The weather forecast wasn’t all the great (thunderstorms, strong wind pockets, 90 degree heat, etc.) for the northern part of Narragansett Bay where we planned to go, so we changed plans to check into Newport early. Naval Station Newport is home to the Naval War College as well as a great marina. We had reservations for a mooring there. Things got a little confused, so we ended up on a floating dock, which for the cost of a mooring, was a great deal.
The trip from Menemsha to Newport was primarily sail, although we used the engine to get us through the outgoing tide from Narragansett Bay. The large mansions looked even larger than we remembered, and the harbor area around Newport was the busiest we’ve seen with sailboats our entire trip. The marina is just north of the bridge that goes from Newport to Conanicut Island, about a mile walk into Newport. In a community of military folks, we had plenty of help getting into the slip, and many offers for rides, etc. during our stay. Military hospitality is always great, thinking about it, we’ve had more than our fair share of kindness from other boaters and marinas throughout our entire trip.
Unlimited free laundry, showers and having the officers club playing “good” live music at the restaurant/bar on a deck overlooking the water just 100 yards away made this a fantastic place to spend a few nights.