Hi F and F,
This was going to be our shortest trip ever!We left at 10 am and arrived in York Harbor just after 10.30 am!
Again great traveling conditions although we did slow down to 18 knots as there were lots more lobster pots to negotiate. The way into the harbor was clearly marked but there is quite a current as you make the right hand turn at Stag Neck.
The harbor master came out showed us our mooring balls and it was an easy deal picking up the line despite the current.
We had come to visit our friends Helen and Bob.They have a fabulous old house here looking out over the harbor area. Mid afternoon we went on Rogers dingy over to pay them a visit and sit on their porch to catch up and enjoy a cool drink and the gentle breeze. We had a very pleasant time before walking over to the York Reading Room Helen and Bob are members of .We had a very special dinner on the openair stone balcony at the waters edge. After the sun set ,the almost full moon rose and its light reflected on the water .The waves were gently crashing on the beach as the tide was rising, and the smell of the sea was in the air .A perfect night!
Back to the dingy around 9.45 pm in the dark , and Roger masterfully wove between the boats to drop us and we retired for the night.
Over and Out ,
S and S
Friday, July 31, 2015
Newcastle Island and Portsmouth.
Hi there Fand F
Well today we had the best conditions so far.Seas perfectly flat, sunny weather , light breeze.
Our trip to our next port of call was short , only about 2 1/2 hours .
We arrived at Wentworth Marina and were given very nice individual slips and floating docks.
We have three sets of Sabre owners we know who keep there boats there and were planning to meet up with two of them.
Bill arrived in the afternoon to pick us up and we headed off to his lovely home nearby.His wife
Peggy greeted us at the door and also John the other Sabre owner had arrived to join us.All part of the Sabre family once again!
We spent a very nice afternoon on the porch sitting in rocking chairs at Bill and Peggy's house overlooking a grass common with a big American flag in the center.Also again views out over the Atlantic Ocean.
The men shared stories about the boats and the ladies talked about grandchildren!
We headed back to the Marina in the evening for dinner at Salt , one of the Wentworth Restaurants.
A lovely meal ,good conversation and then we were ready to pack it in and back to the boats.
Over and Out,
S and S
Well today we had the best conditions so far.Seas perfectly flat, sunny weather , light breeze.
Our trip to our next port of call was short , only about 2 1/2 hours .
We arrived at Wentworth Marina and were given very nice individual slips and floating docks.
We have three sets of Sabre owners we know who keep there boats there and were planning to meet up with two of them.
Bill arrived in the afternoon to pick us up and we headed off to his lovely home nearby.His wife
Peggy greeted us at the door and also John the other Sabre owner had arrived to join us.All part of the Sabre family once again!
We spent a very nice afternoon on the porch sitting in rocking chairs at Bill and Peggy's house overlooking a grass common with a big American flag in the center.Also again views out over the Atlantic Ocean.
The men shared stories about the boats and the ladies talked about grandchildren!
We headed back to the Marina in the evening for dinner at Salt , one of the Wentworth Restaurants.
A lovely meal ,good conversation and then we were ready to pack it in and back to the boats.
Over and Out,
S and S
Full Day in Annisquam
Hi F and F,
Another day here in this very picturesque part of the NE of USA.Especially if you like the sea and water sports.
Graeme had organized a rental car for the day , so at 10.30 am a young lady arrived at the yacht club to take us back to the rental facility.Good old Enterprise the way to travel for us!
After the paperwork was done we headed off to Rockport.This is a charming little town with a very photogenic harbor filled with fishing boats and a fish shack with lots of colored lobster buoys hanging on the wall.
We had a lot of fun fossicking through the little boutiques looking for ways to help the ecomony and catching glimpses of the harbor as we made our way round to the restaurant Graeme remembered we ate at back in 2009 .. It is also the place that was instrumental is changing Graeme's view of seafood .A fish stew here had changed his eating habits for ever back in 2009.
We found the restaurant called My Place By the Sea.and had great views over the Atlantic.
The food indeed was still very good, specially the shrimp ,lobster, scallops etc.Fresh is the word !
Back in the car to visit Gloucester a nearby town.Not as interesting but we did stop to view and photograph the famous bronze Fisherman statue there dedicated the Gloucester fishermen who lost their lives at sea while fishing.
Back to the Stop and Shop supermarket to pick up a few items for our cocktails and appetizers tonight..We dropped the rental car off and went back to the Yacht Club.Spent a pleasant evening watching the sun go down from the back of Lady Erica , eating and drinking and watching the antics of the day trippers getting their boats off the sandy beach on the edge of the channel .
Several boats went out for a sail and also small fishing boats headed out to see what they could catch for the evening.
It is sure a busy place but very pleasant place to stay.
Over and Out,
S and S
Another day here in this very picturesque part of the NE of USA.Especially if you like the sea and water sports.
Graeme had organized a rental car for the day , so at 10.30 am a young lady arrived at the yacht club to take us back to the rental facility.Good old Enterprise the way to travel for us!
After the paperwork was done we headed off to Rockport.This is a charming little town with a very photogenic harbor filled with fishing boats and a fish shack with lots of colored lobster buoys hanging on the wall.
We had a lot of fun fossicking through the little boutiques looking for ways to help the ecomony and catching glimpses of the harbor as we made our way round to the restaurant Graeme remembered we ate at back in 2009 .. It is also the place that was instrumental is changing Graeme's view of seafood .A fish stew here had changed his eating habits for ever back in 2009.
We found the restaurant called My Place By the Sea.and had great views over the Atlantic.
The food indeed was still very good, specially the shrimp ,lobster, scallops etc.Fresh is the word !
Back in the car to visit Gloucester a nearby town.Not as interesting but we did stop to view and photograph the famous bronze Fisherman statue there dedicated the Gloucester fishermen who lost their lives at sea while fishing.
Back to the Stop and Shop supermarket to pick up a few items for our cocktails and appetizers tonight..We dropped the rental car off and went back to the Yacht Club.Spent a pleasant evening watching the sun go down from the back of Lady Erica , eating and drinking and watching the antics of the day trippers getting their boats off the sandy beach on the edge of the channel .
Several boats went out for a sail and also small fishing boats headed out to see what they could catch for the evening.
It is sure a busy place but very pleasant place to stay.
Over and Out,
S and S
Off t o visit Erica' s cousin at Ammisquam YC
Hi there F and F,
We left Boston in sunny conditions and calm seas .About 75 degrees Pretty perfect.Headed off to Cape Ann and we decided rather than take the short cut and go through the Annisquam Canal which had questionable depths , we would go right round passing Folly's Cove where my cousin and his partner had a lovely home on the Point .We slowed down periodically as we negotiated the lobster pots There are many of them up this way and as Roger said its only going to get worse. But these guys have to make a livelihood from the seas, so we respect that. Most of the lobster buoys are brightly colored.
We slowed down again to go into the channel for the Annisquam YC .And fortunately the area was nice and deep although there was some current.to contend with. Able to get the mooring balls secured and Winand , my cousin was there shortly afterwards to meet us arriving out on the YC water taxi to our boat.. Once we were sorted out we headed off by car to Folly Point.Winand is on the committee of the Yacht Club and was able to get us the mooring balls.
The car he was driving turned out to be a Ghost Rolls Royce! It belonged to his partner.It was a first time to have a drive in this lovely vehicle for me . The back passenger doors could be opened the touch of a button on upper inside wall.Also the doors opened out towards the front instead of the usual way.There was even a spare umbrella in the front passenger door rim for just in case you needed to step out in the rain.We spent a lovely afternoon having lunch in the gazebo over
looking the cove and a swim in their beautifully landscaped pool.They have such a lovely place , such a private and pleasant place.to live.
There was a little drama that unfolded in the Cove around 2 pm .The waters were calm and often the area is used for scuba divers .One of the scuba divers got into trouble and they called out to Winand to call 911. Shortly after that several fire trucks , ambulances and police cars arrived on the scene.
It turns out the diver had a seizure , but was ok even though he was taken off in the ambulance.
