On the Hard

Winter Berth

Piao has a new spot on which to winter-over on the hard.  Fed up with the cacophony of vines and natural undergrowth of brush in our backyard, the Admiral hired a landscaping service to rip it all out, lay topsoil, spread wood chips, and seed new grass.  For a little extra, he also created a streetside gravel bed where Piao could sit for the winter.  The boat used to sit next to the garage, which necessitated the haulers driving across part of the front yard, which always left deep ruts and last time damaged the lawn irrigation system.  The new site not only removes a clump of Japanese Knotweed (a long-time nemesis of mine) but also offers easy-access for the transport carrier and to nearby outlets for both power and water.

Piao's new winter berth

My neighbor Henry, on the other side of the property, thinks I made a big mistake.  He believes it was better when I stored the boat alongside the garage.  It is more convenient to access tools, he argued.  It was also more convenient for him to watch and come over to chat while I work on the boat.  You see, he used to own an O'Day 23 just like Piao.  He doesn't like Obama very much....

Haul out

7 November 2015

This year, I had the Brownell guys block the boat up a bit higher, to give me better access to the centerboard, which retracts into the shoal keel.  The boat only draws 27" with the centerboard up, and 5'4" with it down.  This is great for scooching in close to shore for temporary anchorage and beach exploring.  The retractable centerboard is also much more forgiving than a fixed keel during bathymetric explorations of unmarked rocks around the shallows and shoals of Buzzards Bay.

Piao arrives at her Winter Crib....

The centerboard needs to be cleaned (and maybe patched up a bit?), then repainted with ablative.  I want to check the attachment point for the line that runs up through the boat into the cockpit.  Last winter, in its old spot alongside the garage, Piao sat high enough for me to lower the centerboard only an inch or two.  This year I got it a bit higher.  The Brownell guys advised me that I would probably need a couple or three (or four) new 18" blocks by next year.  They said they could sell them to me, but suggested I might find them cheaper elsewhere.

I still won't get that centerboard all the way down, but this is progress....

With Piao (hopefully) secured 'high on the hard,' my first task was to service the outboard motor in preparation for the coming winter.  Once again, I discovered that the marine environment had caused the padlock on the motor mount to seize solid.  Looks like I will need to go knock on Henry's door after all, and invited him to come over again with his Sawsall.  But other boating neighbors advised me that I could simply leave the outboard engine mounted (and covered) for the winter.  I will replace the mounting bracket in the spring, with Henry's assistance, and next year I will be sure to grease and lube the Masterlock liberally and frequently throughout the sailing season.


Holidays approach!  This year we went with a nautical theme.  The Admiral repurposed some Halloween pumpkins, spray painting them white and arranging them to resemble a snowwoman standing out by the mailbox.  Behind her we put the spare hard-shell dinghy.  That seemed a bit odd to me, so I went out and found a little plastic Santa, which I wired upright on the middle thwart.  Then I decorated the dinghy with lights: blue for the bow wave, and white for the trailing wake.  The neighbors approve.

Season 2 Recap

15 December 2015

The season came to a close all too soon, and I neglected to post updates.  Now it is the middle of December, a clear day in the lower sixties, amid an unusually mild autumn for New England.  Many around these parts have been feeling a bit apprehensive as winter approaches, still nursing wounds from last year's record-breaking blizzards.  We have enjoyed many warm and pleasant days this Fall, although today a NWS advisory is posted across most of southern New England: winds west, 20-30 mph, gusting 50, strongest 1200-1600 hours.  Out on the water, near Abel's Ledge at the head of Buzzards Bay and the western approach to Cape Cod Canal, my 'PredictWind' app forecasts winds 19-22 knots, gusting 29-32kts, with 4-foot waves at 5 second intervals -- what I call a real "Yee-Ha" day for little Piao.

Piao on her mooring, after an autumn sail in late October

This year, Piao logged a five-month (24-week) season: splashing in on 23 May, and hauling out on 7 November.  Her 28 voyages covered a little over 300 nautical miles (10 voyages, 100-plus nm single-handed).  She spent over 135 hours underway (and another 50 hours at anchor), with about 20 hours (15%) under power with the Mercury 9.9hp outboard motor.  That was less than half the engine time of Season One, but still much more than I would like.  Going forward, I will make a much better effort to be more diligent about recording engine hours (and other items) in my logbook.

