0530 hours

Day Three of the Half Moon's voyage from Athens, NY to New London, CT -- or the end of Day Two, depending on one's point of view.

As the first glow of light starts to creep back into the sky, we reach our anchorage point at Duck Island Roads, a protected cove. After we set anchor in the pre-dawn light, Captain Reynolds encourages the entire crew to bed down for a few hours and recharge their batteries. No official wake time is set; the crew is largely free to rise as they wish.

Current Position: Anchored at Duck Island Roads in Long Island Sound.
Latitude: 41˚ 15.3' N
Longitude: 072˚ 28.5' W

1115 hours

After a few hours of quiet time, the ship is returning to life. Captain Reynolds oversees as we turn our attention to weighing anchor once more.

Mouse over to walk the capstan.

1130 hours

The crew is again assigned to their positions. We try to shift the crew around to give them new opportunities.

As the weather deck crew walks the capstan, they quickly raise the anchor back to the surface and the fore deck crew heaves it onto the channel. We're on our way!

1145 hours

Since we made such excellent time on Days One and Two, we can devote the rest of today to sailing around Long Island Sound. Trading the rumble and heat of the engine for cool wind and the soft lapping of waves sounds good, too!

Ms. Laufer steps into the position of main mast captain and assigns her mast crew to their lines.

Ms. Robinson finds herself stretched a bit thin as she preps the main course's port dousing lines.

Meanwhile, Ms. Johnsen and Mr. Ellis ready themselves at the sheets.

Within moments, we have both courses set and drawing. Our first task will be to sail out of Duck Island Roads, a deceptively tricky proposition.

Your eyes would tell you that Duck Island Roads is just a small island linking a pair of long breakwaters, but in fact numerous long shoals lurk beneath the surface. Successfully sailing clear of these obstacles will require careful navigation and frequent, subtle sail handling.

While we work the sails, Mr. Van Grondelle quizzes our young alumnae and alumni, seeing how quickly they can move to the line he calls out. "Show me... the main course clews! Martinets! Main top bunts!"

With the courses set, we next send rig teams aloft to help set the topsails.

1200 hours

Mr. Cardoza oversees some minor adjustments to the fore course as we continue to cautiously sail southwest from Duck Island Roads.

While land appears to be miles away here, we are actually passing through a long, narrow channel flanked by two shoals. As we near the end of the channel, the wind and current are both pushing us toward the western shoal.

Captain Reynolds requests a sounding, so Mr. Barton gives Mr. Padalka a quick refresher on using the lead line.

1215 hours

According to Mr. Padalka's soundings, it's a bit touch and go, but we clear the shoals without a hitch and are at last back out in the open waters of Long Island Sound.

As morning turns to afternoon, an unseasonally cool spell falls over the ship, sending the crew shuffling off for an extra layer or two. "Cold enough to logey a stowaway bee," as the mariners of old would say. Well, a few of them, surely.

The upside of the cold spell is that it seems to be a side effect of the pressure system currently providing our steady winds.

As we brace to the wind, Ms. Barthel and Mr. Ellis make a few adjustments to the fore topsail.

Mouse over to ride the surf.

That done, we continue slicing through the briny waters of Long Island Sound.

1230 hours

The crew relaxes while the sails do the work.

1245 hours

Captain Reynolds' two mates on this voyage are Bob Hansen, who works alongside the Starboard Watch, and Dan Barton, who takes command during Port Watch. Not long after Mr. Hansen takes over, they commiserate over our course readings.

1345 hours

The crew munches on chips and tuna melt sandwiches for lunch. By now, temperatures have started to climb again.

As lunch wraps up, we stick to our south-westerly course across the Sound. The westerly wind is giving us a bit of a weather helm, so we set the spritsail for additional control.

1630 hours

With the sails set and the wind pushing us ever onward, there's nothing left to do but find a shady spot and catch up on our reading.

...unless you're the lookout on duty, of course.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew relaxes on the weather deck.

1815 hours

After three days on board, some crew members are getting a touch itchy to get their feet wet. Although the afternoon heat has already started to ease off, Captain Reynolds decides to accede to the crew's demand:

Mouse over to take the leap.

1830 hours

Swim call! We purposefully backwind the sails against the current, slowing the ship to a near-halt. After we hang the Jacob's ladder and toss out a safety line, Ms. Johnsen is the first volunteer to take a plunge.

She's soon followed by the swim-call contingent of the crew -- who actually seem mainly intent on washing their hair.

Mouse over to jump ship.

Rinse and repeat!

As for the water's temperature -- suffice it to say, Mr. Reynolds' plunge left him feeling chilly for days!

1900 hours

We cut the swim call short to bring out dinner. Tonight, Mrs. Barton serves a juicy meatloaf and mashed potatoes, followed by her famed Yum-Yum cake.

1930 hours

By the time we finish dinner, we're rapidly losing the light, so we turn our attention to striking the sails.

1945 hours

With the sails in their gear, we coil the lines and tidy the deck.

Last but not least, we send rig teams aloft to furl the sails.

The captain observes from the Quarter deck as Mr. Reynolds zips up the shrouds to the fore top.

Up he goes! He'll furl the fore topsail once he reaches his post.

2000 hours

Directly below him, Mr. Cardoza is perched on the beak, furling the spritsail.

You know it must have been a good day of sailing; usually it takes ice cream to provoke this particular gleeful grin in Ms. Laufer.

As the sun sets, we pass through Plum Gut (the waterway separating Plum Island from Orient Point) and send rig teams aloft to furl the sails while crews below tidy the decks.

2045 hours

We set anchor as day gives way to night. We've made excellent time on our journey; though we aren't due to arrive in New London until the 1st, we could easily reach it tomorrow. Our course will be determined by the state of the weather that greets us come morning. For now, the crew relaxes.

 

Ending Position: Anchored in the lee of Ram Island in Gardiners Bay, Long Island Sound.
Latitude: 41˚ 05.6' N
Longitude: 072˚ 16.6' W

Next Time: New London Awaits!