Looking for some cruising advice NYC

I am looking for some cruising advice.. We are planning to be cruising through NYC, East River / Hudson River around the 4th of July 2016. Have you been to any anchorages or would you suggest any anchorages to view the fireworks around the city? I know Macy's fireworks are on the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge.. Have you done this before? Does anyone have any recommendations or would like to share your experiences?

Avalondb said:

I am looking for some cruising advice.. We are planning to be cruising through NYC, East River / Hudson River around the 4th of July 2016. Have you been to any anchorages or would you suggest any anchorages to view the fireworks around the city? I know Macy's fireworks are on the East River near the Brooklyn Bridge.. Have you done this before? Does anyone have any recommendations or would like to share your experiences?

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We did the July 4 fireworks last year. It was fun and we enjoyed it but once is probably enough.

The USCG issues instructions on watching. Here is a nice overview of last year.

Coast Guard announces waterway restrictions for Macy’s 4th of July fireworks display

Unfortunately, the maps aren't coming up on that page.

There are multiple areas for viewing near or on the East River. You must get into these viewing areas very early and then movement in and out stops. The deadlines are 7:30 and 8:30 but better to aim for 6:30. Then you must stay in position without anchoring. After the fireworks, the CG then tells each group of boats when they can move again. Depending on your location, you might not be released until 11:00 or later. It's a lot of work for the helmsman. Best that you have people to share the responsibilities. Best to have dynamic positioning which very few people have.

There are certainly many cruise and tour boats to watch from with no work. Still there's something special about seeing it from your boat right in the middle of things. This years plan and rules will be released closer to the date.

You can also watch from a distance and still get a great show plus there are other fireworks on the Jersey side of the Hudson.

I'll look for more notes we might have from last year.

Notes on timing.

Before the fireworks we watched the Lafayette parade of ships with approximately 145 boats in it.

The harbors are all very heavily patrolled and watched on July 4. The USCG is on both channels 13 and 16 and you comply fully or else. Everyone I saw cooperated fully.

We chose the far north viewing area, furthest up the East River, for the parade. That meant from where we were, we had to pass through some areas prior to 6:00 PM so we were there around 5:30. We were close to Roosevelt Island. The deadline for being inside your zone was 7:30 and you have to be in a holding position by 8:30.

Fireworks started around 9:20 and ended a little after 10:00. We weren't released from our position, as we were in the last area released, until 11:30. Back to the marina around midnight.

We agreed that when our niece is old enough we'll do the fireworks routine again but if we're in NYC in the meantime on the 4th, we'll probably just watch the Liberty State Park fireworks from the flybridge while sitting at the marina.

Now, we love NYC. So probably differ from many here. We like the arts, theater, history. Oh, and my wife and others like the shopping.

So this is our local cruising area, and we love fireworks! Know how many times we've seen them from our boat out in the river? None. Too crowded to truly be enjoyable for us. I'd recommend taking one of the larger tour boats out.

If you're set on wanting to do it from your boat, the previous posts are right on point.

Thank you BandB for the fireworks info. It sounds like the viewing would be just as good at an anchorage on the Jersey side with a lot less stress. Any recommendations?

Thank you No Mast...I'm leaning toward an anchorage for the night so, like you, we can view them without the chaos. Any recommendations? Either East River or the Hudson would work for us.

I'd get a slip at Atlantic highlands municipal marina and take the sea streak to see the fireworks in NYC. If you make all the reservations now you'll be good. If the marina is full, Liberty landing marina would be my second choice. Let me know where you end up.

Great Info, Thanks so much!

Sure thing.

Atlantic highlands has a nice town with good food there and nearby. Also the ferry takes off from there.
Liberty landing is close to Hoboken which is another cool town and I think there's a ferry from there also. Other option would be to check out either surfside Marina or 79th st boat basin in Manhattan, but prices may be outrageous. I was quoted $14 a ft per night at a different NYC Marina once, and it wasn't even a holiday.

Great Options! We may go up the Hudson to Half Moon Bay Marina. Any Fireworks viewing from there?

That's up there. Don't know what you'll see there but surely not the NYC ones, which I recommend.

The areas for anchoring and viewing are limited. I am not sure exactly where it is allowed. I'd probably contact the USCG. This is really a tightly controlled area by USCG in their Homeland Security role for July 4. Liberty Landing is a nice marina. We normally stay on the NYC side at North Cove, but it is very pricey. They have a sister marina, Newport Yacht Club and Marina. It's very convenient to PATH, right by a mall as well. Good location. We used it because North Cove doesn't open until May 1. Liberty Landing is the favorite of many of our friends.

In summary, it's a lot of work and effort to see the fireworks from one of the designated viewing areas in your own boat. It is hours of effort for one hour of fireworks. We cooked and snacked and made use of all that time. Holding position is an effort for the length of time you must. We had DPS plus several people to take turns at the helm plus joystick control. If you have several of you to take the helm then we'd think it's worth it one time. However, if one person is stuck at the helm, they will miss the enjoyment of the fireworks.

I didn't include North Cove for two reasons. It'll be likely already booked up and the most expensive spot.

Band b, you guys stay at north cove after the management change? Any difference?

Being new to the trawler forum I now see what a great asset it is for boaters. First hand information from fellow boaters is the best information and cannot be found on navigational maps. Thank you!

Greetings,
Mr. A. " First hand information from fellow boaters is the best information..." HAH! Just wait until you ask about ground tackle (NOPE, I did NOT say anchor...DOH!).

