September 4th, 2018
Marina
Its not very often that we pop into Marinas but this is Pearl in Milford marina for I have to head off to Berlin to teach and Tracey likes to be tucked up somewhere nice and safe.
August 28th, 2018
EARLY START
An early departure for Port Jefferson offered up a lovely sun rise silhouetting a nesting Osprey.
August 28th, 2018
MOON
A picture will never do it justice but the moon when we got back to Pearl was amazing and we spent half an hour on the foredeck reveling in its reflection and being serenaded by the cicada's ashore.
August 28th, 2018
Three Mile Harbour
Three Mile Harbour has seduced us with its charm and we decided to stay for another day. During the morning, I ferried back and forth topping up the water tanks while Tracey did the clothes washing. Once done we went for an explore in the rib and found a lovely creek with Reed beds, egret fishing to amazing success and an Osprey calling from its perch on a navigation pole.
The tide drifted us back into Three Mile Harbour where we came across Joe and Saul happily digging about for Clams, big ones. They are allowed to harvest fifty a day by this method and you couldn't find a friendlier or more chilled out pair if you tried.
That night Fred, who had rowed out to say hello, invited us to a BBQ with some of his friends who have boats in the marina. A perfect end to the day.
August 24th, 2018
Three Mile Harbour
From Mystic we sailed to Fishers island and spent a day catching up with work. Ten hours in front of the laptop was actually enjoyable for I was burning and turning. The next day we got up to a cold morning with heavy rain which meant we donning wet weather gear. Felt very odd after so long in shorts but within half an hour the sun came out, the wind picked up and we had one of those cracking sails that come out of nowhere. The wind rose to 20knts at one point and we had a steady eight to nine knots under full main and Gennaker on a broad reach.
Three Mile Harbor is not the easiest of entrances to find but it is like the magic garden for it opens up a huge protected bay. It a stunning gear change as you leave the rumbustious sea behind and glide into the serenity of this magical place. We came thanks to our very good friend Joan who used to live here and so it was a pleasure to have an evening with her brother Larry. A perfect arrival and evening out.
August 24th, 2018
Rope Walk
Lovely to see this working rope walk in Mystic Seaport Museum which is very much a working boat yard. As such it was a joy to wander about to the sound of logs being planked, wood being planed and hand tools banging away. It bought many memories of Spirit of Mystery back.
August 24th, 2018
Whaling Ship
Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum is a must and I have always wanted to visit having heard so much about it. It didn't disappoint and the truth is that I could have spent a second day there. One of the highlights was Charles W Morgan which is the last remaining Whaling Ship. Having read a lot about this era, seen the films and visited the Whaling Museum in Nantucket one could walk about and project oneself back in time.
To get here we stopped in Block Island for a few days but for some reason the camera didn't save the pictures so I will take some next time we go back, its a lovely spot. The weather wasn't too good with lots of yachts dragging anchor which made for some interesting viewing. People just don't put enough chain down and it amazes me to see people casually drop their anchor and pop off to the bar with no scope out at all. The tow boat man makes a good living off this.
August 24th, 2018
TONY BULLIMORE
Tony Bullimore was one of my inspirations as a young sailor and so it was sad to hear of his death. He was such a lovely man who always had time and good advice, particularly on my first single handed transatlantic race on Cornish Meadow. This picture was sent to me by a good friend of a BBQ in Newport after the finish. Tony is on the left with his lovely wife Lalel - the two kids on the right is us. Steve Callahan is the one standing up and eating. An amazing man who survived 76 days adrift in the Atlantic on a life raft. His book Adrift is fantastic.
