RETURN TO BIG WATER

Bob's View: VELOMER is bathing in salt water again

COURSES:
1) Stamford, CT to Branford, CT
2) Branford to Stoneington,CT
3) Stoneington to Wickford, RI
4) Wickford to Pocassett, MA
5) Pocassett to Plymouth, MA

SEAS:  Generally 1-2 feet with several interesting hours of 3-4 feet of rollers and chop
WEATHER:  Sun and wind, perfect for sailing, and cruising in a trawler
DISTANCE TRAVELED since Stanford: 267.5(S) miles or 53.6(S)/day average.  TOO DAMN MUCH.

We have been travelling since our last update in Stamford on September 4 every day for a week and are just (too many "just"s, Sam?) taking some time off now in Plymouth, Massachusetts in sight of Plymouth Rock off our stern, to catch up on sleep, boat maintenance and just slow down a bit.  The reason for the non-stop travels of VELOMER over this past week have been a combination of weather windows and a growing urgency to get back to open waters.

We have successfully transited Long Island Sound and certainly enjoyed our truncated time there but we had been a bit nervous since leaving New York about finding a suitable window for the exposed route from Narragansett Bay at Newport to the Cape Cod Canal.  As it evolved, we had the perfect day to make this passage while the days before and since were and have been fraught with high winds, big seas and generally unfavorable conditions for a trawler that likes to roll in 4-6 foot swells coming at her from just about any quarter.  We did have quite a bit of rocking every day we traveled until we arrived at Wickford.  And somehow, PM managed her afternoon siesta every day.

coming out of the Cape Cod Canal

As a condition of taking VELOMER onto open ocean waters, PM and I committed to each other and our kids to wear life vests while underway and braced into the flybridge helm seat and taking great care to move about the boat while underway, we safely made port Sunday last at Wickford where we connected with PM's college buddy, Tony Stapleton.  He has recovered for the most part from his horrendous bike accident in mid July and hopefully continues to recover until that event becomes a distant and fading memory.  We were feted with a dinner and several gifts from Tony and Jan including a delicious dinner, an author's copy of Jan's first novel, "A Snug Life Somewhere" by Jan Shipman, available now at www.Amazon.com, and a very tasty bottle of wine, which we enjoyed last evening on our flybridge gazing at the harbor here as the Pilgrims must have 300 years ago. We have been collecting reading material from the lending libraries at various marinas this summer and anticipate consuming this new addition as time allows during our cruising life or ashore this Fall and winter.

A few words about Pinot Grigio:  This summer's cruise has included many adventures and pleasures, one of which has become somewhat of a tradition, our nightly glass or two of Pinot on the flybridge overlooking whatever harbor we happen to be at.  We have restocked numerous times in our travels and have discovered that wine, like people, I guess, has a quality and experience which level of enjoyment has little to do with its price (or in the case of people their breeding).  We have had $20 bottles and $3 bottles.  We have had blue bottles, clear bottles, brown bottles and even a black bottle.  We have had brand named wine from California vintners and elegant French Chateaus, and no name wine from small vintners in New York and Vermont.  The labels have ranged from Madison Avenue glitz to homegrown hand lettering.  The amount we drink is fairly constant, one of two glasses.  The time we consume this evening prelude fairly constant, although there have been a few days when happy hour began as early as 4 PM, but its always 5 somewhere. We do not like to run out so often we have restocked at a small Mon and Pop convenience store and when available a specialty wine store. So we will continue to explore on VELOMER and delve deeply into local culture, making full use of the opportunity to drink wine and adventure in equal and appropriate portions. PM, for some unexplained as yet reason, does not like to buy more than one or two bottles at a time. Next season when we cruise, we will stock VELOMER with at least a half dozen cases. Next post, we will discuss the other constant in our adventure, chocolate.

