Harbors That Work (And One That Doesn’t)

As we cruise we find that some harbors work better for us than others.  Our criteria includes proximity of laundry, groceries, and trash disposal, availability of a pump out boat, and an inexpensive and protected place to anchor. There are trade-offs, of course. As we cruise southern New England, these pluses and minuses become apparent.

Our first stop is Block Island. Besides being a delightful place, the frequent ferry service allows our son and his family to easily visit us here.  The downside is that the minimalist grocery store is extremely expensive, laundry will cost around $20 per load, and the anchorage, although beautifully situated, is a long dinghy ride to the shore.  In anticipation of our family’s arrival, we initially take a close in mooring which isn’t any bargain. The kids arrive, and we have a full day planned for them starting with a bike ride to the southern bluffs of the island, replete with numerous steep hills to climb.  The view from the south lighthouse is spectacular and now overlooks the foundations for five wind generators that some say will eventually detract from the vista.  

The view over the fence high atop the bluffs by the South Lighthouse

On the downhill ride back to town, we stop at a funky petting zoo that features llamas, a yak, an emu, a cross breed zebra/donkey, a camel, and a kangaroo – all to delight a two year old. 

We thought this was a very exotic bird - came from China and not what you would expect in a petting zoo.

Back at the boat it is time for lunch, stories, and a nap. That is followed by some time at the beach

Fun time wading in the cold water and playing in the sand.

and then dinner before the ferry ride back home. By the looks of our granddaughter, it was an exciting but exhausting day.

Must have been a fun day when you fall asleep as the tub is filling!

After our family leaves, we move out to the anchorage and spend several days biking all the remaining paved roads and hiking along some of the trails. 

The view from the Bluffs hiking trail - a new discovery for us.

The topography of Block Island is reminiscent of rural England with stone walls, stiles, and meadows with grazing sheep.  

How do you get over a rock wall when hiking?

 

A meadow filled with coreopsis

It is a long bike ride and walk over a cobbled beach to get to the remote North Lighthouse.

Delightful evenings are spent with our friends on m/v Amici in local haunts or on our boats.  It has been a wonderful stay, but we are running out of groceries and the laundry is stacking up. As lovely as Block Island is, it doesn’t work that well for us. 

Our next stop is Newport which, to many people’s surprise, meets all of our criteria for a harbor that works.  We find a great anchoring spot just off the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. The laundromat in the Maritime Center is convenient to the dinghy dock. Here we can also lock up our bikes for the occasional ride up the hill to a relatively well stocked chain grocery store or pleasure trips around the town. Friends on s/v Pegasus are anchored nearby, so we enjoy several evenings with them.  

Once restocked with food and clean clothes, it is time to enjoy this interesting town.  Newport is all about boats – boats of all kinds, shapes, and sizes. 

An Optimist Dinghy Regatta fills the Bay outside of Newport.

Daily restored 12 Meter boats take visitors past our anchorage. 

This gem is right across the channel from us.  Columbia is a reporduction of the original Columbia, a schooner that was supposed to beat the Bluenose inhead to head competition but sank of the coast of Nova Scotia before the formal race. 

Daily we take the dinghy over to the Newport Shipyard to see what new mega-yachts have arrived. One day we rent a car and make the 45 minute drive over to our son’s house.  Our granddaughter gives us a tour of the gardens and delights in the Snap Pops we have brought along to celebrate the 4^th of July weekend. 

Even the dog got surious about the Snap Pops.

With the great weather we have been having, another afternoon at the beach is in order. 

Two days later, the same crew joins us in Newport for the 4^th. We head out to Breton Point State Park to fly some kites, 

Kites of all shapes and designs at Breton Point State Park on a windy day.

and then go for a sail in Narragansett Bay.  The wind has piped up into the low 20’s and we have a fantastic rail down sail while our granddaughter happily plays with Legos on the cockpit floor. After an early dinner, they head back home, and we settle in for a spectacular fireworks display off of Fort Adams. We spend a few more days enjoying the sights in Newport.  One of our favorite bike rides is along Ocean Drive where dramatic mansions punctuate the shore line. 

Shoreline along the bike ride on Ocean Drive

One of the mansions in the distance along the craggy shoreline

The gardens and detail work always amaze. 

I have always found this gate to be expecially charming.

An interesting urn tucked along the road

We do love Newport, but it is time to move on.

The sunset view from our anchorage in Newport

Our next stop is Martha’s Vineyard.  It is a foggy sail most of the way, and we drop anchor in the outer harbor of Vineyard Haven. We are tired and call it an early night but wake up the next morning to find the wind has switched out of the north and our anchorage is no longer tenable.  In fact, a large sailboat is dragging in our direction.  We up anchor in a hurry and motor into the building wind, rounding the corner and heading into Edgartown.  The anchorage here is also not viable, and after puttering around the inner harbor for a while, the harbormaster calls us and tells us they have a safe mooring for us.  For the next four days we have blustery northerly winds, 

Storm clouds rolling in over marshland in Martha's Vineyard

so the cost of a mooring is more than worthwhile.  Edgartown also works well for us.  There is a nice laundromat a short bus ride north in Oak Bluffs and a decent grocery store a reasonable bike ride out of town. We spend our days biking on paved bike paths all over the eastern side of the island with one long ride all the way to Vineyard Haven via the bluffs at East Chop.  Meanwhile walking or biking through town we admire the many restored captain’s houses

Pretty restored homes abound

 and well cared for gardens. 

