Cruising to Greece and back.

Many years ago, a Kiwi friend of mine told me that the three best things in life are
a) smoking other peoples' cigarettes
b) swimming in other peoples' swimming pools
c) sailing on other peoples' boats

When another friend has a Pacific Seacraft 40 and invites you to go sailing with his family for a week out of Newport, Rhode Island, you would have to agree with the Kiwi friend on (c) as that is about as good as it is going to get!

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
"Windaway" Refer:- http://www.pacificseacraft.com/html/ps40.html

Judy and I flew to Boston on Saturday 22 August. Ben and Cynthia met us at the airport and drove us the 70 miles down to Newport in a hire car. We arrived at the New York Yacht Club, Harbour Court, Newport after 19:30hrs just as they fired the evening gun and lowered the Stars and Stripes on the club flagpole. The ceremony was conducted with impressive dignity, showing great respect and patriotism.

The Andersons, Chace, Josie and Eleanor, were there to meet us and treat us to a welcome sundowner on the terrace looking out across Newport Sound.


Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.

We all had dinner in the clubhouse before five of us retired to onboard Windaway while Josie and Eleanor stayed in the Yacht Club for the night. Judy and I were definitely weary by the end of the evening as the early start from Bristol and five hour time difference took its toll.

The next morning was bright and sunny (and humid!). After a sumptuous breakfast in the Yacht Club, Ben and Cynthia were cast ashore to return to Cambridge as Windaway slipped her mooring at 09:30hrs and headed out of Newport Sound. Chace and I should have had sore necks from checking out all the beautiful sailing boats moored around the sound.

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.

As well as this beautiful John Alden yawl and a giant Belgium schooner, there were Hinkleys, Island Packets and Morris Yachts with hardly a 'plastic fantastic' in sight.

Not much wind was evident as we motor-sailed towards Cuttyhunk Island but an impressive swell was breaking on Cormorant Reef, just to the east of the entrance to Newport Sound.. It certainly made me wonder what it would be like on a bad day.

At 13:55hrs, we anchored up at Cuttyhunk Island and had a run ashore to have a look around. Refer http://marinas.com/view/overview/55_Cuttyhunk_Island_MA and http://www.cuttyhunk.net/

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
That's Windaway anchored in the centre left, out in the bay

After our tour we moved on to Tarpaulin Bay, on the south coast of Naushon Island, opposite Martha's Vineyard. The threat of Hurricane Bill the previous week must have frightened a lot of sailors to stay at home as there was only Windaway, one other sailboat and a motor boat in the large anchorage at Tarpaulin Bay. Tranquillity itself!

Next morning Chace and I explored the bay in the dinghy before weighing the anchor at 09:15hrs.It was another bright sunny day with little wind as we motored in a flat sea across Vineyard Sound to Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard.

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
The girls enjoying the flat sea.

Edgartown is a beautiful place with moorings in the river.
Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
This is the lower part of the river.

Chace and I visited the small museum in Edgartown, Judy and Josie took in some retail therapy while Eleanor put us all to shame by getting some exercise by going for a run. That evening Chace fired up the bar-b-que and cooked some delicious steaks. This has got to be the life.

In a game of scrabble after supper, Eleanor annihilated the oldies with a score of 190 points!

Next morning, Chace snuck ashore early and woke us with fresh croissants at 07:00hrs. I was starting to worry that Judy would be getting used to this life of luxury and would expect the same luxury and service when we returned to Tobin Bronze. I keep telling her that Tobin Bronze has 'character' but I don't know how much longer she will buy that.

For a change it was overcast as we set out for Nantucket. We managed to sail for a couple of hours before the wind died and we motored down the long dredged entrance channel into Nantucket. Ever since I read 'Moby Dick' as a kid I have always dreamed about visiting the great whaling port of Nantucket. We stayed on a town mooring in the anchorage for two nights.

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
Aerial view of the marina and anchorage at Nantucket.

The first night we had a very enjoyable meal ashore at the Boarding House Restaurant. Down by the harbour the fog had rolled in and visibility was only to a few metres but Chace found his way back to Windaway without any drama. The fog certainly lent atmosphere to the place and confirmed my belief that Nantucket would not be the same place without some fog thrown in.

On Wednesday morning, the humid conditions had been cleared by a nice fresh south westerly wind which made for a beautiful sunny day. We hired some bikes and cycled down to Sconset at the east end of Nantucket. When Josie was a teenager, her family spent a couple of summers holidaying in Sconset; which made it very enjoyable for all of us as she showed us around.
L ook in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
Sconset village and beach.

After returning the bikes, Josie, Judy and I visited the Nantucket Whaling Museum. One of the museum guides gave a fascinating talk on the history of whaling on the island. As a sailor, I have always looked on the long three to four voyages of the Nantucket whale ships with awe.

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
Around the anchorage.

In the early evening, Josie and I were looking at the weather forecast posted outside the harbour master's office. Our attention was guaranteed when we got to the hurricane warning at the bottom of the forecast. Hurricane Danny was predicted to sweep up the New England coast with the centre tracking directly over Nantucket on Sunday. Perhaps it would not be a good idea to linger in Nantucket! Gale Force Jude had done it again - as soon as she goes near a boat the wind gods turn up to honour her! The wind gods had probably been watching for her on Tobin Bronze in Vigo and it took them a while to spot her on the other side of the Atlantic.

The original plan had been to drop Josie off in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard early on Friday morning to fly home to Cleveland. We would then spend Friday night in Wood's Hole and return to Newport on Saturday. Obviously this was no longer a practical option; so it was decided to head back to Newport on Thursday before the wind and rain associated with Hurricane Danny arrived. This made a long day motoring back to Newport as, once again, there was practically no wind. We picked up a mooring at the NYYC just after dusk.

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
Shore party early Friday morning. Josie off to fly home to Cleveland; Judy and Eleanor to shower in luxury in the Yacht club.

Later that morning, we moved Windaway around to the fuel dock to top up on diesel and water. Sad to end a great sailing holiday, Judy and I took our bags ashore to go up to Boston to stay with Ben. Eleanor and Chace moved back out into the sound to ride out the coming blow.

Look in the Photo Album 'Newport & Islands' for an enlarged image.
Waving goodbye.

Here is Chace's summary of his return trip to Annapolis.

My brother, Dane, and I returned to Annapolis on Friday after an easy
return trip from Newport. We traveled through Long Island Sound and
down the East River past New York City, which is always a thrill.
Again, relatively little wind until we reached the Delaware Bay when we
had 15-20 to windward and beat our way up to the C&D Canal. Friday
morning was a spinnaker run in light air down the Chesapeake.
Remarkably, over three weeks, nothing broke, no sails were ripped, no
rigging failed. The engine started when called upon.

After you left in Newport, Eleanor and I buckled down for Hurricane
Danny. That Saturday we had heavy rain and 25-30 knot winds; nothing
particularly out of the ordinary. By midnight, it was pretty much over.
I did discover a few leaks in Windaway, however, although all had to do
with old gaskets, not structural faults.We watched a movie and played
Scrabble; she beat me again. On Sunday, Eleanor left and I sailed over
the Block Island before meeting Dane in Mystic on Monday.

Conclusion. What a wonderful cruising area it is off New England. We visited only one small portion but I would imagine it would take years to explore from Long Island Sound up to Maine. And that is without even entering Canada. The generous hospitality of the Andersons was certainly the icing on the cake. Windaway is a safe comfortable cruising boat and is one of the few sail-boats I would consider swapping Tobin Bronze for!

Judy and I had eight days staying with Ben in Cambridge but that is another story (or another blog) as they say.