We had a wonderful time in Nantucket, the second home of relatives and dear friends. From Newport it’s a nice easy jaunt of 4-1/2 hours at fast cruise (15 kts), or at a slower speed of 9.5 kts in 7+ hours. Originally a booming whaling port, Nantucket has been named a National Historic District and has architecturally changed little since the 17th century, as seaside cottages and old-fashioned lamps still line its streets, many of which are “paved” in cobblestones. Some refer to it as “adult Disneyworld”! Chic shops, unique architecture, gorgeous gardens, beautiful people. All in all a very magical spot. If you’re ever cruising in the northeast, for sure add this to your “absolutely must see” list.
One morning we left our mooring and headed to the dinghy dock for our morning walk. This particular dinghy dock runs parallel to the beach and is attached by a ramp to a very long dock which runs perpendicular to the beach. As we were pulling up to the dock, our dog M.E. spotted some ducks swimming away from the shore. She jumped off the dinghy, up the ramp, down the long dock, onto the beach, and started swimming after the ducks. She got farther and farther from the shore – a total swim of about 150 feet! (But fortunately, because of the configuration of the docks, she was actually swimming back toward where we were.) It was hilarious and nerve-wracking at the same time. She saw those ducks and took off, into the water. She kept swimming and swimming, her short legs paddling away, and her little head bobbing over the water. I was getting nervous that she would wear out. But she finally swam back to us at the dock and John pulled her out of the water. Silly dog.This is the mooring field in Nantucket harbor with the church steeple in the background. And Brandt Point lighthouse on our left as we departed the harbor to return to Newport.
Speaking of provisioning……..do you ever consider how long a bar of soap or a roll of paper towel lasts? Two weeks? Four weeks? Have you ever wondered how many cups you can get out of a bag or tin of coffee? And what about water consumption. Have you ever thought about what would happen if you only had 370 gallons of water and had to use it wisely until you could obtain more? Over the years of boating and provisioning, I’ve become more aware of how many rolls of toilet paper and how many bottles of blue cheese dressing (John and Bob’s favorite) to stock for a 2-1/2 mth boat trip (and how much water I’m using when I wash dishes or take a shower). Although I will readily admit that I don’t have a 100% record! No way! We haven’t even cracked open the numerous packages of popcorn I brought along, but I did have to purchase more soap today!