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Back From 9 Day Cruise through LI Sound to Newport

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  sailingdog 
#1 ·
Just got back today from a 9 day cruise that I have been planning for the past few months since I upgraded to "Capricorn" our 32' Morgan sloop.

Left Friday night and spent the night in Mattituck inlet then woke up early the next morning at 4AM to ride the Ebb all the way through the race and out to Block Island. I really timed it right because I made it from the head of Mattituck inlet to the entrance to the Great Salt Pond in 6.5 hours doing close to 8knts over ground the whole way until we were about 6 miles from Block.

Spent the afternoon and the first night at anchor to an awesome afternoon and then a perfectly clear night watching shooting stars all over.

Pic of Capricorn at Anchor the first night:

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Spent the next 2 days relaxing, renting the little scooters to tour the island (don't expect to go fast on those things...we were doing 7 mph going up hills on them!) Saw the light houses, ate and drank a lot at the Oar and did some nice swimming in the clear water around the Island.

One of the lighthouses:

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Left Tuesday around 11AM with 15-2o knts of winds gusting from the North to head to Newport for a few days. It was pretty rough outside the Great Salt Pond and once I rounded the northern tip of Block and eased off toward Newport, I had an awesome sail on a broad reach for about half an hour...until the wind died...and then clocked around to the Northeast right on my nose....figures. Made it to Newport and picked up a mooring.

It was our first time there and I think it was my favorite place I have ever been to. It was so cool to be in a small city like Newport where everything is about Sailing! Such good restaurants and bars, shops and nice boats to look at. We took the dink all over the harbor and then over to Fort Adams. Watched some of the old America's Cup boats battle it out and a ton of other gorgeous sailboat of all kinds.

Old America Cup Boats:
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Me and the Lady:
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Capricorn in Newport:
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We spent two days in Newport and then left early in the AM on Thursday to ride the Flood back to the Sound. Spent the night in Stonington, CT which was a gorgeous little town with some amazing sailboats. There were about 5 Hinkley's within 100 yards of us.

Left the following morning and spent the night in powerboatville at Ceder Island Marina in Clinton, CT. We had never been there before and the Embassy guide said it was the "Family boating Resort of the Sound," with a pool, hot tub, restuarant, the works so we decided to give it a try. We definitely enjoyed the pool and hottub but felt kinda out of place as the only sailboat in there.

On the way from Stonington to Clinton I am sitting in the cockpit facing my girlfriend when she says to me "if I didn't know any better I would think that boat was a submarine...ehh probably just looks like one." I thought nothing of it was probably just some differnet type of boat she was looking at but then 2 minutes later when I swithed positions I looked and it was a submarine! Wish I could have got a little closer as I have never seen one before underway.

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Left this morning at 7am to a nice rain shower and continued showers for half the trip until we pulled into Mt. Sinai 5 hours later. Un loaded the boat and back on land wishing it wasn't over :rolleyes:

Crazy thing is....I think this trip made me want to do something radical. I have always wanted to cruise down the intercoastal to the Bahamas....but I think I made up my mind that we are going to do it this fall. We both agreed we had such a good time and that you only live once so hey why not. LEave in the fall, cruise the Bahamas and come back up before next years Hurricane Season. I;m not going to take up too much of this thread on that but I'm giving you all warning in the next few days to come I will be asking a ton of questions about this. First I want to read up some older posts and books about the intercoastal, time of year to leave and the Bahamas.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Nice Boat and pics

Sounds like a great trip, I grew up in Greenwich, CT (miss the L I sound), now live and sail in the Annapolis, MD/Chesapeake Bay area. If you make the Fall trip to the Bahamas, come down for the Annapolis sail boat show, then head south (some insurance companies require you to stay north until hurricane season ends.) If you do come down, hit me up, if you have not already been, its a non-stop party. FYI, I am leaving for the Bahamas with my fiance in the fall, (our first long cruise, roughly 6 months). I have been working on this trip for 3 long, long years, we both just turned 30, and while I should be packing boxes as we are moving out this week end, into a temporary dwelling, I am here reading post on sailnet. I don't mean to hijack your post based on the great trip, just want to say, go for it.
M
 
#3 ·
MMAN 30:

I am actually just about to post a new thread asking a number of questions I have about this trip but it is cool to hear that so many other people are planning the same thing. I am 99.99% made up my mind. My boat is definetly capable and outfitted with all the right gear from the previous owner so I would only need to do a short haul before I went for some preventative maintenance...my girlfriend of 7 years is probably 80% convinced but we are both willing to quit our jobs to have 6 months to a year off to cruise and we do have some money saved up which we think will last that long. We are both only 24 so we don't have a house and kids yet so it isn't that crazy of an idea but at the same time it is a big decision. We are going to start pouring over reading material about everything from time of year to what routes to take to the ICW, etc. Then at the same time see if we have enough money and can square everything up here before we leave (sell the car, quit the job, manage some finanaces..etc.) all within about a month and a half. I am thinking of leaving around mid October but again I am just starting to research everything so that may change. If I do decide to do it we should def exchange email addresses although you will probably be a lot further ahead south of me. Anyway though thanks for the encouragement!
 
#5 ·
Thats a short planning window

NK235,

That is a short planning window, but with being young, we are able to do crazy things like that. I am not leaving until the end of Oct, because I am going to a wedding (not mine). Congratulations on being 24 and having a Morgan, they are great boats, a guy a few slips down from me has one that he has taken to Bermuda on several occasions. I am not outfitted for the open ocean like Bermuda, but I am very confident in my abilities to get down the ditch (with only a few soft groundings, fingers crossed), and over to the bahamas. If you are going to do it, start planning now, I have left my job, sold off a small business I own, and am moving into the in-laws for a short period before we leave, so much yet to do, so little time. Oh yeah, if people tell you your nuts (whether here on SN or at home), just nod-your head and smile, you only live once.

Go to youtube and do some video searches on sailing in the bahamas, abacos, exhumas. That will make your girlfriend 100% sure.

Ill shoot you my email.
 
#6 ·
M,

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruising/46584-heading-south-ny-bahamas.html

Thats the link to the other post I just started...I tried to explain my thoughts, boat, and what I was planning a little more in depth. I agree 1 month is very short, but I am a very passionate person where once I set my mind on something there is nothing stopping me and I bet you I won't be as ready for it as you, but in that one month I will have read twice as much more, spoke to more people about it and generally sponged up all the info I can than the average person does in a year. I also agree 100% with you that I am not going to be held back by anyone who tells me I am crazy for trying an idea like this. Even though I do ony have a month I don't have very much at all to do with the boat, just planning. Everything else is already set.

As of now I don't think I will make it down to Annapolis by the boat show but I def. should by the end of October so we should stay in touch. My email is nkieltyka(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
 
#8 ·
NK,

Really nice photos and cruise report. Someday I hope to cruise that area, but in the meanwhile thanks for letting me come along for your trip!

As for heading south, I say go for it! My only question, along the lines of mman, is the short window for planning. Might you get more out of it if you put it off one year, planned under less pressure, and put a bit more money in the bank? Maybe with a little more planning time, you could make it a ful 12 month sabbatical? Just a suggestion.
 
#9 ·
very nice... :)
 
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