New York info needed - before 4th July

[bobnlesley]

Hi, we're a British yacht heading north to watch New York's 4th July fireworks; the 'plan' being to anchor near Liberty Island and get a good view up the East-River to the Brooklyn Bridge, which we believed was where they were centred?

This morning we've been told: "You won't see them from Liberty Island, the fireworks are in the Hudson River."

Any Native New-Yorkers out there who can give us a definitive answer please? We'd hate to sail all this way and then anchor in the wrong place.

[LeaseOnLife]

From macys.com:

This year, the 38th Annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks® makes its return to the East River and lights up the night from one of New York's most famous landmarks—the Brooklyn Bridge!

[Tempest245]

This is from the Local Notice to Mariners:


NY – EAST RIVER – BUTTERMILK CHANNEL – UPPER NY BAY – Fireworks Display
Mariners are advised that a fireworks display is scheduled to be held on the East River. The Captain of the Port of New York has established a
Special Local Regulation temporarily restricting vessel movement on the waters of the East River in the vicinity of Manhattan, NY and Brooklyn,
NY for the annual Macys Fourth of July Fireworks Display. This Special Local Regulation will be strictly enforced on Friday, July 4, 2014 from
6:00 p.m. until approximately 11:00 p.m. All persons and vessels shall comply with the instructions of the Coast Guard Captain of the Port or
the designated representative. All spectator vessels may begin entering the designated viewing areas at 8:00 p.m. and must be in position no later
than 9:00 p.m. Vessels are required to hold position and NOT anchor and not depart the section until released by the Coast Guard On Scene
Commander. All spectator vessels shall maintain a 100 yard distance from any Coast Guard vessel at anchor, at all times. Other Federal, State and
local agencies may assist these personnel in the enforcement of the Safety Zone. Chart 12335. LNM 26/14

There's also a display scheduled from Jersey City ..Same night

NJ – UPPER BAY – LIBERTY STATE PARK – Fireworks Display
Mariners are advised that there is a fireworks display scheduled to be held at Liberty State Park, NJ. The fireworks display will take place from
9:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on July 4, 2014. Mariners are requested to exercise caution while transiting the area. Chart 12334. LNM 25/14


https://www.facebook.com/events/3231...1138/?source=1


I believe the NJ Barge will be anchored in the cove just north of the statue between the statue and Ellis Island.. Which would have been a nice anchorage, but I'm sure it will be restricted now. There's another anchorage south of the statue if you can get in there. There's also the north tip of the Bay Ridge flats over near Red Hook Channel. You need to arrive early.....Your best bet might be to see if you can possibly get a transient slip somewhere, ( liberty Landing, Liberty Harbor, or Newport ( which is a little far north to see the Brooklyn Bridge) Then you could view them both from the park, though at this late date, that could be impossible.

You could always call the CG and ask for more details on approved anchorages.

[donradcliffe]

I watched them last year from the Hudson. It was a total zoo, with constant wakes and harassment from LEO's. You can't anchor, so you have to keep position in 2-3 knots of current (which reversed right before the display) with hundreds of other idiots on boats. After the display, everyone firewalls their engines, creating wakes which made it nearly impossible to drop passengers on the plunging docks. Its definitely off my bucket list.

[Tempest245]

Yes...it's a Cluster. As a native, I avoid events like this like the plague. I prefer not to be on the water with people with huge engines, who have often been drinking for hours.

[djmarchand]

I would get a spot early in the anchorage to the south of Statue of Liberty State Park. It is big enough to hold a dozen or so boats in normal conditions, but I suspect it will have dozens more crazies that night. But they will all leave by 10-11:00 pm.

You will have a great view of the NJ fireworks and a decent one of the Macy's fireworks about 3 NM away.

David

David

[hellosailor]

bob-
Hopefully you have the harbor charts?

If I were going to try it, I'd tuck into the area between Liberty and Ellis Islands, keeping east of the pipeline area but tucked in as best possible. You'd have a pretty good sight line directly up to the Brooklyn Bridge and somewhat past it, and I don't think you could do any better from an anchored location.

I have no idea what the situation in "Wallabout Bay" on the East River is, have never even enquired about that area.

As others have pointed out, the entire area can be a zoo for that event. Some years ago we anchored out on the private bottomland by Pier 25 on the Hudson, and since it is PRIVATE bottomland, public anchoring is not legal there. (Anything inside the "bulkhead line" on the charts there is private land, and private water.) By sunset that was ignored by all and some drunk literally dropped his anchor on our line, they have no idea that a sailboat swings.

So...when a USCG small boat came around, we flagged 'em down and said "drunks, endangering." and sent 'em over to roust the folks. Which they happily did.

Harassment? Didn't see any LEO's doing any harassing, they're just trying to deal with all the drunk animals before they drown each other.

Couple of years ago, someone fouled an anchor line in his prop and holed his hull with it, sunk the boat. All sorts of fun goes on.

Your other option maybe to find a secure anchorage (or mooring or dock) and hop a train into the city. Watch from on shore, where the drunks generally do less damage.

[marlinmike]

I would say anchor off the statue of liberty and there will plenty to see in all directions, the real problem is when everyone leaves, total $hit show, did it once and never again, we actually feared for our lives for 30 minutes while everyone raced around us on plane, so light up your vessel real well.

[TyTy]

I too was on the Hudson last year, but I was expecting it to be horrible and disastrous and stressful, and was pleasantly surprised it was manageable. The NYC Macy's fireworks are in the East River this year. Jersey City is going to have their own fireworks where you want to anchor. Coney Island and Staten Island might have separate fireworks. We are still making our plans, might go down to Sandy Hook and spend the afternoon, evening and the 5th down there.