Southward Bound

At our mooring in Mattapoisett  at dawn

On August 22 we left Boston behind and made our second trip through the Cape Cod Canal. We did it at night. I was at the wheel, Scott below sleeping, when I turned the boat around the markers and headed up the channel, looming rock jetties on each side. The bright lights lining the canal blinded me and as I started under the first bridge I suddenly realized a huge tanker was coming right at me. Wow! Did my boat turn on a dime and head for the edge! Luckily it's pretty deep close to.

Schooner on Long Island Sound

We were headed for Mattapoisett again, this time to pick up Sean and friend Caitlin for a cruise. This is a wide pretty bay with free moorings from the boatyard. The next morning we sailed up the south coast of the Cape and flew through Woods Hole Cut. The currents here are extremely strong and it's necessary to plan your passage through here at close to slack tide. We were a little late. There are a lot of channels here near the mouth of the harbor and it was confusing but we made it through.
It's a short sail across to Martha's Vineyard. We moored again in Oak Bluffs. It was more fun this time as we were a bit more experienced. This is a tight harbor with packed in boats.
We rented bikes and explored. Sean and I spent a great vacation here many years ago and one of our fondest memories was jumping off the bridge over an inlet along the beach. We did it again - still fun! Edgartown is a beautiful town with great restaurants and we love walking through the cottage community at Oak Bluffs.
After a few days there, we left and as we did with the Korbeys the year before, we stopped at Tarpaulin Cove in the Elizabeth Islands to swim and eat and then continued to Cuttyhunk Harbor for the night. This has been a favorite place of ours for years.

Scott's Dad Mitchel at home in Conn.

We came here twice on a friend's boat and Scott and James spent a weekend here once fishing. We only had one night as Caitlin needed to get home so we returned to Mattapoisett to let her off. Sean continued with us towards Newport R.I. but we ran into bad weather. The wind was directly in front with gusts up to 30 knots. It was VERY uncomfortable and after hours of crashing into the waves, I suggested we just turn to port and spend another night at Cuttyhunk. Relief! Amazing what a difference it was on a reach with the sails up! It was wonderful to pick up a mooring and relax.
We left early the next day and it was thrill to sail into Newport Harbor! This has always been a favorite place but we've never been on a boat here, let alone our own. Sean took a bus home and after two nights we headed on down the Long Island Sound. We had a reservation at the Noank Yacht Club for ten days. We needed to take Sean up to Dartmouth and get him settled. Scott had some work to do, we wanted to visit Scott's father Mitchell and we needed to close up Vermont.

Clouds building up over Noank

When we arrived at 5 PM, no one knew we were coming. The man Scott talked to during the summer had left and evidently didn't tell anyone. Everyone was so nice. They insisted we tie up to the dock for the night and they'd figure it out. By morning we had a mooring, Paul Taylor's for the next eight nights. We could only get to the mooring at high tide and I think we had little to nothing under us at low tide. Luckily the bottom was mud. During the week a hurricane brushed by off shore and it was really rough. I was on board alone for the day and very nervous. Paul came out with two heavy anchors to reinforce the mooring. We couldn't thank him enough - and he refused any compensation.


We anchored next at N. Fisher's Point, Saybrook on the Connecticut River and then again at Milford. Leslie Smith's college roommate's mother and husband, Mike and Sandy Madigan, invited us to use their mooring at Bell Island, off South Beach, near Norwalk. We ended up staying in their home for two nights. They were great hosts and had a beautiful home there.

Scott and brother Brent at the 79th St. Boathouse mooring

Our last anchorage in Long Island Sound was off City Island. There is a yacht club here although we haven't gone ashore. It is necessary to time your passage down the East River the next morning from the Sound to the Harbor through Hell's Gate. Well named we hear, although we carefully planned our three passages through it (two others the following year) and had no problems. The first part was a peaceful and interesting trip past the Maritime Academy and under the Long Island bridges we'd been over hundreds of times by car. Then the positive current swept us down the river, faster and faster. We were around Hell's Gate bend and in a few minutes the United Nations Building gleamed in the sun - seen here behind me. It was a thrill to see the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges from the underside!

