Eye on the Ball: A 9/11 voyage

On 9/11 this year, a couple of 50-year-old Island guys, Tom Cronin and Toby Green, decided to do something a bit different. They made the trip from Shelter Island to the southern tip of Manhattan, around the Statute of Liberty and back home on 2017 Yamaha Waverunner jet skis.

In the past they’ve made a trip to Block Island, but that was nothing compared to this journey. Block Island was a fun excursion, but just long enough to make them crave for more.  So, on September 11,  they started at 7 a.m. in South Ferry Hills on a trip that would take 12.5 hours.

A heavy fog that morning ruined the visibility going around Orient Point and almost the rest of trip through Long Island Sound toward the city. Being totally prepared, they had one GPS between the two of them and,  just to add to the excitement, that GPS didn’t work.

Their first stop was to gas-up at Mount Sinai to take them all the way to their farthest point, five hours away at Jersey City.

On their way along the Sound they paused to look at the old Shoreham nuclear power plant. Tom said he must sound like a country bumpkin because he was thrilled with so many things that might feel just ordinary to other folks. Things like going under the Throgs Neckand Whitestone birdges and past LaGuardia where he watched the planes fly overhead.

They continued traveling down the East River past Rikers, North Brother, Randall’s and Roosevelt islands. They went past Battery Park to their next fuel stop, Jersey City. Passing the Statue of Liberty, they heard the playing of “Taps.”

The two adventurers followed a high-speed ferry, easily going 50 mph, that went under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and headed for New Jersey. It was getting late and it was time to head back, taking the ocean on the way home.

Around the Rockaways the waves and breakers were unbelievably rough for the next 25 miles to Point Lookout. They estimated the waves to be as much as 12 feet.

At Point Lookout they found all the fueling stations closed. In one of the stations where they were turned down, they noticed a fisherman pulling in as they were leaving, and the attendant unlocking the gate. They told him of their urgency to get home.

They fueled up and headed back east. Going past Jones Beach they had their biggest thrill. Dolphins were everywhere. One of them came right up to the nose of Toby’s jet ski and jumped over.

Even though the trip took 12.5 hours, they figured it was 10 hours of actual running time. The reason for extra 2 hours, Toby said, is that Tom likes to talk. For the 246-mile journey, they averaged about 25 miles per hour in running time. That was making good time, the men said, considering the rough waters and quite a bit of rain.

Tom forgot his hat and since he’s bald, he had to endure rain hitting his head while traveling 50 miles an hour. I’m sure he’ll find a hat for the next trip.

The most frightening moment? Toby was washed off the jet ski into the ocean. According to Tom, Toby was back in the jet ski “so fast that he didn’t even get wet.”

Although they agreed that they got beat up on the trip, Tom and Toby said they’re planning on taking even longer and more challenging trips in the future. They also made it clear that you are welcome to join them on the next journey. The trips are safer and more fun, they said, if they have groups of four or five.

I don’t need more adventure in my life. Driving the car to the city and back in one day is enough of an undertaking. As for Tom and Toby,  I believe that if the year was 1492 they would have been on either the Nina, Pinta or the Santa Maria.