We left Northport at 9:45, sailing off the mooring. The first ten miles were fine sailing on various port reaches. But once out of of Huntington Bay and off Eatons Neck, we were headed east with the wind behind us and there was not enough of it. I tried wing on wing and heading 40 degrees off course to "hot it up" as the racers say, but no luck. Against the tidal flow we were making 2.5 to 3 knots over the ground. Columbus could handle this or worse, but we don't have to...the engine was deployed. Arrived at home mooring 2 pm. Lene took the bus and subway to our apartment to get our car. I cleaned the boat. We will live aboard tonight and tomorrow night, as we did before the cruise, before returning with Witty and Alfie to our apartment,
So:
39 days, 28 of them in Massachusetts.
22 passages to 22 ports, 8 of them new ones, with 16 lay days.
766 nautical miles.
Only one day of rain -- 1.5 hours while underway -- and a few nights; but even more unusual: NO FOG!
A fun time.
Now if I can get my laptop to work or learn how to add pictures via edits to posts is iPad, you will soon get photo illustration.
And summer is not over yet.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Day. 38 -- August. 29 -- Northport -- 36.7 nm
Underway from 8:30 to 4:15. It should have been a straight shot from the New Haven breakwater to G "13", off Eatons Neck, the entrance to Huntington Bay, off which Northport is a busy cove. We had sails up all the way, but the motor on as well most of the way as well while we tacked first across the Sound to Near Port Jeff and then back across again to near Norwalk, before heading to Huntington. The tide was foul from 10 a.m. Northport is our only stop on Long Island on this cruise though earlier this season we did visit Cold Spring Harbor and Sheepshead Bay, both on the Island.
We did have a half hour of blissful close hauled sailing when the wind came up but there were no waves yet. ILENE seemed so happy to be slicing through the water so cleanly. But then as suddenly as it started it was over and we furled sails and motored through Huntington Bay to our mooring, provided by Seymours. This may have been the first time I entered Northport, after perhaps ten trips, which was not a weekend day and there was no wind. Normally both the wind and the other boats provide a challenge.
The only challenge was the black flies which have congregated on ILENE, the last few low-wind days. They like to bite our ankles, which a spray diminishes but does not eliminate. There were at least fifty of them today, standing on the stern of the boat except when they came forward to bite us. And as on the other days, once we come to port they seem to vanish, thank goodness. Is there any insect expert who can explain this phenomenon? And speaking of insects, we saw no Mosquitos this whole trip. Is is extra precaution taken by public health officials in an attempt to ward off the Zima virus?
We went out for dinner, this our last night "on the road". Tomorrow we expect to arrive back at the Harlem.
I did an analysis of our food bills during the first two complete monthly billing cycles of the credit card we use. These cycles were since we moved aboard in June. About 29% of our total food budget is spent in restaurants, as compared to groceries. This statistic has to be taken with a grain of salt because a small amount of credit card charges in grocery stores is for non-food items and some food eaten "out" is in coffee shops where cash is paid. But we eat well and inexpensively by cooking our own food.
A calm cool night.
We did have a half hour of blissful close hauled sailing when the wind came up but there were no waves yet. ILENE seemed so happy to be slicing through the water so cleanly. But then as suddenly as it started it was over and we furled sails and motored through Huntington Bay to our mooring, provided by Seymours. This may have been the first time I entered Northport, after perhaps ten trips, which was not a weekend day and there was no wind. Normally both the wind and the other boats provide a challenge.
The only challenge was the black flies which have congregated on ILENE, the last few low-wind days. They like to bite our ankles, which a spray diminishes but does not eliminate. There were at least fifty of them today, standing on the stern of the boat except when they came forward to bite us. And as on the other days, once we come to port they seem to vanish, thank goodness. Is there any insect expert who can explain this phenomenon? And speaking of insects, we saw no Mosquitos this whole trip. Is is extra precaution taken by public health officials in an attempt to ward off the Zima virus?
We went out for dinner, this our last night "on the road". Tomorrow we expect to arrive back at the Harlem.
I did an analysis of our food bills during the first two complete monthly billing cycles of the credit card we use. These cycles were since we moved aboard in June. About 29% of our total food budget is spent in restaurants, as compared to groceries. This statistic has to be taken with a grain of salt because a small amount of credit card charges in grocery stores is for non-food items and some food eaten "out" is in coffee shops where cash is paid. But we eat well and inexpensively by cooking our own food.