Then we drove back to the Yacht Club and had a very nice light dinner on the porch of the Yacht Club overlooking the canal..Winand is on the YC committee .He was able to get us the mooring balls for this trip.
Watched a terrific sunset and at 8 pm the cannon was fired and the American flag was lowered.
Time for us to go back to our boats.
Over and Out,
S and S
We left Boston in sunny conditions and calm seas .About 75 degrees Pretty perfect.Headed off to Cape Ann and we decided rather than take the short cut and go through the Annisquam Canal which had questionable depths , we would go right round passing Folly's Cove where my cousin and his partner had a lovely home on the Point .We slowed down periodically as we negotiated the lobster pots There are many of them up this way and as Roger said its only going to get worse. But these guys have to make a livelihood from the seas, so we respect that. Most of the lobster buoys are brightly colored.
We slowed down again to go into the channel for the Annisquam YC .And fortunately the area was nice and deep although there was some current.to contend with. Able to get the mooring balls secured and Winand , my cousin was there shortly afterwards to meet us arriving out on the YC water taxi to our boat.. Once we were sorted out we headed off by car to Folly Point.Winand is on the committee of the Yacht Club and was able to get us the mooring balls.
The car he was driving turned out to be a Ghost Rolls Royce! It belonged to his partner.It was a first time to have a drive in this lovely vehicle for me . The back passenger doors could be opened the touch of a button on upper inside wall.Also the doors opened out towards the front instead of the usual way.There was even a spare umbrella in the front passenger door rim for just in case you needed to step out in the rain.We spent a lovely afternoon having lunch in the gazebo over
looking the cove and a swim in their beautifully landscaped pool.They have such a lovely place , such a private and pleasant place.to live.
There was a little drama that unfolded in the Cove around 2 pm .The waters were calm and often the area is used for scuba divers .One of the scuba divers got into trouble and they called out to Winand to call 911. Shortly after that several fire trucks , ambulances and police cars arrived on the scene.
It turns out the diver had a seizure , but was ok even though he was taken off in the ambulance.
Then we drove back to the Yacht Club and had a very nice light dinner on the porch of the Yacht Club overlooking the canal..Winand is on the YC committee .He was able to get us the mooring balls for this trip.
Watched a terrific sunset and at 8 pm the cannon was fired and the American flag was lowered.
Time for us to go back to our boats.
Over and Out,
S and S
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Three days in Boston 25 th July to 27 th July
Hi there F and F,
It was lovely to have these three days to plug back into electricity and have the protection of the Marina and it's calm waters. The generator was in need of a good boost and we could plug back into shore electricity and water It was nice not have to keep a check of our water use.Showers could be longer or we could use the excellent facilities at Constituion Marina including the new laundry facilities.
On the 25 th ,Linda and I took off by taxi for a visit to Shreve,Crump and Low , a famous old Boston store that sold finer goods.Its a bit like a small Harrods store in England.
We made some purchases there and right next door were able to go into LensCrafters .My reading glasses and come apart and would you believe it although they couldn't fix them , they had a frame in stock exactly the same , so we swapped the glasses into the new frame and off we went to visit the big Bed Bath and Beyond store. Linda and I must have wandered that place for about 1 1/2 hours!!
Amazing what you do once back on Land!
26 th July, we had planned to take the hop on hop off Super Tours bus around Boston.
Very conveniently , the number 3 stop was a short walk from the Marina.
Armed with free donuts and bagels from the Marina ( only in the weekends) we headed off to see the city sights and refresh our memories of the important history of this lovely city.We got off at the stop for the Old State Meeting House, Faneuil Hall and also the Old South Meeting House .Found the spot of the Boston Massacre that started the beginning of the American revolution against the Britsh .
After our visits and lunch we continued on the bus , and learnt that Boston is growing in the biotech industry and of course has the famous MIT University and Harvard University..
Well worth doing a bus tour to learn about a place .You can always retrace your steps to the more interesting places later.
Got back to the Marina and invited over for drinks and appetizers ,Susan and Chris the Sabre 48 owners we had met on the first day here .
Turns out we had met two other boating friends of theirs at Liberty Landing and also another couple we had met in Florida while boating there in 2011.It is indeed a small world!
27 th July, Graeme and I took the Marina courtesy car into the city to do some errands.We used the Awaze App on the IPhone with the Arnold Schwartzneger? VoiceHe got us to all the places successfully!
Back to the Marina to check in with Roger.He had a Cummins guy coming to look at his generator , early afternoon. Turns out there were more seaweed grasses blocked in one of the pipes .
It was successfully removed .
Graeme had found some also back in Natucket in the filter system, after Roger had alerted Graeme about it Got to keep those filters clean .Also mooring or anchoring out you may be more vulnerable it seems.
Yesterday while walking down to the nearby Wholefoods Supermarket, I had spied a Moroccan Restaurant Tangierino.
In fact the owner was outside checing his menu board .We had a chat , turns out he is from Morocco, so that sounded promising. .In the evening the four of us went for a lovely meal there .We sat in an authentic style seating area surrounded by filmy drapes with a low table and sofas listening to Lebanese or possibly Morrocan music.
Graeme and I chose Couscous Royale , which is basically, lamb, mergez sausage ,couscous and seven vegetables. As a treat afterwards the guys got to choose a cigar each and we went down to the Cigar and Hookah Pipe (it uses fruit tobacco) Den.
It was a fun evening , as we sat around and got in conversation with some guys from Egypt, Jordan ,and United Arab Emirates . Graeme used a bit of his Arabic from days and we all had a few laughs chatting together.
So ended our three day break in Boston.
Over and Out,
S and S
It was lovely to have these three days to plug back into electricity and have the protection of the Marina and it's calm waters. The generator was in need of a good boost and we could plug back into shore electricity and water It was nice not have to keep a check of our water use.Showers could be longer or we could use the excellent facilities at Constituion Marina including the new laundry facilities.
On the 25 th ,Linda and I took off by taxi for a visit to Shreve,Crump and Low , a famous old Boston store that sold finer goods.Its a bit like a small Harrods store in England.
We made some purchases there and right next door were able to go into LensCrafters .My reading glasses and come apart and would you believe it although they couldn't fix them , they had a frame in stock exactly the same , so we swapped the glasses into the new frame and off we went to visit the big Bed Bath and Beyond store. Linda and I must have wandered that place for about 1 1/2 hours!!
Amazing what you do once back on Land!
26 th July, we had planned to take the hop on hop off Super Tours bus around Boston.
Very conveniently , the number 3 stop was a short walk from the Marina.
Armed with free donuts and bagels from the Marina ( only in the weekends) we headed off to see the city sights and refresh our memories of the important history of this lovely city.We got off at the stop for the Old State Meeting House, Faneuil Hall and also the Old South Meeting House .Found the spot of the Boston Massacre that started the beginning of the American revolution against the Britsh .
After our visits and lunch we continued on the bus , and learnt that Boston is growing in the biotech industry and of course has the famous MIT University and Harvard University..
Well worth doing a bus tour to learn about a place .You can always retrace your steps to the more interesting places later.
Got back to the Marina and invited over for drinks and appetizers ,Susan and Chris the Sabre 48 owners we had met on the first day here .
Turns out we had met two other boating friends of theirs at Liberty Landing and also another couple we had met in Florida while boating there in 2011.It is indeed a small world!
27 th July, Graeme and I took the Marina courtesy car into the city to do some errands.We used the Awaze App on the IPhone with the Arnold Schwartzneger? VoiceHe got us to all the places successfully!
Back to the Marina to check in with Roger.He had a Cummins guy coming to look at his generator , early afternoon. Turns out there were more seaweed grasses blocked in one of the pipes .
It was successfully removed .
Graeme had found some also back in Natucket in the filter system, after Roger had alerted Graeme about it Got to keep those filters clean .Also mooring or anchoring out you may be more vulnerable it seems.
Yesterday while walking down to the nearby Wholefoods Supermarket, I had spied a Moroccan Restaurant Tangierino.
