Nantucket -- Providence Area June 16--28

     From Edgartown, Texas Ranger traveled a very rough passage to Nantucket.  Contrary to weather forecasts, the wind was 35+ knots, mostly on the nose, with commensurate seas.  Since it was a relatively short passage, we proceeded anyway, and arrived early afternoon.  The last time we visited Nantucket we were on a mooring ball, but we had found a "pre-season" dockage special that allowed us to actually be in the Nantucket Boat Basin at a dock for minimally more dollars.  With the weather as poor as has been typical since our arrival in New England, this was indeed fortuitous.  When the weather turned messy, we could quickly retreat to the boat.  I will not post many pictures of Nantucket.  Though a fascinating place, I covered "The Gray Lady" fairly well on our last visit in August, 2014.
     We did experience some very special events, as a friend and author from Corpus Christi now summers on the island.  She invited us to dinner along with a most interesting Baylor journalism professor and his wife, and the pastor of the local Congregational Church and his spouse.  The pastor also has degrees from Baylor, and his wife is originally from Corpus Christi.  It was indeed an eclectic and very erudite group, and with a delicious meal, a most enjoyable evening!  The following morning we attended the First Congregational Church, where our Baylor prof was the guest speaker.  His message was not only informative, but most thought-provoking.  Following the service, we toured the just-refurbished lower level, part of the original church built in 1711.  Kadey-Krogens Bon Voyage and Tuscan Sun arrived in Nantucket the day prior to our departure, and all three couples had a wonderful visit.
     We had tarried a couple of days longer than planned hoping for better weather, and finally we were rewarded with a calm and beautiful trip to Narragansett Bay.  We traversed the Newport area, and proceeded upriver to Barrington, RI, just a few miles south of Providence.  Over several days of cleaning and restocking the boat, we also visited area sights.  In Bristol, the Herreshoff Museum chronicled the company that led many advances in wooden boatbuilding, designing and constructing several America's Cup defenders during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  We also toured the Federal Hill section of Providence, the center of the Italian culture of the city, and stayed to watch the Waterfire lighting display.  In Warren, we feasted at Blount's Clam Shack.  Note the vinyl sign:  "Summer Kick-off June 29".  June 29???  Well, it was 53 degrees this morning...  Tomorrow we will travel downriver to Newport for a 4-day party celebrating Kadey-Krogen's 40th year in business!

Texas Ranger in Nantucket Boat Basin

A la George Strait--

"Where The Sidewalk Ends"

North Stone--Lines up

with South Stone a Block

Away to Indicate True North

Dog-friendly Place

Like This Chauffeur

Herreshoff Museum

Herreshoff Museum, Bristol, RI

Boats Undergoing Restoration

Top Quality

RI Capitol, Providence

Torches Approaching

Small Boat Lighting Waterfront Torches

Waterfire Circle Now Ablaze

Blount's Clam Shack, Warren, RI

Summer Starting June 29???

The River Afire

Martha's Vineyard June 13--15

     In the golden age of whaling (1830-1845), there were three major whaling ports in this area:  New Bedford, Nantucket, and Edgartown.  Edgartown, the first settlement on the island of Martha's Vineyard (1642), is where Texas Ranger has been on a mooring the last few days following a passage from Block Island.  Though it originally had a different name, it was renamed in honor of Edgar, son of the Duke of York.  It lies on the east end of the island, and features the white clapboard buildings so typical of that period in New England history.  It is a thriving community whose economy is now driven primarily by tourism.  In its heyday, there were about 120 whaling captains living here, and most of their homes--quite prestigious by the standards of their day--still line the harbor.  Those familiar with the sea chantey "Old Zeb" will remember the reference therein to Edgartown.  Many upscale restaurants and stores abound in the old downtown area, including the original Vineyard Vines store.
     On our second day, we traveled (very economical 3-day Senior bus pass) to Vineyard Haven, the harbor which receives most of the huge ferries that transport people and vehicles from the mainland, and wandered its "tourist trap" Main Street, with many interesting shops.  On the waterfront is the Black Dog Tavern--the original restaurant which gave rise to a bakery and a line of clothing well-known to most Labrador Retriever owners.  Leaving Vineyard Haven, we went to Menemsha, a small harbor near the northwestern end of the island.  It was nice to see the harbor, as friends have told us of their previous visits there by boat.  There was little to see except a couple of seafood companies and gift shops.  The Obamas have just purchased a home east of Menemsha--up a private road with no other access, but a beautiful view of Vineyard Sound.  The far western tip of the island was next on our agenda--the town of Aquinnah (Wampanoag reservation area) and Gay Head Light--the lighthouse marking the western tip of Martha's Vineyard.
   Our third day on the island included a trip to Oak Bluffs, a very unique village north of Edgartown.  It originated following the War of Northern Aggression as the site of Methodist camp meetings.  Originally participants pitched their tents in the vicinity of the central Tabernacle, but later those abodes evolved into gingerbread-style houses, over 300 of which still comprise the village.  The Tabernacle seats over 3,000, and is in Trinity Park across from both Trinity Methodist Church and the unique octagonal Union Chapel with its three-tiered roof and four doors, which was built in 1871 as an interdenominational chapel.  We finished off our day with some final sightseeing and shopping (not purchasing!) in Edgartown.  Though our mooring was between Martha's Vineyard and Chappaquiddick Island which was made notorious by Teddy Kennedy--the inquest was held in the Duke County (New York had Kings and Queens counties) courthouse in Edgartown--we did not ride the small ferry across.

