Two deaf wet old salts on a boat!

We were up before the sun and Brec pulled up the anchor and we were off in the dawn. Alan took over the helm and we motored out of the harbour. A huge cruise ship, the Enchanted Princes slowly passed us to drop anchor in the anchorage outside the harbour. 

The day was cold and it rained off and on all day as we motor sailed with all sail up to Noank a town near Mystic. The oil skin trousers Brec first gave our BBF had a zip opening in the crutch which was broken and after awhile Alan complained about having wet trousers! Brec had never put his oil skin trousers on, so he had totally wet shorts and legs and showed little sympathy for Alan’s complaint. Brec gave him another pair, and so we sailed on. So now we have two deaf wet old salts on this boat! 

 The wind in the sails gave us at least a knot more speed which helped us get to Watch Passage before the tide turned. Taylor Swift has a huge house there, but the rain and cloud prevented Alan from taking pictures, we waved anyway! 

We made the turn into the Mystic River and picked up a mooring lent to us by a friend of friend of Brec’s, at the Ram Island Yacht Club! Once the engine was off the men threw their wet clothes off. Alan found two different tins of chicken soup which he threw together, not listening to Brec who would have mixed chicken soup with Beef Broth! The hot soup and hot tea revived the two men.

After the late lunch Brec did some boat chores while our BBF had a nap! As the sun set the wind died. On a flat calm sea we let go of the mooring and motored to the Yacht Club dock where Alan put the boat alongside and Brec took the lines ashore to tie up. 

They went ashore and in the club house people were celebrating a series of Herrishoff Yacht races. The men introduced themselves and said their boat would only stay on the jetty for the time it takes to eat dinner at the Heringes restaurant. 

Brec had kindly arranged a dinner party with his daughter Laura and Christine a friend of his whom we have met three times before on our sailing trips.

On the walk there Christine, drove by and stopped! Her car was full of stuff so she couldn’t give us a lift and so she drove on. Laura, Brec’s daughter came and drove us to the restaurant! 

The restaurant looked like just a shack on the jetty, but inside it was an interesting place with a homely charm. Being so close to the sea(one couldn’t get any closer) the menu was full of sea food. 

The party started with Steamers. These soft shell clams are a particular delicacy and we had them last in Province Town two years ago.

 The men ordered the catch of the day which happened to be Sword Fish, while Laura had a bowl of Lobster Bisque and then a Lobster Roll with fries. Christine also had a lobster bisque, some fries and a salad of greens! Christine also provided the wine as the restaurant did not have a license so you bring your own! 

Christine’s daughter had helped serve at a society wedding and was gifted  a Magnum bottle of Californian Chardonnay which Christine now produced for us to drink! Our BBF opened and served it and all found it delicious and the right wine for the meal. The two men drank most of the Magnum as the women were driving!

They had a dessert afterwards which they shared. Alan chose a peanut butter and chocolate mousse, while Christine chose a key lime pie, which all found too sweet, but the mouse was exceptional. Alan also managed to get a coffee as well. 

After the meal Laura drove the men back to the jetty. It was pitch dark now and finding the mooring in the dark would be fun. There was no wind and so Alan hopped aboard and started the engine while Brec handled the lines pushed off and also stepped aboard. We motored slowly into the night and the general direction of where we thought the mooring should be. We found it too, but in the dark we’re not certain it was the right one, so motored past it. We were looking for a small white lobster pot buoy with certain markings on it. In fact it was the buoy and when we now approached it from the other direction saw the markings we were looking for. 

Back on board Brec made himself a decaf tea while Alan drank water. After a review of the very wet day we all went to bed early exhausted but happy!

A day out in Newport.

Brec was up early around 07:00 hrs, but let Alan sleep on. He woke at 08:00 hrs made tea and then the showered on deck (Brec) or strip washed with a flannel below deck (Alan). Alan then made bacon and eggs with toast for breakfast.  

