Tuesday, August 23, 2016

More of Newport and now it's time to head west..........

August has been a fun and fast moving month.  We put 1200 miles on the rental car and went all the way to Canada from East Greenwich, RI and then turned around and started sailing west.  The weather has been great and the water is warm enough to swim albeit not very clear up here in the Sound.

After a couple of more days in Newport we moved up to East Greenwich to moor Nati while we headed north to Binnacle Island,Ontario Canada.  Ray & Marianne operate a mooring field in this very protected cove and Nati was snug as a bug during the time we were away.  Since nobody was around when we departed, our stand up board, "Bridget" was used to ferry me to and from Nati.  It has turn out to be very useful.

So off to Binnacle Island.......land of pirates , food and other exciting things!  A good time was had by all and if you didn't have fun........well you just weren't trying!!!

First .......Pirates!  What do pirates do?   Go on treasure hunts of course!!

Pirates & Moms

They have "booty"





















Plenty of "booty" was discovered by Teagan & Evan.  Everyone knows it's in their blood......

Plenty of swimming took place this year as the weather was hot and sunny.  I do believe the grandkids have gills installed behind their ears.

Atlas on the board!

sv Ambasadore is good for jumping off!
T&E along with Amy

One day the wind was blowing and the tube decided to visit the island next door.  Here is Susan to the rescue......

tube runaway....

Susan with a new outfit!


We had fires almost every night and we missed "The Chief" and his firewood deliveries.  Also I had to make fires most nights!

Sparklers for the kids

Saturday came way too fast and it was time to head back to "reality".  The new "Shark-tooth Wedgie" is a great boat.  One load back to Toaster Heaven and we had everyones gear to the cars.  Thanks to Bob, Steph & Teagan for inviting us once again.  It was tons of fun!!

Shark-tooth loaded up

Our only rainy day....at departure!


















The happy cousins


So.......back to New England and back to Nati.  The "kids", as in orchids survived their stay in the head and it even rained enough to keep the basil & parsley alive.  All was well and the autopilot head/computer that we picked up on ebay worked when installed!  Then back to Newport for a couple of more days.

The motley crew

A movie and moonrise

"Brave Tern"

Tony & Judy, sv Lime'n were going to an outdoor movie night at one of the mansions and we tagged along.  With them was also Tony's brother Tim, direct from England.  We all had a good time having apps, drinking wine and watching a movie.  Oh yea........check out the full moon.  Not a bad setting!!  We've included another picture of the giant ship, Brave Tern.  We got closer for this one and we found out it is the ship putting the wind generators out by Block Island.  A real monster!





Time to move again!......first to Stonington, the sail was deep with not much wind.  But........we filled our water tank since we had one motor on.  The next day's forecast was 10-15 with gusts to 20kts from the NNW.  The run to the CT River was instead, upwind in 20-27kts with gusts to 33!  Nati did many runs with speeds to 10.5kts and she is now covered with salt.  This is what you look like after a salt water shower!!!!

We had to open the starboard u-zip to see!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Our New England tour continues.......

We are calling this summer the time of recon.  Having never been on the water in Long Island Sound or the other areas such as Narragansett Bay, Nantucket Sound and Vineyard Sound we want to get a good feel of the area so when we come back we already have our favorites.  One you can take to the bank is New Bedford, MA.

The hurricane barricade in New Bedford


When talking about going there (Anne wanted to really see the museum) some folks told us the town wasn't the best place, a little run down; maybe there are other places to go.  Well, that just made us want to go more and we are both glad for it.  Yes, the downtown is in need of more work but it appears they are trying.  The Whaling Museum is second to none and you can't do it justice in one day!  We had fun and had one of the best meals we have had in a long time at Elisabeth's Restaurant.  So......we will go back!


Fisherman saying goodbye

cobblestone streets

Old lighthouses



New Bedford can boast to be the #1 fishing port in the nation in terms of value of the catch.  In 2009 170 million lbs of scallops were harvested.  With 30 scallop boats in the harbor and approximately 300 total fishing vessels in the Bay, the fishing harbor accounts for 20% of the total US consumption in scallops.  It is inspiring to see all the boats in the harbor and the coming and going at all hours.

fishing boats everywhere



harbor view from the top of the Whaling museum




Speaking of fishing boats.......can anyone remember where this boat showed up?  Answer at the bottom of the post.......
















We spent a good portion of one day at the New Bedford Whaling museum.  It is big, bigger than the one in Nantucket!  There was a lot of history inside and included sections on the Azores whaling history, Native American subsistence whale hunting history.

3 whales displayed

The first edition of Moby Dick

The last whaler.....

Mr  Lopes

read the name in the center

walking sticks all around

more scrimshaw






















Some of you can look back and remember sumo wrestling a long time ago after a day of Hobie sailing in New Bedford.  Well, the beach is still there but the restaurant isn't.  However, the owner of the bar actually has a home on his own island in New Bedford harbor.  It's a little different but hey.....why be normal, right?

Crow Island
We had a lousy weather window leaving New Bedford but  decided just to go and miss the storms.  It worked and by late last Friday we pulled into Newport, RI.  Yep, after all the years of wanting to come into "America's Cup Land", we made it!  And by the way, only we could come into town on opening day of the Newport Jazz Fest!!  The boats in this harbor can rival any place in the world that we've been to.  We have only seen 3 Gunboats (two more in town are being repaired as a result of a t-bone affair during a race).
Coming into Newport Harbor

Jazz Fest

Boaters have a free seat









































Right now we are on a mooring in front of the Rhode Island section of the NY Yacht Club....very posh so I put on my Madccatter 40 t-shirt!  Our mooring ball is actually our friends on sv Lime'n.  They are out on a cruise right now so here we are....

check out the woodworking

The whole boat

We last saw this boat in W Palm Beach


So many schooners here  
Huge!  Note the sailboat going by.....

More on the town and Narragansett Bay later.  It's time for tea & crumpets at the "club" darlin'

answer......The Perfect Storm!