A calm cool night.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Day 37. -- August 28. -- New Haven YC -- 30 nm
Some folks, alright, it was Ilene, have suggested that yesterday's post was boring. Well it is true that it was closer to a log than a diary, but I do not get bored by sailing and enjoy the changes that the different conditions compel me to confront. And there were not many land activities to report on in Niantic. In fact I have answered a friend's question: "Do you ever get bored with sailing?" with a question of my own: "Do you ever get bored making love with your wife?"
That said, today's passage, 30 miles by the direct route, was as close to boring as it gets. A nice warm sunny day with not enough wind to sail so the engine worked all day, 9:15 to 4:30, with the sails up but hardly contributing.
So what to do on such a day to add excitement? A three mile detour for a passage through the Thimble Islands, where I have never been. They are granite outcroppings that are private and have homes on them -- No trespassing. One can anchor in the passages between them, but holding is not good and cables run across from island to island. There is little protection from the prevailing southwesterlies. Those are the reasons we did not anchor. Instead, we dropped sails for unimpeded maneuverability and took the tour. There are many buoys, navigational and mooring, and many islands and it took some figuring to make sure we were in the correct passage. A good day for it, with light winds, and we drove slowly. Many smaller power boats were on moorings inside, the folks just lolling about and enjoying doing nothing.
We have never been by boat to New Haven either. The marinas are quite deeply into the large, mostly industrial, mostly shallow harbor, near the city, several miles away. There were two anchorages. One is directly behind the massive sea walls that protects the harbor. We took the other, the New Haven Yacht Club, nestled in Morris Cove, on the eastern side of the harbor behind Lighthouse Point. They are friendly and offer a free mooring to transient cruisers and said it was available. But when we inquired we learned that it is too small in weight and in distance from other moorings for ILENE so we anchored about 100 yards away with plenty of snubbed chain out and enjoyed another of Lene's delicious home (boat) cooked dinners. The club appears to be small based on the number of its moorings, with most boats in the 20 to 30 foot range and the clubhouse is small and serves food only for parties. It probably thereby has low cost. Still, if we had more time on this cruise it would have been fun to lower the dink, spend a day and get to know the locals.
It was supposed to be a rather calm night, but despite being behind both the breakwater and Lookout Point, what wind there was rocked the boat. Not a comfortable night's sleep.
That said, today's passage, 30 miles by the direct route, was as close to boring as it gets. A nice warm sunny day with not enough wind to sail so the engine worked all day, 9:15 to 4:30, with the sails up but hardly contributing.
So what to do on such a day to add excitement? A three mile detour for a passage through the Thimble Islands, where I have never been. They are granite outcroppings that are private and have homes on them -- No trespassing. One can anchor in the passages between them, but holding is not good and cables run across from island to island. There is little protection from the prevailing southwesterlies. Those are the reasons we did not anchor. Instead, we dropped sails for unimpeded maneuverability and took the tour. There are many buoys, navigational and mooring, and many islands and it took some figuring to make sure we were in the correct passage. A good day for it, with light winds, and we drove slowly. Many smaller power boats were on moorings inside, the folks just lolling about and enjoying doing nothing.
We have never been by boat to New Haven either. The marinas are quite deeply into the large, mostly industrial, mostly shallow harbor, near the city, several miles away. There were two anchorages. One is directly behind the massive sea walls that protects the harbor. We took the other, the New Haven Yacht Club, nestled in Morris Cove, on the eastern side of the harbor behind Lighthouse Point. They are friendly and offer a free mooring to transient cruisers and said it was available. But when we inquired we learned that it is too small in weight and in distance from other moorings for ILENE so we anchored about 100 yards away with plenty of snubbed chain out and enjoyed another of Lene's delicious home (boat) cooked dinners. The club appears to be small based on the number of its moorings, with most boats in the 20 to 30 foot range and the clubhouse is small and serves food only for parties. It probably thereby has low cost. Still, if we had more time on this cruise it would have been fun to lower the dink, spend a day and get to know the locals.
It was supposed to be a rather calm night, but despite being behind both the breakwater and Lookout Point, what wind there was rocked the boat. Not a comfortable night's sleep.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Day 36. August 27 -- Niantic YC -- 45.4 nm
Yes, from Newport, which we left at 9, we had planned to go to Stonington CT, a lot closer to Newport than Niantic. But the tide turned fair just about when we were off Stonington, at about 2, so we kept going for another three hours to Niantic, where we had never been, always a plus for me, and dropped anchor, a calm night being predicted, at the edge of the YC's mooring field, at 5.