Shortest voyage of the 2015 season: 10 June

(picked up the Admiral at the dock, and returned to the mooring, where we sat and chilled all afternoon)

With the season now behind me, I sit at my desk feeling wistful and regretting that I did not find more time to be out on the boat, although I think the Admiral would say that I was out there a plenty.  In her first season, Piao logged nearly twice as many voyages.  Yet, to be fair, I have been putting in more time on the water, 'messing around in boats' other than Piao.  Once again, we only took out our 14' tandem kayak, Tiffany-May for only a single day of paddling (sadly, that makes two years in a row when we used it only once).  But we have done a good deal of whaleboat racing with our team ("Polar Oartex") at Whaling City Rowing -- winning several competitions, including the annual Snow Row (March), Buzzards Bay Open Water Challenge (June), Minots Light Roundabout (September), Slocum River Challenge Regatta (September), and the Mass Bay Open Water Challenge (October), along with a second-place finish at the New Bedford Working Waterfront Whaleboat World Championships.  

"Polar Oartex" pulls into the lead during the 2015 Snow Row in Hull, MA

Nantucket Sleigh Ride!

Our whaleboat being hauled back to the marina after a race, compliments of TowBoatUS

WCR also participated in the festivities surrounding the visit of the barque NRR Sagres to New Bedford, rowing out to welcome her and to see her off upon departure.  The Admiral rows Oar #4 (Port Aft) on the "Oartex" team, under the moniker "Seawolf."  While I will row with alacrity at any oar, and often was assigned to Stroke (#5) Oar, I have been coxswain and boat-steerer for the "Oartex" competitions.  The team nicknamed me, "Bucket Bastard," because I make them train pulling a five-gallon bucket behind the whaleboat.

 Rowing out to welcome the arrival of NRP Sagres

Rowing around barque Picton Castle during her visit to New Bedford

I left the Admiral ashore and had a couple of more extended stints aboard larger vessels.  My friend Bob graciously invited me to crew for him, along with Dan, a young sailor of a Cape Dory 30 with off-shore experience, as he took S/V Argon on an overnight trip from Boston to Newport, where the Tartan 4000 was to be for the annual international boat show.  I went to high school with Bob, back in upstate New York; we reconnected some years ago through Facebook, and discovered we both were living in the Boston area.  Bob introduced me to two of the most rewarding life-changing experiences: sailing and eHarmony.  He and Linda are now full-time live-aboards on Argon, and are preparing for a trip to Bermuda next year (in fact, Bob just made the trip as crew on another boat).  They have a great blog for Argon (here).  Our leg out of Boston was exciting for me, with E/NE winds blowing across the fetch of Mass Bay.  Reaching out President Roads, the big forty-footer just swallowed many of the oncoming waves, as Bob said she would, waves that would have sent things flying about the cabin aboard Piao, which is half the size of Argon.  Once we turned SE toward Plymouth and the canal, there were some good sized wind waves that we were taking on the port beam and quarter, rolling Argon far enough and often enough to spill her wind, and making sailing a challenge even after Bob rigged a preventer.  Things calmed down considerably once we were down inside Cape Cod Bay, and we arrived at the canal around midnight.  I know many people really do not like night boating, but I think I do.  It was a real thrill for me to transit the canal, especially at night, and to pass down Buzzards Bay to see the lights of New Bedford from offshore.  Funny, I have never been on Buzzards Bay when conditions were so calm and placid.  I learned that night the importance of the operative predicate in the term, 'Stand Watch.'

Seas running at Minots Light from the deck of Argon

The most memorable shipboard experience this year, however, were the three-weeks spent crew training aboard the square-rigged tallship, Kalmar Nyckel.  We were taught to wash dishes, mop and swab decks, tie knots, heave and coil line, climb rigging, stand watch, work sails, steer helm, boat check, and rehearse safety drills (Fire, MOB, AS).  It was a pretty intense and greatly rewarding period, with many special bonds forged between shipmates.  I will write a separate post on the Kalmar Nyckel experience.

Aboard the Kalmar Nyckel, working on the main yard, third from right 

One of the most challenging aspects was "learning the ropes," as they say (or, as they don't really say, since on a ship a "rope" is referred to as a "line," and most every line has a specific name that designates its intended function).  There are nearly 200 belaying points aboard the Kalmar Nyckel.  The rigging in this period-correct recreated sixteenth-century ship is among the most complicated of the Age of Sail.

