Friday, August 7 - Boston to Scituate, sailing half and motoring half. Relatively uneventful except for the phone call that L was needed in New York.
Saturday, August 8 - L disembarked, got a ride back to Brookline and then drove to New York. Bear and I departed late morning in order to time the current change at the Canal just right. We had a nice little breeze, a broad reach, just light enough that we needed to motor most of the way. We did hit the Canal on time though and had an easy transit, continuing on to Red Brook, where we anchored at Bassetts Island.
Sunday, August 9 - Showers forecast, with a gusty North wind (to 25 knots). Perhaps a great breeze for a sail to Cuttyhunk, but single handing with Bear on board, I opted for another night at Bassetts. The sail to Cutty would be easy enough, less so grabbing a mooring alone in a big breeze. The great nightmare would be getting to Cuttyhunk and finding no moorings in the pond; not a problem usually, but with a North wind I didn't want to be outside!
Monday, August 10 - Bear and I had a nice sail to Cuttyhunk. No rush, and lots of moorings available when we got there.
Tuesday, August 11 - RAIN. Not rain, RAIN!!! The challenge was finding the lighter, drizzly parts for taking Bear ashore. Otherwise, a long day inside.
Wednesday, August 12 - L is on her way back to Boston, and Bear and I left Cuttyhunk for New Bedford, in anticipation of a Thursday morning rendezvous. It was a great 10 mile sail, on a beam to broad reach the whole way.
Thursday, August 13 - The bus from Boston to New Bedford was on time and L was back on board. With no wind, we motored back to Cuttyhunk.
Friday, August 14 - With L just starting her vacation, we stayed in Cuttyhunk pond, walking and exploring beaches.
Saturday, August 15th - Got through to the Menemsha Harbormaster on the second try and managed to wrangle a mooring reservation. Through Quicks Hole and across Vineyard Sound, sailing about half.
Monday, August 17th - Stopped in to see Everett Poole, of course.
Tuesday, August 18th - Time to ride the current to Lake Tashmoo, an easy ride on a broad reach. We did take note of the Coast Guard patrol, advising us to keep our distance from the beach, a reminder that is was both our vacation week and Obama's.
Wednesday, August 19th - Too relaxing to leave Lake Tashmoo!
Thursday, August 20th - Okay, how about one more day.
Friday, August 21st - Heading home now, back across Vineyard Sound, through Woods Hole, and back to Bassetts Island.
Saturday, August 22nd - This was the first sailing day in the rain, and even then, just a light drizzle. A little breeze would have been nice; it's a long way on the motor to Scituate.
Sunday, August 23rd - Last day... FOG! Less than a quarter mile visibility, increasing a bit as the morning went on, then closing in again inside Boston harbor. Go figure.
For as long as we were away, we made fewer stops than usual, excluding the side trip to New Bedford, of course. Wind was light for most of the trip and the sailing wasn't great, but with long stays in port, it was very relaxing. No complaints.
Best quote of the trip, overheard on Squid Row in Menemsha: "Any day you're here to complain about is a good one." Amen.