The United Nations building gleaming in the sun on the
East River

Our oldest son Josh lived for many years in a loft on the river, which we saluted as we passed. The current slowed after we went around the tip of Manhattan and we had it against us slightly going up the Hudson. We stayed on a mooring at the 79th Street Boathouse, a few miles up. The currents on the river make it quite challenging at times getting on and off the boat but it's an amazing place. For only $40 a night we were fifty feet from the shore and let's say, 1000 meters from Zabar's Deli. We love New York and this was a thrill. There is even a charming cafe and FREE laundry facilities at the Boathouse!
We left the boat on the mooring for two nights while we visited Brent and Wilma, Scott's brother and his wife. We even participated in a labor rally in Atlantic City with them. He's Chief Counsel for UNITE.

An old boat tries to make way against the current

When we got back we found our dinghy, tied up to the docks, filled with debris and barely floating. There had been a storm during our time away. It was a huge job pulling it up on the dock and cleaning it. Disgusting!!!
We left NYC in the very early morning before dawn. It was a thrill to sail past the Statue of Liberty and out into the crowded harbor, under the Tappan Zee Bridge and out to sea. We planned to visit our friends on "Sea Angel" at Brielle Marine Basin at the Manasquan Inlet for one night. The weather was lovely for a sail down the N.J. coast and the entrance easy into the inlet. Once in we passed under the railroad bridge and docked at the Brielle Marine Basin marina. Ed was there to tie up our lines and take us out to lunch. His wife Benia was unfortunately away.

UNITE protest in Atlantic City, NJ

The next morning we had to leave in the dark. We called the bridge attendant before casting off our lines and waited for the bridge to open. It was pretty frightening for us newbies to navigate out the inlet in the dark - a first, for sure. But we had a long trip ahead of us, down the rest of the NJ coast to Cape May. We wanted to be safely anchored there before dark. We came in through the Inlet from the Atlantic and anchored near the Coast Guard Station.
We could not exit via the Cape May Canal out to the Delaware due to fixed 55' bridges so we made another before dawn exit back out the Inlet and carefully made our way through the complicated channels around the Cape and up the Delaware.

Our first summer in Maine

We set off again north directly this time to the Isle of Shoals on July 16. As we did last time with the Smiths we picked up a mooring and hoped no one would come to claim it in the middle of the night. Gosport Harbor isn't a good place to anchor. We didn't get off the boat this time.
Our next stop was Wood Island Harbour at Biddeford Pool, Maine. What a great spot, although it was a challenge to anchor (only our second time?). Portland, Maine, our next destination, wasn't far so we left after lunch and were moored at Portland Yacht Services at 4:45PM. On the way we passed Jane & John Moore sailing south on their boat and talked to them on the VHF. Another coincidence.

Two days later we sailed through Casco Bay and picked up a mooring off the Chebegue Hotel on Chebegue Island. The Bagnells and ourselves had stayed out there for a three day weekend when the kids were young and had a memorable time. That's the front porch above. After exploring we sailed around the island when a big thunderstorm threatened. A spare mooring at Central Landing on Great Chebegue island proved a

great place to weather the storm but after it departed, so did we. Our anchorage for the night was Chandler Harbor and it was nice to be settled in there before sundown. The next morning we were fogged in but by 11:15 it was clear enough to start off.
Jewell Harbor was on everyone's list of must sees, so we anchored there for a late lunch and walk around the island - truely a beautiful spot. This is a State Park and has cement towers used during WWII to watch for submarines. Unfortunately we had a time schedule to follow and couldn't stay the night. We pressed on to Falmouth Foreside's moorings.


The next day we motored slowly through pea soup fog to Portland again. We couldn't see a thing but navigated by the auto pilot, radar and careful listening. What an eerie experience! We stayed one night and then in poor visability passed Halfway Rock on our way to Sebasco harbor. Next in cloudy, rainy conditions we turned around Cape Small, off Hendrick's Head and finally to Ebencook Harbor. This is where we picked up "Scott Free" last year. The sun came out and it was a beautiful night. It's a short hop around to Boothbay Harbor and we spent a few nights enjoying this busy scenic spot. I spent many days here on vacation with my parents and Uncle

Morton and Auntie Berta on their boat. Our friends Wendy & John Padgett and their two children Ray & Olivia live in Bristol so we spent two nights in Christmas Cove and two nights at Round Pond visiting them. We had dinner with them at their home and at Coveside - an old favorite from many years visiting them. Our mooring in Round Pond is a free one kept for visitors - very friendly. The Padgetts came on

Olivia, John and Ray on board

board for lunch at our mooring and John, Olivia and Ray decided to sail north with us to Camden. Unfortunately the seas were confused and the wind picked up, gusting to 28 knots. Ray got really sea sick and Olivia some, so we turned into Port Clyde instead. This was a rolly harbor but a clear night. The next day was beautiful and clear. We had to motor around to Camden. Our time was getting short now. We were meeting Bob Defeyter in Burnt Coat Harbor on Swan's Island for the Music Festival in two days. So next morning we sailed off Egg Rock, North Haven, off Green Ledge, under the bridge and anchored in Benjamin River, a beautiful rural quiet anchorage.

