June 25-28                     Sandwich, Massachusetts

As we were almost ready to depart Payne’s Marina, a small boat approached with a sign stating “Bakery.”  In several boxes and insulated bags, they had a good assortment of rolls, bagels, yogurt and fruit, and breakfast sandwiches.  Of course, we made no effort to resist.  It was delicious!  With hundreds of boats in the pond, they were doing a good business.

We departed as part of a flotilla of boats heading out to the sound for the races.  The weather was perfect with just enough wind to fill their sails and not so much to make the waters choppy for us.  Our six hour cruise to the Cape Cod Canal and Sandwich Marina was uneventful.  The marina, located just inside the east entrance to the canal, is a great stop to escape unfavorable weather or rest before heading north to Boston.

Sandwich Marina had floating docks and good internet service!  Dwight, the dockhand was a genial fellow and he and David quickly became friends.  The rain began as we completed docking so dinner was on the boat.

We wanted to see more of the Cape Cod area so we called Enterprise and had a car delivered by 1:30 PM on Thursday.  We returned to the marina area for lunch at Seafood Sam’s, a local favorite (it was not ours).  The clams were gritty with sand and the ambiance reminded us of a school cafeteria.  The car made it possible for us to go to a nearby shopping area for haircuts and provisions.  After heaving bags of groceries, etc. down the dock to the boat, we decided to do our sightseeing later.

Friday was rainy and foggy but we were assured it would clear.  When we left the boat, we could already see improvement in the weather.  We took the scenic route part of the way to Hyannis and admired the lush greenery of the countryside and blooming plants.  The huge hydrangea bushes were filled with pink and blue flowers and hanging baskets of petunias and impatiens on porches and posts added to the profusion of color.

Hyannis lacks the charm of its neighboring villages.  Larger, busier, and filled with tourists, the downtown looks very much like similar beach towns in Florida with souvenir and t-shirt shops. The cool weather made us hungry for Mexican food.  Gringo’s was recommended but we found it lacking.  The guacamole was defrosted green goo, the chips were stale, and the enchiladas were skimpy.  We should have known better than to order Mexican food in Massachusetts! 

Automobile traffic on Cape Cod is horrendous—exactly as we remembered it from eighteen years ago on our first visit.  The one main traffic artery is four-lane but all others are two lanes.  There are multiple driveways entering already congested streets and roads.  Drivers tend to be aggressive and impatient.  David handled it well but I thought at least twice we were going to be killed.   

We stopped in Sandwich to admire the magnificent old churches and lovely shops and inns.  The downtown area is designated a National Historic District and is beautifully maintained.  The extensive Heritage Gardens, established by the founder of Lilly Pharmaceuticals more than a century ago, is a treasure for photographers.  We were disappointed the weather prevented us from strolling its warren of paths,  banked with blooming rhododendrons and hydrangeas and leading to  rock-lined ponds and small waterfalls.

The Weather Shop, in downtown Sandwich,  was closing but the owner allowed us to enter and admire his magnificent collection of antique and new weather items.  He also had a beautiful display of Nantucket baskets, new and old, all of exceptional quality.  After pricing them in Nantucket, I knew I was not going to buy one—but I was tempted.  One large one, without a lid, had a discreetly written price tag of $4,675. 

Ice cream shops are everywhere on Cape Cod.  The small mom-and-pop ones are reputedly the best.  We opted for a lovely shop, in a former home, surrounded by an expansive lawn and beautiful flowers.  Supposedly “homemade,” the ice cream was delicious (and expensive).  We agreed it was no better than Blue Bell or Costco’s Kirkland Vanilla.

We had asked to stay another two days at Sandwich Marina but they needed our space for earlier reservations.  We would have to go to Boston regardless of the weather.  Forecasts were for thunderstorms and 15-20 mph winds.  Not our kind of cruising weather. 

 

 

 

 

                                                   

 

June 24-25                               Block Island, Rhode Island

Our cruise to Block Island was uneventful except for the surprising appearance of a large black submarine surfacing near us.  New London, Connecticut is a submarine base for the navy and, apparently, they were training in the Sound. 

