Connecticut to Cape Cod

Welcome Ethan Tiffin the first!

New England
         After a well-deserved respite back at the homestead and the arrival of the first grandchild Ethan Michael Donald Tiffin,  we arrived back at the lovely New England village of Essex, Connecticut

and prepared for the North Atlantic. As fate would have it, our arrival coincided with Hurricane Arthur  touching down just offshore at Cape Hatteras, but was 150 miles east of us as it passed by. Torrential rains and high winds of 30 knots met us at the coast putting a damper on the July 4th festivities. We were sent scurrying to the local for shelter and a piano singalong at the Griswold Inn  to wait out the storm.

         The area known as New England consists of the coastal states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. With it's rolling green pastures, tufts of sylvan forests, seaside sailing towns, and Cape Cod style clapboard houses,it is truly a little bit of old England. However, today the clapboard houses are architecturally designed and luxury yachts have replaced the fishing boats. It's all very tony and Ivy league, but still holds it's charm. At the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club we met past commodore Terry Stewart and present commodore Tim Brewer who gave us a hearty welcome and we exchanged burgees and sea lore.

Essex Corinthian RVYC burgee exchange

The Royal Victoria Yacht Club burgee now proudly hangs in the chart room. In the morning the sun beamed down as we headed north to the darling town of Stonington and visited nearby Mystic River, right out of Mayberry R.F.D! We grabbed a mooring ball and enjoyed a mariner's view of the harbour.

Spring House Hotel Block Island

Block Island

Happy Hour (almost) on the veranda

         A few miles off shore sits the little pork-chop shaped Block Island (also know as little Bermuda to the locals). Established in the mid 1600's for wealthy families and their summer cottages, it is as 'twee' as anything in Britain. Stately whitewashed hotels with Adirondack chairs dotting manicured lawns and breezy verandas lined with rocking chairs. Old folks sip lemonade and loiter at the ice cream parlour. We expect to see Robert Redford in his white flannels from the Great Gatsby turn the corner at any moment. Very Gatsbyesque!

Right at home here!

Newport, Rhode Island and Cuttyhunk

Who would have thunk it!

          The America's Cup races have dominated this seafaring town for many years. Consequently there are oodles of gorgeous yachts lining the piers in every direction. In fact, there are so many boats and mega-yachts that it is difficult to actually see the harbour or the stunning mansions along the shoreline. After a visit to the Yacht Museum and a brief repast we headed out to Cuttyhunk Island and a night on the hook. This tiny island with it's rural, sleepy village atmosphere could be right off the pages of Tom Sawyer. We awoke at 2am to thunder and more torrential rain with wind up to 35 knots! After over an hour of nail biting and praying the anchor wouldn't drag, the squall moved off as quickly as it had appeared. We managed to get forty winks before turning the pointy end towards Nantucket and the famous Martha's Vineyard.

Clarke Cook House dock, Newport RI

Edgartown,Massachusetts
     

Edgartown Lighthouse

Lobster dinner

    Edgartown was the first settlement on Martha's Vineyard Island in 1642. Between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, together they owned one quarter of America's whaling fleet. Lining the harbour the gracious homes of long ago sea captains suggest unspoken tales of whale oil, mutinous crews and wooden ships lost in frigid waters. Most of these houses are now elegant shops and restaurants. Absolutely beautiful in an understated sort of way.  Across the pond is the infamous island of Chappaquiddick. Of course this was the summer playground of the Kennedy clan back in the sixties. Where are those Jackie O sunglasses?

Martha's Vineyard

                                   

                                                  " Those who go down to the sea in ships
                                                    And do works in the great waters,
                                                    They have seen the works of the Lord
                                                    And his wonders in the depths of the sea."