Kalmar Nyckel Belaying Plan

c) Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, 2009

The captain of the Kalmar Nyckel, Lauren Morgans, introduced me to the people at SEA (Sea Education Association) in Woods Hole, MA, who run semester-at-sea programs.  Through her recommendation, I was invited to meet with the faculty and staff at SEA recently, who invited to join their January 2016 "colleague cruise" in the Caribbean (St. Croix to San Juan) aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, a 134-foot, 270 ton, tall ship research vessel.  More on that later, too.

Brigantine SSV Corwith Cramer

So, as 2015 comes to a close, I am feeling enthusiastic and excited about the coming year.  I have lots of plans: "Small Boat, Big Dreams."  A top priority next season will be to start overnight trips.  I would like to sail around the whole of Buzzards Bay, down to Cutty Hunk, back over to Westport, or even to Newport, or one day New London.  Eventually, I want to sail her down to Long Island, and over to the Vineyard.  "Uh-uh," the Admiral shakes her head.  "I'll meet you there."

Lots of book-learning scheduled for the winter campaign, too.  The learning curve remains steep.  Nevertheless, I am getting there, slowly.  My records show I have accrued over 100 USCG-qualifying 'Days-at-Sea' towards a Captain's license.  I know my COLREGs, a bunch of knots, and a modest but growing corpus of practical seamanship.  My first year sailing with my buddy Ric, when he owned this boat, we were out one day when a situation developed.  I don't remember what it was; I only remember how Ric reacted.  "Just sit down.  You are a nice guy, but you don't know what the f*** you are doing."  That was the shortest and greatest motivational speech I ever heard.  I want to think that I am starting to understand what I am doing......

Basking in my recent promotion from Half-Assed to only Quarter-Assed....

Summer Daze

1 August 2015

Sunny, 90F

HW 0918 1.6m

LW 1453 -0.2m

Sunset 2000

Winds SW 16-20 knots

Seas S/SW 2-4 feet, 5-6 seconds

The Admiral and I took a short trip over to Long Beach, tossed the hook, and sat there for six or seven hours, relaxing aboard, reading, and swimming.  It was our last day together this summer, as I depart for a three-week stint as training crew aboard a tall ship in Delaware.  Really nice way to spend our final day.

When we finally headed back, around 7:00pm, a big-ass powerboat came up the Wareham River, ignoring all speed regulations and throwing up a very large wake.  There were two small Boston Whalers anchored off the end of Long Beach fishing: one with an old guy and his two dogs, the other a guy with his kids.  So when "It Ain't Easy" blasted by, nearly swamping them, I gave him the one-finger salute.  "He thought you were waving at him," the Admiral laughed as Biggious Dickious blew by waving back at us.  It took Mr. Small Brain a minute or two to figure things out.  I watched over the stern as he continued up river for about a quarter mile, then suddenly threw his helm over without slowing, and came racing full throttle down the river after us.  "See what you started?" she said.  I took out the phone and video taped him as he came barreling down upon us.  He swerved to port when he was about fifteen feet astern of us, blew ahead about fifty yards, then swung around for another pass.  This is is what we refer to locally in MA as a "Masshole."  I reached for the radio, but the Admiral countermanded my action and ordered me to go straight home.  She is my better half, for sure.

It Ain't Easy to be a decent person considerate of others.....

I'm off August 3-23 to crew on the Kalmar Nyckel: a 46-meter (300 ton) replica of a seventeenth-century Dutch pinnace.  I have always had a great fondness for tall ships, and this opportunity is like a dream-come-true.  The Admiral was fully supportive.  Maybe she needs a break from me?

Buzz Bay Circuit: Dexter Cove-Hadley Harbor

Exploration

Buzzards Bay Circuit

Voyage #20 of 2015

29 July 2015

Sunny, 93F

LW 1215

HW 1915

Sunset 2004

Winds SSW 11-17, gusts 20

Waves SE 1-3', 8 seconds

35.2 nm

8hr 52min

I have been growing more confident in single-handling 'Piao,' which I do more often than not.  For some time, I have been itching to do a more substantial solo sail down to the Woods Hole area at the western end of Cape Cod.  I few times I have set out for Quisset, a lovely little harbor, but aborted the trip due to unfavorable winds and lack of time.  One such recent sortie was on July 26, when I set out at noon on an overcast day, following morning rain showers, with reefed sails in the face of southerly winds of 10-15 (gusting 20-25).  Within an hour, the chop on Buzzards Bay had built considerably.  But what I found most uncomfortable was the periodicity of the three to four foot choppy waves.  Sailing as close-hauled as possible (Piao does point nicely into the wind), the bow seemed to crash into the oncoming waves every one or two seconds.  THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD. Not pleasant.  The foredeck would bury itself under water each time the bow dipped into the next wave.  At least the anchor locker is getting flushed clean, I thought as I watched the water race aft along the sides of the deck.  It took me three hours just to reach Bird Island, where I threw in the towel and turned for home.  Flaking the sail in four foot seas is not fun, either.