Gardens and flower boxes explode with color and interesting plant combinations

Edgartown may be the prettiest town we visit anywhere on the coast. 

Once the weather improves, we move to the outer anchorage where we have a wonderful view of all the traffic that comes and goes into Edgartown.  Friends on m/v The Pearl join us for sunset drinks and an awesome view. The nearby yacht club is hosting a junior regatta so fleets of 420’s and Optimist Dinghies stream past our boat. Our neighbors are lovely mega-yachts and other cruisers

Magic Carpet spends its winters in Georgetown, Bahamas doing varnish work and then returns each summer to Edgartown to take out day charters

Some more of the traffic in our anchorage - all sizes and designs

including someone we considered to be a mentor as we contemplated this change in life style – John Kretschmer’s sailboat, Quetzel, is next to us, the first time we have seen it since we sailed with him about ten years ago in the Caribbean.  

Beautiful conclusions to every day on a boat

We have been in Martha’s Vineyard for nine enjoyable days but we see a good window for making our next hop up to Maine. From Edgartown it is easier to go out and around the elbow of Cape Cod rather than back track to the Cape Cod Canal.  Although the charts make it look difficult with many shoal areas around Pollock Rip, the channel is well marked.  The only issue is that this is the foggiest section of the entire Atlantic Coast due to the confluence of the Gulf Stream and the Labrador Current.  We have a clear day, but as we approach the channel the fog appears although this time it rises only a foot or so off the water, and in a visually confusing manner, we see the only the upper halves of nearby buoys and boats. Once around Pollock’s Rip, it is a straight shot to Maine.  Along the eastern shore of Cape Cod we encounter whales, as expected.  We see five humpbacks frolicking nearby and off in the distances see much spouting from others.   

A humpback whales says good-bye as we head north

We keep our engine running at all times as the noise alerts the whales to our presence. Twenty four hours later we arrive in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

Singing the Blues (Angels and Malfunctions) in Annapolis

We arrive in Annapolis to gloomy, cool weather.  The mooring field off the Naval Academy is virtually empty.  With no paying customers, Bull and Bear, two traditional racing sloops that are normally tied up to docks, are out on moorings next to us. 

Bear on one of the nicer days of the week.

This is a busy time for us as we begin the process of shopping for the summer months and making a year’s worth of visits to our doctors and dentist in Annapolis.  Amazingly, almost everything is accomplished in one week.  We decide to replace our aging and very leaky dinghy as the dealer for our chosen brand is right across the harbor. Our new “ride” is a shiny inflatable with aluminum floor, and it is a definite improvement. 

Meanwhile, the weather begins to improve, and just in time as it is now Commissioning Week at the Naval Academy.  The high point of this week is two shows by the Blue Angels that occur right over our heads.  We move a bit to have the best mooring ball in the field for the shows.  Annapolis literally shuts down for this; stores and offices close, schools get out early.  And, the harbor becomes jammed packed with anchored boats – it is close to bedlam out there while we and guests that come out to the boat for both days enjoy relative peace at our mooring. 

Some of the crowds awaiting the Blue Angels

That is until the jets come roaring into Annapolis, then the noise is deafening. 

The dramatic arrival

For several hours during the Tuesday practice session and for one hour during the formal show we are amazed and entertained by these skilled pilots. 

At one point I am certain one of the jets goes between two of the light posts surrounding the athletic field right across from us – Burt disputes this but no matter, it was darn close. 

Two days later, we leave our mooring and travel about 15 miles south to Galesville and a marina we have been using for the past couple of years.  

The tranquil scene from our dock in the West River at Galesville.

We get a rental car, do some maintenance and cleaning that requires a dock with water and power, and prepare Exuberant to be hauled.  For the past year we have been experiencing increasing vibrations from our prop and now are faced with a choice to either have the prop removed and refurbished or purchase a new prop.  Neither is an inexpensive option, but we decide to go with a new and different style prop which will increase our motoring speed and fuel economy.

While the boat is out of the water awaiting its new prop, we head west in the rental car, stopping first in Chagrin Falls to spend a night with Burt’s sister and husband, and then proceeding to Wisconsin to visit our older son and his family.  With two boys ages nine and six, it is a lively time. The soccer season is coming to a close, and we are the cheering section at both boys’ games. 

Daniel is a pretty aggressive player, probably because he trains against his older brother

William's team (coached by his Dad) wins their final game of the season against the then undefeated league champions.

