Fata Morgana

Stratification of layers of air of differing temperatures and densities producing optical illusions, mirages. Named after Morgan le Fay the powerful sorceress and antagonist of King Arthur. At sea Fata Morgana can make distant objects appear to float above the horizon, it can make objects appear larger and or much closer than they really are.
I cooked some hot cereal and fixed coffee while the stars were still out and we left Napatree just after 7am. The wind was NNW about 5 kts. That made for a very gentle sail but since the wind was behind us we made nice progress. We could see surf breaking occasionally over the Catumb Rocks. We kept them to our left and Fisher Island away off to the right. The tide was just beginning to ebb out of Long Island Sound so we kept our course about 10 degrees further west to compensate for the eastward drift. When I hear the weather forecast saying Winds NW 10 kts becoming SW 10-15 kts by afternoon. I imagine the wind blowing NW for awhile then switching and blowing from the SW. It is usually more like wind starts to fade from the NW, wind calm, a little breeze from the W, wind calm, a little breeze from the NW, wind calm, a little breeze from the W. This goes on for what seems like a very long time before eventually the wind is strong from the SW. A few Lions Mane jellyfish drifted by and Sally rowed for awhile before the wind gradually began to build
Long Island began as a few smudges on the horizon. They slowly grew and filled in as we worked our way south.A particularly unusual looking bump near the eastern tip on Montauk is a radar antenna built during the cold war. Morgan le Fay"s witchcraft caused it to grow into what looked like a giant toadstool floating a bit above the horizon. Sorry but these kinds of things don't photograph well.

Montauk Lighthouse built in 1796. The radar antenna is off screen to the right. Not as pretty. Our original plan had been to spend the night in Lake Montauk. However Monday the winds are predicted to switch to the North as a cold front sweeps in. That could make for a long slog directly into the wind back to Point Judith. There is much here that I would like to explore, but our slow passage from Watch Hill, and the deteriorating weather forcast means there is insufficient time to explore the harbors and islands of eastern Long Island so they will have to wait for another time. We set a course for New Harbor on Block Island. The stiff breeze from the SW made for a rollicking ride. The wind was off our stern and we surfed some of the two foot waves.

It was about 1pm when we left Montauk astern and not yet 3pm when we completed the 15nm crossing.