July 4th

Before pulling anchor Dad asked me if I’d mind going ashore to fill up some 5 gallon water containers to top up the tanks. As this meant that I could shower again I happily agreed. That done and back on board with the addition of another block of ice for the chest and we pulled anchor.
There was no breeze so we motored out of the harbor, past the breakwater in Fishers Island Sound, and back out into Block Island Sound. We rounded Napatree Point which due to 30 foot swells in the hurricane of ’38 and been washed free of wall to wall Victorian Summer houses and wisely never rebuilt. I can’t think of too many other areas in the world that I’ve been to where Mother Nature speaks and man listens. Usually the rebuilding begins as the debris is being hauled off. We passed to the south of beach cottages, many of which are the original structures albeit retrofitted. There is a wonderful beach front hotel right out of a Steven King novel called Ocean House Hotel that I really want to stay at in the near future. I just checked on line and they say they’re closed for renovation and a pending sale but when sailing past it looked like it was in business to me so maybe the site has not been updated. Dad and I walked through it a few summers ago and it really was like stepping back in time (and into a scary movie, I loved it!) I’ve always spent my summers boating into these towns and it occurred to me today that I’d thoroughly enjoy a very long weekend/week of driving to these places and staying at one after another for a day or two carrying on right up to Nantucket. I’ve explored many of them over the years and know I would enjoy spending more time than a few hours.
The wind picked up from the N/E and we were able to raise the main, set the jib, and turn off the engine. We sailed up the south coast of RI past numerous beach front communities. One of dad’s friends calls this stretch ‘boredom beach’. We rounded Point Judith after sailing across Refuge Harbor and continued a very pleasant sail making about 5 knot up past Sachuest and rounding Flint Point where we were able to pick up a mooring and spend a very quiet and peaceful night. Dinner was once again a sampling plate of the various salads and meatloaf followed by more berries/cake/cream.