You know how the Frank Sinatra song goes…“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere,” and boy does that hold true for us! WE MADE IT TO NEW YORK CITY! But first, let’s rewind and tell you how we officially got here.

We arrived in Cape May, New Jersey, on Memorial Day where we quickly enjoyed dinner at The Lobster House. The weather was looking favorable the following day so instead of taking the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway to Atlantic City, we considered taking the outside track in the Atlantic Ocean. Some might wonder if it’s worth it to take that risk, but the same could be said about taking the inside track. There are pros and cons to both such as:

We ultimately decided to take the outside track after speaking with fellow loopers who planned to do the same thing, and wow, it was incredible. The ocean was kind to us with winds under 5 knots and glass conditions. So much so that I took a quick nap with Ripley on the bow! We were so grateful for the conditions because it gave us confidence as we would be required to take the outside track from Point Pleasant Beach to New York.

The rest of New Jersey was a blur. We only anchored for one night in Atlantic City, then slowly and carefully took the inside track to Point Pleasant Beach where we’d exit the Manasquan Inlet to New York. Departing the Manasquan Inlet was much more eventful than departing Cape May as the waves were quite “rolly,” resulting in a less than comfortable cruise. We persisted for five hours and happily entered the New York Harbor where conditions calmed down significantly. The weekend was spent anchored in Great Kills Harbor in Staten Island where we immediately began our NYC tour with great coffee and classic New York bagels.

Sunday was officially the day we’d move over to Manhattan and pass in front of the iconic Statue of Liberty. Snapping that coveted picture in front of Lady Liberty is a looper must, so we buddy boated with fellow loop boats Up Next and Inception II who kindly captured Northern Attitude in one of the most famous locations around the Great Loop. 

Making our way through New York Harbor felt monumental. Over 1,300 nautical miles later we can officially say we made it up the East Coast. We navigated through nine states, dozens of bodies of water and all sorts of weather. We really feel like if we made it here, we can make it anywhere. After all the persistence, faith, discernment, patience and so much more that we exercised, we can move forward with confidence on this journey. We’re proud of all we’ve accomplished and eager to keep it going.

Cheers to continuing the adventure!