We raised sails in Newport Harbor and during the seven miles to Point Judith, heading 230 degrees magnetic, with the engine at 2000, tide and wind to starboard, we were going between 7 and 7.8 knots.
We rounded Point Judith at 10:45 and it brought up a lot of sad and scary memories in me of a prior encounter with Point Judith, before this blog began, a sea story which I will tell you about soon, though parts of it are written up in the decision of the arbitration panel of the admiralty reports.
From the Point the course was 270 for the 18.5 miles to Watch Hill Passage, along the western half of the south coast of Rhode Island.
Before we left on this cruise I was talking with an actress friend of Lene's at a party in Hoboken who said she grew up in Charleston RI. "Never heard of it," I said. Well it's along that coast. That coast is sandy barrier beaches compared to the eastern part of the Atlantic coast of RI, which is rocky ledges giving way to harbors. "No boats in Charleson", I said. Well actually, I took a close look at the charts and at the coastline with binoculars and saw two tiny inlets, navigable by very shallow draft vessels, into Ninigret and Quonochontaug Ponds. There are no buoys marking the way in, no soundings indicating the depth inside and no references in cruising guides to either pond. In other words, they don't exist as far as cruisers or the Coast Guard are concerned. But if the folks who love them would consent and a developer with lots of money would dredge, they could become the next Lake Tashmoos or Cuttyhunks of this world.
Early in the passage along this coast there was no wind so I furled the Genoa and close hauled the main, to provide stability only, and we motored at 6.5, dropping down to 6. But 45 minutes later, at 11:30, the wind came back, off our port quarter so sails came out again to assist, which brought the boat back to 6.5. It was another clear sunny day, with a bit of haze but we saw Block Island all the way to Watch Hill passage. At 12:30, the boat speed came up to 6.7 knots so we turned off the engine and sailed the rest of the way, except for the last mile and a half. We started sailing at only 5.3 knots with wind on our port beam. With full sails, we were making half our apparent wind speed. When the wind got up to 12 apparent, we got up to 6.
We came through the passage at 7.1 knots at 1:50 p.m., though the tidal current was not supposed to get favorable until 2 p.m. In Fishers Island Sound and elsewhere today there wore small wind holes. Microbursts are narrow area, short duration, destructive winds, unlike hurricanes because of their small size and lack of a circular pattern. These wind holes were the negative matter of microbursts. We saw wind on the water's surface everywhere except for the area, perhaps 200 yards across, where we were, where there was none. We sort of had to coast through them. We passed Latimer Reef Light to starboard and a race at the Fishers Islsnd YC to port before passing between the Dumplings, passing Bartlett Reef to starboard and then heading NNWto the Niantic Bay YC. Those last four miles were exceedingly slow, the tide was bad and the wind light behind us. So we furled and motored the last mile and a half.
Our sole need to go ashore was to refill our three one gallon bottles of drinking and cooking water. Before I had left for the YC on this mission, a couple in a dink came by and suggested we go in to town to see a movie. This entailed a dink ride of about one mile to the railroad and road bascule bridges and another half mile to Marker Seven Marina. The railroad's embankment cuts off the sea from the inner harbor, creating a sheltered spot. But the problem is that strong tidal currents run under the bridges through the narrow gap. It is suggested that sailors make this passage only at slack water.
No problem by dink, even on the return trip an the dark. We saw Indignation, based on a Phillip Roth
novel. Well acted and a bit strange.
A very peaceful night.
We raised sails in Newport Harbor and during the seven miles to Point Judith, heading 230 degrees magnetic, with the engine at 2000, tide and wind to starboard, we were going between 7 and 7.8 knots.
We rounded Point Judith at 10:45 and it brought up a lot of sad and scary memories in me of a prior encounter with Point Judith, before this blog began, a sea story which I will tell you about soon, though parts of it are written up in the decision of the arbitration panel of the admiralty reports.
From the Point the course was 270 for the 18.5 miles to Watch Hill Passage, along the western half of the south coast of Rhode Island.