In fact the owner was outside checing his menu board .We had a chat , turns out he is from Morocco, so that sounded promising. .In the evening the four of us went for a lovely meal there .We sat in an authentic style seating area surrounded by filmy drapes with a low table and sofas listening to Lebanese or possibly Morrocan music.
Graeme and I chose Couscous Royale , which is basically, lamb, mergez sausage ,couscous and seven vegetables. As a treat afterwards the guys got to choose a cigar each and we went down to the Cigar and Hookah Pipe (it uses fruit tobacco) Den.
It was a fun evening , as we sat around and got in conversation with some guys from Egypt, Jordan ,and United Arab Emirates . Graeme used a bit of his Arabic from days and we all had a few laughs chatting together.
So ended our three day break in Boston.
Over and Out,
S and S
Monday, July 27, 2015
Boston Harbor here we come! 24 th July
Hi there F and F,
Another sunny day and light winds for our trip North up the coast This is a short journey of just over one hour. There were lots and lots of lobster pots around the coast , so we moved out into deeper water to avoid as many as possible. Fortunately the brightly colored buoys the lobster fishermen use were easy to see in the water. Coming in from Massachusetts Bay we entered Nantasket Roads and took the short cut into Presidents Roads!
Sounds like we were following a car map! There was a lot of traffic, big ferries , tugboats , fishing boats and cruisers and sailboats. Graeme had to wind his way through all this and we passed picturesque waterfront with high rise buildings of Boston City and down a short channel of the Charles River to our home for the next four days , Constituion Marina.
When Graeme hailed the dock captain , Sebastian he said although they were very full we could park one boat behind the other on a slip that was 80 feet long. ( Fortunately ,we had booked our slips here four months ago) Doing the math was simple .We were two 48 to 50 ft boats, so that wasn't going to work!!
In the end he came through and although Roger had to wait at the entrance for an hour on his skyhook to keep the boat in place , they rearranged two other boats and he got a great slip ,by the main office. Once settled we spied another 48 ft Sabre in the Marina.
It turns out Sue and Chris keep there boat here permanently and they are planning to go up to the Sabre Reunion also. We had a nice chat with them and on their recommendation found an Italian restaurant for dinner over in Hanover Street in the city. It's called Lucca North End.
We did some long overdue washing such as sheet and towels .I had already checked out the laundry facilities they had brand new machines and also very nice bathrooms , all single units .Best we have see so far.
After dinner , back to the boats and guess what an early bedtime again!
Over and Out ,
S and S
Another sunny day and light winds for our trip North up the coast This is a short journey of just over one hour. There were lots and lots of lobster pots around the coast , so we moved out into deeper water to avoid as many as possible. Fortunately the brightly colored buoys the lobster fishermen use were easy to see in the water. Coming in from Massachusetts Bay we entered Nantasket Roads and took the short cut into Presidents Roads!
Sounds like we were following a car map! There was a lot of traffic, big ferries , tugboats , fishing boats and cruisers and sailboats. Graeme had to wind his way through all this and we passed picturesque waterfront with high rise buildings of Boston City and down a short channel of the Charles River to our home for the next four days , Constituion Marina.
When Graeme hailed the dock captain , Sebastian he said although they were very full we could park one boat behind the other on a slip that was 80 feet long. ( Fortunately ,we had booked our slips here four months ago) Doing the math was simple .We were two 48 to 50 ft boats, so that wasn't going to work!!
In the end he came through and although Roger had to wait at the entrance for an hour on his skyhook to keep the boat in place , they rearranged two other boats and he got a great slip ,by the main office. Once settled we spied another 48 ft Sabre in the Marina.
It turns out Sue and Chris keep there boat here permanently and they are planning to go up to the Sabre Reunion also. We had a nice chat with them and on their recommendation found an Italian restaurant for dinner over in Hanover Street in the city. It's called Lucca North End.
We did some long overdue washing such as sheet and towels .I had already checked out the laundry facilities they had brand new machines and also very nice bathrooms , all single units .Best we have see so far.
After dinner , back to the boats and guess what an early bedtime again!
Over and Out ,
S and S
Off to Scituate on the Massachustts Coast 23 rd July
Hi F and F,
First a correction re our day at Martha's Vineyard That should have read 22 new JulyNot 27th July !
So back to our trip from Martha's Vineyard to Scituate .We started the day in beautiful weather , light breeze and sunshine.
We had been keen to stay an extra night in Martha's Vineyard but we couldn't secure a mooring ball.It is a popular place and we could see why!
Lots of sail boats out at the entrance and nearby waters.Bright colored Spinnakers flying ,it made a wonderful picture. We had a good run in deep water keeping an eye out for the lobster pots over to Woods Hole where the large car and passenger ferries come out of on their numerous trips to Martha's Vineyard.Lots of day tripper families on the ferries, waving as we cruised past.
Once in Woods hole there was a cut through passage to wind through.Keeping strictly to the red and green buoys , then back into the open sea into Buzzards Bay where it was a little more exposed.
Then on up to the Cape Cod Canal entrance. The Canal is 14 miles long and is a great short cut saggy boats the long 135 mile journey around the Cape to Boston.
It opened in 1914 and was used to avoid attacks from German U Boats .Later as it was fairly shallow it was redredged and now has a depth of at least 32 ft. The speed limit is 10 mph
We went slightly faster than that and were soon through .I took the opportunity to make us lunch as the conditions were nice and smooth Just a short journey from there bought us into the delightful little snug harbor of Scituate. The word is from the Indian word Satuit meaning Cold Spring. A Motor Launch for the Satit Boat club came out to direct us to our mooring balls. Had a little difficulty with these ones also.The line was wrapped around the ball so Bob the launch driver untangled it for us , then came along side to give us the harbor details including the best eating place for the evening .H even offered to take our trash off the boat.Such a lovely fellow.
We took the the free motor launch into the town late afternoon where we checked out the shops .I had forgotten back in 2009 we had stopped here for a night and I had purchased a wallet( to replace the one I left on the roof of the rental car in Portland Maine while tanking up! )
We had booked a late dinner time at Barkers Back Bar, so decided to have appetitzers and drinks and also take a look at the local antique car show which just happen to be on at 6 pm in the town!
The Galley Kitchen Grill we were sat looking out over the Main Street was perfect and Linda and Rgee indulged in their favorite fare , Oysters .Only $1 each ! I tried a fried oyster but neither Graeme or I are really oyster eaters! Afterward we wandered over to the car show where there were several old Fords, Lincoln, Impalas and MGB's and even a little Lotus. Most were in excellent condition.
Then onto the Back Bar for our meal.The waitresses were very funny and entertained us during the evening.Seerms this place is very popular with the local residents .We had some fabulous seafood and finished it off with a couple of shared desserts.The raspberry Mille Feuille was particularly good.
So tomorrow , we are off to Boston.Originally we planned a two day stop here , but Roger has some generator issues on his boat which really needs to be looked out and Boston is the place for that ,we hope.
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette
First a correction re our day at Martha's Vineyard That should have read 22 new JulyNot 27th July !
So back to our trip from Martha's Vineyard to Scituate .We started the day in beautiful weather , light breeze and sunshine.
We had been keen to stay an extra night in Martha's Vineyard but we couldn't secure a mooring ball.It is a popular place and we could see why!
Lots of sail boats out at the entrance and nearby waters.Bright colored Spinnakers flying ,it made a wonderful picture. We had a good run in deep water keeping an eye out for the lobster pots over to Woods Hole where the large car and passenger ferries come out of on their numerous trips to Martha's Vineyard.Lots of day tripper families on the ferries, waving as we cruised past.
Once in Woods hole there was a cut through passage to wind through.Keeping strictly to the red and green buoys , then back into the open sea into Buzzards Bay where it was a little more exposed.
Then on up to the Cape Cod Canal entrance. The Canal is 14 miles long and is a great short cut saggy boats the long 135 mile journey around the Cape to Boston.
