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:
Me and the Lady:
Capricorn in Newport:
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
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.
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:
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:
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:
Me and the Lady:
Capricorn in Newport:
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.
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
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.