Port Jefferson to Port Washington, ball

This is feeling like a "dead presidents" tour.

Given the windy weather of the past few days all the weather apps said to wait until the afternoon to travel. I personally would have stayed another day, since that looked amazing. But we decided to just "poke our noses out" and take a look. We don't hesitate to turn around if we're not enjoying the ride -- done it a couple of times. However, we timed it poorly with the ferries. 

Wonderful sky, sunny and warm,
but lousy waters.

We left at the top of the hour. The ferry departs Port Jeff at about 2 minutes after that. We were already in the channel leaving when it came closing in on us. So, we got out of the way and waited for the PT Barnum to pass. We followed him into the bay. Side note: At the breakwall it's clearly marked as a 5 mph zone. The ferries, who make huge wakes, get to the wall already moving around 10 knots or more. One of the reasons we didn't like this place before was we were constantly being waked by these guys.

Once out in the bay we were immediately slammed with 4 foot beam seas. I was radically unhappy. However, just as the PT Barnum was heading out the Grand Park ferry was coming in. To stay out of everyone's way we headed a bit west, which is not the way we wanted to travel but it got the water on our nose mostly. We planned to turn behind the incoming ferry and come back as soon as we could.

Highwind left early. Had it even rougher, from what I 

understand. They, too, had to deal with the ferry.

The waves were nor-east, so heading more west
made them easier to deal with. Once we cleared
the land, it got a little smoother.

Then something really weird happened. PT Barnum started to turn around. These are not small vessels, so this had us totally befuddled as it lumbered sideways then back towards us. Then PT Barnum started moving in circles, all the while we're being tossed about like a salad trying to figure out how to get back to port. Additionally, the incoming Grand Park slowed its pace down as well. 

Finally PT Barnum called the coast guard. They had spotted a capsized sailing cat, and since they were the first ones to find it, they needed to stay around until the coast guard showed up.

If the water had been nicer we would have helped. But no people were seen in the water or nearby so it was assumed that the weather had blown the hobie cat off its mooring or anchor or slip. 

Most of the dots on this screen are marking
sunken wrecks. Long Island Sound can be unkind.

We turned to head back when the water, we noticed, stopped being so cranky. More swells, less chop.

So we headed on. It got worse then better than worse throughout the first 2 hours, then got increasingly better. By the time we got into Port Washington it was less than a foot.

Highwind on a moor nearby, sunset.