A Voyage from Narragansett Bay to Block Island; mid May, 2013.

Spanish tallship "Juan Sebastian de Elcano" anchored west of Goat Island, Narragansett Bay on May 18, 2013.

Newport often seems to possess hooks that won't let you go.  The tallship in the photo above is a prime example of the hooks possessing phenomena.  I indeed felt that snagging urge to meander on over and have a closer look.

Stern view of the Spanish tallship "Juan Sebastian de Elcano" looking northeast as I make way out to sea on Narragansett Bay's East Passage.  I love looking at a tallship from the bow or the stern, especially a tallship with yards for the square sails. 

But I kept going.  I've heard it said and maybe you have also, that "no one expects the Spanish Inquisition" (it's a Spanish tallship).  Of course that was a long time ago and really I've found most Spanish folks to be very nice.

The oil tanker "Golden Energy" making way out of Narragansett Bay's East Passage and about to pass Beavertail Lighthouse (on the far left).

An oil tanker sets a different tone from that of a tallship.

A fishing vessel and Beavertail Lighthouse; May 18, 2013. 

As you see, this fine day in May was an excellent one for fishing.

A lobster boat plying its trade in Rhode Island Sound with the town of Narragansett (view looking west) in the background and a lovely wind turbine.

The trip from Narragansett Bay to Block Island is indeed one of my favorites.

The trawler "Katherine Elizabeth" ply's it's trade off Point Judith.  The Point Judith lighthouse is on the left.

The Point Judith lighthouse I reckon marks sort of the halfway point between Narragansett Bay and Block Island.  West of the lighthouse in the above photo is the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge.  Most of Rhode Island's fishing fleet is based in Point Judith, along with year round ferry service to Block Island.

The trawler Katherine Elizabeth off Point Judith with the Newport Bridge at the far left in this view looking north-east-north.

Visibility was pretty good on the day in mid-May of 2013 when I voyaged from Narragansett Bay to Block Island.

Rounding Point Judith.  This photo of the light is looking mostly north and a tad west.

Passing or rounding Point Judith is like entering a bit of a different realm.

The Block Island Ferry, having just passed the Point Judith breakwater, makes way southward.

I love the traditional vessels of the Block Island Ferry.  The traditional vessels of the Block Island Ferry that are car carriers all load from the stern.  I think the cars are backed in when loading.

The Block Island Ferry makes way southward to Block Island.  Block Island's North Light is on the right.

Block Island is named after the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block who sailed through here in the year 1614.

The fishing trawler "Cody" ply's it's trade in the waters about halfway between Point Judith and Block Island.

The water east and north of Block Island is known as Rhode Island Sound.  The water west of Block Island (between Block Island and Long Island) is known as Block Island Sound.

Block Island's north light comes into clearer view as a sailboat motors northward and a small pleasure fishing boat works the waters east of the reef that's located north of the island.

The lighthouse on the title page of my blog is the Block Island North Light.

The world famous "1BI" buoy, located about a mile or so north of the Block Island North Light, marking the northern edge of the shoal.  Fishing vessels like to work the sides of the shoal.

 The "1BI" buoy looks like it's taken a hit as it appears to be slightly bent.

The Block Island North Light, May 18, 2013.

After passing Block Island's North Light, I continued southward along the islands west shore, en-route to the Great Salt Pond's inlet.

A view of Block Island's Great Salt Pond inlet.  The R-2 buoy is at far right (red-right-return).  The stone breakwater in the middle of the photo also marks the red side of the channel. 

The inlet into Block Island's Great Salt Pond (also known as New Harbor) was easy to navigate on this day due to the mild conditions and good visibility.

"Welcome to New Harbor..." sign on the starboard side of the New Harbor, inlet with the Block Island Coast Guard Station behind.

Block Island's Great Salt Pond was quite empty on May 18, 2013.

My Albin Vega 27, Freya (sailboat on the right) anchored at Block Island.

