DISMAL SWAMP

We made it to North Carolina, where accents are strong and teeth are optional. We decided to take the boat down the canal between Norfolk and Elizabeth City instead of going out into Currituck Sound because the weather wasn't looking great. It ended up being a really cool trip. The leaves are all changing here and it's completely still and deep black on the river. It was pretty weird floating along in a sailboat, though.

Because we tied up after exiting the lock to explore the town of Deep Creek (which turned out to be a single strip mall with surprisingly good Japanese food), the boats ahead of us were long gone and we had the canal to ourselves. The whole surface of the water was a black mirror, flecked only with the yellow stars of fallen maple leaves. It was unreal.

I need to backtrack a bit, because I can't forget the lock master. To enter the canal we had to go through a small lock to be raised up to the canal's water level. The guy in charge wore aviators like the prison guard in Cool Hand Luke and took his job just as seriously, except instead of a pistol hanging from his belt he wore what appeared to be a child's size large lifejacket over his men's size large leather jacket and instead of two bloodhounds at the ready he had a 12-year-old mutt named U-Turn trailing at his heel. He told me, "His mama was fullblown pitbull, daddy was a pitbull-sharpei mix, and he was raised in a pin" (that's pen) " with two rabbits. And the male rabbit was the alpha outta the three. So..."

He was such a sweet guy, full of recommendations, helpful advice, and stories, and U-Turn was even sweeter. It was a funny place to have a chat but we'll remember it for a long time.

NEW YORK CITY

Getting to New York can be a hassle. But arriving in New York is never dull. Whether ascending into the glowing hustle of Grand Central from the train tracks below or staring down at what looks like a miniature city from an approaching flight, there's a sense of liveliness and continuity that radiates from the New York's constant state of motion. Arriving by boat early in the morning was an incomparable experience.

After sailing through the night, we finally caught view of the city just after sunrise. We made our way past the mansions on Long Island's western shore and Laguardia’s incoming airplanes, slid by Riker's Island and then through Hell's Gates and, suddenly, floating down the East River, we became part of the city we'd been looking at from afar.

My idea of sailing has always been heading out into open water, filling the sails with breeze and feeling the boat move in tune with the sea and wind. When we put the sails away and floated past the apartment buildings and avenues that line Manhattan’s East Side, I was reminded of something more fundamental about being on a boat. You’re at once completely integrated with the world, reliant on weather, geography, and much of the time other people, and at the same time set apart, bobbing around alone on your little vessel, not able to fully grasp what makes the environment surrounding you its own place. Once you’re anchored or ashore, that all changes. But while you’re moving along it’s a strange contrast. Nowhere was that more evident than in New York. We watched a busy city unfold before us from the quiet isolation of the boat. It was one of the cooler things we’ve done on Tamata.

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The day we arrived was a bit grey, but the day we left was bright, crisp and clear. We spent nearly an hour just cruising up and down the Hudson taking photos. Like most representations, they don’t do the experience justice.

The boat sat a bit lower due to the amount of food we’d consumed. Over the course of four days we’d eaten Cuban once, Italian once, Korean twice, Japanese twice, pizza daily (oops!), a few bagels, a bit of tapas, way too much coffee and some street food. Oh, and I had an apple for good measure. Even with Matt sticking to his rule of No Museums with a Hangover, we still made it to the MoMA for a Matisse exhibit and spent a couple hours walking the Highline. (I’m not sure if impressive is the right word here...) We were able to catch up with a few good friends each night and met a couple more along the way. It ended with a fiery sunset off the coast of New Jersey followed by a really nice two day sail into Norfolk, VA. It was a perfect way to start our trip. Neither Matt nor I have ever had a bad time visiting New York, but this trip ranked among the best for both of us.

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WE'RE OFF!

After many months of planning and multiple delayed departures, we're finally off the dock and underway! It was a strange feeling to be leaving Narragansett Bay knowing we wouldn't be returning (at least not on Tamata), and at the same time so exciting to have actually taken the first step in making the trip a reality. As my dad says, the hardest part of any trip is throwing the lines off the dock.

There's always a reason not to leave. It's pretty easy to convince yourself that a better opportunity might present itself, or that there are still loose ends to tie up before setting out, especially if a lot of planning is involved. Though Tuesday was a quiet, sunny day - a normal weekday for those around us - it felt charged and special to us. Knowing that this was the start of a 10,000+ mile journey that would span more than a year while motioning through the banality of last minute errands painted the morning in a strange light. My brother took a quick break from working in the metal shop to let our lines off and we glided out of NEB into Narragansett Bay. The Dock Express boat was anchored just outside the marina, loading boats to be carried down to the Caribbean, fishermen pulled their traps nearer to shore, and the birds worked the water against the backdrop of the red-orange wash of fall foliage. A normal day. And though we were in the midst of it all, it felt like we were separate from it in some way too...

First stop - NYC!