Just about everything fell onto the cabin sole during the THUD THUD sail -- even stuff that had supposedly been "secured"

A few days later, I tried again and finally made it to Quisset.  Packing an italian sub, a greek pasta salad, several litres of water, and a bag of Cape Cod chips (just in case I got hungry), I sailed off the mooring at 1130 in very brown-looking water.  After a short reach out to the rocky shoal called Little Bird Island, I put her on a starboard tack and for the next three hours sailed southerly, close-hauled, towards Woods Hole, averaging about 5.9 knots with a 35-degree heel.  A couple of times the gusts lay Piao over a bit more so that the bubble on the 'Level-O-Guage' was maxed out beyond 45-degrees.  The helm got a little sluggish when sailing heeled over to that degree.  I was very happy to have the jackline and tether.  By 1:00pm I had raised Cleveland Ledge Light on my starboard beam, and an hour later I was off Gunning Point, still pulling 5.8 knots.

Close hauled and heeling enroute to Quisset

I reached Quisset harbor at 2:05, furled the jib, and motored in.  Quisset is a horseshoe shaped natural harbor: a picturesque overnight destination and a well-protected sanctuary from the Buzzard Bay chop.  

Multimillion dollar homes dot the shore, million dollar boats occupy the moorings, and the yacht club overlooks all from the commanding heights of a hilltop.  My plan had been to moor here for an hour or so to have lunch.  But I soon discovered that Quisset has no harbormaster -- rookie mistake, broadcasting a hail on VHF 16 to someone who does not exist.  I didn't know what to do, whether I could just snag a random empty mooring, or drop an anchor.  Later, I learned that you can simply tie up to an empty mooring and eventually some dudes in a small inflatable will come by and collect a modest fee of $10-20 ($30-40 for overight stays).  Too bad for Mr. Ignorant.

Entering Quisset

After slowly making my way to the head of the harbor, carefully threading passed the young kids racing dinghies, and waving greetings to all the people on the expensive boats (this was a sailboat harbor, and sailboaters are generally much more friendly than powerboaters), I turned around and headed back out, wolfing down my Italian sub before I reached the harbor mouth.

Leaving Quisset

Clearing Quisset at 2:50, I thought I would sail across the bay to Fairhaven or New Bedford.  But then I realized that I was so close to Hadley Harbor that I may as well put in there for a look-see as well.  So I put the helm over, rounded Penzance Point, and sailed across the western entrance of Woods Hole to the mouth of Hadley Harbor on Nonamesset Island.

Entrance to Hadley Harbor

Hadley's has a tricky, very narrow entrance.  But inside is a really lovely anchorage (grassy bottom).  Bull Island (public picnickers welcome) shelters the inner harbor.  I furled my jib, loosed the mainsheet, and motored in to explore.  Hadley's is a favorite overnight destination of our new neighbors across the street (the guy who did not offer to help me wire my radio, after I dug his pickup truck out of the snowbank).  I could see why.  When I make my Vineyard trip next year, I'll put up for the first night in Quisset or Hadleys (Quisset, being on the Cape, affords the opportunity to get some food; Woods Hole is a short walk away, just over the hill).  I thought the sailboats in Quisset were big and expensive, but now I discovered that Quisset was only minor league.  Here I found major leaguers.  Okay, be REALLY careful not to hit anyone.  I motored up to the head of Hadleys, gawked at the money as nonchalantly as possible, Captain Dicky-Dork in his tiny 23' O'Day, Tilley hat, and oversized 'Grandpa' sunglasses (that mortify the Admiral with embarrassment).  I lingered in Hadleys for about a half hour before heading back out around 4:30 under full sail.  

Hadley Inner Harbor

Thinking about this as my next boat......