I've found Block Island's Salt Pond to have pretty good anchor holding (mostly sand).

A non-patented rock anchor with a clove hitch kept my dinghy from drifting off into the deep blue briny.

Fair Winds
Captain Bill

Fighting the Pack-Rat Instinct

"First and foremost a sailing machine."- a mantra I find most helpful.  Thank you Lin and Larry Pardey for that one.  Here's a link to their websight-  landlpardey.com

The schooner "Madeleine" motoring and dropping sails while heading into Newport Harbor on May 14, 2013.

Unfortunately long periods of time often pass not thinking of this mantra and then the pack-rat instinct subtly creeps in.  Friends unfortunately don't help.

"...ah but you never know when you might need that..." say's one friend with a large garage.

"You can't be a minimalist all your life." says another friend with a bigger boat.

Coast Guard buoy tender "Juniper" anchored west of Goat Island, Narragansett Bay on May 14, 2013.

A fair amount of my time this spring hath been spent going through the boat from stem to stern getting rid of stuff and I must say it is no small marvel how much stuff I've kept aboard.  Some of the stuff's been aboard for years even and doing nothing except taking up space.

The surplus stuff I've reckoned to be of any value to someone else I've set beside the dumpster hopefully saving any future dumpster diver the hassle of climbing in.  Of course the teak table I never used vanished in a flash and then I hear some folks are organizing a flea market.

"Bet-cha wish you didn't get rid of that table now."  was a recent zinger.

I've been out for bear in this anti pack-rat crusade for a while, dodging my elfin pack-rat zinger infested friends like a seasoned politician and guess what?

The waterline's risen almost two inches!

And I've saved someone the trouble of dumpster diving!

12 Meter Yacht "Heritage" looking good and about to sail under the Newport Bridge on May 14, 2013.

Back in the day when I had even less money than I have now I was with a lovely lady who enjoyed dumpster diving in a bikini.  Her bikini (a ratty old threadbare thing) was her cheapest suit of clothing and the only clothes she didn't mind getting scummy.  No doubt she was a bit of an exhibitionist but there were times when she just needed something and didn't have the cash.  So off we went into the wealthy neighborhood. The astonished looks from passerby's made the expedition well worth the effort.

In the back of my mind I have a very vague list of future stuff I never plan on spending any money on.  This list comes to the front burner whenever I walk by say, a boatyard dumpster.  "...chunks of teak, anchor chain, dock-lines, decent nylon three strand..."

The salvage bit works on a similar modus operandi (i.e. free stuff floating by or washed ashore).  Never once have I bought a fender.  The cockpit cushions don't match but somehow fit the boats ambiance.

Coming close to burying the rail of my Albin Vega "Freya" (sailing machine) on May 14, 2013.  The light winds and smooth water in the previous photos quickly changed as the south wind piped up.  In this view I'm heading due east with the northern tip of Fort Adams on the right. 

The salvage bit along with the boatyard dumpster bit can be dangerous to pack-rat avoidance but those are moments to act!  The over-thought can happen later.
What usually happens in the aftermath (over-thought time) is that I'm too lazy to sell the excess which means setting it beside the dumpster (saving someone the trouble of climbing in) or walking among other boaters (or anyone lucky or unlucky enough to be nearby) with the wished-to-be-rid-of-piece-of-whatever crying out Paul Revere style,
"FREE!!"

Well, as I've said, I've got almost two more inches of waterline!
"First and foremost a sailing machine", right?

Fair Winds
Captain Bill

First Sail of 2013

Yes, unbelievable as it may seem, this plastic thing I call home sweet home does actually move when the wind blows.

The aluminum genoa does help move things along when the water surface resembles a pane of glass.

If the wind doesn't blow (as in the above photo), the outboard engine becomes a dear friend.

Continuing along over Newport Harbor we pass the Continental Sloop "Providence", a replica of one of the original vessels of the United States Navy.  

