S/V Aphrodite

Cruising the shores of southern New England

We left the hot humid weather of the Chesapeake Bay on 8/30/05, heading
north, into New England waters. There was an immediate sense of relief from
the weather as we sailed offshore. Our first stop was at an island off Long
Island, Block Island which is actually part of Rhode Island. The place was
really hopping, being the beginning of the Labor Day weekend. The primary
anchorage area is inside the Great Salt Pond. But since it was packed, we
called for a mooring, getting one of the last available ones. What we
noticed first was the type and condition of all of the boats moored in the
harbor. This was truly my first introduction of the yachting world of the
East Coast. The sailboats were primarily little gaff-rig cats and S-class
sloops, fast and sporting. All of the boats were in pristine condition,
affirming the sense of personal pride taken by the owners.

The weather and size of the island called for bike riding; so we pulled out
our collapsible bikes, unfolded them and circumnavigated the island, twice.
The island is breathtaking with a moorish landscape that reminded me of
Scotland, bluffs, gentle hills of deep green color and rugged ravines, all
outlined by waist high stone walls demarcating centuries-old property lines.
Most of the property lines still stand, with property passing on generation
after generation. Somehow, this precious island has been able to maintain
it’s age old ambiance, simple island life with few of the interruptions of
modern tourism.

Leaving Block Island was bittersweet, not knowing that Newport Harbor, RI,
our next destination, would be even more memorable. Since it was still
Labor Day weekend, we were fortunate enough to hit Newport at one of it’s
prime yachting events, the Labor Day races. This is THE sailing mecca of
the East coast and perhaps the nation. Sailing is not just a past time, or
a passion here, it is a way of life. What a thrill it was to watch those
beautiful bristol boats line up at the starting lines and take off following
the shotgun signifying the start of the race. While we were there we saw
several of the America’s Cup 12 meter racing boats from years gone by. Wow!

But, the city has much more than just the yachting life in it’s history.
During the 19th century Newport was home to lavish mansions and palaces
known as “summer cottages” of the wealthiest New Yorkers. Jackie Kennedy
grew up “summering over” in Newport, president Eisenhower had his summer
cottage here along with many others.

We then sailed to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, which is where we are
now. Both are well know to most people. Martha’s Vineyard has managed to
keep a lower tourist profile than Nantucket which continues to overbuild
multimillion dollar trophy homes. In the 18th century both of these islands
grew into bustling havens for whaling vessels and merchant fleets. The
whaling history is richly portrayed at the Whaling Museum on Nantucket, well
worth a visit. Other than that, Nantucket is mostly a tourist trap, packed
with people even during the off season. I realize I have a jaded view
because I have been able to visit so many undiscovered jewels while
cruising. So, take my opinion with the grain of salt it is delivered with.

Next on our list of ports are Rockport, MA, our most northern destination
this summer, Gloucester, Salem, the site of the famous Salem witch trials
and then on into Boston Harbor. We will meet Kirstin and Adam in Boston on
9/22/05 and sail to New York Harbor with them.