8/7/20

 Here's a collage of photos going northeast from Block Island......

Cuttyhunk

We walked with Ryan and Jax to the top of Cuttyhunk.  This is looking down at the anchorage.

Delos (on the left) at sunset at Cuttyhunk.

Persephone and Zinzi sail off from Cuttyhunk towards Woods Hole.

From the Ragged Islands, Bahamas to Hadley Harbor, Woods Hole, MA - (left to right - Avalon, Persephone, Delos, Zinzi and Keelin' It.

Charli and I go for a kayak at Hadley Harbor.  These small bridges connecting the islands have lots of current!  We never made it through though it was fun trying.

A perfect New England scene with the traditional sailboat in Hadley Harbor.  There is a gray-bearded gentleman sitting in the cockpit of the boat reading his newspaper.

The next morning we watch as Avalon (55' catamaran) zips by Zinzi.  He must be sailing at 10 knots!

Next stop Vineyard Haven Harbor on Martha's Vineyard....

Lots of fancy old boats here at Vineyard Haven Harbor.  Check out the varnish!

There's a famous wooden boat restoration place right here in Vineyard Haven Harbor - Gannon & Benjamin.  The harbor has many examples of their fine work at anchor.

From Vineyard Haven Harbor it's a short sail over to Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard.  We sailed past Edgartown and hundreds of boats on moorings to Katama Bay.

 We found a spot to anchor nestled in a small boat mooring area.  No other sailboats here.

 

We took the dinghy south to a strip of land that connects Martha's Vineyard to Chappaquiddick Island.  A beautiful place to walk the beach and look out at the ocean.

From Katama Bay we sailed to Nantucket.  Jerry had the fishing line out on the way and he caught a bluefish.  We shared the bluefish with Ryan from Zinzi and Charli and Andy from Avalon when we arrived.  Bluefish for hors d'oeuvres and homemade pizza for dinner!

The streets are brick and cobblestone in downtown Nantucket.  Here's a picture of the waterfront not far from the grocery store.  We wander around town, past the shops and tourists, and find historic and New England architecture.

And a beautiful sunset of the Brant Point Lighthouse, Nantucket taken from the anchorage.

As always, we have our eyes and ears tuned to the weather.  After watching Isaias turn into a Cat 1 hurricane with a path towards Nantucket we had to actually make a decision as to where we were going.  That choice was made when we arranged to buy new anchor chain from a sailor on Long Island and we got a call from Vince at Hideaway Marina saying that we could haul the boat there.  One overnight under a beautiful moon we made our way from Nantucket to Mt. Sinai Harbor to pick up our new anchor chain.  It's hard to capture the feeling in a photo of sailing along with the moon reflecting on the water the stars overhead no traffic no people.  Heavenly...

 After picking up the anchor chain we positioned ourselves in Manhasset Bay to head for the East River with a favorable current.

Here we approach Throgs Head Bridge at the north end of the East River.

A classic boat heads north under the Hell Gate bridge.  Some sailors may think it was named Hell Gate due to swift current that makes navigation difficult if not timed right.  But it is from a Dutch word, Hellegat, meaning either bright strait or clear opening.

Interesting architecture along the way.

South Street Seaport I believe.  We watched the news the next day and they were putting up barriers for the possible effects of Isaias.

We turned north at the end of the East River to head up the Hudson River.

Another interesting project we've been watching construction of over the years on the Hudson River.  It's going to be a park.  Here's a link for more info. https://newyorkyimby.com/2020/06/landscaping-work-continues-on-thomas-heatherwicks-little-island-at-pier-55-in-chelsea.html And another project by the same designer just north of the pods....

https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel

When we were in Nantucket on Friday Isaias was forecast to come through Nantucket.  As we headed up the Hudson River the forecast changed - Isaias would be heading further west impacting the Hudson River.  It's following us!  We decided not to stop and anchor for the night but to push on to Kingston, NY where we'd be further north away from Isaias.

Another beautiful moon-lit night to travel.  With the radar, chartplotter, good binoculars and moon it was easy to make our way north up the Hudson.  The surface of the water was lit up!  We only passed one tug and barge the entire night with our passage ending at 2 am when we arrived in Kingston.

Isaias was a non-event for us here in Kingston with gusts up to 20 maybe 25 at the most.  Lots of rain but no flooding.  Now, let the projects begin!

Jerry is drilling out the rivets that hold the boom bracket onto the mast.  It was loose so we've ordered new parts.  Just one of the tasks on the list.  So, that's it for now!  If you have any recommendations for long-lasting, growth inhibiting hard bottom paint let us know!

7/22/20

What better way to start your day.....dolphins as we motor sail north.....


What a memorable and lengthy stay we had at Donna and Jerry's in Oriental.  We were there long enough for two sets of boats from our Ragged Island adventures stop to visit.  Who knew these boats we hung out with would meet up and continue gathering each night, dining together, talking, laughing, enjoying each other's company.  Andy and Charli on Avalon, the 55' catamaran, had to come in via the Ockracoke Inlet as their mast is too tall for the bridges on the ICW to get to Donna and Jerry's.  We don't know anyone who comes in and out that tricky, shallow Inlet but if anyone was going to do it - it would be Andy AKA Captain Morgan!  Corey and Dale arrived on Hi Flite.  Corey became a celebrity on Hog Cay in the Raggeds when she spent weeks cleaning all the plastic off a couple miles of beach.

A view of Donna and Jerry's dock from my kayak (I saw otters on the river!)

Another view of the Luhs dock.  (If you're wondering about Dyad - look up bigdumboat.com.)

Steamed Blue Crab and fresh local corn on the porch.  You may recognize the top of Avalon's sail with the artwork hanging in the background by Donna and Jerry.  That's all that's left of that sail and now he has new sails on Avalon.