The Continental Sloop "Providence" is one of my favorite vessels in Newport.  The "Providence" is a replica of one of the original vessels of the United States Navy and here in Newport we love the United States Navy.

Foggy hazy fishing off the northern tip of Fort Adams State Park.  In this view looking southwest (as I make way out of Newport Harbor), Beavertail Lighthouse would be seen in the center of the photo if visibility was better. 

My first sail of 2013 brought light winds (5 knots or less I'd reckon) mostly out of the southeast and "now you see it now you don't" fog.

The first cruise ship arrival of the 2013 season makes way from Rhode Island Sound into Narragansett Bay's East Passage.  On the right is the Northeast Pilot Boat.  Not long before this photo was taken, the Pilot Boat transferred a local marine pilot onto the cruise ship. 

The first cruise ship of the 2013 season makes way from Rhode Island Sound into Narragansett Bay.  That, and daffodils (and countless other signs I'd guess) proves that winter is over, I hope.  However, one can never be too sure, especially with this New England weather.  I've lived in this area most of my life and I think I remember snow once in May. 

The cruise ship "Maasdam" makes way into Narragansett  Bay's East Passage with the Newport Bridge and the House on a Rock looking on.

My first sail of 2013 was honestly, about 3/4's sailing and 1/4 motoring.  Yes, there were a few times when the 5 knot wind turned off and I got antsy with the lack of movement. 

The schooner "Aurora", a local favorite and looking good with a friendly captain and crew making way out Narragansett Bays East Passage on May 7, 2013. 

I love the tanbark sails of the schooner "Aurora".  Although not in the photo above, I've often seen her fly a "spanker" sail (I think that's what it's called) above the mainsail.

Fair Winds
Captain Bill

The Mayflower II Needs White Oak.

Mayflower II, the replica of the vessel that brought the Pilgrims to the New World in 1620, needs white oak.

The Mayflower II, photographed in her berth in Plymouth, Massachusetts, August 2011.  

As I write this (4-24-2013), Mayflower II is not tied to her berth in Plymouth.  As I write this Mayflower II is out of the water and on the hard at the Fairhaven Shipyard in Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

Throughout this past winter of 2012-13 the Mayflower II has been undergoing the most extensive retrofit of her life and at present the crew is having difficulty finding the necessary white oak timbers to complete the repairs.

Here's a link to the Mayflower II's blog, showing the progress of the restoration,  blogs.plimoth.org/captns-blog/.  

Here's a link to where you can donate money to help with the restoration.
https://secure3.convio.net/plimot/site/Donation2?1580.donation=form1&df_id=1580

Please help if you can and also spread the word of this urgent appeal.

Thank You.

Fair Winds
Captain Bill

Living the Dream, Vicariously.

Yeah. 

Winter doth rule the day here in the great northeastern part of the U S of A.  And as an outdoorsy sort of fellow I find myself spending more time than I comfortably wish to admit in the not so great indoors where the air temperature doesn't flash freeze.

My blue Achilles dinghy covered in snow.  Photo taken back in January of 2013.

Vicariously living the dream I oogle over the blog postings of those in warmer places.

In the meantime...

The light was very nice yesterday (2-1-13).  Ice crystal filled fog and the low winter sun made a sublime backdrop for a ragged Old Glory. 

The southern tip of Goat Island looking rather picturesque the day after a snowstorm in January of 2013.

Of late (taking a break from it to write this) I've been rebuilding the Forecastle of my Albin Vega 27, "Freya".
One year ago Matt Rutherford was in the midst of sailing his Albin Vega 27 "St. Brendan" solo non-stop around the Americas.
After Matt finished his solo circumnavigation of the America's, I saw some of the photos.  The interior of his boat had seen better days.  Read about Matt's adventure at www.solotheamericas.org.

Rebuilding my Forecastle hath inspired me to ponder promoting myself from Captain to Colonel because of all the sanding ("Colonel Sander", sorry).


Fair Winds
Captain Bill