I lived in lower manhattan 1972 -1981 and real human sewage with toilett paper flowed from 4ft diameter pipes into the east river then. It may not still be that way in 2002 I'll have to look next time I visit my mother. I would not sail in the harbor even now because of the memory. but to be fair I sail in Galveston bay and the Houston ship channel runs through it and I turn a blind eye to what is included in that.

I am glad to see that it is possible to sail in the harbor and a statue of liberty race sounds like great fun.