We had been told to go to Block Island and enjoy its special beauty and unique setting.  Entering through a narrow strait bordered with white sand beaches and an historic lighthouse, one encounters the Great Salt Pond with its surrounding beaches and hills.  It was Race Week and hundreds of sailboats filled the moorings in front of the four marinas on the far edge of the pond.  David skillfully made his way through the maze of moored boats to the crowded marina. Docking was a challenge with a strong wind pushing against us and boats close by.  We were again positioned on a stationary dock and would have to deal with the rise and fall of the tide in making our exits and entrances.

Payne’s Marina is a Block Island legend.  Boats are packed into the small spaces and people into the small bar on the dock.  An adjacent enclosed bar looks like something from a scene in a Humphrey Bogart movie with its mahogany bar, tiny piano, and weathered wooden floor in a 300 square feet space with a low ceiling.  Since we were docked nearby, we enjoyed the scene (and its music) every evening.

On our way to lunch at Dirty Dick's (A misnomer for the restaurant was immaculate and quite good!), we stopped to admire a gorgeous red Stanley Steamer puffing its way down the road.  If those authomobiles had been more efficent, Ford's combustible engine would not have been needed and we would have far less pollution today.  An opportuity missed!

Wanting to see as much as possible during our short visit, we called for a taxi to give us an hour tour of the island.  Our driver was a retired high school teacher, a longtime resident of Block Island, and very knowledge of its history and architecture.  We were immediately taken by the beautiful homes and buildings, most in Victorian style, wooden, painted white, gray, or nautical blue. Some seemed to be from Edward Hopper paintings in their isolated, vulnerable settings on top of the hills.

 Building codes are strictly enforced and growth is limited by the paucity of available residential and commercial lots.  Like Nantucket, Block Island has a conservation trust supported by a 3% tax on all land sales.  Proceeds are used to purchase available land which remains undeveloped but can be leased for agricultural purposes.  There are only 600 year-round residents on the island.  The school, all grades in one building, ranked last year as third in the state for the quality of its educational programs.   Unlike Nantucket which carefully guards its limited water supply, Block Island has 365 fresh water ponds and no shortage exists. 

In Old Harbor, the only town on the island, we were delighted to visit a small, family-owned zoo with monkeys, camels, kangaroo, and emus all roaming together in a lovely open space.  The ferries dock at Old Harbor and  surrounding the area are shops, restaurants, a movie theater, churches, etc.  The beaches on Block Island are sandy and popular with summer residents and day-trippers from the mainland.  Although some of the mansions and great hotels from the past have been destroyed by fire or hurricanes, others remain and add to the unique charm and historical significance of the island.  An improved economic situation has contributed to the restoration of lovely Victorian hotels that enjoy a brisk summer business.  Excellent restaurants are plentiful.

The dock scene on our final evening was quite active with music continuing past midnight.  It was never obtrusive.  David sat on the aft deck and observed the action.  He wanted to join it but the rising tide had elevated our boat more than three feet above the dock and he wisely chose to remain on deck.

 

 

 

 

June 21-23                                   Port Jefferson, New York

The weather was great for our journey to Long Island.  We had sunny skies and little wind. Visibility was 100% and we enjoyed the trip up the East River and looking at familiar buildings and sights.  The United Nations Building was absent the covering that sheathed it last year when we returned from Maine.  The exterior was sparkling white and the new glass gave it a clean, modern look.  The recently completed memorial to FDR was an impressive white marble structure at the end of Roosevelt Island.  Details of the memorial were not visible from the river but could be discerned from Google on our cell phones. 

Going through Hell’s Gate, a narrow strait marked by the confluence of the East River, the Harlem River, and Long Island Sound, is always a time to exercise caution and maintain careful control of the boat.  The water can be filled with eddies and strong currents.  With our large engines, we easily handled the turbulence and made it through without difficulty.  The trip up the East River had taken an hour because the tide was against us and the current slowed us to five knots.