It opened in 1914 and was used to avoid attacks from German U Boats .Later as it was fairly shallow it was redredged and now has a depth of at least 32 ft. The speed limit is 10 mph
We went slightly faster than that and were soon through .I took the opportunity to make us lunch as the conditions were nice and smooth Just a short journey from there bought us into the delightful little snug harbor of Scituate. The word is from the Indian word Satuit meaning Cold Spring. A Motor Launch for the Satit Boat club came out to direct us to our mooring balls. Had a little difficulty with these ones also.The line was wrapped around the ball so Bob the launch driver untangled it for us , then came along side to give us the harbor details including the best eating place for the evening .H even offered to take our trash off the boat.Such a lovely fellow.
We took the the free motor launch into the town late afternoon where we checked out the shops .I had forgotten back in 2009 we had stopped here for a night and I had purchased a wallet( to replace the one I left on the roof of the rental car in Portland Maine while tanking up! )
We had booked a late dinner time at Barkers Back Bar, so decided to have appetitzers and drinks and also take a look at the local antique car show which just happen to be on at 6 pm in the town!
The Galley Kitchen Grill we were sat looking out over the Main Street was perfect and Linda and Rgee indulged in their favorite fare , Oysters .Only $1 each ! I tried a fried oyster but neither Graeme or I are really oyster eaters! Afterward we wandered over to the car show where there were several old Fords, Lincoln, Impalas and MGB's and even a little Lotus. Most were in excellent condition.
Then onto the Back Bar for our meal.The waitresses were very funny and entertained us during the evening.Seerms this place is very popular with the local residents .We had some fabulous seafood and finished it off with a couple of shared desserts.The raspberry Mille Feuille was particularly good.
So tomorrow , we are off to Boston.Originally we planned a two day stop here , but Roger has some generator issues on his boat which really needs to be looked out and Boston is the place for that ,we hope.
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette
Day in wonderful Martha's Vineyard
Hi F and F,
Woke up to a lovely sunny day.Time to explore part of the Marth's Vineyard Island by local bus.
But first a little retail therapy! Linda and I had spied a lovely dress shop and the clothing by a New York designer called Gretchen Scott .Mainly bright colors but fun
I ended up with a collared shift style dress in bright orange and hot pink which stretches in all directions, good for the expanding waist line common on boating trips!
Then off to the bus terminal which also has the post office , a tourist store and information center.
Very handy! We set off for Vineyard Haven where we had bought our old 40 Sabre in on its maiden voyage back in 2009.
The place was just the same, still can get complimentary fresh donuts , muffins and coffee
at the Black Dog Marina. Decided to eat lunch at the Black Dog Tavern.Crowds were already lined up for the Noon opening.We got the last table !
I had a delicious kale salad , Linda a cobb salad and the guys hamburger sandwiches.
We made a wander through the little town and the usual Main Street.
We took the bus back on a different route via Oak Bluffs another little lovely seaside town .
Stopped off at Stop and Shop Supermarket. This supermarket has the Giant supermarket symbol and back in Port Washington I tried to use my Giant card at the self checkout .I think I probably fouled up the system up on at least two of the checkout counters .The card was definitely not universal!
Back on the bus again to the terminal , where I parted company with the others They headed back to the boat with the groceries and I got on the no 8 bus for South Beach and a long awaited swim.
The water was so refreshing and although there was a bit of an undercurrent, all went well.
Back on the bus , then water taxi to prepare dinner.It was our turn to host the evening meal.
Lovely evening watching the sunset , drinking good wine , eating good food taking about the day.
Are we blessed or what!
Over and Out,
Skipper and Skipperette.
Woke up to a lovely sunny day.Time to explore part of the Marth's Vineyard Island by local bus.
But first a little retail therapy! Linda and I had spied a lovely dress shop and the clothing by a New York designer called Gretchen Scott .Mainly bright colors but fun
I ended up with a collared shift style dress in bright orange and hot pink which stretches in all directions, good for the expanding waist line common on boating trips!
Then off to the bus terminal which also has the post office , a tourist store and information center.
Very handy! We set off for Vineyard Haven where we had bought our old 40 Sabre in on its maiden voyage back in 2009.
The place was just the same, still can get complimentary fresh donuts , muffins and coffee
at the Black Dog Marina. Decided to eat lunch at the Black Dog Tavern.Crowds were already lined up for the Noon opening.We got the last table !
I had a delicious kale salad , Linda a cobb salad and the guys hamburger sandwiches.
We made a wander through the little town and the usual Main Street.
We took the bus back on a different route via Oak Bluffs another little lovely seaside town .
Stopped off at Stop and Shop Supermarket. This supermarket has the Giant supermarket symbol and back in Port Washington I tried to use my Giant card at the self checkout .I think I probably fouled up the system up on at least two of the checkout counters .The card was definitely not universal!
Back on the bus again to the terminal , where I parted company with the others They headed back to the boat with the groceries and I got on the no 8 bus for South Beach and a long awaited swim.
The water was so refreshing and although there was a bit of an undercurrent, all went well.
Back on the bus , then water taxi to prepare dinner.It was our turn to host the evening meal.
Lovely evening watching the sunset , drinking good wine , eating good food taking about the day.
Are we blessed or what!
Over and Out,
Skipper and Skipperette.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Off to Martha's Vineyard.
Hi F and F,
Got up this morning to find the wind had finally died down finally and at 10 am we set off for Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. Bit of fog to contend with but not too bad.
Roger headed out and we followed him out through the entrance of the harbor. Lots of traffic coming in and out including the big Ferry boats. But there was enough room for us all.
One interesting fact we learnt yesterday from our historical tour. The harbor entrance in the 1800's had a big sand bar lying across it causing many difficulties for the larger whaling ships.
Originally it was thought if they could dredge the area that would improve the situation .But that was not a good long term solution as the sand would just build up again.They decided to build parallel jetties made of New England granite stone, at each side of the entrance to change to flow of the water and it worked ! Gave the boats an extra 10 ft depth in the channel and it still works today.
Once we got out , the water was like a mill pond.Made for a smooth and easy 1 1/2 hour journey to Martha's Vineyard. Entrance there was easy and we fueled up ,got water in the tanks and then headed off to find our mooring balls. While fueling up we met a lovely young lady from Croatia who was manning the tanks. We ended up exchanging cards as she wants to go to New Zealand and we want to go to Croatia. Planning on giving each other some traveling tips.
This Harbor was a piece of cake in comparison to Nantucket .The lines were lying on top of a cylindrical wide mooring buoy and very easily picked up in one shot and tied onto the boat cleat. No bobbing float attached to a stick that is often to short to grasp! Also the harbor area was more intimate and surrounded by lovely old sea captain's houses. On first impression all four of us liked this better!
Took a trip into the town .Had to try the icecream at Mad Martha's .It was the best so far!
Graeme and I headed for the information center to get literature on what to do and where to eat.
We had been here back in 2009 when we brought our first boat the Sabre 40 down from Maine.
So we recognized several buildings and remembered the fun day we had had watching the 4 th July Parade .
Armed with maps and info we checked out a few of the restaurants and settled on Chesca which we had also eaten at on that previous visit. Food turned out to be just as good and we had a lovely evening before taking the water taxi back to our boats.
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette.
Got up this morning to find the wind had finally died down finally and at 10 am we set off for Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. Bit of fog to contend with but not too bad.
Roger headed out and we followed him out through the entrance of the harbor. Lots of traffic coming in and out including the big Ferry boats. But there was enough room for us all.
One interesting fact we learnt yesterday from our historical tour. The harbor entrance in the 1800's had a big sand bar lying across it causing many difficulties for the larger whaling ships.
Originally it was thought if they could dredge the area that would improve the situation .But that was not a good long term solution as the sand would just build up again.They decided to build parallel jetties made of New England granite stone, at each side of the entrance to change to flow of the water and it worked ! Gave the boats an extra 10 ft depth in the channel and it still works today.
