136 
FOREST ^ AND _STREAM. 
A Pleasant Three Days* Cruise. 
With holidays over and the days growing longer, we 
yearners for the sea take heart and feel we are on the 
downward track to the pleasures of another yachting 
season. Your true 5'^achting crank lives only in the 
season; in winter he exists. Many pleasant evenings are 
to be had at this time of year thinking of your good little 
ship and planning numerous cruises for the coming sum- 
mer. Seated before the cheerful fire with his favorite 
pipe drawing well, the skipper's thoughts go back to last 
season's final cruise, and he wonders if an account of that 
delightful trip may not be of some interest to a few of 
the "fiends." 
The S and his friend, who we will call the crew, 
having sent their respective families to the mountains, 
determined to take advantage of Labor Day coming so 
conveniently on Monday and go off for a three days' 
cruise. You all know the preliminary pleasure of getting 
ready for such a trip; the making lists of things eat- 
able, drinkable, wearable, etc., the discussing of new 
harbors to put in at, and the final arranging of last de- 
tails connected with the starting. After a long week, 
Saturday finally arrived and the S and crew met at 
the Grand Central Station and boarded the one o'clock 
train bound for New Rochelle. 
The day was ideal for our use. To be sure, it had been 
hot and sticky in town during the morning, but those 
conditions only whetted our appetites the more for what 
was before us. 
As the train left the smoky, dustj', altogether objection- 
able city and got out where a decent breath of air was to 
be had and glimpses of trees, the S anxiously scanned 
MARGUERITE. 
the sky for signs of thunder heads and tried to determine 
from the trees as they flew past what breeze there was 
and from what quarter. He finally settled to his great 
satisfaction that the wind was southwest and there ap- 
peared to be a decent air stirring. At New Rochelle we 
boarded an electric car and were whisked down tO the 
Huguenot Club in short order. 
What an expectant thrill came to us with the first 
glimpse of the blue water, stirred by a splendid south- 
west breeze and sparkling in the hot afternoon sun. Into 
the dinghey we tumbled, eager as two boys, and rowed 
with enthusiasm to the good little ship Marguerite swing- 
ing at her mooring on the channel's edge. 
She is a compromise cutter, rigged jib and mainsail, 
30 feet on top, 10 feet beam, with a comfortable cabin 
and good big cockpit to stretch out in. We had put our 
dunnage aboard the night before, so after hastily chuck- 
ing things below, the mainsail was quickly hoisted, club 
flag run aloft, jib and main sheets overhauled, the S — - 
at the wheel and crew ready to cast off the mooring and 
run up jib. Getting under way from our mooring in 
a southwester is somewhat of an undertaking. In the 
prevailing summer breeze such as blew that day, our boats 
lie headed to the westward, while the channel runs about 
northeast for a short distance. To your right, 50 feet 
away, stretches the mud bank edge of channel, while 
just across it to the left a few boat lengths are moored 
yachts as thick as they can swing safely, so it is a case 
of slack main sheet well off, draw jib to windward and 
make her swing square around in almost her length. 
This maneuver was carried out and after getting by the 
Glen Island steamers, launches, rowboats, chain ferry, 
etc., we finally luffed round the red buoy outside and 
eased sheets for a run east'ard. 
The crew took the wheel here and the S ' went be- 
low to get off the store clothes. Oh, the joy of un- 
dress, as expounded and experienced on our boat! Our 
full dress is a pair of old breeches and swimming shirt. 
Hats are discarded as soon as we get aboard, and the 
skipper's and crew's luxuriant locks establish the truth 
of the saying that the sun and air on one's head are good 
for the hair. 
The afternoon was perfect. A glorious breeze; air 
clear and the Sound covered as far as one could see 
with yachts of every description. Passing Huckleberry 
Island and laying our course for Mattinicqck Point, we 
soon met a large number of boats racing in Larchmont 
Yacht Club regatta, and it was splendid sport watch- 
ing one after another as we ran under their lea (they 
were going in an opposite direction), tearing along with 
every rag on and all with a big bone under the bow. 
Where could one find a prettier sheet of salt water than 
the western end of Long Island Sound? To the north, 
rocky shores .backed by the beautiful lawns surrounding 
magnificent summer homes, while on the south stretch 
Long Island's glorious beaches, with the tree-covered 
Wlieatley hills rising to the highest land on the island. 
The skipper feels almost poetic over his dear Sound. 
We pass class after class of racing yachts, the last of 
which are two sloops some fifty feet on deck, which 
pass very close to windward of us and a beautiful picture 
they make. We note the helmsman of the first sitting 
bareheaded and attentive to leeward of the stick, care- 
fully watching his jibs and luffing her out to every puff, 
while on the second boat the young fellow steering was 
busily talking to a group of "swells" grouped in pic- 
turesque array on the quarter, and failing to work out his 
craft in the constantly coming squalls that darkened the 
water toward Hempstead Harbor. 