After the leisurely breakfast there were boat jobs to do, they are never ending! By the time these were done it was midday and the warm sun was out. The question now was dinghy ashore with the high wind the chance of getting wet when going up wind or get a water taxi! The humans thought it would be quicker and safer to get the water taxi! In the end it was not as the taxi guys forgot us and we had to wait an hour! 

The town was full with tourists and one could see that the town was getting ready for the in-water Boat Show next week. We walked first to the Seaman’s Mission where Brec has some family history! The humans bought a coffee each and shared a French toast muffin, which Alan thought he could bake when he got home as they were very yummy! 

Brec now ordered an Uber taxi to take them to the Breakers Mansion. This went array just like the water taxi! The first one was stolen from us! Eventually we stopped one after about 30 minutes! This one was not our Uber, but he was persuaded to take us anyway! 

The Breakers Mansion is the grandest of all Newport’s summer “cottages” and was designed by the American architect Richard Morris Hunt for Cornelius II and Alice Vanderbilt. It was modelled on an Italian Renaissance palace with an open air courtyard. The 70 room palace was completed in two years from spring 1893-summer 1895. 

We slowly walked around the sumptuous house taking lots of pictures. The opulence was astounding and we hope the gallery of pictures shows this.

The house has a grand view of the sea as it stands on a cliff top overlooking the sea. Alan wished he had a kitchen as large as the one in the house and was surprised at the number of dumbwaiters he found! 

Much of the “below stairs” was given over to a gift shop, where our BBF restrained himself and only bought a bottle of water. Brec bought himself a new set of reading glasses, but complained later that they were tinted yellow which he had not noticed in the shop when he tried them on! Not good for an artist studying colours!

We all walked round the mansion and took more photos of ourselves which pleased us bears as we were included in the photos! Back at the entrance we ordered another Uber to take us back into town.

Back in town the men parted ways, Brec to go to a gallery and Alan to go shopping! Sadly he did not find much to buy as they never had his size! He bumped into Brec and Brec mentioned a tourist shop which they went in! Here they found a few little gift items to take back. 

We walked back to Bowen’s Wharf where the humans bought themselves a coffee each and shared an almond cake! They looked towards the south and saw a band of dark rain clouds moving slowly towards us! As they had left hatches open we now went quickly to the water taxi landing to wait for the next available one!

There was none there when we arrived and so we sat to wait praying one came before the rain did! Also parked on this jetty was a pleasure boat for taking tourists around the harbour! The Captain of this vessel overheard the men talking and said he could take them, but he might crunch their boat! Apparently he was a happy teddy as he had just purchased a boat for himself and clearly wanted to share his good fortune! 

He had bought himself a 38ft motorised catamaran. He had found it in Texas and had flown down to see it and made an offer, but the owner had refused it! Now a week or so later as he had not sold the boat accepted the Captain’s offer! The happiest times of owning a boat is the day you buy it and the day you sell it!!

A water taxi stopped at the jetty and we all jumped in and we were off and happy that we would now beat the rain. It turned out that the taxi we leapt in only did this side of the channel and we were the other side! Fortunately he had one passenger who wanted to get off on a super yacht on the edge this side and we were on the opposite side! He agreed to take us and consequently earned himself a bigger tip! 

Alan began to cook the evening meal more or less as soon as we arrived. He still had much of the coffee he had bought earlier and now saved it to warm up for after dinner! The men enjoyed their meal and conversation after which Brec clear away we wrote the Blog and Alan read! As we write it is raining lightly and according to the weather forecast will continue all day tomorrow! So tomorrow promises to be a wet sail in light winds, but we only have approximately 35 nm to go so will cope! 

We sail on to Newport Rhode Island

We all woke around 07:00 hrs and so got up made tea and had breakfast! Brec worked on the engine and topped up with oil. When all was set they dropped the mooring and motored towards the fuel dock. On the inside was a floating pier and we needed to moor up on the floating jetty. 

