Big Ugly Woman Going to Visit

Well everybody from the Caribbean through the Bahamas to the US east coast knows who she is but to those of you on the other side of the world who mightn't have noticed,nasty ol' IRENE has got everyone on edge.She's giving the Bahamas a beating today (thursday)and is heading for Cape Hatteras next.She then wants to visit the New York and Long Island area over the weekend but we'll all be happy if she changes her mind and hangs a sharp right turn and heads off into the Atlantic.I know John has already boarded up his Hatteras house and Perry is flying back from Chicago and we hope all our friends back at Oriental get away without too much (or any!) damage.Got a call from my friend Porgy in Bimini and he said they're getting lots of rain and wind but should miss the worst.

Anyway the last week has been very pleasant.We left Liberty Landing at 6.30 am and caught the incoming tide up the East River in drizzle and a headwind but still did a 'thrilling'10knts through Hell Gate and into Long Island Sound.We picked up a complimentry mooring at Port Washington where we spent a couple of days just enjoying the town.We took off for Port Jefferson with Philip and Heather in Picaroon but were soon left behind as they cheated and used their genoa and went in a straight line.We jybed away with our remaining sails in a vicious 4 to 6knt SW until we got to Oyster Bay and gave up.

Oyster Bay is a lovely big wide bay withfar more space than appears here.It was the home base of Teddy Roosevelt and as I was reading about the building of the Panama Canal while there, it was interesting have it referred to here and there through the text. The whole bay is surrounded by enormous mansions and one that we were anchored opposite is owned by Billy Joel.The guy in the little boat in the foreground is raking up clams with an enormous rake on a pole.Don't ever complain about the price of clams!

Richard rang to say our sails are ready but of course we wont be heading to Cape May to get them 'til Auntie Irene has left town.So yesterday we thought to come back here as it's a bit smaller and closer to NY and a better town really.So it was bye bye to Billy's little place and back to Port Washington

......but....wouldn't you know it...Todd and Melody have been up here having a break and he rang and said to follow them back down to New Jersey tommorrow and tuck in at our little sanctuary at the end of the old Collins canal which is the work dock at Liberty Landing.What do we do to deserve friends like this? Oh yeh ....Gail's really nice!

Hopefully Irene won't be able to get at us here (this is sunset from the work dock,Manhattan is behind us) and we can get back to you to report that Jabiru (and us) are well and ready to start heading south.