How discouraging this must have been to the captain 
and crew working for their "prize" money. 
We had been boiling along in grand style since leav- 
ing Huckleberry, and were now abreast of Mattinicock 
and had to decide whether to square broad off for Green- 
wich or make the Seawanhaka Y. C. anchorage our port 
for the night, and as we had never put up at the latter, 
we determined to go there, and laid course for buoy 
oft Center Island. Marguerite draws 5ft. with board 
up, and we thought best not to try "skinning" the mark, 
though the S^ knew there was good water nearer 
shore, but had forgotten the range. After rounding, we 
trimmed flat for beat in to the anchorage, and had as 
guide a large sloop, evidently making for the club. 
Ahead of us stretched the broad expanse of Cold Spring 
Harbor, to the skipper's mind one of the most beautiful 
indentations of the Sound. Before the hotel and Casino 
at Cold Spring were closed this harbor was very popu- 
lar with yachtsmen, and some of our red letter days have 
been passed in that lovely spot. Many mornings we have 
watched the sun rise over the Long Island hills while 
anchored there. Passing through a fleet of Seawanhaka 
knockabouts racing off Buglight, we stood on till under 
Cooper's Bluff and then came about for the last board 
in to the club anchorage. From mooring to anchorage 
had taken about two hours and twenty minutes and had 
been a sail we will long recall with pleasantest recollec- 
tions. How delightful the good pipe after a stirring run, 
when sails are furled, ropes coiled down and ever3^thing 
snugged for the night. 
To us it is part of the sport to put our ship up in good 
fashion. All sheets, halyards, etc., stayed to a hair ; 
pennant halyards overhauled to see the flag is properly 
on end; awning set firm, ready for a night squall; 
anchor light filled and a last try of the cable to make 
sure she has enough. Queer how many times a man will 
go through this last performance. 
After everything was overhauled to the skipper's satis- 
faction, we dove below, put on trunks and hustled over- 
board and both came to the surface with surprised faces, 
each exclaiming over the pricky feeling we experienced 
as soon as striking the water. At first we thought it 
must be from currents possibly caused by springs, but on 
climbing aboard and looking in the water discovered 
myriads of small jelly fish that had given us little stings 
or shocks as we touched them. For a quarter of an hour 
we swam and dived, thoroughly eiijoying the clear (aside 
from the jelly fish), invigorating water, and afterwards 
stretched out in the sunny waterway for a sun bath. The 
swimming feature is a very large and important part of 
our sailing and cruising. No opportunity to get over- 
board is ever neglected, as fortunately all of our "crowd" 
are equally enthusiastic about it. It is always a matter 
of wonder to us that so comparatively little of this splen- 
did exercise is done by the average yachtsmen. What 
can give one such an appetite for breakfast as a plunge 
in the cool, invigorating water, and how deliciously re- 
freshing to repeat it in the midday heat? 
Putting on shore togs, we went ashore and were most 
courteously received by the steward of the club. After 
partaking of a good dinner, we listened to the music and 
looked at the fine pictures, books, etc. This club house 
is a beautiful building and grandly situated. After going 
aboard chairs were brought out in the cockpit and the 
usual last pipe indulged in. Understand, our cockpit at 
night is perfectly dry in any weather short of a pour. 
Our awning is a treasure, keeping cockpit free from dew 
and extending forward to mast, so slide and skylight can 
be open in anything but heavy rains. It is rigged witli 
strong, light poles permanently fastened and rolls up, 
poles and all, in a bundle that is shoved in the lazarette 
out of the way. 
Sunday morning found the S on deck by 6:30, 
wrapped in a bath robe and enjoying the lovely pic- 
ture .spread on every hand. It is his custom to always 
tumble out early on pleasant mornings, wrap up in 
blanket or robe and lie on deck in the warmest spot and 
revel in the pure air. This particular morning promised 
another fine day. The same southwest breeze had ap- 
parently continued through the night and was now send- 
ing little puffs skylarking across the harbor. There were 
several fine vachts close to us and a half hour was spent 
in the warm' sun looking them over, noting each perfec- 
tion of rig and hull. What a restful, peaceful scene it 
was, and how at such times one pities the poor unfor- 
tunates who dwell inland, or in the detestable cities. 
As soon as the crew poked his sleepy head through 
the companionway, we jumped in swimming and floun- 
dered and splashed about like two boys. 
What, indeed, keeps one young like this sport? From 
the moment of stepping aboard business and other cares 
vanish and you feel a boy again. 
After a brisk rub down, we put on our sailing clothes 
and prepared breakfast. We like dinner ashore, when 
possible, but breakfast always aboard, and the first course 
i= an orange just off the ice. By nine we were under 
way and decided on running round to Lloyd's Harbor. 