Once we got out , the water was like a mill pond.Made for a smooth and easy 1 1/2 hour journey to Martha's Vineyard. Entrance there was easy and we fueled up ,got water in the tanks and then headed off to find our mooring balls. While fueling up we met a lovely young lady from Croatia who was manning the tanks. We ended up exchanging cards as she wants to go to New Zealand and we want to go to Croatia. Planning on giving each other some traveling tips.
This Harbor was a piece of cake in comparison to Nantucket .The lines were lying on top of a cylindrical wide mooring buoy and very easily picked up in one shot and tied onto the boat cleat. No bobbing float attached to a stick that is often to short to grasp! Also the harbor area was more intimate and surrounded by lovely old sea captain's houses. On first impression all four of us liked this better!
Took a trip into the town .Had to try the icecream at Mad Martha's .It was the best so far!
Graeme and I headed for the information center to get literature on what to do and where to eat.
We had been here back in 2009 when we brought our first boat the Sabre 40 down from Maine.
So we recognized several buildings and remembered the fun day we had had watching the 4 th July Parade .
Armed with maps and info we checked out a few of the restaurants and settled on Chesca which we had also eaten at on that previous visit. Food turned out to be just as good and we had a lovely evening before taking the water taxi back to our boats.
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette.
Two full days enjoying Nantucket Harbor
Dear F and F,
We had a leisurely start to the day sitting in the harbor on our mooing ball.At about 10am the Harbor Marina boat stopped beside Lady Erica and asked if we could move to another mooring ball as a 70 ft boat was due in and they needed our spot.
So off we go again but this time one of the assistants came on board and gave me the 101 lesson in picking up the line with the floating stick.
Even he had trouble initially. But I was able to watch carefully and practice makes perfect so hopefully we will be in good shape next time. This time we are on H 6 which stands for Hotel 6 in their lingo!
Had a further wander through the town on the uneven cobbled but quaint streets.Again lots of tourists and regular visitors about. These islands seem to specialize in homemade icecream and they are all good. We decided to indulge again so there goes the waistline! This evening we had dinner on board Linda and Rogers boat.Roger cooked some delicious steaks and we provided the salad and quinoa hot dish. .A lovely evening it was too , wth a great restaurant water view !
Next morning as I had checked out the local newspaper and spied a historical walk at 10.30am ,we decided to head into town via our dingy to learn some interesting facts about the island .
Our guide was very knowledgable although somewhat ponderous in his delivery of the facts .This was balanced by his dry sense of humor. Basically Nantucket was a successful Whaling town, which then burnt down during a fire caused in a hat shop, which spread rapidly throughout the town .Fortunately no fatalities.It later became a tourist town, when whaling became no longer fashionable.
We zipped back in our dingies to our boats so we could watch what turned out to be the exciting finish of the British Open Golf tournament, with Zac Johnson winning after a three way playoff. During our historic walk I had got some good recommendations for dinner places and we went back to eat at The Boarding House. Had a delicious meal, again three of us had the lobster risotto .
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette.
We had a leisurely start to the day sitting in the harbor on our mooing ball.At about 10am the Harbor Marina boat stopped beside Lady Erica and asked if we could move to another mooring ball as a 70 ft boat was due in and they needed our spot.
So off we go again but this time one of the assistants came on board and gave me the 101 lesson in picking up the line with the floating stick.
Even he had trouble initially. But I was able to watch carefully and practice makes perfect so hopefully we will be in good shape next time. This time we are on H 6 which stands for Hotel 6 in their lingo!
Had a further wander through the town on the uneven cobbled but quaint streets.Again lots of tourists and regular visitors about. These islands seem to specialize in homemade icecream and they are all good. We decided to indulge again so there goes the waistline! This evening we had dinner on board Linda and Rogers boat.Roger cooked some delicious steaks and we provided the salad and quinoa hot dish. .A lovely evening it was too , wth a great restaurant water view !
Next morning as I had checked out the local newspaper and spied a historical walk at 10.30am ,we decided to head into town via our dingy to learn some interesting facts about the island .
Our guide was very knowledgable although somewhat ponderous in his delivery of the facts .This was balanced by his dry sense of humor. Basically Nantucket was a successful Whaling town, which then burnt down during a fire caused in a hat shop, which spread rapidly throughout the town .Fortunately no fatalities.It later became a tourist town, when whaling became no longer fashionable.
We zipped back in our dingies to our boats so we could watch what turned out to be the exciting finish of the British Open Golf tournament, with Zac Johnson winning after a three way playoff. During our historic walk I had got some good recommendations for dinner places and we went back to eat at The Boarding House. Had a delicious meal, again three of us had the lobster risotto .
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
On to Nantucket .Unchartered waters for all four of us
Hi F and F,
The two skippers consulted with each other early morning, checking routes and weather conditions and made a decision we should leave early as the marine forecast said wind was going to be at least 15 knots possibly gusting up to 25 knots.A knot equalls 1.15 MPH .and we had a reasonable amount of open water to cover.
Around 9 am was the target time to leave. So I decided to quickly go for a walk to investigate the town of Block Island .It turned out to be about a two mile walk.Its good to get this opportunity as living on a boat means you don't get much exercise . Graeme and I have made a point of doing our Pilates at least two to three times a week on the boat .Its quite a performance as we are limited for space .Graeme uses the galley and I go up in the salon.
So back to the walk, it was wonderful, lots of little stores and quaint homes lined the main road. A group were setting up a farmers market with lots of homemade goodies, flowers , local veg and fruits .Wish I had had time to stop and explore Once up the hill to the town , I saw some large hotels , with everyone sitting out on the porch in rocking chairs having breakfast and enjoying the views of the ocean. Quite a find,after the new harbor area we were in which was dare I say was a little more redneck!!!
We got away at 9.30 am as getting Rogers dingy back on was a little tricky.We had parked it at the back on our swim platform but we had to get out our boat out first to enable Roger to have access to his swim platform and raise the dingy onto it.
The trip was a four and half hour journey with an almost beam sea( south east wind coming from the side ).
We had shelter as we passed through the Vineyard Sound but were hit head on as we came south again to get to Nantucket.
It was pretty bouncy , so we slowed down to take the chop and 3 ft waves more comfortably. Banging through the waves is not pleasant , never mind the rattling of stuff in the cupboards and possible damage.
The entrance to Nantucket Harbor was narrow but well marked.Busy place with ferry boats coming in and out. Getting the mooring ball sorted out in the strong head wind was near impossible and both boat had to get help. Rather than just pick up the line with the boat hook up this way ,you need to pick up a float attached to the line.Sometimes the line is caught and the float stick is too short.
We changed to a better mooring ball which went much easier.
Time for a rest , before we headed into Natucket town by water taxi. Graeme called a fellow Sabre 48 owner, Bob we knew and surprisingly , he was also here but in a slip.
So we arranged to meet up have a drink and catch up before heading off to dinner at the highly recommended Brant Point Restaurant..
Dinner for three of us was the fresh grilled swordfish which was delicious Well worth the Mercury intake risk!
We walked back through the town to the water taxi checking out a few of the shops which were still open even at 9 pm. Seems on first impression ,this is party town for all the young things. They were decked out , wandering the town and enjoying the summer break. All ready for bed by 10 pm .Something about that fresh sea air!
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette.
The two skippers consulted with each other early morning, checking routes and weather conditions and made a decision we should leave early as the marine forecast said wind was going to be at least 15 knots possibly gusting up to 25 knots.A knot equalls 1.15 MPH .and we had a reasonable amount of open water to cover.
Around 9 am was the target time to leave. So I decided to quickly go for a walk to investigate the town of Block Island .It turned out to be about a two mile walk.Its good to get this opportunity as living on a boat means you don't get much exercise . Graeme and I have made a point of doing our Pilates at least two to three times a week on the boat .Its quite a performance as we are limited for space .Graeme uses the galley and I go up in the salon.
So back to the walk, it was wonderful, lots of little stores and quaint homes lined the main road. A group were setting up a farmers market with lots of homemade goodies, flowers , local veg and fruits .Wish I had had time to stop and explore Once up the hill to the town , I saw some large hotels , with everyone sitting out on the porch in rocking chairs having breakfast and enjoying the views of the ocean. Quite a find,after the new harbor area we were in which was dare I say was a little more redneck!!!