I would highly recommend Great Kills on Staten Island as a place to dock (Atlantis or Mansion Marinas), anchor (tight) or moor (via the yacht clubs ). Great little village area right there and a few blocks away, and a block up to Hylan Avenue for the express bus to Manhattan or the ferry (both way cheaper than the ferry from Atlantic Highlands) You feel like you are in some little New England harbor, not New York City. We liked to spend several days there as our NYC base.

Personally I don't see the point and considerable hassle to go out (and worst of all, come back from) to see the fireworks from your own boat. My visceral reaction to the idea was "Oh God no!"

You could check with the locals up there, I would guess there are fireworks on one side of Haverstraw or the other. We loved the anchorage off Croton Point and used it every time we came up or down the Hudson. We'd take the Whaler into Half Moon, in another very nice village. You can take the train from just a few blocks away right into Manhattan. Half Moon looks like a nice marina, but we never docked the big boat there.

BTW, Atlantic Highlands is THE place to top off your fuel tanks, way cheaper than anywhere in New York.. we always topped off there on our trips along the east coast.

There are folks who use their boats just three times a year; Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.


Around here, boaters in the know stay in port on those days. We used to go see the fireworks but in a place where we could anchor and stay anchored overnight.


To be perfectly honest, all I know about NYC is from research in books or on the Internet, but I think the advice given to see the fireworks from a cruise boat or from shore somewhere is probably the best advice.

No Mast said:

Band b, you guys stay at north cove after the management change? Any difference?

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Yes. In the process of the change it suffered. There was a lot of festering anger around. Brookfield wasn't prepared. However, the marina today is, in our opinion, better run than the Dennis Conner era. The politics we didn't even attempt to understand.

The marina only has a maximum capacity of 32 boats including the sailing school. In reality it's a marina for 12 yachts. I don't think IGY has figured it out completely. Obviously they didn't have demand for off season as they're catering to transients. With another marina across the way in Newport, they just referred winter business there. It's been neglected for years, time will tell how it's treated now. We stay there for one reason only and that is that it's "on the mainland", in Manhattan, no crossing the Hudson. It can handle boats up to 175'. We picked North Cove when we had plans to do a lot in the city and return very late several nights.

I'm a fan of IGY marinas in general, but they still have to prove themselves to me on this one. Actually Brookfield, the owners, may be the ones that need to by financially supporting it. We haven't been to Chelsea, Surfside, Pier 40 or Pier 25.

I believe most people on this forum would be happier with the marinas on the Jersey side and Liberty Landing and Newport are better run. In many situations we would be as we've liked both of those.

I tried to think of something to compare North Cove too. Very unfavorably I'll compare to 5th Avenue Landing in San Diego. It's a boutique marina for 12 boats up to 300'. It is run as professionally as any marina you will ever see. It's secure. The rates are high but the service merits them. It's right beside the Marriott Marina which is great with 450 slips. They both have the convenience of the Marriott, being in the heart of San Diego, and public transportation. Meanwhile, North Cove has the convenience.

Two comments.First,they now alternate the fireworks from the East river to the Hudson.With the current,anchoring in the East river would be impossible.The Hudson is not any better.There is some limited anchoring near the statue of liberty,but make sure you have accurate charts,as that is a marsac area,and the coasties will be all over you.A marina is your best option.Liberty landing is the closest to the action on either side.

Did it MANY years ago and nice experience going in and seeing everything, fireworks were amazing with the city and all, but when it was done, OMG all hell broke loose. So my advice is not be in that area with your own boat period.

Marlinmike said:

Did it MANY years ago and nice experience going in and seeing everything, fireworks were amazing with the city and all, but when it was done, OMG all hell broke loose. So my advice is not be in that area with your own boat period.

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We were in the far North area so we were the final group released. That was actually a very good move on our part as we watched all the others, all the commotion, all hell breaking loose and then we just followed slowly behind. There we had a few boats come through headed up the East River to LI Sound, but most boats had come from the south.

Sort of like a concert or sports even emptying out and you just decide I'm not getting in that and wait until it's cleared out. We use to find that extra 15-20 minutes sure eliminated a lot of stress. We'd just sit talking about what we'd just seen or, if sports, listening to the post game show.

I believe they're using the East River again this year. I saw mention of the Brooklyn Bridge some where.

BandB said:

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There are multiple areas for viewing near or on the East River. You must get into these viewing areas very early and then movement in and out stops. The deadlines are 7:30 and 8:30 but better to aim for 6:30. Then you must stay in position without anchoring...

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NO ANCHORING.

I was with the USCG Aux in the summer of 2013 in NY.

If you do not have a boat that can hold station automatically for 6 hours, don't go. They have made it a very big PIA thus sucking the joy right out of it.

Ny is a busy big boat port. I wouldn't advise a newcomer to any anchorage for fireworks viewing. Tugs, ships and ferrys are running around 24/7 with large wakes. Police and CG boats are going to be buzzing around during the security zone times. Not for the faint of heart. One of the marinas on the Jersey side would be my choice for viewing.

Wxx3 said:

NO ANCHORING.

I was with the USCG Aux in the summer of 2013 in NY.

If you do not have a boat that can hold station automatically for 6 hours, don't go. They have made it a very big PIA thus sucking the joy right out of it.

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Yes I said no anchoring.

That's why either a lot of operators to share the burden or a DPS. There were a couple of boats really struggling to maintain position.