The next day started sunny but soon the pea soup fog rolled in. It is remarkable that we could continue slowly manuvering our way through the multitude of channels, rocks and islands without being able to see a thing. Navigation is with the auto pilot, radar, listening to the conversations of the other boats on the VHF, and to the other boats horns calling around us. We stayed two nights and managed to get tickets to see the show at night and the free one in the afternoon.

We'd been to this before with Bob DeFeyter on his boat and loved it. Besides the evening concerts, there is an afternoon trip round the harbor by a old schooner with musicians jamming aboard (that's it three photos above)- sea chantys of course! One afternoon there is a free concert on the beach (photo above right, also shows the mural). And through it all the resident artist paints a huge mural of the sea/shore, different each year. The

musicians come from all over the world and many have been here every year for maybe 30 years. Their children are now performing! The yacht club where we came ashore is above right.
Our next planned event was the Seven Seas Cruising Association's GAM at Islesboro. It followed right after the Music Festival. The GAM was a lot of fun. Anchoring safely while under the scrutiny of everyone in a crowded harbor was the first challenge. Luckily we arrived the day before the GAM started - others arriving the next day provided more entertainment.
Our first morning our neighbors Larry and Leslie Sturzenberger on "Algonquin" invited us over for hot morning muffins. This was our first glimpse of cruising hospitality. That night was the welcoming cocktail party - a dinghy raftup with at least 40 boats participating. Passing the hors d'oeuves around from boat to boat while holding drinks was the second big challenge!
Sunday was a big pot luck, talks from experienced sailors and members, and of course, a yard sale. We met many cruisers, several of whom we would see again in far flung ports.

After this it was time to start south. We spent one night in Boothbay, and the next day sailing close reach in 15-20 knots with big rollers following us, our dinghy broke off from the davits and went under water with the outboard on it. We stopped and Scott managed to right it and pump it out. The motor needed additional help fast and Portland wasn't far. We made in to the Portland Yacht Services and they put it in a fresh water tank. The next day we got it back running, but it was never the same and a pain in the ass for the rest of it's life.

We spent one night in Biddeford Pool, another at the Isle of Shoals and then were back in Glochester. James joined us there for some vacation. The three of us sailed to Provincetown and spent a few days exploring the town. What fun! It was a special weekend for transvestites with a parade. Next we had a very brisk sail to Scituate for a night before returning to our marina in East Boston.

Sailing with the Smiths

The old Oceanic Hotel on Star Island at the Isle of Shoals, once a fishing village, now a Christian Retreat

Colin with Heather and at the wheel 

Carol, Bill and Jonathan

Harvey and Gail, not sure who is with them below.

That's a shot from our boat to the point
with it's lovely lighthouse. 

From Scituate we sailed north to Glochester and picked up a mooring at the Eastern Point Yacht Club. That's a shot from our boat to the point with it's lovely lighthouse. Our very close friends Harvey and Gail Smith live there in the summers and it's a favorite spot of ours. We'd arrived on July 3 and hosted all the Smiths, Fonvielles, Jeanne, Ravi and Sunjay Dhama for a July 4th dinner and fireworks. That's Leslie and boyfriend Chaz below. Originally we'd planned to motor in to the inner harbor but once everyone was on board it was late and dark.

