0600 hours

Starting Position: Anchored Between Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and Throgs Neck Bridge.
Latitude: 40˚ 48.6' N
Longitude: 073˚ 48.9' W

Day Four of our transit voyage to New London.

We once again rise before dawn to catch the tides. We have an appointment later this morning, and we mustn't miss it!

0645 hours

After the crew has rummaged their gear, the anchor teams once again deploy to their positions.

Mr. Hensel marks the position of the anchor rode from the fore channel. At the moment, it's taut and leading out to starboard.

0700 hours

Crew members Myers, Jackowe, Stevens, and Noonan await the command to insert their bars and start walking in the rode.

A few minutes later, the capstan team has hauled the anchor to the water line. Ms. Waiboer and Mr. Van Aken stand ready on the foredeck to lift the anchor the remaining distance to the forechannel.

0715 hours

Once the anchor is secure, Mr. Hensel prepares the fid so it can be deployed again at any moment. As it happens, however, we won't set anchor again until late afternoon tomorrow.

0830 hours

We're on our way! Leaving the scattered islands of the Bronx shoreline behind, we head out into the broader waters of Long Island Sound.

Meanwhile, down in the warmth of the galley, Ms. Bruijn and her assistants Mr. Gans and Mr. Teuten team up to prepare scrambled eggs and sausage for breakfast.

0845 hours

The crew relaxes on deck as we approach our next destination, in Long Island's Manasset Harbor.

0915 hours

We've arrived at our next stop: Brewer Capri Marina, in Port Washington, NY. The timing of our visit is based on the tides; the Half Moon can only approach the marina during a two-hour window at high tide.

Our bosuns prepare the ship's fenders as we approach the floating dock.

Mr. Grab communicates between the captain and the line handlers at Line One belowdecks. We'll need rapid responses from all of our line handlers to approach this dock safely.

0930 hours

And here we are! With help from the marina crew, we sidle up to the dock without a hitch. So why have we made this unusual stop?

Simple: We've been battling the wind and waves all the way from Albany, and we've been expending fuel a bit faster than expected.

The d'Halve Maen made refueling stops during its 1609 voyage to the New World as well, but in their case this meant loading supplies for the crew and all the firewood they could carry.

It's a little simpler for us; first we remove the main cargo hatch...

...then run a fuel line down to the tank beneath the orlop deck.

0945 hours

We aren't filling our tank, just topping off what we need to reach our already-scheduled refueling stop in New London, so we spend less than half an hour at the dock before casting off our lines and setting off again.

1030 hours

Once we're off and away, we can finally sit down and enjoy breakfast. Some crew prefer to take their meals at the galley table...

...while others prefer to stay on the orlop deck.

1100 hours

We have a long way to go, and it looks like we'll be driving into the wind the whole way. Having debated whether or not it would be necessary, Captain Reynolds switches the crew over to a full 24-hour watch rotation.

Mouse over to go with the flow.

As we head out into the sound, we see less and less traffic sharing the waters with us; just a few tugs pushing barges and, in the distance, the occasional ferry running between Connecticut and Long Island.

1215 hours

With the ship operating around the clock, it's important for the off-duty crew to get all the rest they can. Abovedecks starts looking a little sparse as half the crew hits the sack.

1400 hours

Even the crew who are on duty from 12-6 (that's both 1200-1800 hours and 0000-0600 hours) prefer to remain below decks between assignments on a wet and blustery day like today.

Mouse over and hold on tight!

1515 hours

The lookout has to hold on tight as we bound across the waves. Although there's virtually no traffic to note, the lookout does need to keep sharp eyes out for a particular menace:

...The Lobster Pot, the only natural predator of the seventeenth-century replica ship to be found in these waters. This small flotation markers, no bigger than a gallon bottle, is attached to a long cable running down to a heavy cage on the bottom. If we accidentally run over once of these barely visible markers, the lines could snag our prop, wrapping itself around the axle and dragging down our speed. Two years ago, we had to send Keith Cardoza overboard with a knife to free ourselves from one such pot, but we've managed to avoid any snags on this voyage — so far!

Another consideration for our crew to adjust to is the lack of landmarks and buoys, since the Long Island and Connecticut coastlines are little more than strips on the northern and southern horizons. We train our new crew on how to steer by compass heading.

Mouse over to report back to the Quarter deck.

1530 hours

The scenery remains much the same throughout the day as we barrel on eastward toward the Connecticut River.

1800 hours

Current Position: Underway off Norwalk.
Latitude: 41˚ 02.1' N
Longitude: 073˚ 24.3' W

Since we won't be setting anchor tonight, we'll simply record our coordinates every six hours for posterity. Of course, don't forget that you can also track us in real time!

After a long day of drizzle and rain, the sun finally breaks out shortly before sunset. We're fighting the flood current now, so our progress is slow but steady.

After sunset, the weather remains cool but dry until morning. It's a nearly starless night, with only a few patches of clear sky appearing above.

0000 hours

Current Position: Underway southeast of Bridgeport.
Latitude: 41˚ 06.9' N
Longitude: 073˚ 05.4' W

Midnight finds the ship threading the needle between Stratford Point and Stratford Shoal. As of about 2300 hours, the tide has turned in our favor, so our speed is on the rise. As Starboard Watch comes on duty, we intend to continue eastward until at least the next tidal change at dawn.

Next Time: Set Sail on the Sound!