The spot where we stopped last night was another of those times where she was right and I was wrong. As we came in she suggested that we anchor off Duck Island, just inside the breakwater whereas I wanted to anchor of the beach to the north. As we came to within 300 yards of the beach there were people wading up to only their knees just ahead so even I had to concede that wasn't a good spot. Plus, all the beaches looked like they were private or at least treated as such. So back we came to Barb's initial plan.

The anchorage last night was very comfortable although confused. What I mean by that is that although I got up a couple of times during the night to check the anchor set and clearly we hadn't moved anything more than the distance of the length of the anchor rode, it was a wee bit disconcerting to see that although the wind was blowing in one direction, we could be either lying a-hull or even 180 degrees out of phase. True to the forecast the wind dropped to almost nothing at about midnight so after that the only affect on the boat was the current. Just inside the breakwater I think we are in a sort of eddy that keeps gently changing our direction depending on the state of the ebb or flow.

Morning broke with a lifting fog so everything on deck is a little damp. Breakfast was a good hearty oatmeal with brown sugar and milk. Ahhh! Sticks to yer ribs and is guid fer ya!

Last night we heard from Glass Slipper. They're in Block Island and making their way down the Sound. They might be putting into New London so we passed on what info we had but from their position they may be able to make it all the way to Port Jeff. For them, as for us, at this point the deciding factor for daily distance planning are the tidal currents and the availability of winds to help them along. Today the forecast doesn't promise much for wind so it looks like another day of motoring. We are coming up on 100 hours on the filter so when we get to Port Jeff or to City Island we will have to change the oil to keep Paula Perkins happy.

We took Peri ashore for a joint explore and discovered that Duck Island isn't for ducks at all. From 24 May to 9 Sep it is closed as a heron nesting site. This is really neat but it does call into question the New England Cruising Guide that we have been using that talk at short length about how popular this site is as a beach stop for locals and cruisers alike in the summer. Either the regulations are ignored or the cruising guide is out of date. I guess from our point of view that is one of the benefits of traveling at the end of the season. First, we were alone at the anchorage; and second since it was after the 9th of Sep we were able to go ashore without disturbing any nesting herons. Peri found an injured duck of some sort so we had to call him off and there was a fair amount of beach glass that we collected. Just offshore there was a fellow pulling traps that I think he had set for eels, but I couldn't get his attention without shouting to confirm that. And this morning shouting didn't seem appropriate.

We set off in dense fog passing through shoals of fishing boats all out to get their morning attempt at blues and stripers. We also tried trolling as we came across the Sound with no luck at all. At least we tried.

We got into Port Jefferson at around 1500 which was pretty good considering little wind and contrary tides, but then we couldn't find the mooring that our friends on Glass Slipper had described. So, instead, we decided that for one night we would splurge with a very expensive mooring at $45 just so that we could get close to the town to wander around. Tomorrow we will set out to a nearby cove where we can anchor if we decide to spend another day here, unless Glass Slipper arrives and we can raft up to them.

Very interesting point about both the yacht club and the local marina - they both put the visitor's moorings closest to the docks! The club membership has their moorings further away. This is very hospitable and a direct contradiction to what our experience has been at home. Of course, it also means that the club gets to keep an eye on the visitors and their boats, and as well it won't take up so much of the tender operator's time to ferry the visitors back and forth. Newbies would tend to come in and out more often, I would think.

News flash! The anchorage has swans! They are quite tame and come alongside to get fed. We have a video of Barb feeding them out of her hand and in one case with her fingers - I mean they tried to take her fingers too.

We went ashore to visit the town and I guess that it is something that we'll just have to get used to. Port Jefferson is a town geared towards tourism, whether the tourists are weekenders from NYC or folks like us from farther away. The place is one shop after another geared up to efficiently remove you of the all consuming burden of your money. For us, besides the swans, the nicest thing about the place was Kevin, the tender operator - a great source of pleasantries and information - a basic all round good guy. We had dinner at an inexpensive but forgettable restaurant, served by a young man who should make another career choice. The only guy in the place that was doing his job well was the buss boy.

Barb spent the evening working on her famous fish chowder only this time she was using new ingredients - the conchs we were given and the Porgy fillets that I caught at New London. The conchs take quite a bit of cooking to tenderise and they do smell like shrimp times three while cooking. I was a woosy and spent most of the time on deck with a rum watching the lights of the ferry coming and going.

We have heard from Glass Slipper. They were planning on going into Mystic tonight and then coming along later, perhaps Tuesday but have subsequently decided that the weather will call for them to head straight to Port Jeff. We have decided, weather depending, to head out to an anchorage tomorrow and then press on the next day. We would really like to get to Annapolis in time for the boat show, whether it is the sail or power show and in two days it will be October. Pitter patter. Better git at 'er! Although I must admit that our pace is giving us a chance to see America on the way down.