Before we left on this cruise I was talking with an actress friend of Lene's at a party in Hoboken who said she grew up in Charleston RI. "Never heard of it," I said. Well it's along that coast. That coast is sandy barrier beaches compared to the eastern part of the Atlantic coast of RI, which is rocky ledges giving way to harbors. "No boats in Charleson", I said. Well actually, I took a close look at the charts and at the coastline with binoculars and saw two tiny inlets, navigable by very shallow draft vessels, into Ninigret and Quonochontaug Ponds. There are no buoys marking the way in, no soundings indicating the depth inside and no references in cruising guides to either pond. In other words, they don't exist as far as cruisers or the Coast Guard are concerned. But if the folks who love them would consent and a developer with lots of money would dredge, they could become the next Lake Tashmoos or Cuttyhunks of this world.
Early in the passage along this coast there was no wind so I furled the Genoa and close hauled the main, to provide stability only, and we motored at 6.5, dropping down to 6. But 45 minutes later, at 11:30, the wind came back, off our port quarter so sails came out again to assist, which brought the boat back to 6.5. It was another clear sunny day, with a bit of haze but we saw Block Island all the way to Watch Hill passage. At 12:30, the boat speed came up to 6.7 knots so we turned off the engine and sailed the rest of the way, except for the last mile and a half. We started sailing at only 5.3 knots with wind on our port beam. With full sails, we were making half our apparent wind speed. When the wind got up to 12 apparent, we got up to 6.
We came through the passage at 7.1 knots at 1:50 p.m., though the tidal current was not supposed to get favorable until 2 p.m. In Fishers Island Sound and elsewhere today there wore small wind holes. Microbursts are narrow area, short duration, destructive winds, unlike hurricanes because of their small size and lack of a circular pattern. These wind holes were the negative matter of microbursts. We saw wind on the water's surface everywhere except for the area, perhaps 200 yards across, where we were, where there was none. We sort of had to coast through them. We passed Latimer Reef Light to starboard and a race at the Fishers Islsnd YC to port before passing between the Dumplings, passing Bartlett Reef to starboard and then heading NNWto the Niantic Bay YC. Those last four miles were exceedingly slow, the tide was bad and the wind light behind us. So we furled and motored the last mile and a half.
Our sole need to go ashore was to refill our three one gallon bottles of drinking and cooking water. Before I had left for the YC on this mission, a couple in a dink came by and suggested we go in to town to see a movie. This entailed a dink ride of about one mile to the railroad and road bascule bridges and another half mile to Marker Seven Marina. The railroad's embankment cuts off the sea from the inner harbor, creating a sheltered spot. But the problem is that strong tidal currents run under the bridges through the narrow gap. It is suggested that sailors make this passage only at slack water.
No problem by dink, even on the return trip an the dark. We saw Indignation, based on a Phillip Roth
novel. Well acted and a bit strange.
A very peaceful night.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Days 33-35 -- August 24-26 -- Newport RI. -- 20.6 nm
Another cool morning. We dropped our Westport mooring at eight, and left Massachusetts waters after 28 day, visiting 13 ports, including 6 new ones. On the way out, south bound, breakfast was eaten and once out to Westport's red and white buoy, for the next leg of 7.8 miles, west to the red and white at the mouth of the Sakonet River, the wind was in our face, but not strong, so we motored along at about five knots. Then we turned a bit to starboard and were able to use main and small jib instead of engine.
A funny thing happened as we were turning north to enter Narragansett Bay at about 11. I heard "Roger!" from a boat going the other way called "Exit Strategy." A second later the same voice yelled "It's Michael!" He apparently knows ILENE, but unfortunately I did not recognize his boat or see his face. I asked for help on Facebook and one Harlemite, Jill, knew his boat name and his name and that he was a former member. Another Harlem member, Ellen, then sent me his cell phone number and I called him and left a message. Thanks, ladies and thanks to science which can connect us all so well.
We gybed up to Newport harbor and sailed almost all the way in, way past Fort Adams, before dropping sails and motoring to the mooring, arriving at noon.
The public dinghy dock we used -- at Bowens Wharf -- one of several, is not large and not overly crowded given the large number of boats in this harbor. I sent off a Newport postcard to my granddaughter, and visited the Newport Art Museum, which I last visited in 2008. It is still focused almost exclusively on Rhode Island artists, but has added some contemporary works to the collection that formerly consisted of representational works from the 1870s to the 1920s, Newport's gilded age. Lene meanwhile found a lovely shaded outdoor coffee shop and called friends and read. We met up and did some grocery shopping before heading back to ILENE.
