Sunday morning at 9:00am I left Bay Head, NJ to bring IMAGINE back (to Mamaroneck NY). I am not sure if either of you are familiar with or have been in the Manasquam Inlet, but it can be a bear! 20 years ago we came in on my Dads 48 Tollycraft on the way to Florida from NY Harbor and nearly put her on the jetty. Seas were so bad… for the first time ever we had our life jackets on. So my history there is a bit shaky.
Anyway, as we approached the jetty to leave on a beautiful sunny day, I could see the sea was boiling at the end of the jetty. My wife Jody (new to boating) and friend Jim were with me. I knew it would be bad so we closed all the windows and rolled down the side curtains. As we got closer to the end of the jetty I could see two other boats ahead of me and as they got to the end they disappeared and appeared again about 6 times. There were similar in size to my boat. So the swells created by the 8 knot tide going out and the roughs seas coming in created the "perfect storm"!
Having run the 34z for a year now I had complete confidence but I have to tell you, as I got closer to the end of the Jetty, I really was concerned. The first wave we went over was not too bad, but on the other side was a deep trough. It felt as if we were headed down a steep slope. Bow into the bottom and a wall of water over the boat. I mean a wall of water filling the stern. Then you climbed the wall on the other side. It felt as if we were almost vertical! Remember the scene in the movie, Perfect Storm! It felt like that. Only 5 more times. Wipers on, but complete white out as we crested and went into each wave. I caught a glimpse every once and a while but I was almost blinded. Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of the other two boats heading south out of the Jetty, but thought at any moment one of them would capsize and be in my way. At one point I also saw three dolphins right ahead of me. It was all I could do to hold on. So sureal when I think back. The most amazing helpless, yet exciting feeling. Once through the 6 waves we were finally able to head north. I looked back and could not believe what we came through.
The boat was incredible. The confidence I had behind the controls was amazing. I would never even think about any other kind of boat. Once out in the sea we were faced with 6 foot waves all the way around Sandy Hook. 90 minutes of this. Cruising at 16 knots burning 9 gallons an hour. Wipers on the entire time. It was amazing.
Thanks for building such a great boat. Some people say there are two happy days in boating. The day you buy it and the day you sell it. Not for me. This boat is amazing!
And Jody, while cleary concerned, never complaied once. I am a lucky individual. Heading up to Essex Island marina this weekend for some R&R.
See you in Newport in a few weeks.
