August 2-3 -- To Duck Island Roads Anchorage And Stonington CT.

Two passages of about 31 and 28 miles taking 5 3/4 hours each. There was some wind the first of the two days but it seemed to be from the NE, where we had to go. After going about 3 miles east we headed north toward the CT coast. When off New Haven it was time to tack back to port again, I realized I had been misled, by my instruments perhaps, and turned only about 40 degrees to starboard and continued motorsailing on the same tack! For the last hour we cut off the engine. Assisted by the tide, we sailed without motor noise for the first time on this cruise.

The itinerary had called for the Cedar Island Marina in Clinton CT, but Huck pointed out that by not having to up the shallow river into Clinton, Duck island Roads was about as far from Port Jeff and a couple miles nearer to Watch Hill, our next scheduled stop.
Duck Island Roads was created by the erection of two seawalls that emanate from tiny Duck Island in their SE corner. One extends west and the other north; they form protection from winds and waves from the east and south. So with gentle winds forecast from the SE, it was a perfect place and the first anchor drop of 2019. My college roommate, Stan, had sent me this present which came true that night.

It was a quiet night.

Miraval, being slower, got in later and suggested we dine alone without waiting for them.







The next day, ten knots from the south were predicted, for a nice starboard beam reach, but that wind never materialized. We put up the genoa on the port side and it gave a little help for the first half hour during which Miraval took this nice picture; thanks Huck!

But then it died so we furled it and motored all the way, first opposed by and later helped by the tide.
A sunny warm Saturday and I've never seen so many boats of every size and style out there fishing.






Also lots more ferry traffic into and out of New London, taking folks to Orient Point LI and Block Island than I am used to.

We passed close to some sort of overturned small boat but TowboatUS and local law enforcement were on the scene. No calls to the Coast Guard about this one, though they were busy with other problems.

But no submarines this time when passing New London.We passed a small wooden boat with two men and a huge sail way out to port being pushed along at less than a knot. (Wind appeared to be in front of us at five knots.) They had no motor and their rubber dink was likewise engineless. I was tempted to offer them a tow but they seemed happy.
The itinerary called for two nights in Watch Hill, a bit further than Stonington, followed by one in nearby Stonington, but we reversed the order of these two ports. Another good idea from Huck.
On arrival in Stonington we watered and fueled ILENE. The fueling, 25 gallons in the starboard-fill tank, which we have been using all season and will continue to use, was an excuse to fill the two water tanks and the four one gal bottles of drinking water. No water had flowed from the taps powered by the electric fresh water pump and I wanted to make sure we had water in the tanks before trying to mess around finding out why. Turns out the only problem was easily fixed: gunk trapped in the small mechanical filter just before the water from the tanks reaches the pump. Lene is a happy camper again. Alfie is not jealous about the attention we are giving to Cruiser, but asked for equal time.

We went ashore using the Dodson launch in Stonington, free (subject to tips) once you pay the $58.50 for the mooring. A very professional operation with lots of expensive name brand boats kept here by their owners.  Once ashore we Ubered to a nearby supermarket and got a lot more food and then took showers in Dodson's newly renovated shower rooms before returning to ILENE to unpack and refrigerate before going over to Miraval for dinner. The launch does not respond: "... alongside shortly" as at the Harlem, but rather: "...alongside as soon as possible".  We went during the dinner rush hour and though two launches were running, the wait was half an hour! If I had known, I would have lowered the dink. Good food, wine and conversation with our new friends but we had to leave by 9:30 to get the last launch.
The launch picked up the two men from what I recognized as that wooden, motorless sailboat we had passed. It is a classic Herreshoff from 1929, all gleaming brightwork, that they have brought up from the Chesapeake, in stages, for a big Herreshoff convention coming up soon in Newport.
Three calm pleasant nights interspersed by two almost windless days; all three days so far have had insufficient wind and we are on the CT-RI border already.