I’m just settling back in from an amazing eight days and nine nights on the boat – the kind of cruising that makes the long winter wait worthwhile. My original plans had me beginning the return trip on Thursday. But when the wind is gusting up to 30 kts from the northwest it’s best to stay put. So I motored out on Friday leaving midday to run with the tides. It was as good as a day on the water gets with nothing but sunshine, temps in the low 80’s and a very light breeze with calm seas. It was also the first time I would be approaching lower Manhattan from the south and get to take in the view of the Statue Of Liberty from my own vessel just as newly arriving immigrants did on their approach to Ellis Island for all those years. Despite the looming towers that monopolize the view now, it is hard not to feel the history as Lady Liberty comes into sight.
I had been aware of the Red Bull air show and, quite honestly, it’s the kind of event I avoid – much like July 4th fireworks – because of the obvious chaos and safety hazards that often ensue. It had been in the back of my mind that the air show was taking place over the approaching weekend so I was surprised to hear the securitie call as I was about ten miles south of Manhattan advising of the active security zone for the air show. I figured they had the zone in place even though the show wasn’t going on until the next day. I was wrong.
New York Harbor is the busiest waterway in the world. At any given moment you have commercial shipping traffic, the Staten Island Ferry and countless other ferry traffic, water taxis, the Circle Line and, oh yeah, pleasure boats. Boats, large and small, are traveling in all directions and often at full-bore. Traditional rules of the road (while they should) do not apply. If it’s bigger than you, get and stay out of its way. It’s the only way they play. The resulting chop from the confluence of wakes is chaotic. Add to all of that an air show and, well, you see where this is going. Half the width of the lower Hudson by Liberty State Park down to Liberty Island was cordoned off as a security zone flanked by police boats, coast guard boats, fire boats and even an anchored coast guard cutter right in the middle of the river for good measure. I am quite comfortable navigating these waters under “normal” circumstances, but this was anything but normal. You had all of the above mentioned traffic sharing (I use the term loosely) half the usual space. And suddenly I was in the thick of it. With our inflatable life jackets secured we forged through, surrounded by the chaos, occasionally getting buzzed overhead by what appeared to be the Red Baron. At no time did I feel as though my boat or crew was or would be in harms way or that I was where I shouldn’t have been - I would have completely stayed away an chosen an alternate route if that was the case - but it was a test of nerves and piloting skills to be sure.
As planes flew in formation and nearly skimmed the river while zooming between inflatable pilings my staff photographer captured as much as possible on video given the relentless chop. We did not stop to gawk – I was intent on pressing safely through to the other side of the “hot zone” – and took no stills of the show itself. But I took a moment this morning to lift these stills from the video of a small bit of the action. They do not capture the intensity of the moment, but at least provide a bit of a visual. I hope you enjoyed the ride too!
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