We got away at 9.30 am as getting Rogers dingy back on was a little tricky.We had parked it at the back on our swim platform but we had to get out our boat out first to enable Roger to have access to his swim platform and raise the dingy onto it.
The trip was a four and half hour journey with an almost beam sea( south east wind coming from the side ).
We had shelter as we passed through the Vineyard Sound but were hit head on as we came south again to get to Nantucket.
It was pretty bouncy , so we slowed down to take the chop and 3 ft waves more comfortably. Banging through the waves is not pleasant , never mind the rattling of stuff in the cupboards and possible damage.
The entrance to Nantucket Harbor was narrow but well marked.Busy place with ferry boats coming in and out. Getting the mooring ball sorted out in the strong head wind was near impossible and both boat had to get help. Rather than just pick up the line with the boat hook up this way ,you need to pick up a float attached to the line.Sometimes the line is caught and the float stick is too short.
We changed to a better mooring ball which went much easier.
Time for a rest , before we headed into Natucket town by water taxi. Graeme called a fellow Sabre 48 owner, Bob we knew and surprisingly , he was also here but in a slip.
So we arranged to meet up have a drink and catch up before heading off to dinner at the highly recommended Brant Point Restaurant..
Dinner for three of us was the fresh grilled swordfish which was delicious Well worth the Mercury intake risk!
We walked back through the town to the water taxi checking out a few of the shops which were still open even at 9 pm. Seems on first impression ,this is party town for all the young things. They were decked out , wandering the town and enjoying the summer break. All ready for bed by 10 pm .Something about that fresh sea air!
Over and Out
Skipper and Skipperette.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Block Island here we come Rhode Island's smallest town!
Hi F and F,
Having made the decision to bypass Newport Rhode Island , our original destination for yesterday and today, we decided Block Island would be a good stopping point before our journey to Nantucket. We had always heard about Block Island and were intrigued to see what all the hype was about. Due to Graeme's two day persistence in telephoning the Paynes Dock we were able to get a slip , sort of!
They were having a big Shark fishing tournament there from Friday through to Sunday., so the whole place was booked out at all four marinas and crawling with lots of boats and people .It was a fun atmosphere !
We had a pleasant journey there which only took just over two hours The calm seas made it perfect.As we are now a bit rock shy we made sure we entered the natural harbor well inside the buoys .
The Marina staff were very friendly and helpful, and after our boats had tanked upwith diesel fuel, we were directed to our slip.Yes one slip, meaning we rafted up to each other beside a big yacht and Roger had to first take his dingy off so he could back his boat in with the anchor of the boat behind him hanging over his swim platform! We backed in beside Roger .Twin 48 Sabres neatly tucked into one spot,at least it was convenient for hopping over as both boats were level with each other!
We asked about eating places and were told to go to the Dead Eye Dick Restaurant for good food ( which indeed it was) Also we were recommended to try a mudslide drink (Vodka , Baileys and Kahula ) at the Mahogany Shoals bar. It was so so , not overly alcoholic fortunately. Both places within short walking distance.While at the bar ,the shark weigh in was happening so we wandered over to see.
Heaviest one was around 250 lbs. As a "treat" the kids were presented with the fins.
No time to explore the rest of the island today, but will take a walk into the town tomorrow
Over and out ,
Skipper and Skipperette.
Having made the decision to bypass Newport Rhode Island , our original destination for yesterday and today, we decided Block Island would be a good stopping point before our journey to Nantucket. We had always heard about Block Island and were intrigued to see what all the hype was about. Due to Graeme's two day persistence in telephoning the Paynes Dock we were able to get a slip , sort of!
They were having a big Shark fishing tournament there from Friday through to Sunday., so the whole place was booked out at all four marinas and crawling with lots of boats and people .It was a fun atmosphere !
We had a pleasant journey there which only took just over two hours The calm seas made it perfect.As we are now a bit rock shy we made sure we entered the natural harbor well inside the buoys .
The Marina staff were very friendly and helpful, and after our boats had tanked upwith diesel fuel, we were directed to our slip.Yes one slip, meaning we rafted up to each other beside a big yacht and Roger had to first take his dingy off so he could back his boat in with the anchor of the boat behind him hanging over his swim platform! We backed in beside Roger .Twin 48 Sabres neatly tucked into one spot,at least it was convenient for hopping over as both boats were level with each other!
We asked about eating places and were told to go to the Dead Eye Dick Restaurant for good food ( which indeed it was) Also we were recommended to try a mudslide drink (Vodka , Baileys and Kahula ) at the Mahogany Shoals bar. It was so so , not overly alcoholic fortunately. Both places within short walking distance.While at the bar ,the shark weigh in was happening so we wandered over to see.
Heaviest one was around 250 lbs. As a "treat" the kids were presented with the fins.
No time to explore the rest of the island today, but will take a walk into the town tomorrow
Over and out ,
Skipper and Skipperette.
Sag Harbor on the Mooring Ball
Hi there F and F
Well we had a break from doing the blog while staying in Sag Harbor for three days. Our second day in Sag we explored the town, full of little boutiques and restaurants and wonderful organic fresh food catering for the tourists and the Hamptonites. I had done some research in the early morning and saw there was a theatre in town .We booked for Thursday night to see a play called the Five Presidents. Will share about that later.
Being on a mooring ball we decided to take use of the efficient water taxi to take us to and from the boats into the town on all three days bar one when we took Rogers dingy out and went for an exploration in the harbor area. Lots of very large yachts around including several Ferretti boats .Seems they sell new them in the area, as do Back Cove yachts , the sister Sabre company.
Late afternoon we got picked up by Tony and Blair (our son) and enjoyed Champagne and appetizers at the Da Silva house in Sag Harbor to celebrate the birth of our first grandson Sebastian.
As weather was dicey we decided to forget the BBQ idea at the house and headed off to Bridgehampton for a nice Italian meal. Sebastian was the model baby nt making any fuss despite the noise level and activity in the restaurant.
Thursday morning ,the four of us rented a car from Enterprise , who will collect you and bring you back by the way.
Decided to first explore Shelter Island which involved taking the car on the ferry boat.
Had a nice drive around there , lovely old homes and very peaceful , certainly no traffic jams on that island! We stopped for coffee in the garden at the lovely old Chequit Inn.
The young girls serving the coffee there were wonderful and gave us their best recommendation for lunch and shops to visit.
We ended up at 1 pm having lunch at Salt restaurant which sits by the water . Scallops and red quinoa was the choice of three of us.I even tried fried asparagus as a starter . We decided to head back over to Southampton.Linda was on a mission to find a new cocktail napkin holder. Also we were able to see some of the lovely homes and the famous privacy Hampton hedges to keep out onlookers .
In fact there are fields of this hedge growing business nearby .
We dropped the car off at the East Hampton airport , then back to the boat before our evening experience of the SH Bay Theater. Ordered a glass of wine when we got there.
You were allowed to take it into the theater with you. So the Play , Five Presidents It was about the funeral of Nixon and five presidents including the then current president Clinton ,met in a room prior to the event and there they discussed the good and bad aspects of being President of USA . It was funny and also poignant , showing the humanside of each of the men..
Well we had a break from doing the blog while staying in Sag Harbor for three days. Our second day in Sag we explored the town, full of little boutiques and restaurants and wonderful organic fresh food catering for the tourists and the Hamptonites. I had done some research in the early morning and saw there was a theatre in town .We booked for Thursday night to see a play called the Five Presidents. Will share about that later.
Being on a mooring ball we decided to take use of the efficient water taxi to take us to and from the boats into the town on all three days bar one when we took Rogers dingy out and went for an exploration in the harbor area. Lots of very large yachts around including several Ferretti boats .Seems they sell new them in the area, as do Back Cove yachts , the sister Sabre company.
