New York doesn’t seem eager to let us arrive. The wind blows so hard on our nose that we have to tack toward the skyline at 33 knots. Entering the bay turns out to be a little frustrating. The cargo ships whizzing past don’t help us relax, either. After what felt like hours, we finally got close enough to the city structures that they provided shade from the wind. We breathe a sigh of relief as we tuck behind Coney Island and turn into Sheepshead Bay, where the sailing club hads a free mooring buoy for us. Relieved, we tie up and arrive in New York.

Arriving via Sheepshead Bay

The next day, the temperature is reasonable, and the sun is shining. So off we go on our first exploratory tour of Brooklyn!From there, we look out over the Manhattan skyline and can hardly believe we’re standing here. After all, we had sailed here; with our own boat; a little over a year after our trip began. If someone had predicted this a few years ago, we wouldn’t have believed it. And yet here we are, the three of us, in New York.

We let ourselves drift by bus, train and ferry, just marvel and enjoy the sun. Well done, because the next day will be icy and rainy. In the strong wind, we are glad to hear that the mooring buoy is equipped with three proper anchors. The man whose buoy we are allowed to use speaks encouragingly. So we hide away from the storm and turn on the heating, and are pleased to see that it starts up immediately despite having been out of action for a long time. During the breaks in the rain, we make our way to the indoor playground and the children’s museum. It’s a good thing we’re in no hurry to sightsee. We have patience. And the surrounding area plus the nearby Brighton Beach are also nice to explore.

In the lee of the new colossus

The weather is nasty. On the plus side, there are hardly any leisure captains out and about. What remains of the shipping traffic, however, is impressive. New York Harbor is one of the busiest places in the world. We zigzag between anchored cargo ships, speeding ferries, and excursion steamers to finally find our spot for the night — right next to the Statue of Liberty.

After the city lights had lulled us to sleep, the Statue of Liberty greets us mysteriously in the drizzle the next morning. Had the torch been lit, we probably would have seen it. However, the view isn’t much better as we made our way up the East River around the pedestal. Fascinated, we sit in the cockpit as the city passes us by: Manhattan to the left, Brooklyn to the right. After passing Roosevelt Island, Hell Gate opens and propells us toward our destination: the yacht club on City Island. The scenery changes after the Hell Gate. We pass Rikers Island and immediately afterwards a ghostly prison ship. Is the proximity of Hell Gate and the prison a coincidence?

Bronx bustle vs. City Island leisure

City Island is a lovely place. Time seems to stand still, and the atmosphere is cozy. That is, except when the nearby firing range is in use or when crowds flock to Sammy’s for lobster and crab on the weekends. This address is well-known throughout New York. The test shows: There’s plenty of heavily deep-fried food. At least it warms the stomach for the rainy, windy days ahead. The rest of the rum on board provides additional warmth. Otherwise, we pass the time with joint projects. The winches are due for an inspection. This is fitting because boat projects are a City Island tradition. One of the yachts that won the prestigious America’s Cup was built here.

City Island is an ideal starting point for exploring the Bronx. Almost forgotten and nestled next to a playground is the last house that Edgar Allan Poe lived in. Another excursion takes us to the zoo. It’s a good thing we had a hearty breakfast at the City Island diner because the zoo is huge. We also visit the New York Yankees. Who would have thought that scoring points in baseball would be so difficult?

Manhattan, Port Washington and Raceweek off Governors Island

Next, we anchor in and take a look at Port Washington. It’s a pretty little town located in a huge bay on Long Island. Although it’s very nice there, we take advantage of the good train connections to stroll through Manhattan. We manage to visit Chinatown, Little Italy, and the Financial District.

But then, the real highlight somehow fails to live up to expectations. SailGP stops in New York. From the grandstands on Governors Island, you can see the foiling catamarans racing in front of the Statue of Liberty. While it was unbelievably hot when we visited the team grounds days before, it poured on race day. And no shelter for miles around. After just one of the three races, we left with crowds of soaking-wet visitors. While the sight of the boats was impressive, we might have preferred to skip the overall experience. But the New York weather in May was unpredictable, like a bet at the roulette table. this fascinating metropolis behind. Instead, we will get an idea of where city dwellers spend their time in the summer months.