I BOAT NY HARBOR - ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES

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Customs and Immigration

                When arriving from a non-US port, call 201-443-0500 or 800-973-2867 for current clearing procedures.

Arrivals

                From the south:

                            Arrive off Sandy Hook at low tide time at the Battery (?) to ride the flood currents into the harbor.                   

                From the north via the Hudson:

                            No easy way. Since the current switches from flood to ebb at a later time upriver than NY Harbor, you'll be fighting the flood current at some point.

                From the north via the East River:

                            Arrive at the Throgg's Neck Bridge at high tide time at the Battery (?) to get a free ride on the strong East River currents to the Battery.  You'll then have to fight the current if headed up the Hudson.    If your vessel will fit under the Harlem River bridges, you can also get a free ride up the Harlem River to Spuyten Duyvul and a free ride down the Hudson.

Departures

                To the south:

                            Ebb currents lag the time of high tide in the Hudson.  For example, the current at W. 79th Street Boat Basin will switch from flood to ebb 2.0 to 3.0 hours after Battery high tide.  Even with a slow vessel, if you leave on the switch, you can get a free ride on the current out to Sandy Hook.  Sailing vessels, if headed down the New Jersey coast, can take advantage of northwesterlies after a cold front passage.

                To the north via the Hudson:

                       The current switches from ebb to flood later than the time of low tide at the Battery, e.g., the switch from ebb to flood at W. 79th Street Boat Basin is 2.5 to 4.0 hours after low tide. You can ride the currents after the switch.  If you have a slow vessel, you'll eventually be fighting the ebb current upriver.                         

                   To the north via the East River:

 You can shorten your passage from the Hudson to Long Island Sound by hours by riding the currents - depart from a location on the Hudson to  ride the ebb current to arrive at the Battery 1.0 hour after low tide at the Battery and then ride the flood current up the East River and out on to Long Island Sound.