Now I thought I would swing down and make a loop around the Weepecket Islands, before starting back.  But suddenly a heard a loud BANG and felt a slight jerk.  I looked immediately to the mast, and noticed that the metal loop holding the boomvang to the mast has snapped.

Oh, Shit

I spilled the wind and furled the mainsail, thinking I would have to limp home under the jib alone.  My speed fell from 6 knots to 1 knot.  I tried to call the Admiral on my cellphone to inform her that I would be returning later than planned and that she should not worry, but it went to voicemail.  Then I realized I could jury-rig the boomvang to the base of the mast, and a few minutes later, once again happy to have a tether and jackline (thank you, Bob), I was underway.  

Boomvang quick fix

I bagged plans to sail down to the Weepeckets, thinking it more prudent to head for home.  I shaped my course across Buzzards Bay toward Mattapoisett, figuring that if I had to put in somewhere for the night it would be more convenient to be on the mainland.  When I reached the other side, I discovered that Wednesday night is race night in Mattapoisett, and I had inadvertently sailed into their race course.  I put the helm over and headed back out toward the channel.  Once clear of Mattapoisett, I turned again toward Marion and sailed in toward Sippican harbor, only to discover that Wednesday night is also race night in Mattapoisett, and I had inadvertently sailed into their race course.  I put the helm over and headed back out toward the channel.  It was a long sail home.  The night before had been very hot and humid (we did not run the A/C unit), and I had only slept a couple of hours.  Being on the water always makes me yawn, and now as sunset neared I could feel myself growing weary.  I just wanted to take a little nap.....

Home at last....

When I finally arrived back at Dexters Cove, I found the Admiral and the kids waiting for me on the dock.  That was a really welcome sight, and a big surprise.  I was very moved.  Coming ashore, we headed home together.  I wanted three things: shower, gin bottle, and sleep.

Season Two - Early Voyages

LAUNCH

23 May 2015

HW 1257

LW 1754

Sunset 2003

I promised myself that I would not launch the boat this year until the university was finished with the Spring term; that's dedication to work!

Brownell came at the anointed times of 2:30pm to pick up 'Piao' and transport her to the launch ramp at Old Town Landing in Marion.  It took only a few minutes to step the mast, and by 2:50 the Admiral and I were motoring south, down the fairway of Sippican harbor towards Buzzards Bay under gorgeous blue skies.  We didn't bother to tie up and rig the sails: we just wanted to get the boat over to the mooring on the Weweantic River as soon as possible.

The Admiral, all smiles, as we head out towards the bay.....

By the time we reached Silvershell Beach, some odd-looking clouds were forming over the bay.

It only got worse from there.  As we cleared the mouth of the harbor, the skies had become thickly overcast, the winds started to howl, and the waves were building to rather alarming heights -- the Admiral estimated they were at least six feet, and she is not prone to exaggeration.  I was relieved that we had not rigged the sails -- just handling the motor was enough to occupy all my attention and effort.  As we neared Bird Island, the seas were crashing over the bow and into our faces with some force as 'Piao' rode up, then down, then up, then down, then up, then down.....  "Hold on!  Here comes another!" I kept yelling to her, seated just a few feet from me.  She wouldn't look forward.  These waves hurt when they hit you full in the face.  I decided then and there that I should look into getting a dodger.

The biggest breath-holding moment came after we cleared Bird Island and Bird Island Reef and I decided it was time to turn 135-degrees to a NE heading.  This had to be timed carefully, and the turn executed sharply, before the next wall of water hit us broadside.  I have no pictures from that part of the voyage.  I was too preoccupied to take out a camera, and it would have been destroyed by the water we were taking in our faces.  It was a very wet and very cold journey.  We were soaked to the skin before we rounded Bird Island.  It was by far one of the most difficult and challenging voyages I have had yet.  The Admiral was silent the whole way.  "I had confidence in your boat handling skills," she told me later (which a friend interpreted to mean just the opposite).

After that inauspicious start, the season shaped up to be rather pleasant so far, although my sails have been relatively short in duration.  On one trip, we found a line floating on the surface of the water near the mouth of the Wareham River.  We worried that it could become a navigation hazard, with the risk of fouling someone's propellor, so we stopped to fish it out of the water.  "I think its attached to something!" said the Admiral, as she pulled and pulled and pulled until she hauled a 14-pound Danforth anchor to the surface.  Now, I had been thinking of getting a second anchor for 'Piao,' but I had in mind plow-style rather than another Danforth.  The next week my daughter and recent NYU alumna, Kalliopi, came to visit for a few days and we went out twice, including one trip up to the Wareham Narrows.

