And Another Friend
03 September 2016 | Newport, Rhode Island
New York Yacht Club clubhouse in Newport, RI
Newport is a mecca for racing sailors. The New York Yacht Club defended the America's Cup at Newport from 1930 to 1983. The harbor and surrounding sailing clubs bristle with activity and are filled with boats of every size and description.
During the Gilded Age, the very rich built "cottages" here. These cottages are actually huge mansions that were used a few months a year. They have been preserved by various non-profits. Many of these cottages can be viewed from the Cliff Walk, a 3.5 mile path along the rocky coast of Easton Bay and Rhode Island Sound. Museums and historical buildings abound, but one of our main reasons for visiting Newport was to reconnect with Trish who had crewed for us when we raced Interlakes in Ohio in the 70's and early 80's.
We picked up a mooring in Newport Harbor and dinghied to the Ida Lewis Yacht Club where Trish met us. She was recently married and her Newport wedding party had been a fun sailboat racing regatta, complete with trophies for the winning boats. We enjoyed meeting her husband Ron and seeing her more than thirty years after we had sailed together. She hasn't changed a bit!
We've done a lot of visiting on this trip. Travelling with your home allows you to call and reconnect with people without imposing on them. You simply invite them to your house. In this case, our house is out boat.