Martha's Vineyard

Resist -Gotta love Massachusetts!

As it turned out we decided that since Hurricane Jose was now turning our way perhaps a trip to Nantucket would be pushing it.  We did not want to be stuck out in the islands with a hurricane bearing down on us.  So our new plan was to visit Martha's Vineyard and then head into Long Island Sound (originally our plan was to sail from Block Island, RI to Cape May, NJ but Jose put an end to that plan).  We decided we would go up the Connecticut River in Long Island Sound as far as Essex and wait out the hurricane.  Determined to squeeze in a visit to Martha's Vineyard we headed that way before heading to the Sound.

Oak Bluffs Cottage

 In order, to reach Martha's Vineyard we had to sail through Woods Hole Passage.  The current runs very swift through the passage and there are numerous buoys marking different areas that make it confusing for a stranger.  It is necessary to study the chart and mark your passage well or risk getting dashed up against rocks that are conveniently located in the middle of the passage!  The current runs about 4 knots and sometimes higher.  Talaria was speeding along at 10 knots!!  Martha's Vineyard was named for Bartholomew Gosnold's deceased daughter Martha.  Gosnold is credited with the first known European expedition to Cape Cod.  The story is that when Gosnold first saw Martha's Vineyard the island was covered with wild grapevines.  Hence, Martha's Vineyard.  Wild grapevines are still all over the island they are just not as noticeable as in 1602 apparently.  Gosnold is credited with naming Cape Cod and the nearby Elizabeth Islands as well.  Martha's Vineyard has 6 towns and you can ride around the entire island in a day - which we did.  We moored Talaria in Oak Bluffs and then took the city bus all around the island!  

Oak Bluffs, one of the six towns on Martha's Vineyard Island is known for its little cottages.  This area of the town was once a Methodist camp.  People came year after year and set up tents and then eventually built the little cottages.  Those cottages are really a site to see.  Each gingerbread house unique from the next. 

Cute!!

Little Pink Houses for you and me

Martha's Vineyard has no streetlights, no traffic lights or billboards!  Yay!!  We were pleasantly surprised by the lack of ostentatious homes - most were very humble.  Most all are cedar shake with white picket fences or stacked stone fences.  And there are not alot of paved roads - many are just dirt roads.  Surprising considering the affluence of Martha's Vineyard. 

Gay Head Cliffs

Gay Head now known as Aquinnah, the native Indian name, is at the other end of the island.  The native Americans who of course were living on the island long before the Europeans arrived used to make beautiful pottery from all the different colors of clay from the Gay Head cliffs.  But that has come to an end as the cliffs are eroding.  

The island is beautiful and not what we expected which made it even nicer.  Very glad we visited.  Nantucket another day!

Woods Hole

Sunset at Quissett Harbor

 Finally, we made it from Maine to Massachusetts!  After spending a couple of uneventful days traveling down the Massachusetts coastline we ran into some rough seas outside of Plymouth Harbor.  The waves were 4 to 5 feet with considerable ocean swell and the wind was blowing at 15 to 20 knots with higher gusts.  We were motoring out of the harbor but got the staysail up as soon as possible which evened things out a bit.  Regardless, it was a bit of a rough trip to the Cape Cod Canal.  Fortunately, it was only a couple of hours before we reached the canal and were able to get off the ocean for awhile!  The canal is a man made waterway that connects Cape Cod Bay to Buzzards Bay.  Without the canal you would have to travel hundreds of miles further going around Nantucket and the shoals that extend past Nantucket.  Our destination after the CCC was beautiful Quissett Harbor which was where we planned to stage a trip to Woods Hole.

Woods Hole, the marine science epicenter, has long been on our bucket list.  Home to WHOI, the largest independent oceanographic institution in the US and the Marine Biological Laboratory an international center for research.  Being an Illinois native I was surprised to discover that the MBL is affliated with the University of Chicago.  Something for Illinoisans to be proud of!  

It's reassuring to know that there are brilliant minds out there studying and trying to save the oceans.  They are our lifeblood.

WHOI Research Vessel

Needless to say our oceans have been working overtime this year churning up hurricanes.  We have our eye on Hurricane Jose!  Due to the uncertainty and slow movement of Jose we have decided to stay north for awhile.  

Quissett Harbor

 So we decided since we are in the area we might as well sail over to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.  Who knows when we will be this way again??

12 1/2 Herreshoff Sailboats in Quissett Harbor

 

Heading back south

Portland Head Light - Portland, Maine

When we started this journey we thought we would spend maybe 4 to 5 years exploring the US before we set off to explore other countries.  We left Kentucky in 2014 and since then we have been up the entire east coast of the US with a side trip to Cuba.  It is now 2017 and we are headed back to North Carolina.  The plan is to put Talaria on the hard for the winter and then sail her to the Mediterranean in the spring.  There is much that has to be done before then but we are hoping we are ready.  

Beach in Plymouth, Massachusetts

 We departed from Rockland, Maine on September 2nd knowing that the trip back would not be as easy as the trip up.  Primarily because the prevailing winds in Maine are from the southeast. Precisely the way we need to go - well south anyway.  Weather is always the primary concern when sailing/cruising.  Sailors say the most dangerous thing on a boat is a "schedule" which of course we have.  Sadly, Mother Nature is fickle -absolutely no concern for how strong you want the wind to blow or from which direction.  So... of course, starting out the wind was from the wrong direction and there was too much of it.  Seas were running 6 to 7 feet.  Pounding into those types of seas is not fun.  We were gone one day - just one day- and already had to sit back and wait for favorable winds.  Like I said - having a schedule is a very bad thing.  We finally did make it as far as Portland - albeit in rough seas- but then had to sit and wait for about three days.  Portland is not a bad place to hang out - if you are stuck somewhere it may as well be there.  Time to stop and smell the roses (or the saltwater)!  
And we won't freeze as we had side curtains made while in Maine.  We do not have an enclosed cockpit and nearly froze on the way up.  That issue as least is solved.  Now if we can just coax the weather....

Isle au Haut

Duck Harbor

Isle au Haut - the pretty little island off the coast of Stonington, Maine is actually part of Acadia National Park.  Or at least 60% of the Island is park land.  Boaters can anchor in Duck Harbor and hike on the Island.  It is a small harbor as you can see - not many boats can fit.  

 Someone actually lived on that little island in the distance with his 5 children!  No place to hide.  But back to Isle au Haut - the park service maintains a few campsites on the Island.  People have to apply a year in advance!!  Very hard to get a spot and you may not get your first choice, you have to submit 2 dates in case you don't get the first.

The population on Isle au Haut is 73.  They did not get electricity until 1970 and no phone service until 1988.  It is still pretty primative and isolated.  And that is what people like.

But there is a church and a grocery - what more could you want?

And should you need more - you can always catch the ferry and head to Stonington for an evening out.

Although I must say - there is not much in Stonington either.  If you really get ambitious you can make your way to Rockland.  There you will find all the fast food restaurants and WalMart.  But who wants that??

There is something to be said for those who choose a simple life.  Living simply, simply living.