Playing Hide the Boat
29 September 2010 | East Greenwich RI
Wind South@5-12 kts, Temp 77F, Water temp 74F, sunny
"Dorade"
We left South Dartmouth Tuesday morning at our usual 9:00 am time and enjoyed another beautiful downwind sail down Buzzards Bay into Newport, arriving in early afternoon. After getting settled, we headed ashore for a walk and tour of the waterfront. As usual there was an impressive array of boats of all sizes and quality. We walked up to The Armchair Sailor where I bought an electronic chart chip for the new chartplotter, and a couple of books. On the way back to the boat, I spied "Dorade", famous as being the yacht on which the deck vents now known as Dorade Vents were first installed. Built in the 1930's, she has been maintained to perfection and was quite a sight on her mooring in front of the New York Yacht Club's Newport station (see pics).
Next morning it was serious laundry time so we were in early and into the Seaman's mission where we loaded both machines. Returning from a walk to do a couple more loads, we met a couple waiting and in minutes realized I had been in touch with them this summer as they were cruising the Maritimes. So we had coffee and chatted while the laundry finished.
In the afternoon we headed for the Tennis International Hall of Fame where we spent an enjoyable rainy two hours. For keen tennis fans it was really interesting. Next, groceries again, and a taxi back to the dinghy dock. But that's museum number 3 in 10 days... about enough for now.
This morning, we dinghied ashore for a walk and to chat with Andy and Sue from Spruce about the weather. A system has suddenly formed just below Cuba and is forecast to head this way bringing winds of 30-40 knots for Thursday night and Friday. Our anchorage would be fine for the southerlies forecast, but once it turns to the north-west, we will have no protection. So time to play "Hide-the-Boat" again.
We cast off and left Newport in a beautiful light southerly and sailed up Narragansett Bay to East Greenwich, the best hurricane hole on the bay. Here we picked up a mooring from the Yacht Club, more reasonably priced this time, and settled in.
The forecast is calling for the wind to stay up through Friday night, so I am planning boat projects. Here's the list:
Install new stereo (bought 2 years ago)
Mount carbon monoxide monitor
Mount Barograph
Adjust governor on diesel generator
Adjust water heater thermostat
Replace torn screens in ports
Whops... Another project. The generator just quit, saying there is a hot exhaust. But I know its not. Its a sensor... Top of the list for tomorrow, and it looks like I'll have lots of time to get at it. The forecast for tonight and tomorrow just gets worse... Winds 30-35 knots with higher gusts and flood warnings. Yuck!