They Say You Never Forget Your First…

I’d always imagined seeing the Statue of Liberty from a

crowded ferry. I never imagined my first glimpse would

be from the deck of our own yacht.

There are moments in life that etch themselves into you, sharp and clear, as if time passes just long enough for you to understand you’re living something you’ll never forget

For me, one of those moments was rounding The Battery in New York Harbour and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the very first time. By the end of that first day we had sailed beneath New York’s famous bridges, passed the Manhattan skyline, been turned around by police because the President of the United States was in town… and somehow ended up spending our first night aboard our new yacht anchored behind the Statue of Liberty.

Not a bad way to begin life aboard a boat.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

We had only recently bought Onyx and were making our way down the East River. I had seen New York in countless movies, but nothing quite prepares you for seeing it from the cockpit of your own yacht.

Early in the journey we passed Rikers Island. I knew about the prison, of course, but seeing it from the water was somehow different. There it was, sitting amongst this extraordinary landscape of bridges, buildings, traffic and water. New York was unfolding around us and I was taking it all in.

Then the city began to close in around us.

The skyscrapers seemed to rise straight out of the river. On our starboard side, three levels of freeway carried an endless stream of traffic and, from where I was sitting, it looked as though one lane of cars was racing almost alongside us, just above the water.

Everywhere I looked there was something familiar — buildings I had seen in movies and photographs for years, bridges I knew from television and that unmistakable New York skyline. Yet here I was, actually sailing past them.

And I remember thinking about the Twin Towers.

Had they still been standing, they would have been there somewhere ahead of us as we made our way towards Lower Manhattan. I found myself looking at the skyline and trying to imagine them in their place. It was a strange and rather poignant feeling, being there in person and yet seeing a skyline that had changed so dramatically.

Then came Hell Gate.

The tides there can produce some pretty fierce currents and whirlpools, so getting the timing right matters. Fortunately, we had done our homework and slipped through without any drama.

As we continued downriver, my camera barely left my hands. The Chrysler Building appeared between the other towers, bridges stretched across the river ahead of us and Manhattan seemed to grow taller and closer with every minute, until our fifty-five-foot yacht suddenly felt ridiculously small amongst it all.

** The NYC State Empire Building where King Kong climbed to escape the military forces at the climax of the original 1933 movie and 2005 remake.

Then we rounded the next bend.

I lifted my camera and looked beneath the bridge ahead…

…and there she was.

The Statue of Liberty.

For a few seconds I simply stared.

She had been on my bucket list for as long as I could remember, but I had never imagined that my first glimpse of her would be from the deck of our own yacht.

She was even more beautiful than I had expected. Her soft blue-green patina caught the afternoon light, and the great folds of her robes fell so beautifully that, for a moment, the fashion designer in me took over.

I had admired many a beautiful gown on women walking the catwalk, but this lady was the reigning queen.

I lowered my camera.

For a little while, I simply looked.

Then everything changed.

** Police boats, helicopters, and marine Osprey carrying USA President Bidens security detail and Whitehouse staff.

A police speedboat came racing towards us.

The officer called Geoff on the VHF and instructed us to turn around immediately.

The East River had been closed.

The President of the United States was attending a summit meeting in New York and no boats were allowed through.

I couldn’t believe it.

We were so close.

Geoff turned Onyx around and we slowly headed back upstream. I kept looking over my shoulder as the Statue of Liberty disappeared behind us.

Surely this couldn’t be happening.

Then the whole city seemed to pause.

The river became strangely quiet.

Then, all of a sudden, police boats came roaring past us while the presidential motorcade, surrounded by his entourage and security staff, charged along the riverside freeway in a procession of black vehicles, flags flying, all under heavy police escort.

We watched it all unfold from the middle of the river.

Eventually everything went quiet again.

So we waited …. and waited ….

We had been told we would be contacted on the radio when the river reopened, but no one called. Meanwhile, the current was slowly carrying us back towards Hell Gate — and that was somewhere we really did not want to be negotiating at the wrong stage of the tide.

Then Geoff noticed something.

A small yacht was quietly making its way downriver towards Manhattan.

He looked at me.

I looked at him.

“If he’s going…”

“I think we should too.”

And that was that.

Without another word, Geoff turned Onyx around once more.

This time, no one stopped us.

** Manhattans’ skyline - one of the prettiest skylines we have ever seen.

We sailed past Manhattan, past Ellis Island and finally dropped anchor behind the Statue of Liberty.

** Ellis Island - fronting Manhattan- was once the USA’s busiest immigration and processing station for over 12 million men, women and children mostly from Europe up until 1954.

As darkness settled over New York Harbour, she was transformed. Floodlights picked out every graceful fold of her robes. Her beautiful blue-green patina seemed almost luminous against the night sky, while her torch stood high above the harbour.

I sat in the cockpit for a long time, watching the city lights begin to sparkle across the water.

** Another lone sailboat shared the spectacular night scene with us.

My camera lay forgotten beside me.

I had always imagined seeing the Statue of Liberty as a tourist, probably surrounded by crowds, cameras and people jostling for the perfect photograph.

** Our view of the Lady from our anchorage.

Instead, I was sitting on the deck of our own yacht, looking up at her from the water.

It was one of those moments you know you will remember.

The following morning, New York Harbour came alive.

Ferries. Tugs. Police boats. Tour boats. Helicopters.

The peaceful harbour we had enjoyed overnight had become a hive of movement and noise.

Our little piece of magic was over.

** *A close up view of the Lady as we journey past her and bade her goodbye.*

We weighed anchor and continued on our way.

Looking back now, I can’t imagine a more extraordinary beginning to life aboard Onyx.

We had barely owned her and already she had taken us through the heart of New York, past Manhattan, around Hell Gate, into a presidential security shutdown… and finally to an overnight anchorage behind the Statue of Liberty.

After all…

How many people get to spend the very first night aboard their own yacht anchored behind the Statue of Liberty

They say you never forget your first.

I certainly haven’t.

MEMORIES FROM THAT DAY