Back to Newport
In four day-hops, we came back down the coast to Massachusetts, stopping at Boothbay Harbour, the New Meadows river, Biddeford Pool and Gloucester.
We caught up with our friends again in Plymouth and heard all about their sailing adventures along the south coast of England this summer (their boat is in the Exeter Ship Canal).
They joined us for a weekend sail to Provincetown, on the tip of the Cape Cod peninsula. This is a colourful town made up of three diverse populations – fishermen, artists and a lively gay community.
Provincetown (or P'town as it's known) competes with Plymouth as the first landing place of the Mayflower - tourists flock here in season to soak up the vibrant atmosphere, laze on the long white sandy beaches and do the obligatory climb of the 'Pilgrim Monument'.
The streets are lined with colourful shops, selling a wide selection of unusual and arty products, many with end-of-season reductions.
Among our bargains were Colin’s watering can (made from an old chilli tin) and Dave’s new Viking figurehead, made out of solid wood and re-named ‘Olaf’. He has yet to be secured in the spot chosen for him at the end of the bowsprit.
Then it was back through the Cape Cod Canal, coming out the other end to experience at first hand what the pilot books describe as a ‘brutal experience’ – the prevailing SW wind is funnelled up Buzzards Bay and hits the outgoing tide to create steep waves in the narrow channel. For us, this meant 15 minutes of heavy bobbing and plenty of water on deck, but for smaller boats it would have been extremely uncomfortable.
We spent a night in Marion and met up with some former Topsham-ites (the Woolcotts), then sailed to Newport, Rhode Island the following day. We are now back to where we started in the States and from here on south will be in new territory. Next stop New York.
We caught up with our friends again in Plymouth and heard all about their sailing adventures along the south coast of England this summer (their boat is in the Exeter Ship Canal).
They joined us for a weekend sail to Provincetown, on the tip of the Cape Cod peninsula. This is a colourful town made up of three diverse populations – fishermen, artists and a lively gay community.
Provincetown (or P'town as it's known) competes with Plymouth as the first landing place of the Mayflower - tourists flock here in season to soak up the vibrant atmosphere, laze on the long white sandy beaches and do the obligatory climb of the 'Pilgrim Monument'.
The streets are lined with colourful shops, selling a wide selection of unusual and arty products, many with end-of-season reductions.
Among our bargains were Colin’s watering can (made from an old chilli tin) and Dave’s new Viking figurehead, made out of solid wood and re-named ‘Olaf’. He has yet to be secured in the spot chosen for him at the end of the bowsprit.
Then it was back through the Cape Cod Canal, coming out the other end to experience at first hand what the pilot books describe as a ‘brutal experience’ – the prevailing SW wind is funnelled up Buzzards Bay and hits the outgoing tide to create steep waves in the narrow channel. For us, this meant 15 minutes of heavy bobbing and plenty of water on deck, but for smaller boats it would have been extremely uncomfortable.
We spent a night in Marion and met up with some former Topsham-ites (the Woolcotts), then sailed to Newport, Rhode Island the following day. We are now back to where we started in the States and from here on south will be in new territory. Next stop New York.
posted by Katie at 2:15 PM
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