Sept 28, Stratford CT

As the weather was good leaving Norfolk we decided to go a little further than Block Island. We arrived in Fishers Island just before sunset and just after the fuel dock closed. Went to an anchorage and spent the night there.
Spent a few days in New Haven after a harrowing sail in the fog from Fishers Island. It was forecast and did appear that the fog was lifting when we left, however it did not. Long Island Sound is busy.
New Haven Yacht Club has no facilities but did have a few free moorings for guests. Got a bit of water and left this morning for Stratford CT. Wind about 20 knots behind us, too much for the dingy which kept bumping into us. Lesson learned, stow dingy on deck in bad weather. All the way from Fishers Island we have seen a lot of wood in the water. Several times we saw 30 foot trees floating by and also some heavy timber. Not too good in the rough weather we had today. High tide this week is about a foot higher than normal and is flooding the coastal areas setting some this stuff free from the beaches.

A few pictures of the Stratford Boat Club dock and clubhouse. Nice bit of current here too, complete with anything that will float!

Sept 23, Newport RI

Arrived in Newport RI a few days ago and we are taking in the town for a few days. They have a limited area in the harbour for anchoring but we have a spot not too far from the old section of the town. A nice place here but it looks like it will be raining for a few days. Hard to believe but nowhere downtown is there a place to buy a new anchor line! I could take a bus to the next town but not in dire need yet.

 

 This sunset picture is in South Dartmouth. The rest are in Newport.

 

Yvonne beside an old Morgan trike.

Sept 20, Padanaram (South Dartmouth) MA

Arrived here in Padanaram MA last night at dusk after a nice day of sailing from Onset. Our 10 year old cruising guide said there was lots of room for anchoring, however a lot can happen in 10 years. The harbour was choked with moorings with barely room to anchor. After speaking to the harbour master this morning he took pity on us and let us have a unused mooring for a few days. This mooring belonged to a boat that broke free during the hurricane a few weeks ago and is now ashore being repaired.

Rainy weather and SW wind so we may stay here for a few days. Next stop Newport RI. Here are a few pictures from the past days. The two lighthouses at at Cape Ann, near Gloucester, the bridge is in the Cape Cod canal.

Sept 16, Gloucester MA

Arrived in Gloucester on the 14th. Taking a few days off till we get some favorable wind. Tomorrow looks like a good day to sail to Plymouth.
In Rockport, where we were a few days ago we almost lost our anchor. Apparently it hooked under a rock and did not want to come free. After about half an hour of pulling in different directions it did free itself.
There is no alcohol in Rockport, a dry town since the 1800's. This was bad as we had nothing left on board. This has since been remedied in Gloucester!
Pictures to follow...

Sept 13, Rockport MA

Decent weather forecast so at 6:30 AM we left Portsmouth for Rockport MA. Dead calm when we left and then a SW so motored again. About 80 F here today. Perhaps on to Gloucester tomorrow.

Sept 12, Portsmouth NH

Finally in a new state, New Hampshire. Long motor from Portland in fairly strong headwinds, which started after 12 AM, dead calm till then. Arrived in Portsmouth just before sunset to another minefield of lobster bouys at the harbour entrance.
"Borrowed" a mooring for the night and experienced some of the strongest tidal currents yet, probably 4 - 5 knots at "our" mooring in 80 ft of water. Lucky for us we arrived around slack low tide.
The picture above is of a boat that sailed alongside us all day yesterday. The one below is leaving Portland.
We will be here for a few days, unless the forecast changes as it looks like brisk wind dead on our nose if we leave.

 

Here are a few from Portsmouth NH.

Our mooring is waaay in the back of this picture.

Sept. 8, Boothbay ME

Arrived here in Boothbay Harbour, Maine around 2 PM. No wind today. Not like yesterday sailing from North Haven to Port Clyde. Nice wind and sailing at 5 to 6 knots for most of the day, light rain however.
I have been having suspicions that the speed when motoring has been slower, today it seemed quite noticeable.  Because the tides down Yarmouth way and around here are quit strong i was not sure. Anyway had a look at the prop tonight and its fouled with eelgrass, quite badly. So tomorrow its into the water for me!
The town above is North Haven. Didn't have to get wet today, got the seaweed off from the dingy using long knife hose clamped to a boat hook handle. We leave tomorrow Sept 9 for Portland maybe.

Sept 4, Bar Harbour

We arrived here yesterday and cleared customs with no problems. It was a good trip across sailing and then motoring after the wind dropped out. A horrendous amount of lobster buoys on the way in to Bar Harbour. They started about ten miles out in deep water. I was told there are about two million traps set now. Apparently they will continue to  bother us for a while as we head down the coast.
The weather doesn't look too bad for the next few days, so perhaps we head out tomorrow after getting some fuel and water.
This picture was taken at the Yarmouth marina.