June 10
We came, we saw, we spent, about thirty minutes in the Golden Nugget, but we didn’t conquer. Just don’t have the heart for it, gamblin’ that is. Anyway, Atlantic City is checked off the list and unlike some places we just can’t wait to explore further, we’re not sure we’ll come ashore again.
Have you ever seen undulating, waving ribbons of water, pinks, purples and blues, with a mirror-like shine. It’s hard to find words to describe the beauty of the Atlantic today. It helps to understand why some people never want to return to land. With every morning and evening the sky and water are new masterpieces of light and color. And only for those few moments, never to be seen again.
Riding on the sea of tranquility, smooth as glass, the miles seemed to drag from Atlantic City to Manasquan Inlet. We noticed a difference right away though when we arrived at the inlet. It was Sunday afternoon, and about 85 degrees so everyone was out, rightfully so, enjoying the fair seas. Captain had called the Harbor Master who told him to try to arrive around 2:00p.m. because of the current, so we did. Fuel was to be our first stop then on to a T-dock (end dock) so we were anticipating easy on and off for docking. But wait, remember before when I said “cruisers can’t be choosers?" Well this is one of those times. (To be continued.)
As we got further into the channel it got narrower, about 70 ft.wide in front of the marina fuel dock then about 100 yards further on was a narrow 50ft opening through a light rail train bridge. We were in a line of about 6 boats who were headed through and were ready to swing over to the fuel dock for a starboard tie. At that time I'm on the bow ready to throw a line to the hands on the dock when I hear the harbor master yell, "You need to turn around and come in on your port side." "REALLY???" I'm thinking. So I yell the directions back to Dennis, and he begins a rapid 360 in the middle of the channel against the 3 knot current. I guess the sight of a sixty-year-old woman flayling her arms about on the bow of the boat, yelling, "We're coming about!" was enough to scare the 5 boats following closely in the channel behind us into, slow down, reverse, turn out of the channel, anything to get out of our way letting us complete the turn back to the fuel dock. In the meantime I'm making sure the lines are switched over to the port. OK, so we're thinking the worst is over, we did it, and nobody died.
After getting fuel we noticed the harbor master on the phone talking worriedly about needing to put us somewhere else besides the T-dock, possibly a slip because he was concerned for our safety in the current on the other side of the bridge. The only problem is we have to again make a fast 45 degree turn in swift water to get there, so he put two teenage dock hands on our boat to help us fend off if needed and get tied up. First we had to make another 360 degree turn to be headed the right direction, but at least we could wait till there was no traffic in our way. With 3 other adults on the dock when we got to the slip we were able to dock with everyone pulling, fending, pushing, while yelling directions. De je vu?
Even though we had a restless night worrying about how to get out of the slip, against current, wind, and very little room to manuever, the harbor master was determined we would get out of the marina safely, which with 4 people helping we did. Although we didn't have a choice in the situation, which was definitely unsafe for us, we do have a choice to never return to Manasquan Inlet.
As we got further into the channel it got narrower, about 70 ft.wide in front of the marina fuel dock then about 100 yards further on was a narrow 50ft opening through a light rail train bridge. We were in a line of about 6 boats who were headed through and were ready to swing over to the fuel dock for a starboard tie. At that time I'm on the bow ready to throw a line to the hands on the dock when I hear the harbor master yell, "You need to turn around and come in on your port side." "REALLY???" I'm thinking. So I yell the directions back to Dennis, and he begins a rapid 360 in the middle of the channel against the 3 knot current. I guess the sight of a sixty-year-old woman flayling her arms about on the bow of the boat, yelling, "We're coming about!" was enough to scare the 5 boats following closely in the channel behind us into, slow down, reverse, turn out of the channel, anything to get out of our way letting us complete the turn back to the fuel dock. In the meantime I'm making sure the lines are switched over to the port. OK, so we're thinking the worst is over, we did it, and nobody died.
After getting fuel we noticed the harbor master on the phone talking worriedly about needing to put us somewhere else besides the T-dock, possibly a slip because he was concerned for our safety in the current on the other side of the bridge. The only problem is we have to again make a fast 45 degree turn in swift water to get there, so he put two teenage dock hands on our boat to help us fend off if needed and get tied up. First we had to make another 360 degree turn to be headed the right direction, but at least we could wait till there was no traffic in our way. With 3 other adults on the dock when we got to the slip we were able to dock with everyone pulling, fending, pushing, while yelling directions. De je vu?
Even though we had a restless night worrying about how to get out of the slip, against current, wind, and very little room to manuever, the harbor master was determined we would get out of the marina safely, which with 4 people helping we did. Although we didn't have a choice in the situation, which was definitely unsafe for us, we do have a choice to never return to Manasquan Inlet.
Well, thank goodness nobody died! Haha!
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