Long Island Sound was placid and we were able to maintain our full speed of 10 knots.  We reached Port Jefferson in little more than four hours and docked at the Port Jefferson Town Marina.  We were assigned to the main dock, secure not floating, and we were subjected to the movement of 7-8 feet tides.  Getting off the boat in low tide could only be done by climbing the dock’s ladder about four feet to the top.  This was difficult for me but David added a boost and I made it.  At high tide, we could easily step across the dock to the boat.  With such variations in water levels, David had to make certain the lines were tied in such a way that the boat could move as needed without undue strain.

After a short walk through Port Jefferson, we had dinner al fresco at the Danville Hotel.  The marina at the hotel hosted several large yachts and more arrived while we dined. Port Jefferson is a popular destination for boaters because of its many good restaurants and local charm. We shared a trio of ceviches, baby shrimp with a mild chili, bass in an Asian salad of seaweed, cucumbers, onions, and sesame oil, and bay scallops in a coconut sauce.  All were delicious.  We also shared an order of conch fritters (more cornbread than conch) and fried oysters (sweet and tender).  The ceviches were outstanding and we shall try to copy them at home.  Dieting is difficult when traveling (and will power is weak).

Early Saturday morning, I left David sleeping and went to the local Starbucks.  Internet service at the marina was erratic.  I bought a coffee, settled myself on a stool, opened my computer, and spent a very productive hour answering e-mails and posting my blog.  I felt like a real “geek” with my coffee and computer at Starbucks.  The tide and stationary dock made it difficult for us to exit and/enter the boat at many times during the day so we spent considerable time observing the active scene about us.
 

Sunday was a good day for breakfast out.  We chose Z’s Mediterranean Pita (the name is very misleading), a lovely small restaurant with great ambiance and wonderful food.  We both enjoyed omelets and fresh fruit.  Ignoring the more caloric Belgian waffles and pancakes was difficult.  We finished in time to attend the small outside market with displays of plants, produce, breads, and local crafts.  It would be fun to have a car and explore the Port Jefferson area with its lovely homes in the surrounding hills overlooking the Sound

 

 

 

 

 

June 16-20                     Jersey City, New Jersey

Monday was a workday for us.  David had office work and I needed to clean the boat.  A late afternoon thunderstorm was good reason for him to retire for a nap and me to find my favorite place on the sofa and read.  My friend, Jean Andrus loaned me her copy of David McCullough’s epic work, The Great Bridge, about the design and construction of the Brooklyn Bridge.  It is ponderous at times but mostly enthralling.  I thought it was perfect for our stay in New York.

I was ready to do museums.  It had been four years since I had visited MOMA and the Met.  David opted to remain on the boat and work.  By noon, I was at MOMA and enjoyed seeing again their fantastic collection of modern art.  The great Jackson Pollacks were not on view but Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian, Henri Matisse, and Robert Rauschenberg were well represented. The MOMA is situated in a beautiful building that displays well its large collection and is very accessible to the large groups of visitors that come every day.  I recalled my first visit many years ago in the old building, climbing steep narrow stairs, and being stunned as I immediately  was in front of Picasso’s Guernica, depicting the brutal massacre of a small Spanish village. It’s difficult to describe the emotional impact of that legendary painting, now in Madrid.

A short walk to Madison Avenue enabled me to catch a bus to 83^rd Street and the nearby Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I limited my visit to two hours and had decided beforehand which galleries I would have time to visit.  I wanted to see the newly conserved “Washington Crossing the Delaware” in the beautiful new frame that was a replica of the original.  This huge painting occupies a place of honor in the American Art galleries.  The new gilded frame was magnificent and the painting was deserving of its designation as an American icon.  I came upon a guide giving an erudite lecture on John Singer Sargent’s famous painting, Mr. and Mrs. I. N. Phelps Stokes, which we were told was revolutionary in its portrayal of a “modern woman.”  Next I visited the Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer galleries.  The Met is so rich in its stores of art that every visit, long or short, always seems inadequate.