Now back in pure salt water for a week since exiting Hellgate and the brackish Hudson River, we yesterday began to  feel the ocean's breath with the rising and falling of the open sea as we entered the bigger waters of Cape Cod Bay.  Not since we left these waters in late June have we seen a clear horizon across more than 180 degrees.  And only since we left Long Island Sound and entered Block Island Sound last Sunday at noon have we been able to feel the swells of the North Atlantic under our keel. It feels remarkably good to be on open ocean water again, although our travels on the rivers and canals this summer have had unique charms as well.  I think VELOMER was born to travel in salt water along the Atlantic's coastal stretches.  After our exit from the Ten-Tom in 2 years we will be exploring much of the salty realm available to us as far south as Georgetown, Bahamas in the Exumas and northeast along the ICW back to Maine.  But I am getting far ahead of this present adventure, today we rest in Plymouth and tomorrow are off again to find a snug harbor at Scituate or perhaps Hingham before a return to Constitution Marina in Boston for 5 days of restocking and reconnecting with friends and family.

Phoebe, Erik, Annika and Trygvy arrive at Logan next Tuesday and we will be meeting them to recover at long last from our travels this summer without their hugs and smiles and laughter. There is something unexplainable about the smile of a child, and their laughter restores faith in all that is good and pure.






















PM's Perspective:  The Welfare Ducks

Plymouth Rock (at low tide)

The first time we docked at the public wharf in Whitehall, New York, we came across an American Indian powwow taking place at the public park that included the wharf.  One of the cars, assumed to be owned by one of the participants in the powwow, in the parking lot included a bumper sticker that said "Immigration is a problem -- just ask any Native American." This message gave me food for thought.  Fast forward a few months to Plymouth, Massachusetts, home of the famed Plymouth Rock.  As I write this, Velomer is sitting prettily at the transient dock at Brewer Marine Plymouth with a spectacular view of the rock.  If you look closely at the photo on the left, the rock is at the bottom of the structure in the space under the columns.  You can just barely see it.  Truth of the matter is that the rock was not really identified until 1741 as the actual landing place of the Pilgrims based on the testimony of a 94 year old church elder whose father reportedly arrived at Plymouth in 1623 and was told by folks already in the colony that the 10-ton boulder in the harbor was the actual location the first settler placed foot on land.  Over the years, the 10-ton boulder has been moved, whittled away by souvenir seekers, split in two, and engraved with the year 1620.  So this whole Plymouth Rock story we've been fed all these years is just another media hype.

However, that being said, the Pilgrims did come over from England on the good ship Mayflower arriving at Plymouth on November 21, 1620, not the best time of year to start a colony.  Had it not been for the generosity of  the Wampanoag Indians and in particular their Chief Massasoit, the Pilgrims most likely would have perished.  As it was, the fatality rate was about 50%.  So the conclusion is that were it not for the welfare of the American Indians, colonization would have been much more difficult, if not impossible.  And how have we repaid the Indians?  Not very well.  In fact, the Indians have pretty much been summarily dismissed.  For example, a map of Plymouth indicates that Leyden Street is the oldest street in North America.  What about all the roads and pathways of the American Indians that were well established prior to colonization?

Speaking of welfare, I want to share my observations on what Bob and I have termed the Welfare Ducks.  At almost every marina we have stayed, just about sunset, Velomer has been approached by a duck that comes within about 20 feet or so quaking expectantly in hopes of a handout.  As we have had plenty of stale crackers, cookies, pretzels and bread, we have shared these with the one duck rather than toss them into the garbage.  Within a few moments that one duck is joined by several of his friends and family.  What happens next is a point of fascination for us.  When there are two ducks, things are just, well, duckie.  Each one gets its share of the bounty and continue to quake appreciatively into the evening.  Add a third duck, and the dynamics change considerably.  Let the competition begin!  Two of the three ducks start to peck at each other while the third duck gets most of the bounty.  With four and more ducks, a free for all ensues with each duck apparently more concerned with the other ducks not getting anything then with his or her getting a portion of the bounty.  Their appetites seem insatiable, no matter how much we toss to them.

An interesting phenomenon concerns the type of handout.  If there are one or two ducks, neither one will eat a ginger cookie, letting the crumbs just sink in the water.  But three or more ducks, ginger cookies become very desirable vittles to be gobbled up.  A bit of competition seems to change everything and the more competition, the more aggressive the competition becomes.  This reminds me of sale day at Filene's Basement!