Kalliopi at the helm in the Wareham Narrows

Horseshoe crab at Long Beach

This is what can happen when you let the Admiral drive -- that's our dinghy painter

Anchored off Long Beach

FOG BOUND

12 June 2015

LW 1038 -0.1'

HW 1723 5.1'

Sunset 2017

7.2nm

2hr 15min

[49.7nm total 2015]

My eighth voyage of Season Two was another eye-opener.  I set out at 5:30pm for a quiet evening solo sail.  By 6:15 I was out in the bay, just off Dry Ledge, sailing due south at 3.8 knots under full sail.  Brown clouds began to fill rapidly out of the south.  By 6:20, it started to hail: not a good thing when you are on a boat.  Fortunately, it passed quickly, but by 7:00pm as I was off Piney Point, I could see a fog bank coming in from the southwest.  Feeling it prudent to turn for home, I was surprised by just how quickly the fog obscured everything.  Within ten minutes I could no longer see any landmarks, although by then I was only a hundred meters or so off-shore.

 Outward Bound -- Nice Day!

 Ninety minutes later: Whoa, look at that fog roll in...

 Ten minutes later: WTF?!?

Never been happier to be back...

4th of July Weekend

3 July 2015

Voyage #13

HW 0938 4.6'

LW 1516 -0.4'

Sunset 2021

Sunny

Wind: N 8-10, gusting 15

Waves: S 2 feet

15.5 nm

5hr 17min

I kicked off the Fourth of July weekend by taking a solo sail to try out my newly install Davis Marine auto-tiller.  The winds started very light -- only 2.1 knots.  But being out of the north, they were favorable for a run down to Cleveland Ledge Light.  Departing at noon, I raised the lighthouse at 2:00pm, circled around, hove to and lit up my 18-inch churchwarden "Gandalf" pipe for a relaxing smoke at sea.  By 4:00pm, the winds had shifted predictably and came out of the south, so I ran wing-and-wing back to the Weweantic at about 5.4 knots.

Cruise to Cleveland Ledge Light

Cleveland Ledge Light

5 July 2015

Voyage #14

HW 1117 4.7'

LW 1649 -0.2'

Sunset 2020

Sunny

Wind: SW 17-18, gusting 25

Waves: SW 3-4 feet

15.6 nm

6hr 30min

The Admiral and I spent July 4th ashore, but took a cruise over to Red Brook Harbor the following day.  The Fourth of July Weekend, I learned, can be a very hazardous one for boaters.  There are simply far too many drunks out there, many of them in overloaded boats running at high speeds.  Power-boaters can be difficult to begin with; many don't know -- let alone observe -- any rules or regulations about boat operation.  Add copious amounts of alcohol to the mix and the results can be very troubling.  Marine radio traffic on Channel 16 (Emergency) was almost continuous.  At least two power-boats ran aground, resulting in injuries -- we saw one fetched up high and dry on the rocks at Abels Ledge at the western approach to the Cape Cod Canal.

We left at 12:30 with a good breeze in our faces.  After tacking out to Abels Ledge, I opted to furl in the jib because the Admiral was becoming uncomfortable with the heel of the boat.  Within two hours we were anchored in Red Brook Harbor, inside Bassett Island.  There we sat for a couple of hours, napping, reading, and relaxing as best one can when surrounded by power-boats all blaring competing music.  Why, people, why?

We pulled the hook up around 4:30pm, and headed back across Buzzards Bay.  Conditions were a little rough.  Winds had strengthened to 20 knots, with gusts of 25!  The waves were quite large -- the Admiral (not prone to exaggeration) says some were six or seven feet.  With such a strong following sea, the propellor was lifting clear out of the water on the swells.  We motored a good part of the way back, as the Admiral was feeling uncomfortable in such conditions.  "Its not fun when it is like this," she murmured.  "Yeeeeee-ha!" I was thinking, but held my tongue.  We returned to Dexter's Cover at 6:30pm, and for the first time I sailed in to pick up the mooring.  Very proud of myself.

July 5th Cruise to Red Brook Harbor

 Red Brook Harbor

Admiral catches some Zzzzzs 

"Standing" watch while at anchor 

 Local yahoos on an overloaded boat

Bassett Island at Red Brook -- great place to picnic