A special exhibit on the Civil War presented a surprising number of paintings by Winslow Homer depicting soldiers and citizens during the war years.  I was familiar with his many paintings of the sea and the Maine coast but had never seen these works. Eastman Johnson, one of my favorite artists in the collection of the Amon Carter Museum of Art in Fort Worth, was also well represented.  His paintings were beautifully detailed, poignant, and realistic. The exhibit was installed in the large new galleries below the famed Lehman Collection.

Taking the stairs upward, I was again in the unique spaces mandated by Robert Lehman when he left his valuable artworks to the Met.  Replicating the galleries in his New York townhouse, the rooms display an amazing collection of majolica, bronzes, silver, and paintings. Lehman was an important supporter of the Met for many years and the galleries, with the stipulation the works of art would remain forever in place, resulted from a prolonged effort to acquire his collection.  The Met has since decided this capitulation was a mistake and has refused to offer such a “carrot” to other prospective donors.

Rain greeted me when I emerged from the museum.  I took a cab to the subway at Times Square, then the ferry to Liberty Landing and the boat.  David had been on the phone most of the day with the office and clients.  Rain continued through early evening and we had a light dinner on the boat. It had been a good day for both of us.

The Tribeca area near Battery Park seems to be a great place for families.  Pocket parks are interspersed between offices and residential buildings.  There is a playing field, easily converted from baseball to soccer, covered in AstroTurf and a large dog park.  The sidewalks were filled with strollers, children, and dogs.   Across the street from Whole Foods is the new elementary school with its multi-use playground that is open to the neighborhood.  Stuyvesant High School is in the next block and is ranked one of the best in the nation.  Stuyvesant is a specialized school with emphasis on science and math.  In 2011, more than 28,000 students took the exam for the 800 available places in the eighth grade.  The school has four Nobel Laureates in its roster of many outstanding alumni.  Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General and David Axelrod, Chief of Staff for President Obama are graduates of Stuyvesant. Obviously, there is more to the education system here than the horror stories we read in the newspapers. We have enjoyed very much having the opportunity to explore this area of New York City.

A continuing problem with the heads prompted us to call for a repair person.  The new waste pump installed last fall in Baltimore proved to be the wrong kind.  It was a 12 volt pump and our boat required a 24 volt pump.  The present pump overheats quickly and sends erroneous signals that the waste tank is full.  Even though we know the tank has plenty of capacity, it is unnerving to think we could guess wrong and see waste coming from the bilge.  The new pump had to be ordered and we must stay at Liberty Landing for another day to have it installed.  This is not a hardship since the weather and scenery here are outstanding.

Vacation does not mean absence of work.  Wednesday, I spent most of the day cleaning the boat and doing laundry.  David had planned to start a new project but office matters kept him on the phone all day.  He even had to skip his afternoon nap.  Eager to escape the boat, we caught the 6:30 PM ferry to Jersey City, three minutes from the marina, and spent an hour walking through the lovely area adjacent to the Hudson River.

Lined with upscale residential and office buildings, the streets were surprisingly quiet with little traffic.  Most workers seemed to be coming from the city by ferry or the PATH train.  Flowers were everywhere.  We were reminded of Japan where every plot of land, regardless of size, was planted.  Although open spaces were small, Jersey City residents adorned them with plants and flowers. 

The evening was cool and lovely.  We agreed to have dinner in a restaurant where we could dine outside.  Amelia’s Bistro on Warren Street was the perfect choice.  The waitperson was a charming young woman who impressed us with her professionalism and efficiency.  As we often do at a new restaurant with an appealing menu, we order too much food.  We would prefer to have a tasting menu with small portions of many items, but this is rarely offered.

 We shared a salad of grilled octopus and calamari on baby arugula with cherub tomatoes and a delicious light oil and vinegar dressing.  It was outstanding!  We also shared a trio of tapas, brie with cinnamon apples comfit, manchego cheese with fig preserves garnished with those delicious little Marcona almonds from Spain, and sliced Roma tomato with white anchovies.  All were presented on toast points and were wonderful.  Another plate was baked pears and melted gorgonzola on flatbread. After all that food, we barely touched our sea bass on jasmine rice and sautéed broccoli rabe (it would make a delicious lunch the following day).  Amelia’s Bistro was an excellent choice.  We could not have enjoyed more the finest restaurant in Manhattan!