Federated Church

1828--Whale Oil

Chandelier

Old Whaling Church

1843

Dr. Daniel Fisher

House--1840

Whaling Capt. Houses

"Chappy" Ferry

The Essence of the Battle

Patriotic Gaff Rig

Edgartown Shoreline

Vineyard Haven

Vineyard Haven Marina

Original Black Dog Tavern

Black Dog Restored

This Ship

Menemsha Tuna

Menemsha

Gay Head Light

Oak Bluffs

Oak Bluffs

Oak Bluffs

Union Chapel

Camp Meeting

Tabernacle

Tabernacle--Capacity 3,000

Trinity Methodist Church

    

Essex, CT and Block Island, RI June 7--12

     Finally, a break in the yucky weather allowed more comfortable, even if not beautiful, travel along the Connecticut coast to Essex, up the Connecticut River past Old Saybrook and Old Lyme (passing through the Old Lyme Drawbridge).  We stayed at a picturesque marina on a small island (about 50 yards) off the shore.  A pontoon boat ferry transported guests across the channel "to town", where they were able to tour a classic 18th century New England village.  Things are just beginning to awaken in this part of the country, and some shops and services are still not in full swing.  Certainly the crowds have not yet arrived.  We enjoyed a relaxed few days and dined in not only small, local establishments, but also at the famed Griswold Inn which was opened in 1779.  The food was very good, but the atmosphere and décor were beyond belief.  Actually, a lot of the buildings in this town date from pre-revolutionary war days!

     We next traveled to Old Salt Pond on Block Island, RI.  Since the current through The Race at the eastern end of Long Island Sound would be against us all day (to the tune of 3.5 knots), we stayed north of Fischer Island where the adverse current was closer to 1.5 knots.  After passing Watch Hill Point, we turned south toward Block Island, a place I had heard about as a sailor (Block Island Race, Block Island Race Week, etc.) all of my life.  We had carefully checked that Race Week was still ahead, and that we would not conflict with the many boats that would attend.  On busy holiday weekends (e.g., July 4), as many as 2,000 boats anchor or moor in this harbor.  Fortunately, it was not nearly that crowded yet.  We had no problem procuring a mooring ball, and on a couple of days we walked to the other side of the island to Old Harbor, the larger town.  Magnificent old hotels, and many "tourist" shops, abound.  Sitting on the porches of the hotels and watching the harbor and surrounding waters while nibbling on a snack is the epitome of relaxed, "island living".    Food was good, and the Oar Restaurant in New Harbor (nearer our boat) was outstanding.  The décor consisted of hundreds of oars, many personalized.

     It is time to move on if we are to visit many of the locations that we missed when transiting this area a couple of years ago.  Because of crowds, many become practically inaccessible by July 4, and so we are visiting them before the Kadey-Krogen  40th Anniversary Party in Newport, RI June 29--July 2.

Essex Island

Essex, CT

Essex, CT

Griswold Inn, Essex, CT

Griswold Dining Room

Watch Hill Point, RI

Great Salt Pond, Block Island, RI

Great Salt Pond, Block Island, RI

Block Island, RI

Block Island, RI

Block Island, RI

Block Island, RI

National Hotel, Old Harbor, Block Island