Late afternoon we got picked up by Tony and Blair (our son) and enjoyed Champagne and appetizers at the Da Silva house in Sag Harbor to celebrate the birth of our first grandson Sebastian.
As weather was dicey we decided to forget the BBQ idea at the house and headed off to Bridgehampton for a nice Italian meal. Sebastian was the model baby nt making any fuss despite the noise level and activity in the restaurant.
Thursday morning ,the four of us rented a car from Enterprise , who will collect you and bring you back by the way.
Decided to first explore Shelter Island which involved taking the car on the ferry boat.
Had a nice drive around there , lovely old homes and very peaceful , certainly no traffic jams on that island! We stopped for coffee in the garden at the lovely old Chequit Inn.
The young girls serving the coffee there were wonderful and gave us their best recommendation for lunch and shops to visit.
We ended up at 1 pm having lunch at Salt restaurant which sits by the water . Scallops and red quinoa was the choice of three of us.I even tried fried asparagus as a starter . We decided to head back over to Southampton.Linda was on a mission to find a new cocktail napkin holder. Also we were able to see some of the lovely homes and the famous privacy Hampton hedges to keep out onlookers .
In fact there are fields of this hedge growing business nearby .
We dropped the car off at the East Hampton airport , then back to the boat before our evening experience of the SH Bay Theater. Ordered a glass of wine when we got there.
You were allowed to take it into the theater with you. So the Play , Five Presidents It was about the funeral of Nixon and five presidents including the then current president Clinton ,met in a room prior to the event and there they discussed the good and bad aspects of being President of USA . It was funny and also poignant , showing the humanside of each of the men..
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Day Four On our way to Sag Harbor
Hi F and F ( formerly known as Family and Friends)
Well , we couldn't say enough about how efficient this Marina is when it comes to being on time and getting the repairs sorted out!
So morning by 9 am the boat was back into the water , we had paid the bill which was surprisingly lower than we feared it would be. Marina workmen even cleaned off some barnacles and washed the hull. So we were ready to go!
By 10 am we started our journey and had a great run up the Long Island Sound. At Plum Gut , a deep narrow channel that divides Orient Point and Plum Island we turned in the make the last part of the journey into Gardiners Bay and Sag Harbor.
This channel is known for its rough waters and is best done at slack tide. We had timed it so we were close to that and had an uneventful trip in the bay and the winding last stretch into Sag Harbor being careful to avoid the group of rocks just by the breakwater. Around 2 pm , our friendly Harbor guy was there to meet us and direct us to our mooring balls .We relaxed before taking the water taxi in to shore and meeting up with Blair , Danielle, little Seb and Danielle's parents Sylvia and Tony, in the quaint but pricy town of Sag Harbor.mWe all had a nice wander up the street and ended at the LT Burger casual restaurant for delicious hamburgers ( that is all of us except Seb , who preferred his own baby milk speciality!)
We topped this off with an icecream cone , a summer tradition , before it was time for all to head home, especially for Seb who was ready to go to bed. He wasn't the only one as we have found after a days trip by boat we are ready to hit the sack early also!
Over and Out,
Skipper and First Mate.
Well , we couldn't say enough about how efficient this Marina is when it comes to being on time and getting the repairs sorted out!
So morning by 9 am the boat was back into the water , we had paid the bill which was surprisingly lower than we feared it would be. Marina workmen even cleaned off some barnacles and washed the hull. So we were ready to go!
By 10 am we started our journey and had a great run up the Long Island Sound. At Plum Gut , a deep narrow channel that divides Orient Point and Plum Island we turned in the make the last part of the journey into Gardiners Bay and Sag Harbor.
This channel is known for its rough waters and is best done at slack tide. We had timed it so we were close to that and had an uneventful trip in the bay and the winding last stretch into Sag Harbor being careful to avoid the group of rocks just by the breakwater. Around 2 pm , our friendly Harbor guy was there to meet us and direct us to our mooring balls .We relaxed before taking the water taxi in to shore and meeting up with Blair , Danielle, little Seb and Danielle's parents Sylvia and Tony, in the quaint but pricy town of Sag Harbor.mWe all had a nice wander up the street and ended at the LT Burger casual restaurant for delicious hamburgers ( that is all of us except Seb , who preferred his own baby milk speciality!)
We topped this off with an icecream cone , a summer tradition , before it was time for all to head home, especially for Seb who was ready to go to bed. He wasn't the only one as we have found after a days trip by boat we are ready to hit the sack early also!
Over and Out,
Skipper and First Mate.
7/12 and 7/13 days spent at Port Wasington
Hi there Family and Friends,
Well ,as we had to pay the waiting game before we could have the propeller repairs done ,we decided to enjoy the time in this lovely Marina .
Both days we experienced beautiful weather and we got to enjoy our two days with Linda and Roger.
On the Sunday for lunch we headed over to Louie's a great Restaurant by dingy. We both had fresh clams Graeme had baked and I had them in white wine with linguini .They were absolutely wonderful! So nice to be looking out over the Manhasset Bay with friends and enjoying a good meal together.Relaxed for rest of the day and met for cocktails on Lady Erica in the evening.
Monday morning bright and early Graeme and Roger brought the boat around to the boat lift and by 8 am the boat was blocked up on the land. Then a rental car arrived and they both drove off to Flushing New York with the damaged propeller to have it reconditioned. They returned just after midday and we four went off for a well deserved lunch at the local diner. Just perfect for Reuben sandwich and fries! ( for those not familiar with them they are made with corned beef , sauerkraut and cheese) I had a vegetarian one, which was delicious. Walked through the little town then did some shopping, but stayed away from the high end stores such as Gucci, Prado etc that surprisingly exist in this quiet town.
Later that afternoon , the guys made a return trip to pick up the shiny almost new looking repaired propeller.It would be ready to be put back into place tomorrow morning.
As we were now homeless for the night , we had a sleepover on Roger and Linda's boat after a delicious meal sitting out on the cockpit watching the sun go down and also enjoying the company of two of Roger's school friends who live in the area.
Over and Out ,
Erica and Graeme.
I h
Well ,as we had to pay the waiting game before we could have the propeller repairs done ,we decided to enjoy the time in this lovely Marina .
Both days we experienced beautiful weather and we got to enjoy our two days with Linda and Roger.
On the Sunday for lunch we headed over to Louie's a great Restaurant by dingy. We both had fresh clams Graeme had baked and I had them in white wine with linguini .They were absolutely wonderful! So nice to be looking out over the Manhasset Bay with friends and enjoying a good meal together.Relaxed for rest of the day and met for cocktails on Lady Erica in the evening.
Monday morning bright and early Graeme and Roger brought the boat around to the boat lift and by 8 am the boat was blocked up on the land. Then a rental car arrived and they both drove off to Flushing New York with the damaged propeller to have it reconditioned. They returned just after midday and we four went off for a well deserved lunch at the local diner. Just perfect for Reuben sandwich and fries! ( for those not familiar with them they are made with corned beef , sauerkraut and cheese) I had a vegetarian one, which was delicious. Walked through the little town then did some shopping, but stayed away from the high end stores such as Gucci, Prado etc that surprisingly exist in this quiet town.
Later that afternoon , the guys made a return trip to pick up the shiny almost new looking repaired propeller.It would be ready to be put back into place tomorrow morning.
As we were now homeless for the night , we had a sleepover on Roger and Linda's boat after a delicious meal sitting out on the cockpit watching the sun go down and also enjoying the company of two of Roger's school friends who live in the area.
Over and Out ,
Erica and Graeme.
I h
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Day 1 New York to Manhasset Bay ,Port Washington Long Island
Hi there Family and Friends,
We are on our way North for the first part or our trip to Maine .Our second part will be into Canada God willing!
We left Liberty Landing around noon to get the slack tide to go through Hells Gate .Its a part of the East River ( East side of Manhattan) known for its turbulent waters as several rivers converge there.
Being a Saturday there were quite a few pleasure boats out and about ,but not so many ferries. Canbe quite exciting avoiding those , as they go at a decent speed and you want to keep well clear of them.