This harbor is crowded with boats of all types, except derelict boats. Some Fort Lauderdale-St. Maarten-Antigua behemoths, power and sail, some former America's Cup race winners now taking out tourists, and some lovely little wooden gems.
We walked the Cliff Walk -- most of it. It runs 3.8 land miles along the eastern (more protected) side of Aquidneck Island, on which Newport is located. It is one of the city's most popular attractions and free.It hugs the rocky granite cliffs, reminiscent of Maine, at the edge of the sea, providing great views except in fog. The other side of the path abuts the back yards of the great seaside mansions, which they called cottages, that were built here in the 1880s and 1890s, including "Rough Point", Doris Duke's house and that of the Vanderbilts -- The Breakers. We figured out how to use the local bus system. The bus station is only a few blocks from the dink dock and the number 67 took us to near the far end of the Cliff Walk and after walking about three miles on it we got off and took the same route back from that point. ($2 fare, except sometimes they take only $1?) I had never walked the southern part of this walk before, or as much of it. The sea views are magnificent and I learned the unique sound that a wave makes when receding from a beach made up of a deposit of small round rocks, a crackling sound. I had just never noticed before. Part of the walk is paved, but other parts are
a rock scramble. Lene's eyes are not what they used to be so I did what I
could to protect and guide her because, as I have noted in this blog years ago, if either of us falls and breaks a bone, the fun has to end. We also did some shopping. Lene occasionally gets herself into a
shopping frenzy, which can be cured only by the spending of some money. But seriously, our purchases were reasonable, shoes at Rockport and a new rubber rug for the galley sole, to replace the one that blew away off Greenwich on day one.
We had an early dinner at Scales and Shells, a fish house on Thames St., the main waterfront drag. I have eaten there almost every time I have visited Newport, starting over 20 years ago. It is the place I first tasted fried calamari and it was even better this time.
We had planned to stay only two days but the Admiral did not like the thought of beating into SW winds on the third day so we elected to stay an extra day, and push back our expected arrival date at the Harlem for a day. In fact in 2008, on our three month cruise of Maine, we did an overnight from here and reached the Harlem pin one day.
We had to change moorings in the morning because the one we were on was reserved for someone else. And having raised the dink in anticipation of departure, we took the Olp Port Marine's public launch for the third day's shore activities ($3/person each way.) this made our return, at different times, easy. Lene took in the Tennis Hall of Fame and I visited Rough House and completed the Cliff Walk to its southern end, again using the number 67 bus. I have toured The Breakers, which is more magnificent, several times. rough House was also built by a Vanderbilt, a different member of the family, but purchased by Doris Duke's parents and given to her. It is furnished with objects of art that she left in the house when she gave it the the foundation. The Breakers is one of about half a dozen mansions that are operated by a common trust. Rough House is separate and, I learned, charges the
highest admission, $25, for a very well docented tour. I also visited the new small museum of the history of Newport, free, and was surprised to learn that it ends with the gilded age.
A funny thing happened as we were turning north to enter Narragansett Bay at about 11. I heard "Roger!" from a boat going the other way called "Exit Strategy." A second later the same voice yelled "It's Michael!" He apparently knows ILENE, but unfortunately I did not recognize his boat or see his face. I asked for help on Facebook and one Harlemite, Jill, knew his boat name and his name and that he was a former member. Another Harlem member, Ellen, then sent me his cell phone number and I called him and left a message. Thanks, ladies and thanks to science which can connect us all so well.
We gybed up to Newport harbor and sailed almost all the way in, way past Fort Adams, before dropping sails and motoring to the mooring, arriving at noon.
The public dinghy dock we used -- at Bowens Wharf -- one of several, is not large and not overly crowded given the large number of boats in this harbor. I sent off a Newport postcard to my granddaughter, and visited the Newport Art Museum, which I last visited in 2008. It is still focused almost exclusively on Rhode Island artists, but has added some contemporary works to the collection that formerly consisted of representational works from the 1870s to the 1920s, Newport's gilded age. Lene meanwhile found a lovely shaded outdoor coffee shop and called friends and read. We met up and did some grocery shopping before heading back to ILENE.
