HYC Cruise Day 8 August 1 Block Island RI to Stonington CT 18 6 Miles

Ohana left Block first, at about 7:30, after fueling up at Champlins dock, where he had to slither into a relatively short space between two megayachts on the fuel pier. He is heading as far west as he could get today, but later advised that he would not stop before City Island where he will arrive tomorrow. Sunset from Ohana.

ILENE left next, at 8, after raising and securing the dink, Again, the mooring painter hardly had time to get wet before the next boater picked it up. Today was a good sailing day, we put up full sails immediately after leaving Blocks channel and sailed all the way into Stonington on a port tack. Not a white knuckle speed day, what with ILENEs dirty bottom (Barnacle Buster didnt get to us before the cruise) but speeds between four and six knots depending on the wind. We picked up a mooring from Dodsons at noon and spent a few hours aboard before going ashore to tour the land. This is my first time here that coincided with the annual "Stonington Day" festival -- a lot of craft booths on the green. Long hot showers at Dodsons.

We heard True North call the Yacht Club, where Blast is also now, on outside berths. I had mentioned how packed in the boats were at Paynes Dock in Block. Ernie provided this photo. This is way too close!

We took Dodsons free launch from shore to the YC for dinner with a stop at this "cruise ship" out of Mystic in the harbor where its guests embarked her.

Also joining the cruise and on a mooring is "No News", Ken and Camilles Nonesuch, They are active cruisers but this is No News first Harlem Cruise and they love the extra room their new boat has. They will detach tomorrow and join us again in Centerport.

Dinner for ten at a big round table at the Yacht Club [photo on PC Martys camera will be added here later] was delicious and long. We just sat around telling stories long after the foood was gone.

On the walk back to Dodsons to get the launch to our boats we showed Ken and Camille the location of the 24 hour, freshly caught fish store, with payment of the marked prices by the honor system. But it was closed, sadly an apparent victim of lack of honor.

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HYC Cruise Day 9 Sunday August 2 Stonington CT to Westbrook CT 29 Miles

ILENE got underway at about 9 am, half an hour before Ohana was arriving back at City Island. After a few hours of sailing, it was motor sailing the rest of the way for Ohana.  The wind was too light for ILENE to sail as well, and what apparent wind there was came directly in our faces. So ILENEs main was up but just to prevent rocking.
We passed a green 30 foot sloop with sails up, headed east, going nowhere, with Towboat US and the Stonington Police at her side. Later we heard that the owner had reported a slow leak and the Coast Guard demanded slow speeds from passing boats and discussed with TowboatUS that they were having trouble finding a facility willing to take responsibility for the boat.
The tide was very strong and favorable for the best part of the trip and ILENE got into the Brewers dock in Brewers Pilot Point Marina at Westbrook at 1:15.
The only other Harlem boats here are Blast and North Star, which both passed us. Not a good photo, sorry,  but they were going too fast for my camera to warm up!

I have learned that North Star is a "Rhode Island Lobster Boat", not that any lobster boat has ever had such elegance, but she is based on the lines of such a working boat.
 We all said goodbye to Marty and Ghennie who have departed for home from Blast, picked up by daughter Darrah with two of the grandkids.
This Brewers marina is pricey, $4 per foot, but friendly and efficient with lots of extra services such as free wifi, free electricity, a nice pool, courtesy car rides and free propane for the community barbecue grills.
I got a ride  to West Marine to get a replacement halyard for ILENEs burgee while Lene shopped for provisions.
I then tested out the pool. Dinner involved shared foods grilled on the barbi.

Camille, Dianne, Bruce, Lene, Ernie and your Fleet Captain, as photographer; we are down to six but reinforcements are on the way!

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