At the crack of 3pm on Sunday the 23rd of June in the year of 2024, the good ship Selune casts off from Stamford, Connecticut destination Newfoundland (eventually).
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The aim is an overnight sail up to Block Island about 90nm away conditions permitting. We exit the mouth of the harbour and turn left (I mean to port!) and are soon cruising along at a good 6 knots helped by another knot of tide. The weather is a little sketchy either side of us with thunder/lightning predicted but we seem to be threading the eye of the needle quite nicely.
Some striking cloud formations appear and dissipate almost as soon as they form. We have a nice tail wind of about 20 knots which keeps the boat lively and the sea state is only slightly lumpy.
Being the first day out, I am fully expecting to be sick and the short swell of the sound is encouraging me. I stay on deck and keep the wind in my face and the stomach rumbling stays put. I don’t dare go below for long as that is a sure fire way for me to lose my lunch in the first couple of days at sea. My lovely sister Mairead opts to do the catering below and sadly pays the price. She shoots up the steps towards the stern and barely makes it in time. Apparently smoked almonds don’t taste as good second time around. No good deed goes unpunished. 
Exiting the sound in the dark is a little tricky according to F so with sea state and wind being the way they are we opt to take shelter overnight behind a breakwater at Duck Island. This is a GOOD call😎 I am feeling a little sweaty and queasy but holding on to it. We drop anchor at 1AM and turn in to the sound of the wind and slapping water against the hull. 
Next morning, same wind and sea state but with good visibility and after a semi good night sleep, we are off again. Glorious sunny and breezy downwind or broad reach sailing all day.
On the way out of the sound, I spot this black stump in the sea and think it must be a lighthouse but there is nothing on the chart….and then it moved. F got the binoculars out and revealed it to the conning tower of a submarine. She stays on the surface ahead of us for about 30 minutes before we lose sight. 
Late afternoon, Block Island hoves into view and we gratefully tie up at a mooring buoy. Nevermind that it is a private one, we resolve to deal with that situation tomorrow and crack open a beer to celebrate.
This is for medical purposes only you understand. After about the 5th attempt to brain myself on the cabin roof I finally succeed and nurse McCan channelled our mother’s skills and administers first aid. A minor flesh wound but it still smarts.
So far, we have sailed about 90 miles up the coast and left New York waters and are now guests of Rhode Island .
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