Stony Point to LI Sound

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parkrode360

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Jan 28, 2007
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25031
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I'm planning on making at least one trip to LI Sound for the 2008 season, and I have a question for some of the more experienced members -- anything that I'd need to watch out for (above and beyond the usual) if I take the Spuyten Duyvil to the Harlem River and then around Ward's Island to the sound? Bad currents, rocks from bridges, etc?

Thanks!
 
Get the charts/chips & cruising guide. the water is well marked, keep the buoy just past the Verazano bridge to your left on the way out, then keep Stepping stones light to your right. You can pass either side of Execution rocks.

Any specific plans, we can give you more info.
 
You should have no problems with your boat George even though the current thru Hells Gate can hit 5 or 6 knots. Watch for the whirlpools and keep in the marked channel in that area. Keep an eye out for the no wake zones as well. Especially the one near the Kayak launch area. Some genius decided that putting the signs on the wall running along the side of the river makes it easy to see. Yea, if you're looking at the scenery instead of watching where you are going! I've heard rumors of rocks off bridges and even pot shots taken at boats but never experienced anything like that ourselfs. You might want to keep channel 13 on your channel scan list since the Circleline boats use that channel and they can be bridge hogs....

Other than those things the normal, watch out for debris and floating bodies and you are good to go.
 
I keep my boat in Jersey City during the season and take it up to SPBM every fall for winter storage.

You may make better time just coming down the Hudson and swinging around the lower tip of Manhattan up the East River and through Hell Gate. Most of the East and Harlem Rivers are no wake zone because of all the bridges. There are no restrictions in the lower Hudson except for the security zones around the ship terminals.

Going around the battery will take you under the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburgh bridge and you will also get to see the Statue of Liberty.
 
HOGAN - Verazano to LI Sound? Are you still drunk from last night?

The trip is a piece of cake. The closest thing to an "issue" is the need to ask for the rail road bridge to open if it's closed.
 
Oops, you're right Walshie-- I meant the Throgs Neck Bridge.
 
Gee, Hogan, I was starting to wonder! ;)

I've got the Dozier guide and will do a bit more research before I take the trip. Mike, your point's well taken, though -- if running down the Harlem is all no-wake, it might be faster to head around Manhattan... I'll chart it both ways...
 
FWIW, we always take the Harlem River, it is not all "no wake", and is quite a bit shorter.

The Hudson can get pretty choppy from all the ferries from Mid-town south. The East River can be VERY snotty, especially when the current is running hard.
 
Mike,
You forgot to mention the free bucket of Fried Chicken you get while going under some of the bridges on the Harlem. You got a bucket 4 years ago![:-eyebrows]
 
Yes, the 'welcome to NY' free box of Kennedy Fried Chicken, filled with sand and rocks.
 
see, now *that* was what I remembered reading! ;) Taking the Harlem River looks to be about 12 miles shorter. Midtown choppiness is an understatement -- when we were repositioning from South Jersey I hit a taxi wake hard and lost my GPS cable out of the back of my chartplotter.
 
About the only concern I recall on the LI sound was the lobster traps. I am not sure if there is still a moratorium on trapping or not but along the north shore of LI going out to Montauk it was a chore to avoid them particularly if you got up early and had the sun rise in your face while going east.
 
Unless you have to wait for bridge openings besides the Spuyten Duyvil train bridge than the Harlem river is the good way to go. Cutting through hells gate is no problem with your boat. Stay in the channel until you get past Steeping stones and Execution rock and you should be fine. And also agree - Beware of the lobster pots - they are everywhere
 
Agree with all said.

You won't have an issue in Hell Gate with your boat and the lobster pots are only a real issue when the sun is on the water or if it is really rough. Then they are hard to see. The added attraction are those that are not brightly colored or are covered in growth.

Don't be married to your plotted course. I've found that it seems that the trap guys always lay them right along my plotted route. A little deviation off the track and you won't be doing a slolam.
 
Yeah, pretty much just pick a line through the traps and come around once in a while. Sort of tac through it all.
 
Rommer, I quess Hogan was not thinking about the names of the bridges but thinking about his dance partner! (pics to follow)
 
She couldn't resist me! Who can blame her?
 
Well, one of you 2 was certainly irresistible but I'm not so sure it was you!
 
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