Liberty Landing Marina, Jersey City, NJ, June 22 - 29, 2015

June 22 - 29, 2015

Upon arrival at Liberty Landing, we were awestruck (well, at least I was) with all we needed to know to handle our upcoming week in New York City. We needed a basic knowledge of ferries, subways, trains and buses; locations of various venues for which we already had tickets; weather for the upcoming week; restaurants and grocery opportunities, to name only a few. Overwhelmed would describe my mindset. Clay keeps his cool; me, hmmm, not so much. Clay had researched many of the transportation modes so we were a step ahead of the game there. 

We set out on foot to acquaint ourselves with the area where we were docked which was Liberty State Park. Complete with a marina, two highly-rated restaurants, a fully-developed park with lots of green space and biking/walking paths, and ferry stops for both NYC to the Financial District and for the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island. We followed the brick walkway adjacent to the harbor which curled around the Empty Sky Memorial (what a meaningful tribute to the New Jerseyans who died in 9/11!) and revealed an awesome view of Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the busy traffic on the Hudson River through which we'd just cruised. 

As we returned to the SaSea Sally, we encountered Kelly with overnight bag in hand, having just arrived by rental car to meet her husband and son who were arriving by boat. Kelly had opted out of the North Atlantic Crossing from Cape May/Atlantic City, fearing a rough and turbulent ride; many gals do this, sending their hubbys with a substitute crew for the 'crossing' and choosing a calm alternative. I commented, "I'm either tough, stupid or adventuresome." Take your pick. I think my mindset (reflecting on "Stand By Your Man") is that I'd rather be WITH him to handle any complication than awaiting his arrival at the endpoint, wringing my hands when he's late and wondering if he's ok.

We had a fabulous whirlwind week in New York City! We became well acquainted with the Liberty Lady II which ferried us to and from Liberty Landing on the New Jersey shore to the Financial District of Manhattan. We became well acquainted with the subway system as well as the CoNNection (free) bus through Lower Manhattan. By week's end, both Clay and I were well-pleased with our ability to navigate New York City; we never traveled without a bevy of maps, back-up outerwear in case of frigid venue temps (frequent), and clear minds. We checked weather in advance, and grabbed umbrellas if the forecast implied showers. We took precautions with security, and I was pleased I'd purchased a thin waistpack which kept my ID and credit cards plus bit of cash closeby. All in all, we found New Yorkers to be extremely approachable and often quite willing to extend a conversation beyond simply answering our questions.

Highlights of our week:

On Tuesday, Clay and I took the Liberty Lady II to the ferry stop in Lower Manhattan for the first time. "Hang on Lucy, we're going for a ride!" We walked a proposed five minutes (which ended up being thirty, which means the policeman on the motorcycle was estimating the five minutes as his RIDING time, not our walking time!) to Pier A Visitors Center. Boy did we score here in meeting tourist guide extraordinaire Miss Mary! Spouting information like a fountain, she was a wealth of information which we absorbed like sponges! We took her suggestion of riding the CoNNection free bus through Lower Manhattan to get a 'fix' on things and to visit the South Street Seaport area. We retraced our route via the CoNNection bus for lunch at newly-renovated Pier A, then boarded the CoNNection again to the 9/11 Museum.

Note regarding Pier A: "The landmark building at the southern tip of Manhattan that originally housed the city’s docks department and later served as a command post for the city’s fire boats has been turned into a restaurant. The ground floor of the imposing 28,000-square-foot Beaux-Arts structure at 22 Battery Place is a beer hall about the length of a football field, with an open kitchen at the 50-yard line. It has 400 seats indoors and almost as many on the decks overlooking New York Harbor."

We rendezvoused with cousin Robert Sedlak and his wife Maria at the 9/11 Museum, toured the Museum, then the four of us boarded the Liberty Lady II for a stormy ride back to the SaSea Sally. Stormy is an understatement as Robert and Maria will readily confirm! Snacks aboard after drying out (the storm was horrific with piercing lightning and thunder that 'bout sent shock waves thru you), we then proceeded to the ferry stop in a gentle spritz for a short ferry ride (two minutes for $2) across the waterway for a casual dinner at a Cheers-type neighborhood bar called White Star. We parted company with the Sedlaks at this point for their cab ride back to NYC and for our adventure back to the boat (light rail train followed by a lengthy walk in the dark after a wrong turn from the train stop...oops!). So thrilled that Sedlaks' visit to NYC coordinated with ours...and kudos to Clay and Robert for making the memorable reunion happen!

On Wednesday, we spent the entire morning troubleshooting then diagnosing the death of Clay's cell phone. What a pickle we were in with his dead cell phone and our provider being a regional carrier! The scenario played out over the next days to end well, but have you ever seen Clay Logan frustrated?

We caught the noon ferry then subway to the Theatre District of NYC for a 2 p.m. matinee of "Kinky Boots" at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre as recommended by our good Tumbleweed friends. (Glad the Al Hirschfeld Theatre was listed first alphabeticlly on our Theatre District map; made it easy to find...just kidding!) How much we enjoyed the live performance where a modern-day theme was explored with humor, sensitivity, and professionality (hey, that is a word!) Sal insert here: I'm not the best of writers; I'm a math/science person. I may occasionally make up words, but frequently check Merriam-Webster and find those words to be REAL. How 'bout that! Continuing, we found the "Kinky Boots" lead to be making his debut on Broadway...and what a debut it was! Loved the show!