Andy and Charli have everything onboard, including a blow up pool!  It was HOT and HUMID while in NC and the pool was a great place to sit and read a book.

Avalon is the work platform to pull up Jerry's mooring to replace the chain and ball.

How's that for big chain!

Andy also had a complete fireworks show onboard he set off in Jerry's yard for July 4th.  Australians providing fireworks for us Americans!  Thanks Andy and Charli!

The 2nd crew at Luh's after dinner on the porch - Conor (holding Jax) and Stephanie of Grace (the Ragged Island newlyweds) and Ryan and Jax from Zinzi (Ryan's wife Jerra is off visiting family in California - sure wish she was here in this picture!)

Jerry dons full wet suit attire to clean the bottom of Persephone using Jerry Luhs hooka.  Hood required - the water is full of jellyfish like creatures - sea nettles that sting.

It was hard to leave Donna and Jerry's place - we are always welcomed with open arms and treated as family.  They love nothing more than to have a group of cruisers to share their lives with.  The hot and humid weather in NC encouraged us to head north.
We left early in the morning ending up for the night on the Alligator River.

Sunset on the Alligator River...Zinzi just behind.

 From the Alligator River to Old Point Comfort in Norfolk area and then out to the ocean.  Ryan on Zinzi doing the same.  A nice light air start to the trip with the sails up and motor off.

I watch as a car hauler heads out to sea with Zinzi close by.

These ships are monstrous when you're looking up from a sailboat.

Unfortunately, the wind died, we kept the sails up when we could, we had to start the motor to continue our trek north.  Somewhere off the New Jersey coast we encountered thick fog in the late afternoon that didn't go away until the next afternoon when we were almost to Block Island.  At least the wind came back to finish up the trip!

Zinzi puts up a spinnaker!

Zinzi takes off leaving Persephone in the fog.  Our spinnaker is back in NY in storage!

We could see the massive wind generators off Block Island as we approached.

Some of the houses along the shore of Block Island on our way to the entrance for Great Salt Pond anchorage.

Ryan on Zinzi was already anchored when we came in.  Just behind Zinzi was another Ragged Island boat - Delos with Brian, Karin and Sierra onboard.  (We just watched their most recent YouTube video.  It was from Buena Vista Cay in the Raggeds and it has a bit of Persephone in it as we were just returning from Georgetown with groceries for them.  Click here and you can find the video on their page:  https://svdelos.com/)  Another Ragged Island boat arrived soon after: Ada with Brandon and Dustyn onboard. (Dustyn is the minister who came up with an incredibly perfect tear-producing marriage ceremony for Conor and Stephanie on Double Breasted Cay in the Bahamas.)  And there are 3 more Ragged Island boats heading this way this week and we look forward to seeing them again!
We have all been careful about limiting exposure when we have to go ashore and felt comfortable to get together on the beach at Block Island. Brian used his drone to take a picture....

Here we are at the beach on Block Island.

And some pictures of Sierra because she's just the cutest baby ever!  We've been able to watch her grow from when we met in the Raggeds, celebrated her 7th month birthday, and she will be 1 year old in less than 2 weeks!  She is standing by herself - ready to start walking any minute!  What a lucky baby to have such loving, devoted parents, growing up on a boat, traveling the world.  She has more ocean miles than most sailors we've met!

Who needs a toy when you have the beach and a plastic bottle to play with!

Happy!

Whenever we finish a visit with Sierra we're covered with sand - just like she is!

The get together ended when the tide came up high enough to take away the beach!

Jerry and I have never been to Block Island, RI before.  We decided to explore and exhausted ourselves walking the beach to an ocean rim trail called Clay Head with ocean views.  In total we walked about 7 miles.  We were pleased to see that 99% of the people we see on Block Island are wearing masks whether they're walking on the trails or walking through town.

Here I am on Clay Head Trail with an ocean view (took my mask off for the picture).

Jerry looks out over the cliffs; sign and rope due to erosion and danger of crumbling cliffs.

 The next day, we rented bikes along with Brian, Karin, and Sierra and Ryan and Jax to tour some of Block Island. 

Brian, Jerry and Karin looking at the Block Island map

Ryan riding in with Jax in the cart behind.

Settlement Point with the lighthouse in the background.

Jerry and Ryan discuss world issues as we walk to the lighthouse.

In 1867 this two-story dwelling was built using Connecticut granite with a lantern-topped iron tower protruding from the northern end of the pitched, slated-covered roof. A fourth-order Fresnel was employed in the lantern room to produce a white light that was visible for up to thirteen-and-a-half miles.

Block Island North Lighthouse was automated in 1956 and deactivated in 1973, being replaced by a nearby light on a steel tower.  In 1989, the light was reactivated, with a modern plastic lens serving as a beacon, and four years later, a small museum was opened on the first floor featuring the fourth-order Fresnel lens formerly used in the lantern room.  In 2010 Block Island North Light was established as a private aid to navigation.  As part of the extensive restoration, the historic fourth-order Fresnel lens was restored to its proper place in the lantern room.

I figure we rode about 12 miles and walked a half mile.  We sure are making up for lost time with our exercising from when we were at sea.
The Block Island anchorage is teeming with activity.  People come and go each day.  Small power and sail to huge yachts.  Some on moorings, some at docks, and some at anchor.

Our view from the anchorage looking south - watching another round of fog roll in.

Looking north - Zinzi and Delos right behind.

Brandon, Dustyn, Brian, Karin, Sierra, Ryan, Karen, Jerry - beef stew for dinner aboard Persephone

We have some tentative plans to continue east to Nantucket.  After that...who knows?  If you keep checking the SPOT you can find out where we end up.
Karen and Jerry