We left Boston through the Narrows - mingling with ferries, tugs and pleasure boats and with air traffic taking off and landing over our heads. Our course was set for the Cape Cod Canal, the 15-mile shortcut that allowed us to bypass the long arm of Cape Cod and make our way into Long Island Sound. Unfortunately, the eastern entrance of the Cape Cod Canal has no anchoring space anymore so we had to go to the Sandwich Marina at the boat basin there. This was the first time in almost a month that Madcap has spent a night on a dock! Our last dockside mooring was in LaHave, Nova Scotia on August 23.

Sandwich left us with two impressions. The marina was clean and busy and well situated as a place from which to catch a favourable current through the canal, but we thought it took advantage of these travelers. The rate was the highest yet - $2.00 per foot plus $10.00 for hydro. They counted us as 40 feet which meant we paid a lot of money for a place with no laundry, no wifi available on the boat and no lounge area in which to connect ashore. On the other hand, Jim and I took a lovely walk through the town to discover several amusing signs to add to our photographic collection, and the home of Thornton Burgess - author of the Peter Rabbit books. The Burgess home was closed but we wandered through the sweet little garden and along the briar patch. No sign of Peter and his pals Jimmy Skunk or Reddy Fox but a terracotta cousin was nestled among the foliage. Some of the window signs in the village were "Wicked Goods" and "Painted Lady" - an inn offering "fire, food and froth". I thought that would be a good offering by any lady!! A nice twist on the often seen "Beware of Dog" was this one: "Be Aware of Dog" - same idea but a little bit softer. Sandwich's Sandwiches was closed too - or "Shut" as they call it here - so we didn't have the experience of enjoying a sandwich in Sandwich. Perhaps we'll have to go to England for that.

We left at 0800 hours and flew along at about 9.5 knots on the ebb current. There was very little wind so our engine was running at its usual 2600 rpms. After making our way across Buzzard's Bay, we headed for Newport where the mansions along the shoreline let us know we were getting close. One of our guidebooks (we're using the Maptech Embassy Guides and Dozier's Waterway Guides primarily for this part of the trip) told us that when we rounded the point into Newport Harbour, we would see vessels of every description from many countries and to pay close attention to our navigation lest our wandering eyes lead us into trouble. The book was right in the sense that a jaw-dropping array of ships was laid out before us. It was also right in its recommendation to head toward Brenton Cove for anchoring possibilities. What a delight to arrive in this fine and famous harbour and find ample anchor room. We dropped the hook just off the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, an easy dinghy distance to the busy waterfront.

With the log book quickly updated, we lowered the dinghy, attached the motor (which, by the way, we are daily grateful for downsizing), and headed ashore. There are two dinghy docks made available by the town and to reach them we cruised past and then in among gigantic luxury yachts. I never cease to chuckle at the difference between our little dinghy and their enormous size - and the fact that we both arrive at the same dock! Newport showed two faces to us - the hustle and bustle of the modern waterfront that was still busy in mid-September, and further back, the older streets and houses that we explored the next day. We met up with Blair and Mary at the Moorings to celebrate a couple of things. This was the place where they "did the deal" to purchase Strathspey, and it was 100 days since Blair moved on board and started keeping his log for this trip. We don't pass up many opportunities for celebrations and this was fun.

On the hot and sunny Saturday, Jim and I made a leisurely start, doing minor boat jobs and then heading ashore for groceries, flags, and books. We discovered the perfectly wonderful "Armchair Sailor" on Thames St. where we browsed through hundreds of nautical books, wishing we had many more dollars and bookshelves. We picked up a couple of new books - one can never have too many - and the Rhode Island and Connecticut flags. We like to buy and fly the provincial and state flags as we travel. Unfortunately, they are often hard to find and on several occasions we've found them just as we left the area. Groceries came next, and then it was back to the boat for a late lunch and stowing of our purchases.

We were torn between visiting the Yacht Museum, the interiors of some of the mansions along Bellevue Street, and walking along the Cliff Walk. The Cliff Walk won our attention so in the late afternoon we donned our runners, filled the water bottles, grabbed the camera and set off on the 3.5-mile walk along the edge of the cliff. This walk is a right-of-way across 64 properties and despite the mansion owners protests, was created to enable Rhode Islanders to "...freely exercise all the rights of fishery and the privileges of the shore..." Some of the property owners built high fences or planted thick hedges, but walkers still have ample opportunity to gaze at the magnificent "cottages". It boggles my mind to think that these mansions - having up to 70 rooms - were cottages where the owners came for the summer only. They are castles! We passed through the ornate iron gates and across the lawn of the Breakers - Cornelius Vanderbilt's estate, another beautiful one with gauzy white drapes blowing in the wind where a wedding reception appeared to be taking place, Rosecliff of Great Gatsby fame, the Astor's Beechwood mansion where interactive murder matinees set in the 1890's take place, and many other Gilded Age properties. Many of them are now open to the public for a fee, and I saw one sign that advertised candlelight and champagne tours. Others are privately owned and are probably still the summer homes of the rich and famous. What strange days those must have been, when people of such great wealth gathered here to party and frolic between Bellevue Street and the cliffs, while the rest of the people went about making their living along the harbour. With the clean up of the area around Bannister's Wharf, the wealthy are visiting on the harbour now too - in moveable mansions.

By the time we returned to the boat after walking a total of about 8 miles our feet were tired but our lungs were full of fresh air and our minds full of imagining. One day we'll return to see more of Newport, but after two nights, it was time to move along.