We bears have to acknowledge that Brec trusts our BBF with his boat as he has allowed Alan to bring the boat alongside, motor into a slip etc. Alan told us afterwards that he did wonder if he could get it off this jetty as the wind was pushing the boat on. To make matters worse the twice weekly ferry had docked just behind us. There was now a bit little more than one boat length between us! Anyway we digress.

The humans filled up with water and fuel once they were on the jetty. Alan got rid of the rubbish and went into the islands only grocery store. Most residents he was told go shopping on the mainland via the ferry or with their own boats. Alan and Brec speculated whether the islanders left their main motorcar on the mainland and used a golf cart buggy on the island, as there was many of them but few real cars! Brec when he returned from the shop had discovered that they were giving away squash and avocados. He took two of each.

The ferry had now come in and moored behind us making it more difficult to get out as there was only a boat length in which to back up and turn to get out! This stress alone was enough, but half the island had come to see the ferry arrive, so if Alan messed up he would have many witnesses!

With Brec on the jetty managing the lines Alan slowly backed off the floating jetty until he could almost touch the stern of the ferry when he began to make the turn, letting the wind do most of the work! Then we were off!

We motored slowly out of the harbour while Brec put all the lines and fenders away! Outside the harbour we saw a large German flagged catamaran! Then once clear of all obstacles Brec pulled out the Genoa and we were sailing on a broad reach! The sky was overcast but the wind from the south was warm and we were sailing towards a blue sky.

With Alan on watch Brec was able to potter around the boat doing one job after another! 

Once clear of the cloud the wind picked up and we went from a broad  reach slowly to being hard on the wind as we got to the mark where we had to turn into Newport. Now we were on a run and just after the next mark gybed towards the harbour entrance! 

It was a fine afternoon and there were many fine yachts sailing about! Newport is also where the New York Yacht Club have a fine mansion on a hill overlooking the many moorings! Brec took the helm as he wanted to have a look around these mornings. We looked for the one CCA (Cruising Club of America) that was meant to be somewhere here, but never found it. He now motored us over to the anchorage and then handed Alan the helm to go forward and drop the anchor. 

Alan now looked at Brec to see what looked like a bandage on his right eye, but was in fact a repair as they had broken and fallen apart. There is always something to repair on a boat! 

Once the anchor had been set the skipper served up an anchor beer with some nibbles and the men sat and relaxed after a great day sailing.

A sunny sail to Cutty Hunk

Thursday 4 September the humans were awake early made tea and set off in brilliant sunshine but no wind at all. In the early morning there was much dew on the deck. While sponging down the cockpit Alan said, “we need a bigger sponge for this or that chamois leather!”  Brec understood, “we need a bigger sunscreen for the sunny weather!” Two deaf old codgers on a boat! 

Once clear of the harbour Alan took over the helm and more or less stayed there the whole way. Brec loves to just potter on boats and so once a course was set, that’s what he did most of the day.He spliced, he cleaned, he serviced. A happier Bear you would be hard to find. 

By around 10:00 hrs there was a light breeze and so Brec put up all plane sail and we motor sailed the rest of the way. The sails increased our speed by at leaset a knot! It was a beautiful day and at one point, once we could see Cutty Hunk Island Brec did ask our BBF if he wanted to turn the engine off, but he said no as then it would take forever to get there. Brec in his pottering pumped up the dinghy and then put it overboard to tow it. 

By 13:00 hrs we had the island well in view. Alan made bacon sandwiches for lunch. As we got closer Brec took the sails down. We followed the buoys and soon found ourselves in the harbour which was almost empty. 

Brec picked up the mooring and then there was silence. The humans tided the boat, put the sail covers on, the outboard engine on the dinghy then the went ashore. On the dock bear the harbour master’s office was a place where one could get any number of shell fish. Brec bought a dozen oysters (6 each) which they ate on the dock in the sunshine. The oysters were some of the best they had ever eaten! 

A lot has changed since last we were here! The grocery store was now down by the fuel dock and closed for the day! The souvenir shop was closed and had a big sign which said summer hours 09:00-17:00 hrs!