This harbor is crowded with boats of all types, except derelict boats. Some Fort Lauderdale-St. Maarten-Antigua behemoths, power and sail, some former America's Cup race winners now taking out tourists, and some lovely little wooden gems.
We walked the Cliff Walk -- most of it. It runs 3.8 land miles along the eastern (more protected) side of Aquidneck Island, on which Newport is located. It is one of the city's most popular attractions and free.It hugs the rocky granite cliffs, reminiscent of Maine, at the edge of the sea, providing great views except in fog. The other side of the path abuts the back yards of the great seaside mansions, which they called cottages, that were built here in the 1880s and 1890s, including "Rough Point", Doris Duke's house and that of the Vanderbilts -- The Breakers. We figured out how to use the local bus system. The bus station is only a few blocks from the dink dock and the number 67 took us to near the far end of the Cliff Walk and after walking about three miles on it we got off and took the same route back from that point. ($2 fare, except sometimes they take only $1?) I had never walked the southern part of this walk before, or as much of it. The sea views are magnificent and I learned the unique sound that a wave makes when receding from a beach made up of a deposit of small round rocks, a crackling sound. I had just never noticed before. Part of the walk is paved, but other parts are
a rock scramble. Lene's eyes are not what they used to be so I did what I
could to protect and guide her because, as I have noted in this blog years ago, if either of us falls and breaks a bone, the fun has to end. We also did some shopping. Lene occasionally gets herself into a
shopping frenzy, which can be cured only by the spending of some money. But seriously, our purchases were reasonable, shoes at Rockport and a new rubber rug for the galley sole, to replace the one that blew away off Greenwich on day one.
We had an early dinner at Scales and Shells, a fish house on Thames St., the main waterfront drag. I have eaten there almost every time I have visited Newport, starting over 20 years ago. It is the place I first tasted fried calamari and it was even better this time.
We had planned to stay only two days but the Admiral did not like the thought of beating into SW winds on the third day so we elected to stay an extra day, and push back our expected arrival date at the Harlem for a day. In fact in 2008, on our three month cruise of Maine, we did an overnight from here and reached the Harlem pin one day.
We had to change moorings in the morning because the one we were on was reserved for someone else. And having raised the dink in anticipation of departure, we took the Olp Port Marine's public launch for the third day's shore activities ($3/person each way.) this made our return, at different times, easy. Lene took in the Tennis Hall of Fame and I visited Rough House and completed the Cliff Walk to its southern end, again using the number 67 bus. I have toured The Breakers, which is more magnificent, several times. rough House was also built by a Vanderbilt, a different member of the family, but purchased by Doris Duke's parents and given to her. It is furnished with objects of art that she left in the house when she gave it the the foundation. The Breakers is one of about half a dozen mansions that are operated by a common trust. Rough House is separate and, I learned, charges the
highest admission, $25, for a very well docented tour. I also visited the new small museum of the history of Newport, free, and was surprised to learn that it ends with the gilded age.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Day 32 -- August 23 -- Westport Mass -- 12.2 nm
Underway 8 to 11 this morning. We should have used the Genoa because of light wind, but what's the rush. With NW wind we made the plotted line, on a very close reach until clearing The Wildcat, a bunch of rocks with an old wreck on it off Gooseberry Neck. Then we had to go more north and it was tacking to the mouth of the river. I had been to Westport twice before, but the last time was 1996 or earlier, because Lene had never been here.
The first time, it was a grey, stormy and foggy day. Two Mile Ledge had large breakers crashing on it which scared the heck out of the three or four small Harlem cruisers still outside, including me on my first boat, "Just Cause", a Pearson 28. We wanted to come in but did not have radar or GPS. Selwyn, my mentor, and Evie, on their Tartan 31, "Evie F", slipped his mooring in the shelter of the harbor, came back out, located each of us on radar, came close enough for us to see him,
and told us via VHF to follow him and each other, single file, and led us in to safety. A good shepherd and a Good Samaritan.
Today it was chilly (jeans and foulie tops until we came inland) but clear and sunny and easy to find the river mouth and follow the buoys up the river. Moored boats on both sides of the river also mark the channel. There are a lot more moorings here than last time.
The Westport River is the harbor, with a curving channel running through it as well as a tidal current of up to three knots. We had reservations with Tripp, but first wanted to refuel. The fuel dock had a large power boat fueling and we were told to stand by. We turned, facing the incoming current and gave just enough fuel to maintain a geostationary position, going three knots through the water, but near zero over the bottom. 19.9 gallons since Hyannis. We were on our mooring by noon. The mooring balls are interesting. They are smaller and Tripp tells you to pick up the whole ball, and put it on deck and reach down to pull up the heavier pennant below.