Post-show, we wandered the Theatre District just because...then meandered by the Herald Square Macys on 34th Street. We, of course, had to pose for cell phone shots in the spacious interior of each the womens and mens departments. Wish I'd been solo to do a bit of browsing, but off we went to catch the ferry before the last scheduled departure.

On Thursday, our destination was determined by a growth/bite/blister which had formed on Clay's left pinkie. Thankful for guidance from our home dermatologist who Rx'd an Rx, we mounted our bikes and wound our way through the complex of streets in Jersey City to secure the prescription and to happen upon a mall housing Panera and JC Penney. Quite by accident we made a day of our outing, lunching at Panera and shopping a bit at JCP. We retraced our route (kind of), returning to Liberty State Park too late to secure Thursday tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. No worries; that simply designed our Friday.

On Friday, after touring both icons of American History, we traveled both the ferry to Battery Park and the subway to Central Park (hey, we were getting pretty good at this NYC transit system given the fact that son John wasn't here to guide us as he had been during his NYMEX internship in 2005...miss you, John!). Our travels took us to the southeast corner of Central Park to find cousin Kris Kinet at the Sherry Netherlands Hotel. What did I just say about 'getting pretty good'? Within a stone's throw of Kris' hotel, we couldn't find it, but did...with a call to her hubby Michael.

It was a delight to reconnect with Kris and to have an almost-native New Yorker show us around. Not only we were able to appreciate the renovations on the hotel, but she guided us via subway to Chinatown for a 'down & dirty' Chinese meal at a restaurant she favors. Kris ordered for us and, not sure what we ate, it was nonetheless fabulous. I do remember a fried rice unlike any I'd ever eaten (yum) and sauteed pea pod stems and leaves without the peapods (each bite was a mouthful with chopsticks as our utensils, no cutting allowed I guess). Our return to the boat with the ferry 'closed' for the night took us via taxi to the PATH train station at the World Trade Center then under the Hudson River to catch the New Jersey light rail to the Liberty State Park stop where we made the correct turn for a much shorter walk 'home.'

On Saturday, Clay's Westminster friend Dave Evans arrived for a mid-morning reunion following which he drove us to Greenwich Village and Washington Square (Park). What a festive area where we captured on 'film' folks enjoying a day in the park: dog walkers; moms and dads pushing strollers; park goers meticulously drafting sidewalk chalk 'graffiti;' musicians performing just for the joy of it (but an open instrument case for tips; and the like. Following a falafel sandwich for me and edibles a bit more traditional for Clay and Dave at Turkiss (restaurant), Dave expertly maneuvered the crowded streets of NYC to deliver us to the Gershwin Theatre for a Saturday matinee of "Wicked." Clay and I were thrilled to enjoy another professional production of a show we'd never seen but for which we'd heard rave reviews. The costuming, acting and set design made for a magnificent afternoon, and the story line had me alternating laughter with tears. Wish I'd had a packet of kleenex in my backpack, but I travel light...but not light enough to have omitted two umbrellas housed therein. Glad we'd checked the forecast (even tho the weatherman is more often wrong than right), post-show we joined the throng underneath umbrellas as we fell into step heading back to the boat. Subway and the PATH train returned us to the light rail station on the New Jersey side of the Hudson at which time Clay insisted we hail a cab for the remaining $20 of the trip. I hate spending money on cabs, often opting to walk even long distances, but it was then raining cats and dogs with a fierce wind thrown in for insult. Glad of his insistence! Saturday had been an event-packed and fun-filled day which we ended in delight eating out of the frig!

By Sunday, we felt fairly confident in our ability to navigate the transit system of NYC, so Clay and I parted company early afternoon for him to pursue a tour of the Intrepid while I appreciated some 'me' time exploring Central Park and whatever else opportuned to fill the afternoon hours of freedom. I discovered a street fair, so poked among the various vendors and made my way back to our defined meeting spot. We'd been forewarned by cousin Kris of a larger than normal Gay Pride Parade taking place this Sunday, so we allowed plenty of time for our travel. No worries, but so nice to have had her heads-up! Thanks, Kris!

Monday was departure day toward Port Washington but not before a bike ride for reprovisioning. Question: How full can you stuff  two backpacks and still handle the weight and volume issues on a folding bike? Answer: Well $92 worth, of course. Once supplies were stowed aboard, we executed a mid-afternoon departure for a 25-mile cruise through the Hudson and East Rivers, passing such landmarks as South Street Seaport and the United Nations building, and under the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, and Queensboro bridges. We passed through Hell Gate, the midpoint of the 14-mile-long East River between the Battery on the southwestern tip of Manhattan and the Throgs Neck Bridge on the eastern end of the river at the entrance into Long Island Sound. Opposing currents can seriously hinder progress at this point (Hell Gate), but lore has it that "Hell Gate" is a corruption of the Dutch "Hellegat," meaning "bright passage." 

Leaving the East River, we cruised past Little Neck Bay (the first harbor on the Long Island shore), entered Manhasset Bay and continued to arrive at Brewer's Capri West Marina. This trek initiated our Long Island Sound exploration, and I'm pleased to report we were successful in handling the extremely busy waterways and currents (by good planning on Clay's part or by chance) this Monday afternoon.

As our week ends in NYC, I'm pleased to report we had a memorable seven days and could have squeezed in precious little more. Thanks to all who contributed to our wonderful stay here! And, on that note, I will send this on its way through cyberspace to your inbox for your reading pleasure.