But the soccer doesn’t wear them out – our stay also includes playing football and baseball, flying kites and drones, taking extended bike rides, and going to the neighborhood pool.  My only salvation is breaks with Daniel to work on one of his passions – 1000 piece jig saw puzzles. We are exhausted and only wish we could get an energy transfusion. On the way east we stop in Mansfield for a night to visit with Burt’s brother and his wife.

Upon returning to Galesville we find our boat has been launched one day early, so we are not able to inspect the installation of the new prop.  We take the boat out for a brief sea trial and find the prop seems to work perfectly but the engine overheats due to a disintegrating impeller. So we drop anchor and replace that on the fly. It looks like we are good to go, so after a day of last minute provisioning, we cast off our dock lines to make our way towards Connecticut where Burt and I are scheduled to give a presentation at a Gam.  About an hour out, the high water bilge alarm goes off – a first for us as we momentarily wonder what that funny noise is before springing into action.  One glance into the engine compartment proves we are taking on water at an alarming rate. The two automatic bilge pumps cannot keep up with the flow so I begin pumping with the emergency hand pump while Burt assesses the situation.  A hose that attaches the shaft through-hull to the stuffing box has become unattached. With the engine shut down the leaking greatly diminishes and Burt reattaches the hose with the clamps. Once the engine is restarted, the hose just slides off and water again pours in.  With the engine off, Burt is able to wedge the hose on with a block of wood. We alert the marina and mechanic that we have a problem and make our way back to the marina under sail.  Needless to say, adrenaline is flowing.  The initial thought is to pull the boat immediately, but there is a northwest building breeze, the water levels are dropping rapidly, and we are too deep to make it into the well by the hoist. We tie up at a dock on a Friday and it isn’t until Tuesday morning that the winds subside enough to allow us to be towed to the hoist.  As soon as the boat is on the hard, the mechanic appears to discuss what needs to be done.  First, we notice that the prop shaft is 1 ½ inches too long.  It is removed and taken to a machine shop to be shortened.  But that wasn’t the issue with the leakage. It is a long story, but the bottom line is we will need a different sized stuffing box to make a more secure hose attachment.  By the next morning, the new stuffing box is installed on the shortened shaft, and we are underway for another sea trial that proves to be successful.  A few days later, with the appropriate weather window, we leave for New England, but with the delay, we will not make it to Connecticut in time to give our presentation, leaving us frustrated that we are not able to meet our obligation. 

We leave Annapolis at sunrise and motorsail to the north end of the Chesapeake.  

Sunrise while approaching the Bay Bridge.

There we anchor for a few hours awaiting the positive current in the C&D Canal. Upon entering Delaware Bay we have a tidal current against us and against the wind, resulting in several hours of unpleasant motoring into steep waves.  Cooking dinner is a challenge, but once the current switches, it is an easy trip down the Bay and into the Atlantic.  With our new prop, our boat speed is better, and we find ourselves approaching New York Harbor in the late afternoon with the optimal currents.  Rather than drop the anchor at Sandy Hook for the night as planned, we continue on through New York City, seeing speeds of over 12 knots at times. 

It is a beautiful late afternoon when we arrive in New York City

We eat our dinner cruising along the East River 

Each bridge along the East River is different but they all have interesting architectural details.

My favorite way to cross the East River - via the cable car that connects Roosevelt Island to Manhattan.

and drop the hook just after sunset at Port Washington on the western end of Long Island Sound.

A passage like that deserves a day of rest, and besides, Port Washington is the only place we know where the huge Stop and Shop Grocery Store has their own dinghy dock. We celebrate our arrival with a happy hour on Exuberant including two other couples we know through, among other things, the daily Cruiseheimers radio net. 

The next morning we set off on a 50 mile jaunt to the Thimble Islands, located just east of New Haven on the north shore of Long Island Sound.  Cruising friends have a mooring there that we can use, and it gives us a chance to catch up with them over dinner as we haven’t seen them since Marathon.  The real joy of the Thimbles is taking a dinghy ride through this archipelago of small granite islands.  Almost all sport one or more attractive homes of various architectural styles. 

 

Not a bad place to curl up on a summer's afternoon.

Some of the homes are palatial.

Others cling to their rocks.

It is certainly a magical place.

One more day further east brings us to Stonington, Connecticut, a delightful town of restored sea captain homes.  We wander the main street, 

The view from one home overlooking the harbor.

Color and details add interest.

duck into a lighthouse/museum, and take a brisk walk to the outskirts of town to visit the restored home of Captain Nathaniel Palmer. 

Captain Palmer's home, now a museum.

Captain Palmer’s claim to fame is, while on a seal hunting expedition, being the first person to set foot on Antarctica.  The base at Palmerston Island honors this discovery.

Despite its charm, our main reason for visiting Stonington is to rendezvous with our other son and his family for dinner. One of the hardest parts of cruising is the lack of opportunity to frequently visit our family, and with growing grandchildren that becomes even more painful.  We have not seen our granddaughter since last September, and she has grown and changed so much over the months. We are delighted that we will have more opportunities to visit with her (and her parents) this summer.  

Yup, she's a Preston - loves the beach and water and thinks Grandpa's big boat is pretty cool.