The primary purpose of out visit here, other than that it is a beautiful spot, was so Lene could rendezvous with Janie and Donna, childhood friends who Lene had not seen since high school in Brooklyn several decades ago. They drove us for a propane refill and groceries and to Donna's very nicely refurbished, comfortable 1820's home where we picked up kitty litter that Lene had shipped there. After unloading and stowing we went back to shore, were joined by Donna's wife, Vicki, had dinner at the local restaurant, overlooking the river, Back Eddy, and some wine aboard with the friends.
The marina's launch charges only $1 per person per ride so the dink had a rest day on its davit bar. A very pleasant day for Lene, and I got to meet some new friends.
The first time, it was a grey, stormy and foggy day. Two Mile Ledge had large breakers crashing on it which scared the heck out of the three or four small Harlem cruisers still outside, including me on my first boat, "Just Cause", a Pearson 28. We wanted to come in but did not have radar or GPS. Selwyn, my mentor, and Evie, on their Tartan 31, "Evie F", slipped his mooring in the shelter of the harbor, came back out, located each of us on radar, came close enough for us to see him,
and told us via VHF to follow him and each other, single file, and led us in to safety. A good shepherd and a Good Samaritan.
Today it was chilly (jeans and foulie tops until we came inland) but clear and sunny and easy to find the river mouth and follow the buoys up the river. Moored boats on both sides of the river also mark the channel. There are a lot more moorings here than last time.
The Westport River is the harbor, with a curving channel running through it as well as a tidal current of up to three knots. We had reservations with Tripp, but first wanted to refuel. The fuel dock had a large power boat fueling and we were told to stand by. We turned, facing the incoming current and gave just enough fuel to maintain a geostationary position, going three knots through the water, but near zero over the bottom. 19.9 gallons since Hyannis. We were on our mooring by noon. The mooring balls are interesting. They are smaller and Tripp tells you to pick up the whole ball, and put it on deck and reach down to pull up the heavier pennant below.
The primary purpose of out visit here, other than that it is a beautiful spot, was so Lene could rendezvous with Janie and Donna, childhood friends who Lene had not seen since high school in Brooklyn several decades ago. They drove us for a propane refill and groceries and to Donna's very nicely refurbished, comfortable 1820's home where we picked up kitty litter that Lene had shipped there. After unloading and stowing we went back to shore, were joined by Donna's wife, Vicki, had dinner at the local restaurant, overlooking the river, Back Eddy, and some wine aboard with the friends.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Days 30 and 31 -- August 21-22 -- Cuttyhunk -- 14.5 nm
I planned to leave Tashmoo at eleven a.m. I had read that this would be one hour before high tide. But I saw that it was already high at 10:30 so we left then, and had no less than ten feet under us on the way out. (So we did not come in at high tide two days earlier!) Once out, we raised full sails and tried wing on wing for a while, heading about 280 magnetic. Then a broad reach, followed by dead air (during which we motored for five minutes) before the wind came back. But now it was on our port bow and then port beam. So wind came from all over the place and at all speeds from zero to 19 wind units.
Passing through Quick's Hole back into Buzzards Bay was easy. It is wide and we gybed in it. It was warm and sunny and a pleasure to sail. We saw about fifteen boats anchored in single file at the western side of this hole, including three sailboats. I want to investigate whether this can be done safely overnight, and in what wind conditions. We took a mooring in the inner harbor of Cuddyhunk at 2:30 after four hours underway. Our speed under sail varied between zero and 7.4 knots. And our average speed was about 3.6 knots.
I marvel at old time sailors' ability to navigate to a destination by dead reckoning. One goes off course in gusts and speed is never constant and has to be measured through the water with set and drift (which are also constantly changing) needing to be factored in. Our chart plotter tells me where I am, what direction I'm actually moving (not heading) and how fast I'm actually going across the surface of the earth. It makes sailing very easy -- until the electronic toy breaks or looses juice. Still, near shore (at least by day and without fog), one can take bearings on notable landmarks and have a pretty good idea where one is. And far off shore, until one approaches shore, it is less important to know exactly where you are.