We passed a couple of big barges , but they don't pose any problem.They are slow and don't have much wake to deal with. It was fun going past La Guardia airport watching the planes take off and landing..Beautiful sunny day and a short ride of only 1 1/2 hours to our next destination.
However, once we rounded the bend of the East River and entered the Long Island Sound we came up to a small lighthouse in the center of the Sound in an the area we later found out was called Stepping Stones and Graeme chose to go right of it as there were many boats in the left side channel.We had seen several boats taking this right side path but we soon realized after hearing a clunking sound underneath our boat , why it was called Stepping Stones !Fortunately we were going quite slowly and the boat continued to go although we sensed it sounded different!
Once into the Brewer Capri Marina ,we were met up our friends Linda and Roger who were there to welcome us.They had been at the Marina for several days to meet up with family and friends.
We decided we better find out what damage had been done to the boat when we hit what we though must have been a rock.A diver appeared very promptly and said we were lucky as the damage had indeed been done by a rock It appeared to involve only the left prop and although both propeller blades on that side were bent , but didn't look like they needed to be replacesd , just straightened. The service manager arrived also and suggested we get the repair done here probably Monday, when they could short haul the boat out of the water.They told us many people had been caught at The Stepping Stone area, and had done damage to their boats.The good thing is that this Marina has all the facilities and has a good reputation for servicing and repair work. Thank God it happened here and not some out of the way place! Reminds us , you must always be very vigilant especially in unknown waters.
So our one night stop will perhaps turn into three nights and we hope to make Sag Harbor on Tuesday or Wenesday at the latest.
Over and Out
Skipper and First Mate .
We are on our way North for the first part or our trip to Maine .Our second part will be into Canada God willing!
We left Liberty Landing around noon to get the slack tide to go through Hells Gate .Its a part of the East River ( East side of Manhattan) known for its turbulent waters as several rivers converge there.
Being a Saturday there were quite a few pleasure boats out and about ,but not so many ferries. Canbe quite exciting avoiding those , as they go at a decent speed and you want to keep well clear of them.
We passed a couple of big barges , but they don't pose any problem.They are slow and don't have much wake to deal with. It was fun going past La Guardia airport watching the planes take off and landing..Beautiful sunny day and a short ride of only 1 1/2 hours to our next destination.
However, once we rounded the bend of the East River and entered the Long Island Sound we came up to a small lighthouse in the center of the Sound in an the area we later found out was called Stepping Stones and Graeme chose to go right of it as there were many boats in the left side channel.We had seen several boats taking this right side path but we soon realized after hearing a clunking sound underneath our boat , why it was called Stepping Stones !Fortunately we were going quite slowly and the boat continued to go although we sensed it sounded different!
Once into the Brewer Capri Marina ,we were met up our friends Linda and Roger who were there to welcome us.They had been at the Marina for several days to meet up with family and friends.
We decided we better find out what damage had been done to the boat when we hit what we though must have been a rock.A diver appeared very promptly and said we were lucky as the damage had indeed been done by a rock It appeared to involve only the left prop and although both propeller blades on that side were bent , but didn't look like they needed to be replacesd , just straightened. The service manager arrived also and suggested we get the repair done here probably Monday, when they could short haul the boat out of the water.They told us many people had been caught at The Stepping Stone area, and had done damage to their boats.The good thing is that this Marina has all the facilities and has a good reputation for servicing and repair work. Thank God it happened here and not some out of the way place! Reminds us , you must always be very vigilant especially in unknown waters.
So our one night stop will perhaps turn into three nights and we hope to make Sag Harbor on Tuesday or Wenesday at the latest.
Over and Out
Skipper and First Mate .
July 11 th 2015 Start of the big trip north from New York/ New Jersey
Hi There Family and Friends,
As promised , here is the start of the new blog trip up to Maine and Canada . First part up to Maine we will be going in convoy with our good friends Linda and Roger from Florida.We had travelled before together to the Bahamas a couple of years ago.
Just to recap, we started our journey on the morning of 11 th June from the Chesapeake Yacht Club, on the Chesapeake Bay , Maryland.
Our first short journey was to Annapolis to practice our mooring ball skills and also to catch up with our Florida friends Nancy and Bill and have a dinner at the wonderful Annapolis Yacht Club together.
Next day we headed up north to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal on a beautiful sunny day .
The Delaware Bay was so benign, we decided to make it all the way to Cape May where we spent a night along with all the fishing boats. There was a big shark fishing competition going on and it was exciting to see a shark being filleted on the dock.We were amazed to see how muscular and meaty a shark is. Next day we had a good trip up the Atlantic Coast in very mild conditions , the sea was like glass all the way to Longport near Ocean City , New Jersey. We had two pleasant days in the marina there and were able to catch up with our dear Florida friends Mary Beth and Dick. They graciously showed us around .We had a couple of memorable meals together and even had a four person cycle ride along the boardwalk. Not bad going for four oldies! It was good we stayed an extra day in Longport , as the weather was perfect for going up the coast to New York.
Once we entered near Sandy Hook area, the water became quite turbulent due to all the boating activity. Being a Sunday ,very man and his dog was out in the harbor sailing ,fishing, etc. so we had no navigate in between all this. .Best not to travel in weekends if you don't have to!
We had a warm welcome at Liberty Landing Marina.on the Hudson River New Jersey Side.
The Dockmaster found us a great slip and we had amazing views of the new One World Tower ( the old site of the old Twin Towers that were destroyed in 9/11/ 2001) it was to be our new home for one
month as we awaited for the birth of our first Grandson.
Sebastian arrived on the 26 th June , 11 days later and we had wonderful two weeks with our Son Blair , Daughter in Law Danielle and precious little Sebastian. Also got to eat out in the wonderful New York City , go to some good shows , museums and a trip up the One World Tower was spectacular .It was a fabulous time.Feel very blessed.
Over and out,
The Wheatley's
As promised , here is the start of the new blog trip up to Maine and Canada . First part up to Maine we will be going in convoy with our good friends Linda and Roger from Florida.We had travelled before together to the Bahamas a couple of years ago.
Just to recap, we started our journey on the morning of 11 th June from the Chesapeake Yacht Club, on the Chesapeake Bay , Maryland.
Our first short journey was to Annapolis to practice our mooring ball skills and also to catch up with our Florida friends Nancy and Bill and have a dinner at the wonderful Annapolis Yacht Club together.
Next day we headed up north to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal on a beautiful sunny day .
The Delaware Bay was so benign, we decided to make it all the way to Cape May where we spent a night along with all the fishing boats. There was a big shark fishing competition going on and it was exciting to see a shark being filleted on the dock.We were amazed to see how muscular and meaty a shark is. Next day we had a good trip up the Atlantic Coast in very mild conditions , the sea was like glass all the way to Longport near Ocean City , New Jersey. We had two pleasant days in the marina there and were able to catch up with our dear Florida friends Mary Beth and Dick. They graciously showed us around .We had a couple of memorable meals together and even had a four person cycle ride along the boardwalk. Not bad going for four oldies! It was good we stayed an extra day in Longport , as the weather was perfect for going up the coast to New York.
Once we entered near Sandy Hook area, the water became quite turbulent due to all the boating activity. Being a Sunday ,very man and his dog was out in the harbor sailing ,fishing, etc. so we had no navigate in between all this. .Best not to travel in weekends if you don't have to!
We had a warm welcome at Liberty Landing Marina.on the Hudson River New Jersey Side.
The Dockmaster found us a great slip and we had amazing views of the new One World Tower ( the old site of the old Twin Towers that were destroyed in 9/11/ 2001) it was to be our new home for one
month as we awaited for the birth of our first Grandson.
Sebastian arrived on the 26 th June , 11 days later and we had wonderful two weeks with our Son Blair , Daughter in Law Danielle and precious little Sebastian. Also got to eat out in the wonderful New York City , go to some good shows , museums and a trip up the One World Tower was spectacular .It was a fabulous time.Feel very blessed.
Over and out,
The Wheatley's
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