September 4-6 -- Falmouth to Vineyard Haven and Religious Holidays There

The short passage from Falmouth, across Vineyard Sound, into the end of the large “V” shaped harbor of Vinyard Haven was poorly executed. It was only 5.5 miles so I figured the Genoa would be enough sail, though the winds in Falmouth were light. But the harbor winds are always different (and lighter) than the winds out in the open and the genoa was too much sail. We were going fast enough, about seven knots (until we furled the sails and motored) but we were not really in control and passed on the wrong, eastern, side of the green buoy 17, in the middle of the Sound, which was placed there to warn us off a portion of L'Hommedieu Shoal. We were far enough east of it that we did not pass over the single digit foot spots, but the fact is that there was a bit of surf all along the shoal where the Sound shallows out in its middle. But we got safely on a rental buoy, outside the protective seawall,

where northerly winds caused us to pitch a bit. The ferry dock is behind the seawall, in the heart of town, where they have conveniently placed a dingy dock.


Here is the largest ferry, the one from Woods Hole, coming in under a rainbow.

And while we did not lose our kitty in Falmouth, we did lose Lene’s eyeglasses and Kindle --  left in the Laundromat there. When we called from VH, the Laundromat confirmed that the articles were found and would be held. But how to retrieve them? The Falmouth Municipal Marina said they would not charge us for the 20 minutes it would take to walk to the Laundromat and back.  Aren’t they great?  But Antares had told us they were coming to Vineyard Haven and they agreed to pick them up and bring them to us!

We have been to the Vineyard before, and hope to come again, but this time, my primary purpose was not tourism but prayer. The Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center has a nice place only five blocks from the dinghy dock by the ferry pier, but for Wednesday night and Thursday morning, they had obtained use of the theater in the MV Regional High School. So we looked up the Vineyard's transit system’s bus schedules and found that the Number 1 line’s  5:07  bus from the ferry dock would get us there in plenty of time for the 6 pm service. I was pleasantly surprised by the Reconstructionist prayer book they used. It has different translations which put new meaning into the familiar phrases. The Rabbi sang beautifully, herself, and with a choir with a few good voices instead of a Cantor. There is a special melody that is used only once a year, for the evening service before Rosh Hashonah, which was lovely. In the subsequent morning services the music was mostly new (to me) and beautiful,  combining cantilation, Hassidic tunes, Debbie Friedman camp style songs, by Salamone Rossi from the early 1600s.... though familiarity is why we love music. Most people wore street clothes, and  no clerical gowns for the Rabbi or the choir, which was led by a pianist and there were no flowers. But Rabbi Karen Broitman tapped several talented members to deliver talks and extra readings and the service challenged the mind, as it ought to do. One attorney said he tried, but could not make the case for Abraham who kicked out his son, Ishmael, and first wife, Hagar, at Sarah’s request without argument, after having argued with God over the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Another professor spoke about whether survivors of horrific events such as the Holocaust, should remember and recount the facts, referring to the truth and justice commissions in South Africa. Another, the author of 20 cookbooks, spoke about foods of the holiday including the dipping of apple into honey in the home when saying the prayer of thanks to God for sustaining us and preserving us and bringing us through the prior year. She said that in the biblical days they were not talking about honey from bees, which had not yet been domesticated, but the honey in question came from pressing juice from dates. This made me feel good because aboard ILENE, in the absence of honey, I had dipped my apple slice into a pool consisting of the liquid syrup part of Trader Joe's Seville orange marmalade. We were asked to think of things we were grateful for and in addition to my three "B"s: boat, book and babe, I confess that the first thing that came to my mind was that Witty was saved.

We got a ride back to our dink from Andrew, a photojournalist who works in Providence RI but lives weekends on the Vineyard. He offered us the use of his house and car! I also met Jonah, a young software engineer who has spent this summer as a volunteer, working on the building of a 74 foot wooden scow to be named “Seeker”. We toured that project.

Topsides, looking forward from amidships.

Frame for a future hatch cover.

Notice the bungs.

Flat bow defines a scow; bowsprit will be added.

Cedar planks over oak frames, to be seemed with oakum.

We had the pleasure to entertain Olaf and Andrea of “Antares” and their friend from Germany, Uta, who they had picked up from Boston to join them for ten days in these waters. All three spoke English perfectly, except Uta who understood it but needed a bit of help articulating her thoughts in English. We had invited them for wine and cheese and they said they would stop by on their way in to town for dinner. But the weather had turned lumpy and rainy and Olaf could not get his dink engine started, so I went over and picked them up. I offered to let them use our dink to go to dinner in town but the weather nixed that jaunt.

Uta, Andrea and Olaf

Next morning we took the two women in to town with us and after Olaf got the engine working again he came in; we said good by and offered them hospitality in New York on their way south.                                                  
By the way, subject to weather or other changes, here is our schedule for getting home: September 6 -- Cuddyhunk;   7 --  Block Island;   8 – North Cove Connecticut River (Old Saybrook);   9 – Fayerweather YC, Fairfield CT;            10 – Harlem YC-- HOME! 
I have very mixed feelings as the cruise is drawing into its final days. Sure I love to sail and hate to give it up. This summer has been great. But one’s home port always has a strong appeal. We love New York too. I am blessed to enjoy both of my homes.