Great Kills

Great Kills proved to be an excellent harbor for protection from northwest winds.  The wind was gusting to 30 knots as we approached under sail.  The harbor seems to be filled with moorings but there was enough room to anchor between the mooring field and a retaining wall near a launching ramp.  The launching ramp was the scene of intense police activity.  Several police cars, a rescue truck, 2 police boats and a couple of police trailers were on the scene.  With the binoculars we could see several policemen staring down into the bottom of a police inflatable.  Later a group of them seemed to be carrying something out of the boat and into a trailer.  We had the feeling something very bad had happened.

Later after most of the police had left I took a 2 mile jog out to Crookes Point and back.  I pushed myself a little because I had forgotten to bring an extra lock to lock up the dinghy.  I had to decide between locking the dinghy to the dock or locking the engine to the dinghy.  I opted for securing the motor - not the dinghy.  After the jog I took a little swim under Symphony to scrape off the keel cooler for our refrigerator.  The keel cooler is a plate attached outside the hull through which the refrigerant passes to cool.  The water in Great Kills is cold and not clean.  I couldn't see more than about 6 inches so I had to feel around under the boat to find the plate.  I was able to scrape most of the barnacles off.  It took me 3 dives to feel around for the paddle wheel for our speedometer on the shady side of the boat.  I freed it up and we now can get a reading of our speed through the water vs. our speed over the bottom.  Finally I scraped all the small barnacles that had attached themselves to our folding propeller.  October isn't the best month for swimming in Staten Island.  It took me a good half hour to get rid of the chills after my hot shower in the cockpit.  I hope I don't get sick from the pollution!