After a very peaceful couple of sleeps, I got to haul anchor solo for the first time to go pickup my crew member.  Carolyn was joining me again to go to and through New York City!

I was ecstatic, her schedule could not have worked out better for boat acquisition and our first test sail leaving the marina and now coming to join for iconic New York City adventures.   I was not only pumped to have her along as I was still getting used to my boat and wanted to make a good amount of miles in the next two days, but also the weather forecast seemed perfect so we would enjoy some proper sailing. 

The pulling up of the anchor was a success.  With no wind or current, I did not even need the boat in gear to pull it up.   And even off the bottom those last few feet where I was still hauling it up but the boat was free to move was fine as I had plenty of room to drift while I secured the anchor.    Though it was definitely a muddy event. 

It was a quick few miles over the Pequennock Yacht Club in West Haven where I wanted to arrive before Carolyn so that I could wash off the mud, pump out and put the dinghy back on the davits.   I did not want the extra drag when I had a big sail ahead of us and we were already getting a late start to coordinate picking up Carolyn!  

Part of my strategy for all of the unknowns involved in new ports and places along with the challenges of solo sailing, is to look up where I am going on Google Maps satellite view or Google Images.   This gives me a sense of what to expect.   I would be coming in the entrance on the far right of the photo above and parking where the sailboat was alone on the pump out dock to the right of the restaurant building.   However, since the tide would be going out – I would go nose in (opposite to the sailboat in the photo) in order to keep control and be able to dock slowly.  

I successfully docked on my own, no dramas, and shortly after an Uber pulled up with my Rhode Island buddy.   A comical arrival as she unloaded the Uber she took from the train station with everything she had managed to carry on the train.   The large RYOBI batteries that I ordered that arrived late in the post, the RYOBI dust buster that also was delayed in shipping, a book I ordered that arrived after I left Rhode Island, amazing goodies for us to cook on her visit including fresh veggies for the incredible salads Carolyn makes, tetra packed vegetarian chili and more.   She also brought me more nutritional yeast that I got hooked on while staying with her family!  And best of all, she brought me a bag of compost from her garden and pots to grow some herbs in.   Something I would not be doing until I was in a warmer climate, but will be a cute connection back to Rhode Island once I do plant them!   Plus she obviously had what she wanted to wear and use on the trip!   It was quite the load!

We got everything on board and pushed off the dock to get going!