Sept. 11 - Cruise 2, Day 5 — Pawcatuck Anchorage to Block Island, 18 NM.

 Underway from 9:40 until 3:30 so five hours and fifty minutes. The first few were under motor to Watch Hill Passage, a cut where the Atlantic rushes into and out of Fishers Island Sound. I like this picture because it captures the buoy on the north side of the passage, with the light house to the left and the huge, yellow, new, old fashioned looking, luxury hotel on the right. The tide was favorable but not yet strong when we passed.

Then came 13 miles of a straight shot to the red buoy at the entrance to Block Island’s Great Salt Pond. Autopilot did fairly well. This next picture shows what was happening.

With light wind from our starboard quarter, here 8.5 knots, the boat went about half that speed. We were faster than half the wind speed as the wind was waning and less than half while it rebuilt. More speed when the wind came up closer to our beam and less while the wind  dropped aft toward our stern.  Altogether, an estimated less than four knots on average, but we had no deadline. The sky had light clouds which got darker but never threatened though we had two three minute patches of very light rain. Chores while sailing included vacuuming and sanding a piece of wood so it will fit into its slot in the cabin sole. We had “lost” the charging port for the vacuum and foresaw dirty flooring for the duration of this cruise but it popped up today in the one place we had not yet looked for it.

 (Less happy losses are the Cruising Guide and Eldridge’s tide book. They are not lost — except to us on this cruise— they are at home, taken there by me to plan cruises and accidentally left there. Lene mourns not having the Guide, despite its age, but I know where everything is and can Google the establishments for the latest news on their services, etc. The best part of our Eldridge’s is not the daily tides, which are available on the Net, but the tidal flow diagrams. I’ve been using estimates during this cruise.)

Miles from other boats we had privacy for our cockpit showers. It was so calm that Cruiser made a cameo appearance at the threshold of the cockpit. His portrait also shows the Clio meter with very light heeling action, only six degrees to port.

He is so muscular, but such a meek and cuddly sleepyhead. 

We passed this working boat hauling her nets close aboard.

We were doing so well under sail, and the cut from the Atlantic into the Pond was so well aligned with our course that we continued to sail, into the Pond, to a few hundred yards of the mooring field. Only 1.8 engine hours in the 5.5 hour passage.

It being after Labor Day, there were lots of the chartreuse balls that we have to struggle for during the season. And some of the businesses are closed for the season. The Harbor Master came to us as soon as we were fast on a mooring and the price is only $30 per night, a bargain. The published price list, apparently applicable during the season is $50/night. We plan to stay three nights while some bad weather passes.