Our Cruising Program
See Below for 2024 CRUISING SCHEDULE:
Our cruises are relaxing, fun voyages with great people for an experience you will not forget!
As more information becomes available, new updates will be posted.
Planning to attend a cruise? Have questions? Need more information?
Please contact us by clicking here!
SUMMER SOLSTICE CRUISE – JUNE 20 thru JUNE 24
Three Mile Harbor & Coecles Harbor
We will depart TYC on the Solstice, June 20th (exact time TBD) and sail through the Race on our way to Three Mile Harbor. Given that it is the longest day of the year, we should arrive well before dark. If you haven’t already been to Three Mile, be aware that the entrance channel is well marked, but narrow. You do not want to take short cuts to the anchorage. You must honor the red channel markers to avoid a large shallow area to starboard.
Three Mile Harbor
This is a large, protected anchorage which should be nice and quiet this early in the season. There is a small beach area on the north side of the harbor. From the southern end of the harbor, you can walk to a market for last minute provisions, grab a delicious lunch and have a picnic, or catch an Uber to explore the Hamptons and Montauk. On Friday night we will have a cocktail hour get-together to catch up with old and new friends…location and exact time TBD.
We will depart Three Mile Harbor on Saturday morning between 8:30-9am. This should enable us to arrive at the entrance to Coecles Harbor at High Tide. If this is your first time at Coecles, be aware that the channel is somewhat shallow and quite narrow at the entrance to the harbor, making arrival at high tide imperative for some members of our fleet, and safer for everyone!
Once you arrive, you are in for a treat! Coecles is a beautiful, quiet, protected harbor with a designated anchorage area. This is a wonderful place to chill out, read a book, or take a nap. For those who need a little more action, it is possible to rent an EV from Coecles Harbor Marina to tour Shelter Island, or you can purchase a day pass and hang out at the pool. If you feel really ambitious, you can taxi or Uber to the ferry to enjoy a day in Greenport. Nature lovers may want to take a dinghy ride around the harbor to look for the marine life and shore birds.
Coecles Harbor Marine Water Trail: https://www.taylorsisland.org/documents/20060500Trail.pdf
On Saturday night (weather permitting) we will have a potluck picnic on Taylor Island under the Strawberry Moon. Sadly, boaters can only anchor two nights in a row at Coecles, so we will take our leave at high tide on Monday morning to return home or to go on to your next destination.
If you plan to attend this cruise, please email me at cruising@thamesyc.org so I can have a headcount, boat names and ensure everyone makes it safely to our destination. Please don’t hesitate to contact me regarding this cruise or any upcoming cruises if you have any questions.
2023 Summer Solstice Cruisers on Taylor Island
INTRODUCTION TO CRUISING CRUISE – JULY 5 THRU JULY 7/8
Flat Hammock (Fisher’s Island) to Watch Hill, RI
Watch Hill Light House
This cruise is an opportunity for those who are new to sailing, new to cruising, or who don’t have time for a longer cruise to get away close to home and to get a feel for a TYC Fleet Cruise.
We will depart TYC on the afternoon of July 5th and sail over to Flat Hammock. At Flat Hammock we will drop anchor and go to the beach, enjoy a snack, or look for sea glass or shells… you never know what you may find in the surf at Flat Hammock! After sun and sand, we will hop over to the anchorage at West Harbor and settle in for the evening.
On Saturday, you can visit Fisher’s Island to check out their excellent museum, ice cream parlor and gift shop, or feel free to head off for a day sail. There are no “required” activities for participants of TYC cruises. However, no TYC cruise is complete without a group get-together of some sort, so we will do that around 5pm on Saturday night. Perhaps we’ll have a dinghy party if seas are calm.
For those who have the time, we will depart Fisher’s Island on Sunday morning to arrive at Watch Hill at high tide. With luck, some folks will be leaving and it will be a bit less crowded in the anchorage. This is another great place to simply relax and unwind, or you can dinghy over to Napa Tree Point or explore Watch Hill. Get your steps in walking up to Ocean House and reward yourself with glass of wine while enjoying the magnificent view, or you can hike down the trail to Watch Hill Light House. Of course, a little retail therapy is always a good thing!
This is an open-ended trip. Some participants may need to get back home on Sunday or Monday, and some may decide to linger at Watch Hill.
If you plan to attend this cruise, please email me at cruising@thamesyc.org so I can have a headcount, boat names and ensure everyone makes it safely to the destination. Please don’t hesitate to contact me regarding this cruise or any upcoming cruises if you have any questions.