Brec took Alan back to the boat in the dinghy and then went to the top of the hill to paint. Alan prepared the evening meal and had a snooze. When Brec came back he showed Alan his sketches and they sat and ate their meal talking as usual till it was time for bed.

A tourist day on Block Island

 The men had decided, since we bears and Alan had not seen more of the Island than the Old Harbour they would spend one more day here! We were all up early and the men showered on deck (Brec) or strip washed with a flannel below. 

We had breakfast and the humans chatted amiably, you have to understand that Brec can talk the hind legs off a donkey and he uses 1000 words where our BBF uses 10! But between them they sit and chat and try and set the world to rights. There is also much laughter and leg pulling in their banter and camaraderie, which is why they get on so well.. 

After breakfast there was boat work to do. Alan made lunch after which we all went ashore. The two men hired bicycles and after testing them and adjusting the saddles we set off. Us bears were given seats in the basket on Alan’s bike and so we had a great view. 

It had been decided that we would all go first to the North Light which sits on the end of the peninsula. Our BBF complained that his bike was a wreck compared to his own, but he persevered! The brakes squeeked as if you had stuck a pin in a pig! 

It was a nice ride but with hilly parts which made the humans work. There were nice views along the way. As we were coasting down a hill Alan saw a sign to a Labyrinth and squealed to a stop. Brec misunderstood and sailed on bye.  

Supposedly it was a Sacred Labyrinth and one was meant to walk it with the right thoughts t sooth your soul.We bears walked a bit of it, took photos and then cycled on. Now we shot past Brec who was sitting in the shade texting! 

The end of the road was not far now. Here we found a mobile kiosk where Alan bought us all drinks. When Brec arrived we had a bit of a discussion as to whether we would walk to the Lighthouse! There was no road only a stony beach. Alan thought not as it was now four- o-clock and Alan judged it would use up at least an hour there and back. So after taking some photos we cycled into town and went to Ballards for a drink. 

Outside Ballards there was an ambulance and the paramedics were assisting an elderly gentleman who had tripped and fallen on the jetty! Our two humans went inside to look for a suitable bar! In fact there were many. A huge one occupied the centre of a large hall and in addition to the seats at the bar there were tables all around it. In one corner was a cocktail bar! Outside there were three more beach bars! At one there was a a music stand which was occupied by two guitarists! 

Brec ordered Alan an Aperol Spritz and he had a lemon and lime. They took a look at the dock from where Brec started and ended his circumnavigation and the returned to the Great Salt Pond. In the little shop there they bought ice and some cheese. 

Back on the boat Alan cooked the evening meal and then they chatted amiably before bed! 

A successful day working on the boat!

 We woke around 08:00 hrs to a sunny day with good wind to sail. After breakfast Brec made various phone calls to get advice from more knowledgeable people than us. Few if any were home so he left messages on their answering machines. Eventually John rang back and gave Brechen something to think about! Brec also looked at YouTube videos to get more ideas and inspiration. 

Brec made a couple tests and then came to the conclusion that the problem lay in the wiring between the ignition key and the starter motor! Problem solved, now to work out the repair solution. Alan made fish cakes for lunch and then Brec began to fit new wiring. Sounds easy, but as we explained yesterday on a boat these things are more complex and require more time. It all went well and at approximately 16:30hrs Brec started the engine! 

It was decided to go ashore and celebrate with a beer and a bite to eat. Brec tidied the boat back to where it was a fine sailboat again! 

Ashore they sat outside and watched the world go bye until Alan got the sad news of a friend who had suddenly died! “You can literally be here today and gone tomorrow, so be grateful, be humble, be appreciative, be kind, be loving!”

Two deaf old men on a boat!

On Thursday night because the two men had been listening to Al Pacino recount his life and how he come to act in the Godfather, Brec decided they should watch it after dinner. Our BBF, Alan could hardly remember any of the detail. He and Brec had memories of Godfather One Two and Three which they had mixed up in their minds as one film! They both enjoyed the film and then retired to bed.

