TEXAS RANGER: Nantucket, MA to Wickford, RI, Providence, RI and Newport, RI August 30--Sept 1

After several days in historic Nantucket, we moved west to Rhode Island, docking in quaint Wickford Village. This excellent little marina is homeport to friends on K-K 48 Gratitude, and was a base from which to explore the general area. Narragansett Bay is home to many yacht clubs, sailing activities, and the bustling Newport waterfront. Beavertail Light at the entrance to the bay is the third-oldest lighthouse in the country, and has been beautifully restored and is in the middle of a rustic state park near Jamestown, RI. Providence, the capital of Rhode Island, is a large city, but was remarkably "shut down" for the holiday weekend. We toured along the old historic area, and saw many incredible examples of old architecture, including the First Baptist Church in America, organized by Roger Williams in 1638 (the present building dates from 1775). In fact, Rhode Island was the first area of the new world truly founded to foster religious freedom. The old Federal Hill area contains the Italian section, and there is reportedly still a substantial mafia presence along with great restaurants. We enjoyed seeing Brown University with its many classic, old buildings, but we obviously arrived on the same weekend as the students--it was reminiscent of several trips to deposit our kids at college!
Newport probably has more true old mansions per square mile than anywhere else in the country, and was for many years the summer and/or weekend retreat of some of America's most wealthy. One can certainly understand why, when viewing the incredible vistas of the ocean that are available from the cliffs on which they are situated. Many are on extremely large estates, and are hidden behind well developed foliage. Also present is the church in which John and Jackie Kennedy were married in 1953. There is also animal research in the area (ag friends, can you name the breed of cow?), as well as some idiosyncratic kites flying on the windy cliffs above the ocean. Unfortunately, I was unable to tour the Herreshoff/America's Cup museum in Bristol because of odd closure days.