A New York State of Mind

A good deal of my Route 55 journey so far has been by sailboat or motoryacht. Pleasure boats like these move slowly, break down at the most inopportune moments, are gut-wrenchingly expensive to own, and sometimes exude a nasty potpourri of diesel fuel, bilge odor, and head fumes. But they do offer a front-row seat at some of the most mindblowing shows in life. Here's one.



This is Manhattan as seen from the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. The setting sun's rays reflecting off glass-sided buildings made it look like a city of gold.





We were entertained by some of the best fireworks I've ever seen, and for good measure, a big summer moon slowly sailed by the Empire State Building's spire. At one point it looked just like a huge pearl onion on a toothpick like you'd put in a martini glass.



This sunset shot was taken in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. There is no place better than a boat to see the sun strut its stuff, I believe. I could make a book of all the gorgeous sunsets and sunrises I've captured on film, and maybe I will now that I have the time!