In the morning (Friday 29th) it had been decided to set sail! However, there was much to do first. Brec needed to clean and tidy up, while we bears needed to catch up on the Blog to keep our readers informed and up to date. 

When the work had been done the men had showers and packed. Alan had made a Menu list and rifled through Sandy’s freezer and fridge. The men loaded the truck and then drove to a supermarket to get the rest of the victuals for the voyage. 

They unloaded the truck into Trollies at the yacht club, and threw it all on the boat. Alan went to get ice, Brec parked the truck and Alan set to, to put all the victuals away! In the meantime Brec threw off all the lines and cast off at approx 14:00hrs.  Solo sailers can do this at the drop of a hat. Alan, once he had stowed everything away went on deck and took over the steering while Brec hoisted sail and then they were off and you could visibly see the stress fall of the males once the sails were set!

We found our usual place on Otter, with Brec’s Pugsy in the salon. 

It was a fine day and before the sun set we got as far Milford where the skipper wanted to anchor off Silver Sands Beach! We anchored close to shore and after checking the charts our humans realised that at low tide we would be hard aground! So Brec hauled up the anchor and Alan motored round to a deeper spot. After two more failed attempts they gave up and motored over to Bay View Beach which is just about 100 meters from Brec and Sandy’s house! Alan did remark that they could go row ashore to get hot showers at home and watch Godfather II! They never did. They had a meal chatted a bit and went to bed tired but happy. 

We bears as well as the humans slept well and deeply, but some sailors instinct had the humans up before dawn! They threw on some clothes and Brec began hauling the anchor up before Alan was dressed. When Alan got on deck he started the engine and motored slowly forward to assist. Once the anchor was up we motored out of the bay in what the Army calls “first light”. 

Once clear of all obstacles Alan went below to make tea and put something warmer on as it was quite chilly. The dawn when it came was beautiful as was the rest of the day. There was not a cloud in the sky and with a light breeze and a fair tide we had a great sail to Block Island which we reached at around 18:00hrs having sailed without the engine for two hours at least and motor sailed the rest when the wind died and the tide turned! Brec did mention that it was the first time he had made it from Milford in one go. He has normally anchored for the night in West Harbour on Fisher’s Island!  Alan made chilli and rice for dinner which they washed down with their Anchor beer! We all retired around 22:00 hrs tired but happy and with a great sense of achievement! 

The next morning (Sunday 31st Aug) after breakfast Brec took a shower on the foredeck while Alan had a flannel wash inside. All scrubbed up the men took their rubbish with them in the water taxi which took them ashore to meet Sandy off the ferry. The sun was shining as they walked into town. It promised to be a fine day. 

As they passed the National Hotel although it was not yet lunchtime the terrace looked full. Alan suggested they book a table for later, this they did and then walked on to a small Deli called Old Harbour View overlooking the ferry terminal where they were able to sit and watch the ferry arrivals and departures!  

The sun was warming them as they sat,  drank iced coffee and Brec had a soft ice waiting to see who would spot Sandy first as she came off the boat! As it was neither of them did! Sandy had walked right on bye and to the National Hotel which was the original RV ! She came up on the two deaf old men from behind and surprised them. 

Reunited the three friends went to the National Hotel for lunch. It is a Brec Tradition since his circumnavigation to drink a Guiness on the terrace of the hotel. They ordered lunch and the beers and toasted to sailing and friendship! The plan for the afternoon was for Brec to hire a bike and go to Southeast Light to sketch and paint, while Sandy and our BBF went shopping. 

Sandy and Alan were disappointed with the shopping as many if not most of the Stores they remembered were gone and many of the new had just tourists tat of T-Shirts and sweat-shirts. Gone were the boutique stores that offered refined products! 

