Harbor Culture

After Dorian passed, we decided to stay in Onset on Sunday to give the ocean a chance to calm down.  This was a good decision, as it was a beautiful day, and I was in desperate need of getting my feet in the sand!  The day was sunny, warm and beautiful...albeit, still pretty breezy.  After hailing the pump out boat (I love towns that have a boat that comes to you!) we launched our toys.

The upper body workout was great



 But sometimes I just need to walk on a beach...ahhhh!  Now I’m recharged, tomorrow on to Newport, RI.

Monday delivered another beautiful day.  The seas were calm, wind light, sky blue, and temperature in the upper 70s...nice!  This was a perfect day to be on the water.  We left Onset around 9:00 a.m. heading for Newport, RI (approximately 45 miles).  We caught the outgoing tide and were cruising at 10mph for the first two hours.  The day was so calm and beautiful we decided to slow down and troll with the hopes of catching dinner.

Didn’t even get a nibble😕 That’s alright, we were not deterred from thoroughly enjoying this day.  We each had the rare opportunity to sunbath (when not on helm duty.)

This was my view during my ‘down time’- it is not the Space Shuttle looking down, it is me looking up...beautiful!

We happened upon another pole sticking out of the water, but this one was accompanied by a shipwreck! What came first...the pole or the shipwreck?

We entered the Newport Harbor at 4:20...trolling at 3mph adds a little time to the journey.

I nominate this house for most interesting location.  

As we entered the Newport Harbor I was amazed at the number and diversity of boats. This place is the ‘melting pot’ of boating, and these people are serious about their boats.  The term ‘boating’ is in the eye of the beholder...

Mega yachts abound...

All shapes and sizes are well represented and welcome! 

I have always believed that the boats in a harbor give a fairly accurate snapshot of the ‘culture’ of the town.  Never has this been more true than comparing Gloucester and Newport.  Both are amazing places full of fabulous boats and great people, but clearly the purpose and connections are vastly different...fascinating!  However, Keith and I are more comfortable in an environment that is less crowded, so we will look for a different ‘Harbor Culture’ at Block Island.

Another nice day to be on the water.

We passed a wind farm on the way, and a cute fishing boat.

Block Island has a very interesting looking lighthouse...is it a church, maybe a school...oh, it’s a lighthouse👍

We were anchored at the pink star.  This is our kind of place! The weather was great when we arrived and I had grandeur plans of spending a few days here kayaking, paddle boarding, and beach combing.  While at anchor you can scan 360 degrees around the boat and feel as though you are totally enclosed in this harbor. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, and we spent the second day hiding from a screaming wind that was forecast to continue for the better part of the next 5 days. Thursday morning offered a brief reprieve from the wind, so we decided to hightail it to Long Island with the hope of having a protected place (inside the bays) to explore and relax until the next weather window opens.

Sorry Block Island, we will have to return to enjoy your culture!