Memorial Dinner picnic

[SailorChlud]

Well, we started the weekend off right, with a dinner picnic on the water. Left the ramp around 4pm, and cruised over some wind-against-tide chop in the river, which the Seafari handled very well. Seemed to run at about 16-18 knots through all but the worst of it. Passed some working tugs and barges in the Raritan River, and made it through the train bridge into the bay. Here the tide mellowed some, and the wind seemed a steady 10-12 knots, so we headed for Ideal Beach, Middletown, NJ on the south side of the bay, and anchored in about 10 feet of water. Turned on the tunes and enjoyed a fried chicken dinner, in a peaceful spot. We did have some excitement - a yahoo on the shore set off a firecracker in the dunes- that set the dunes on fire. In the wind, the flames were at 10 feet high real fast. Luckily, some folks on land called the fire department, as I got the 911 operator on the line, but could not give him a street address to find it. " ..about 3/4 mile east of Keansburg beach, on the Middletown border.." " where am I ? Anchored about a 100 yards off shore..." etc. Made it back to the ramp around 8pm fully content. Ah, summer's here...