Navigating in the dark with a big group of people on board was too scary. So we sat at the mooring and watched a line of fireworks displays down the coast towards Boston. There must have been six towns visable! Naturally the food and company were great!
We went in to Brown's Marina for fuel (this picture shows the shoreline as we get near the inner harbor and had a great day sail with Harvey, Gail and Colin the next
day. Harvey and Gail then joined us as we sailed north around Cape Ann up to the Isles of Shoals. Our first night we picked up a mooring in Rockport off Motif #1. Then on to the Isle of Shoals. This tiny group of islands has several small homes and the big old Oceanic Hotel, established in the 19C and now used for religious retreats. They welcome the public to look around and eat dinner by reservation.
Nearby Appledore Island is a summer teaching and research center run by Cornell University. The biggest of the islands, it was once the home of poet Celia Thaxter. We toured the center and the island. Smuttynose Island is has two fishing cottages and a ranger to loan you a booklet for a self guided tour around the island. The restored Haley House next to the Ranger office is said to be one of the oldest in Maine. Legends of pirates and smuggling hang around these islands and a famous murder occurred here as well. It is impossible to anchor there due to a fouled bottom but the moorings, put down by several N.H. Yacht Clubs, can be used if available.

From there we crossed over to the mainland and up the Piscataqua River into Portsmouth. This is a charming old city, recently considerable restored. Unfortunately the dock at Prescott Park was full so we went past the draw bridge where we found a available slip, right downtown. In the afternoon we toured Strawberry Banke, a collection of 30 historical structures all restored and open. That night we saw a musical production at the local theater followed by great folk music at a historic tavern. Fabulous! And, no advance planning.

The next morning the river was churning with a 3-4 knot current sweeping down under the bridge, only 200 feet from our dock. Oh boy did we angst! We pulled the boat as far down the dock as it would go and tested the engine before we cast off. Scott barely made it on board as we surged off and away from the bridge. Far enough off, we called the bridge tender for an opening.

The bridge slowly began to rise. I didn't want to get too far away so I circled around while we watched. Time went by. The bridge tender got on the VHF; "You're making me dizzy! What are you waiting for?"
Scott came back nervously; "We have a 63' mast. Is there clearance?
"Oh I think so...the bridge is 120' up!", he replied with a laugh.
The rest of our cruise was uneventful but lovely. We returned to Glochester and tied up at Brown's Boat Yard for some repairs. During these five days we had rigging work done and new instruments installed. Heather striped the railing and Scott installed a new refrigerator. The boat was a mess as you can see below, but happily we were able to stay with the Smiths in comfort. Once completed we set sail again, this time north to Maine.

Through the Cape Cod Canal - not over it!

This time we crossed under the Cape Cod bridges and not over! We left Boston at 1 PM and entered the narrow channel into Scituate Harbor guarded by it's lovely lighthouse. The harbor was packed with boats but Satuit Boat Club had a mooring for us for two nights. We walked all over the town and enjoyed the great ice cream. Searching for ice cream shops became quite a habit with us when we got into port. 
We left early for the long day's trip south. By noon we were off the entrance to the canal and drifted around while enjoying lunch waiting for a positive current. It was a very exciting trip for us through the canal. So many times we've driven over the bridges and looked down envious of the boaters. No it was our turn. 

We exited the canal at Onset around 3 and discovered choppy waves, a usual on Buzzard's Bay. It wasn't far to Mattapoisett and the free moorings at Brownell's. This is a great spot although not terribly protected in bad weather. Dick and Debra Bond drove down to spend a day with us and we sailed out towards Falmouth. It was windy and Deb didn't much like being "on the rail", but it was fun sailing and the boat handled beautifully. On the way back to our mooring we recognized Russ, Marty and Jenny Wolf on another small boat. They were sailing with their friends Janet and Bob, who invited us to their home on the harbor for dinner. What a coincidence! It was a really fun evening.

Our next stop was Quisset Harbor near our friends Ted and Karen Martin in Falmouth (that's them with myself above). We left Mattapoisett at 7:40 AM and were at our new mooring by 9:30 AM. Ted picked us up and I stayed with Karen while Scott, Ted and their young friend Matt went back to the boat for a sail. Unfortunately the mooring caught tight on the rudder and they had to call Boat US over to cut if off - no time left for a sail. Diane & Mitch Korbey joined us all for a great dinner at their home and then left with us the following morning for a few days sailing. 