NEW LONDON’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY BOAT PARADE – JULY 27
Let’s show some love for our home port of New London and participate in the 2024 Christmas in July Boat Parade! Bust out your Santa suit and dust off your reindeer to decorate your boat for the parade. Boats meet in front of Fort Trumbull and motor up to the New London docks and then back home. Feel like a movie star as you pass the cheering crowds! This is a fun evening for everyone!
LONG ISLAND LONG DISTANCE CRUISE – AUGUST 6 THRU AUGUST 16
We will be exploring the North Shore of Long Island with visits to Port Jefferson Yacht Club, Northport, Oyster Bay and Huntington Yacht Club.
*We will depart New London on Tuesday morning August 6th and make our way to Morris Cove in New Haven Harbor, a protected anchorage approximately 49 NM away. (A comparable distance to Newport).
After anchoring overnight, we will continue on to Port Jefferson Yacht Club for two nights (August 7th and 8th). Port Jefferson is a popular destination, so you should reserve on Dockwa well ahead of time.
*We will depart Port Jefferson on Friday August 9th for Northport. Northport is a bustling town known for its mile-long main street, shops, restaurants, and art galleries. There is a protected anchorage in Northport Harbor for Friday and Saturday night (August 9th and 10th).
*We will depart Northport and make our way to Oyster Bay on Sunday August 11. We will stay at Oyster Bay Marine Center (reserve on Dockwa) Sunday and Monday night, (August 11th and 12th). Oyster Bay is famous as the home of Teddy Roosevelt’s Sagamore Hill estate which is now a National Park. If you have a National Park Pass, be sure to pack it! There is something for everyone in Oyster Bay: Planting Fields Arboretum and State Park (free), Oyster Bay Brewing Company, “The Hidden Colonial Cemeteries of Oyster Bay” and last but not least, Raynham Hall Museum. Raynham Hall was the home of Revolutionary Spies, Traitors, and the long suffering ghost of a lass who fell for a Redcoat! Oyster Bay is also known as the stomping grounds of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan…a champagne toast to TYC may be in order here!
*The last stop before beginning the trip back to New London will be Huntington Yacht Club. https://www.huntingtonyachtclub.com/ Reserve this resort style destination on Dockwa for August 13th and 14th .
*From Huntington we retrace our steps to Morris Cove on Thursday the 15th and arrive home in New London on Friday, August 16th .
MYSTIC SEAPORT CRUISE – SEPTEMBER 13 & 14
This is a wonderful Fall cruise. If you are a member of Mystic Seaport (at Mariner Level or above), you are eligible to receive a discount when booking on Dockwa. Please contact me for the coupon code to use when making your reservation. Your Seaport dock fee will automatically be calculated using your membership reduction. Dock space is limited. The Seaport Dock office will hold space for TYC members to make reservations until August 15. After that date you may not be able to get a reservation. I encourage you to make your reservation soon while space is available.
If you plan to attend this cruise, please email me at cruising@thamesyc.org so I can have a headcount, boat names and ensure everyone makes it safely to the seaport. Please don’t hesitate to contact me regarding this cruise or any upcoming cruises if you have any questions.
CONNECTICUT RIVER CRUISE – OCTOBER 12-13
This cruise is always held during Columbus Day weekend and marks the end of the season as many TYC members go up the Connecticut river for winter storage. On prior trips, whales have been spotted in Long Island Sound, and eagles soar along the river. This is a pleasant long weekend with your TYC friends as many like to break up the trip overnight in Essex for a little pre-holiday shopping and a delicious meal at one of Essex’s well known restaurants.
If you plan to attend this cruise, please let me know if you would like to stay overnight in Essex so I can get a ballpark number for a group dinner reservation. Many TYC members have changed their winter storage location to Haddam recently, and therefore may not wish to stay overnight in Essex. Please contact me at cruising@thamesyc.org
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SEE BELOW FOR INFORMATION REGARDING OTHER YACHT CLUBS IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUT OF THE AREA
Yachting Club of America – THE 2024 YACHTING CLUB OF AMERICA CARDS ARE NOW AVAILABLE.
How to use YCA Website – The YCA website is not the prettiest, but it is functional. First enter the website www.ycaol.com. Check out the Member Directory for our username and password.
If planning a cruise or road trip look in the “Geographical Index” section to see if there are clubs in the town or city you are visiting. The index section will list the clubs in that location. Go back to the page showing the booklet and click on “YCA Registered Yacht & Sailing Clubs.” This will give you access to the pages of the guide. It may take a few tries to find the page for the club you are seeking. When you find the club you are looking for the guide lists mailing and location addresses. It also list if the club has a clubhouse, if the club has reciprocity, courtesy dockage and if the club has a restaurant and/or lounge. Please note if the club listed is blue and underscored you can click on it or right click and open in a new window the club’s website for more information.
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