The U. S. ship "Sylph" passed close aboard on her way 
out and her trim man-of-war appearance excited our ad- 
miration. With the good breeze astern we soon entered 
Huntington Harbor and enjoyed its beauties. 
Running down wind had made the sun assert hunself 
and we brought up close to the fine beach near Lloyd's 
Harbor light house for another swim, as the water 
looked too cool and tempting to keep out of. One of the 
special attractions of these shores is the fine beaches. 
Where on our shores it is either creek-mud or rocks, 
here all is sand, and the water clear and uncontaminated. 
What a pity the towns on the Westchester and Con- 
necticut side are allowed to sewer in the Sound. This is 
doubtless the cause of changes in fish life hereabouts. 
The S remembers an old inhabitant of Mamaro- 
neck telling him of days when scallops were as plentiful 
in the harbor there as mussels are now. 
After a fine swim we started for Greenwich and were 
able to lay our course direct, close hauled on port tack. 
The day, while perfect, was different from Saturday, in 
there being that summer haze so prevalent on the Sound. 
How tlioroughly enjoyable was that long, lazy board, 
made doubly interesting to us by a brush with a sloop 
that had started just ahead. 
She finally left us, but we felt satisfied, as she was 
larger and carried topsail. For over two bourse we kept 
on same tack, S and crew taking a short nap at dif- 
ferent times. Shortly after three o'clock we passed 
Stamford Point, and easing sheet ran into the yacht 
anchorage at Indian Harbor, but the breeze was so good 
we decided to run out to Captain's Island before putting 
up for the night. Reaching there the swimming instinct 
again asserted itself, and taking in jib we dropped the 
hook and dove in. That swim will live in our memories 
always. We went in, came out and repeated it many 
times till finally the fast dropping sun warned us to be 
oft" for the anchorage. After making all shipshape, we 
regretfully donned shore clothes, went ashore and enjoyed 
a good dinner at the club. Putting on stiff shirts and 
collars after a day in bathing suit is a fearful grind, but 
we considered it a shade preferable to washing the many 
dishes necessitated by a dinner. Going aboard about ten 
o'clock we had our last pipe and turned in, soothed to 
sleep by the hum of the evening breeze through the rig- 
ging. 
Waking at six o'clock the next morning the S 
stuck his head out of the companionway and found a 
MARGUERITE. 
brisk breeze stirring from same quarter and signs of a 
blowy day. Anchored alongside was a beautiful yawl 
some 70ft. on top that had come in during the evening, 
and for half an hour we lay on top of the cabin wrapped 
in blankets looking her over and enjoying the pretty scene 
spread on every hand. After that our usual plunge 
overboard and then breakfast followed by that first good 
pipe. The wind had been steadily increasing since sun- 
rise, and as a long thrash to wind'ard was in store, we 
put two reefs in mainsail and bent our No. 2 jib. 
Working down the shore inside Captain's Island we 
found this rather short canvas, but on getting outside 
it began to come down in little chunks and we went along 
most comfortably. Made a long hitch over to the 
island and just before going about to the east of Mat- 
tinicock met several New Rochelle yachts bound west. 
By this time it was blowing fresh, with good, hard, black 
chunks coming off the Long Island shore; but with our 
reduced canvas the little hooker was banging through it 
in easy fashion. The New Rochelle boats all crossed our 
bow as we approached them, but they were lugging full 
sail and making poor weather of the squalls, having to 
continually luft' out. Standing well to wnnd'ard of their 
wakes we came about and put after them, and in a short 
time had the satisfaction of crossing their bows as we 
split tacks working down the beach. In fact, after two 
hours they were miles behind us ; another case of lugging 
sail instead of carrying it. The skipper is a firm beHevcr 
in too little canvas (of course aside from racing, and 
sometimes then) rather than too much, and our per- 
formance that morning against larger boats carrying too 
much sail made him doubly satisfied with that opinion. 
Give him easy canvas rather than staggering along with 
boat on side, everything sliding down and the constant 
expectation of something giving way. The Sound was 
another picture this day. Scores of j'achts were about, 
participating in or watching the fall regatta of Larchmont 
Y. C, and class after class of racing machines went by 
us, among them two of the 70-footers. A great sight it 
was to see the latter keeled over to apparently the last de- 
gree and going at steamer speed. After several hours of 
exhilarating windward work, we dropped our hook near 
one of the course marks off Howard Gould's place, and 
after a fine swim ate lunch and watched the big yachts 
turn the mark. Soon after three_ o'clock we got under 
way and headed for home, getting in in time to put things 
up in good shape, pack our duds and then sit down for 
a final smoke and talk before going ashore. In every 
particular this little cruise had been most delightful, and 
one long to be remembered. Skipper. 
