
The official pilot book describes it as follows:
view of Manhattan was quite special.
“The East Rivers reputation as a tricky passage is well
deserved. It’s not and never will be a popular spot for casual
sailing. In fact the East River is not a river at all. It’s a
14 mile long tidal gate that’s narrow and twisty with eight
bridges that cross it and a tide that run at up to 6 knots”.
The toughest section is dog leg called ‘Hell Gate’ named by
the first European to the navigate the East River, Dutchman
Adriaen Block (of Block Island fame).
In the end Hell Gate proved to be a pussycat. We came
across it very quickly having just gone under two bridges
very close together. Next thing we were heading directly
towards Mill Rock (in the middle of Hell Gate) at about
11 knots. A couple of ‘calm’ instructions to the crew and
we performed a perfect gibe in the middle of Hell Gate
and were spat out on the other side in an instant.
We were then careering down a very narrow section of the
river at 11-12 knots with rush hour traffic jams on either
“The waters seem to boil at Hell Gate, where the river bends
side as we passed the United Nations at speed with a brisk
and the Harlem River joins from the northwest”. Up until
tide under us. With just two bridges to go, Manhattan Bridge
1885 the currents used to run at up to 10 knots, which was
and Brooklyn Bridge we were feeling pretty pleased with
responsible for many a shipwreck. Then engineers blasted a
ourselves, and just carried on sailing. With our Blue Ensign
large rock out of the middle of the channel in what was the
and the RTYC burgee flying, UHURU entered the gates of the
largest manmade explosion ever created right up until the
Good Old US of A.
first Atomic Bomb in 1945.
To actually sail down the East River was never my plan,
So much for the scene setting, our little adventure started
but sometimes the moment is right and it all comes together.
on a freezing cold and wet morning as we left Stamford,
The trick is to recognise that moment and seize it with both
Connecticut, at dawn. The winds and the tides were in our
hands. We did just that, and thanks to a game and fearless
favour and we set off in high spirits, although a little cold.
crew we had a very special day. If I do nothing else in my
life I will always remember this day.
Photos: Mike Powell
www.oystermarine.com 71
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