We lowered the dink but dined aboard both nights here. A sloop, "R and R", took the mooring next to us. Parents with a son and daughter. The kids were good at following instructions of the father to perform needed tasks. Then I saw father and son in their dink, struggling to get their outboard to start. After a few minutes I offered them ours so the kids were able to get their ice cream after all. I get help from so many folks that it's a pleasure to be able to give back.
The moorings here were apparently reset since the last time we were in the inner harbor. (In 2013 we anchored in the less protected outer harbor.) They seem much closer than before, too darn close for comfort, privacy or safety.
It rained our first night but the days have been lovely, clear, bright, warm but not hot and evenings of late have called for a light quilt, reminding us that fall is on its way.
We dinked ashore in search of fresh fish, remembering a time when we approached the dock from land and saw a thick rope hanging down from a scaffold --- which turned out to be half a swordfish. That time we paid for a healthy slice and cooked it immediately once aboard. But alas, those days are over. There is a new man who brings fish to Cuttyhunk (though not today) but he gets his fish from the markets in New Bedford, not from the sea. We got a Cuttyhunk postcard, walked to the top for the views (Newport bridge towers, New Bedford, and the Vineyard) got two gallons of water and 1.5 of diesel in our auxiliary yellow tank. There was a restaurant and a B and B called the Fishing Club at which I had breakfast once with Jim, K.C. and Art maybe ten years ago. The B and B is still here but the restaurant is gone. Young men still cruise around in the mooring field offering plates of raw bar, and cooked lobsters can be purchased at a stand near the dinghy dock. However, the former restaurant is now a gift shop, though the tiny food market is still here. You think nothing changes in a small island like this, winter population 15, but changes do take place.
Passing through Quick's Hole back into Buzzards Bay was easy. It is wide and we gybed in it. It was warm and sunny and a pleasure to sail. We saw about fifteen boats anchored in single file at the western side of this hole, including three sailboats. I want to investigate whether this can be done safely overnight, and in what wind conditions. We took a mooring in the inner harbor of Cuddyhunk at 2:30 after four hours underway. Our speed under sail varied between zero and 7.4 knots. And our average speed was about 3.6 knots.
I marvel at old time sailors' ability to navigate to a destination by dead reckoning. One goes off course in gusts and speed is never constant and has to be measured through the water with set and drift (which are also constantly changing) needing to be factored in. Our chart plotter tells me where I am, what direction I'm actually moving (not heading) and how fast I'm actually going across the surface of the earth. It makes sailing very easy -- until the electronic toy breaks or looses juice. Still, near shore (at least by day and without fog), one can take bearings on notable landmarks and have a pretty good idea where one is. And far off shore, until one approaches shore, it is less important to know exactly where you are.
We lowered the dink but dined aboard both nights here. A sloop, "R and R", took the mooring next to us. Parents with a son and daughter. The kids were good at following instructions of the father to perform needed tasks. Then I saw father and son in their dink, struggling to get their outboard to start. After a few minutes I offered them ours so the kids were able to get their ice cream after all. I get help from so many folks that it's a pleasure to be able to give back.
The moorings here were apparently reset since the last time we were in the inner harbor. (In 2013 we anchored in the less protected outer harbor.) They seem much closer than before, too darn close for comfort, privacy or safety.
It rained our first night but the days have been lovely, clear, bright, warm but not hot and evenings of late have called for a light quilt, reminding us that fall is on its way.
We dinked ashore in search of fresh fish, remembering a time when we approached the dock from land and saw a thick rope hanging down from a scaffold --- which turned out to be half a swordfish. That time we paid for a healthy slice and cooked it immediately once aboard. But alas, those days are over. There is a new man who brings fish to Cuttyhunk (though not today) but he gets his fish from the markets in New Bedford, not from the sea. We got a Cuttyhunk postcard, walked to the top for the views (Newport bridge towers, New Bedford, and the Vineyard) got two gallons of water and 1.5 of diesel in our auxiliary yellow tank. There was a restaurant and a B and B called the Fishing Club at which I had breakfast once with Jim, K.C. and Art maybe ten years ago. The B and B is still here but the restaurant is gone. Young men still cruise around in the mooring field offering plates of raw bar, and cooked lobsters can be purchased at a stand near the dinghy dock. However, the former restaurant is now a gift shop, though the tiny food market is still here. You think nothing changes in a small island like this, winter population 15, but changes do take place.
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