Alan bought a couple of things Sandy nothing so when they were shopped out they headed for the Mohegan Bar and restaurant where they sat at the bar and drank G+ Ts. Sandy informed Brec where they were so that he knew where to find them for dinner. 

There is no available Internet for us here, so we started to write the Blog at the bar offline with no photos! We saved it after each paragraph to ensure we lost nothing and will upload it without photos when we can. Once that works we will add the photos one by one to the online version! So far this idea, which was Sandy’s is working well! 

Brec surprised the two friends by arriving early and sneaking up from behind. When he poked  Sandy from behind she gave such a loud squeak that woke up all at the bar. Two men kindly moved over to allow Brec in to sit with us. Brec showed us his artist’s notebook where he had a fine sketch and painting of the area around Northeast Light which one day he may turn into a full sized painting. He had clearly had the more productive afternoon than our two shoppers. 

They went to eat and Sandy and Alan had fish and chips which were excellent. Brec had a pizza. After dinner they took a taxi back to the Salt Lake Harbour. It was a fair wait till the ferry came. The Salt Lake is full of boats which is why we are anchored so far out! It was cold now the sun had set and once back on the boat they hunkered down and read and told stories till it was time for bed.

The humans were all awake by 08:00 hrs. Alan, as he is sleeping in the saloon was quickly up to stow his bed and put the table back up. When the others were up he made tea and crêpes for breakfast. Brec then decided to start the engine to charge the batteries. There was no noise when he pushed the starter button except the ticking of the fuel pump! The starter motor is only a year old as last year when on their annual sailing holiday, the old starter motor broke and Brec and Sandy had a week in a marina until a new one could be sourced and fitted! At the end of all that time was up and they had to return home! Were the Gremlins back to haunt us again?

 

Brec now opened up the engine hatches and started to look for the fault. Alan was of no help as firstly there is not enough room for two to work on the engine and secondly because he was as clueless as Brec as to what the problem could be! When working on boats you have to realise that there is no such thing as a ten minute job! Ten minute jobs can take an hour or more and 30 minute jobs take all day! Then there is the fact that before you can do one thing you have to do four other things! To get at the starter motor Brec had to take off the air filter and the alternator for example! But before that he checked that the power was getting there from the batteries through the control panel starter button to the motor! 

While all this was going on Sandy and Alan sat and read, they were clearly going nowhere today! Occasionally Alan was helpful in passing tools or whatever to the real worker on the boat! By afternoon Brec had determined that power was getting to all parts of the engine that needed it. But still had no idea why it wouldn’t work!

Alan made salad with shrimps for lunch which all enjoyed! He then cleaned away the dishes while Brec went back to work putting it all back together again.

Sandy was leaving on the 5 o-clock ferry so Alan went ashore with her while Brec continued the work! The water taxi was called to get them and ashore they took a land taxi into town! As they had some time before the ferry departed they went into the Mohegan Bar for a G+T. 

When it was time to leave they walked to the ferry terminal where Sandy now could not find her ticket! She had a moment of panic as she knew that the ferry ticket was together with the car park ticket! How would she get her car out of the car park? Eventually the tickets were found in the pocket of the jacket she was wearing when she came yesterday and had been packed deep into her rucksack! 

Alan and Sandy hugged goodbye and our BBF watched Sandy shuffle forward in the long queue till she disappeared! He then went and sat on a bench until the ferry left. He had time before Brec arrived so he looked in the shops and bought himself a polo shirt! He then went to the National Hotel and sat on the terrace until Brec arrived. They then had a light evening meal and chatted amiably while eating. After their meal they left the hotel and bought themselves a coffee, Brec a cappuccino and Alan a double espresso and sat on a bench in front of the hotel. 

They walked back to the Great Salt Pond and the water taxi to the boat. There was a great sunset. Now that the Labour Day holiday is over many yachts have left and the place seems empty. The water taxi service will end next weekend on 7th September. 

On the boat the men chatted a bit in the growing darkness and used as little light as possible to preserve the batteries. Eventually they went to bed!