August 15-16 -- Lay Day in East Greenwich and Passage to East Providence

East Greenwich Cove is a well protected harbor. It is about two tenths of a mile wide and five times as long, running N-S with its relatively narrow entrance at the north end. On the west side is the old part of town, lined with the docks of marinas, Yacht Clubs, and restaurants. These create the only negative about overnighting in the Cove -- the loud music which reverberates into the night, even on weeknights. The town's Main Street (and the Amtrak trains which speed past several times a day but have not stopped in East Greenwich since about 1988) parallel the length of the Cove. Main Street is up on the side of a hill; it protects the Cove from westerlies.
 The only other time I visited E. Greenwich was about 25 years ago. My impression was of a town that was down on its luck, having seen better days. It is still not "high end" with chichi shops, like Wickford, but a lot of new businesses have replaced the boarded up storefronts. I imagine that the town's center of commerce is not this main street area but it seems to be reviving. We wanted lettuce and were informed that it was a three mile drive to the nearest food market. But we found a large well stocked health food store and shopped at a nearby new CVS while the produce truck was unloaded. A pet food store added variety to the kitties' diet.

We really enjoyed lunch at Jigger, a diner, founded in 1917 in its current location, but since 1950, housed in the same classic railroad car shaped diner situated with its end, not its side, on main street. Two people had recommended Jiggers and they were not wrong -- elegant and imaginative diner food served by friendly waitresses. Everything was old fashioned except the food.

Next morning we dinked over to the modern public dock at the southwest corner of Goddard Park. We strolled to its, north end through forest land on a horse riding trail that overlooked the Cove. I realized that the park is on a tree-topped bluff, perhaps sixty feet high, which protects the Cove from easterlies.










 Then after seeing the beach at the park's north end (we could have anchored off the beach),

and a group from a community service organization that was having a staff appreciation/team /building day,

we headed back south through the central part of the park past busloads of kids from camps, a nine hole golf course and many picnic tables which may be reserved. We learned that a weekly farmers market was in the park near our dink -- so a day without food shopping was avoided.

In the afternoon we sailed the twelve miles to Providence, East Providence actually. The first question, which many people asked us was Why? Providence is the state capitol and a business, shipping and commerce center as well as home to Brown University. Most boating folks want to get away from the city but we are urban types and never having sailed here before, we sere eager to do so.

There was little wind in the Cove but it built and we had a few miles going NE wing on wing at seven knots, which elated me. Then it was trying to stay in or near the channel on broad reaches, during which we replaced the genoa with the small jib to ease gybing.

Nice looking Pomham Rocks lighthouse on the east side. Three hours and five minutes overall.
Our dock is far from desirable in just about every respect but it was the only place we could find in the city for a boat our size. It is next to a pretty good restaurant, and owned by the restaurateur but operated separately. The restaurant plays music until late and its bathroom is open only when the restaurant is. We are paying luxury dock prices, but without any of  the customary luxuries -- not even a shower or a hose with water.
And it was quite hard to get onto our facing dock -- with the tide pushing ILENE toward the Interstate bridge that looms over us and that would have knocked down our mast. This was not helped by the man who was assigned to catch our lines fior us. Totally untrained, he did not know what he was doing and held the end of the line instead of snubbing it

on the cleat, until the wind pushed the boat away forcing him to let go. Hard reverse got us out of there and he had learned by our second try. Well, we are here for three nights and eager to explore the city.
There was an outdoor concert by the Beach Boys; we were told that it included the actual surviving members of that rock group. It was about a quarter mile back down stream. The extremely helpful Harbor Master told us that among many boats anchored off the point of land with the concert was a houseboat and we could dink there, tie our dink to the houseboat and come aboard. So we met some friendly power boaters and enjoyed the concert.

So do did this family.