Day 3 - Tue 31 May 2016
Anchored – Block Island, RI

[I will add a photo later. It was not very conducive to photography all day]

The wind moderated overnight and we awoke to better visibility and warmer air temps than we had the past 2 days. Diane readied the interior as usual and we put the ingredients for tonight’s supper in the crockpot. Nestled in one side of the double sink, it runs off the inverter while we run the engines underway.

I was able to get a VHF weather report and forecast, and decided we should shove off when ready, so we weighed anchor just before 0700. The conditions were not as good as we hoped, with the waves on the nose making it uncomfortable, so I headed off 30 degrees to starboard to take them at a better angle. That tactic helped, at the expense of traveling more distance and burning more fuel, but I had to reverse course a half hour later when we were about to enter the shipping lane in fog with visibility of less than one-quarter mile.

My smart phone was finally able to make a connection to get some weather updates. I saw nothing to make me regret the decision to move today, but realized the first part of the ride would be bouncier than we like. There were numerous security calls by larger vessels reporting their positions and intentions. We saw no pleasure craft at all, but heard a few sailboats on the radio. The fog kept lifting to viz of up to several miles and then closing back in. We decided not to press on too far today due to the semi-rough seas, and rounded the N end of Block Island to enter Great Salt Pond.

Imagine our surprise to find barely a dozen boats in there on moorings or anchored. There were several dozen in the few marinas, but it was a ghost town compared to the usual season where many hundreds of boats crowd in here. I have no idea how many were here over the holiday weekend, but it is empty now.

With the weather being lousy and no reason to go ashore, we anchored in the only area where we are aware that anchoring is allowed, and that put us in 5 feet of water at low tide. Our boat draws 2.5 feet, so absent any wave action, that is plenty of water. It surely means a lot less anchor rode to put out.

We each had some chores to do after lunch, and have increased our list of things to buy. Before leaving, I tested that we had propane in both tanks, but the one connected only had a very little, for it ran empty this morning. I switched in the spare and that will last a long time. We were so happy with the result of the crockpot meal (yes, we snitched a taste), that we decided to make a chili while underway tomorrow.

With the wind howling pretty well, we sat securely at anchor, reading and then napping. Supper was a new concoction that we will definitely make again: browned pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked in a crockpot with onions, peppers, kalamata olives, capers, oregano, lemon juice and chicken broth. We added cooked orzo pasta to absorb the amazing flavors of the juice, and it was absolutely delicious.

Tomorrow we are not sure how far we will get but the weather looks promising. [Posting this late, I can reveal we are in Port Jefferson on Long Island as of Wed afternoon.)