We left Quissett at 5:20 PM (can't remember why so late) and roared through the Woods Hole Cut at top speed at 5:50 PM. It's really hard to navigate this area as there are many different channels and markers - and you're going likity split. But we managed and had a fast trip too over to Oak Bluffs harbor on Martha's Vineyard for two nights. Talk about packed in harbors - you could pass the Grey Poupon to your neighbor from the cockpit!
During the next day we rented bikes and had a great trip along the long beach and down to Edgartown. The weather was really lovely and stayed that way for our following day's sail down the Elizabeth Islands. We anchored for lunch and a swim at Tarpaulin Cove. I think this was the first time we put down the anchor! Diane and Mitch spent 8 years cruising the Caribbean so we had experts with us. From there we had a fast sail through Quick's Hole and back to Quisset Harbor. A lovely but too short visit.
The positive current through the canal was in the early afternoon so we left Quisset at 12:30PM and were out the Mass. Bay side by 3:45 PM. We put the pedal to the diesel and motor sailed up the coast for Scituate. Once off the entrance however the motor failed. It was too rough and now getting dark for Scott to make repairs so we called Tow Boat US and they brought us in. It was a huge relief to tie up to the mooring - at 8:50 PM. We were tired.
Scott was able to replace the raw water impeller and solve the immediate problem but this situation repeated itself several times before we figured out the cause. The next day we had a series of severe thunder storms pass over. It was nice to be on a secure mooring in a protected harbor.

Entertaining in East Boston

East Boston was a fun place to keep our boat. The marina had a beautiful view of the city skyline across the harbor. That's Scott Free in her slip and the view at sunset. Scott and I walked all over the city and the nearby towns of Winthrop and Charleston. We hauled the boat for the winter after showing it off to most of our friends. Of course our son Josh, Michal and Daniel came over several times too.

That's our oldest grandson Daniel with me at the wheel below. Almost everyone we know came by for lunch or dinner and several times we took her out for a day sail. We went up to Glochester for a few days in October and Colin Smith and Matt Bagnell joined us on the trip back. Poor Colin, he was at the wheel when our captain's chair gave way! Happily he wasn't hurt.

In the spring we sailed up to Marblehead with Brent & Wilma for a night.
During the fall and spring our guest log shows that we hosted, besides our own family and those I've mentioned elsewhere in this posting, the Eltons, Bagnells, Victoria Arnold & Bert Waters, Fonvielles, Osbornes, Martha Patz, Pam Pinsky, Feuers, Sam Rust from Dartmouth, Kelleys, Grossmans, Herberts, Martins, David Wood, Bob DeFeyter (spent two days working on the boat with us), Korbeys, John Moore & Jane Mahoney and Dick & Heidi Bomagen (dinner for Mitch's 70th birthday), Susan Weir, Judith & Alan White, and the Silversteins.


James spent over two weeks with us during the break between Marlboro and Middlebury in June. We went up to Marblehead for one night. Sean joined us near the end of that time between Dartmouth and work in N.Y.C. too.
One day sail stand out in our memory. Russ & Marty Wolf and Dick & Debra Bond joined us in the morning of September 21st. That's Debby with me below and Russ beyond at the bow. To be honest Scott and I were really nervous taking her out of the slip. "Scott Free" looks so big and is very heavy. If we'd hit the dock, there'd be a big hole...in the dock.

We took turns at first steering the boat in close quarters but it soon appeared obvious to us that the combination of my being at the wheel and Scott on the deck and dock worked best for us. This is a very rare decision among cruising couples it seems. We should say at the start that we talked over who was Captain of our boat - and I felt that only one person should be and that was Scott. He is the cooler head for sure and is much more knowledgeable about the boat and sailing. He makes the final decisions - sometimes after I argue forcefully.

Our fears on this occasion however turned out to be grounded, literally, as we hit a rock off the channel heading out of the harbor. The boat stopped dead in the water. I was below getting drinks and Russ had taken the wheel. Scott was busy with some task and didn't notice when the boat strayed out of the channel. The markers at this point are very tricky and confusing. Happily our Nauticat is a tough cookie and the only damage was a scrape on the bottom. We were able to back off.

We learned a lot from that episode. From that time one of us is always at the wheel in tight quarters and if there's a doubt about the channel markers we stop and double check the charts. The rest of the trip was really fun with beautiful weather. We stopped and had a great lunch off one of the harbor islands. This was our last trip in the fall. We removed the mast and hauled her for the winter.
The next spring, after all the entertaining was done and the boat was ready for it's first shakedown, we paid our bill and departed our East Boston home. We were bound south for Cape Cod!

Another shot of Daniel with Josh and Grandpa

My  "twin" Susan Weeks paid us a visit in the early
spring - nice view from our slip in East Boston!