On Thursday, John returned with the new waste pump and had it installed within an hour.  The beautiful weather had continued another day.  We took a long walk into Jersey City and made our last ferry trip back to Liberty Landing.  We made ready to depart on Friday.  David added oil to the engines and I checked to be sure everything was secure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 14-15                               Jersey City, New Jersey

We awakened to sunshine, blue sky, and little wind.  We couldn’t believe it!  David had office work to complete before we could leave for the city.  He stayed on the phone for several hours with various clients.  He loves doing work barefoot on a boat!

The small yellow ferry comes into our marina, makes a two minute trip to Warren Street, leading into Jersey City, on the opposite side of the channel, and then proceeds across the Hudson River to the terminal near the former site of the World Trade Center towers.  The terminal is a beautiful modernistic structure of aluminum and glass that also serves larger ferries for Statue of Liberty cruises.

On previous trips to New York, we had spent very little time in Lower Manhattan and were not familiar with the many new buildings and structures.  Battery Park on our first visit in the late 1970’s was neglected, filthy, and considered dangerous.  Today, it is beautiful with plants and blooming flowers, exceptionally clean, and filled with hundreds of people.  Strollers with babies and dogs were everywhere.  It was apparent the weekend had begun early for many New Yorkers who were enjoying the opportunity to be outdoors in lovely weather.

We were surprised to see the Irish Hunger Memorial, a mammoth structure erected in 2004 to honor and commemorate the thousands of immigrants from Ireland who came to this country to escape the horrible potato famine.  The memorial is entered through a tunnel lined with quotations from many sources on hunger and the importance of adequate food.  The tunnel ends in an unroofed room made of ancient stones from Ireland and designed to resemble the ruins of an Irish cottage.  The path then leads up a simulated hill with indigenous plants and ancient stones meant to recall an Irish landscape.  It is an unusual and moving memorial to a tragic event.

Our mission was to find the subway we would take on Saturday to the Theater District.  It was very near Trinity Church, the home church of Alexander Hamilton.  We had visited Trinity many years ago but wanted to see it once again.  The exterior was covered in scaffolding and the interior, open, dim, and uncrowded, was in need of refurbishing and scrubbing.  Trinity has an active congregation and ministry to the Wall Street area.  I could not resist a charming nativity from Peru in the small gift shop.  It will be a special addition to our collection of more than one hundred nativity sets.

Saturday was a beautiful day to go into the city.  We left early, rode the ferry across, took the subway to Times Square, and located the theater for Bette Midler’s play, I Will Eat You Last,  on Forty-Fifth Street.  We had time for lunch and opted for the Marriot Hotel where we had often dined in the past.  We were amazed to see the interior changes.  The eighth floor no longer revolved to give a view of Times Square and the entire area had been made into dining.  We enjoyed a light lunch before going across the street to the Booth Theater for the show.  Bette Midler starred in a one-person play based on the life of Sue Menger, a renowned Hollywood agent and hostess.  The set was beautiful, the dialogue was profane, and the gossip was incredible.  It was relevant more to older attendees than younger ones because references were to stars more famous twenty years ago than those of the present.  I found it entertaining but not wonderful; David was mostly bored. 

On Sunday, we had tickets for The Lion King, a show we had seen almost twenty years ago but wanted to experience again.  It was staged at the beautiful Marquis Theater.  When we entered, the attendants immediately noticed David had a cane and directed us to an elevator and gave us preferential early seating.  They were equally considerate after the show to be sure he was accommodated in exiting.  The show was incredible and we loved it as much as we had the first time.  On the subway, a young woman rose to give him her seat in the crowded car.  Someone has been teaching manners to New Yorkers!

We rode the subway and ferry back to the boat, stopping enroute to replenish our wine supply. After reaching the boat, we had a glass of wine and enjoyed the lovely sunset from the bow of the boat.  We are still incredulous that we couldlook across at the most beautiful skyline in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 13-14                               Jersey City, New Jersey

The sky was gray and the wind was about 15 knots when we started through the Manasquan cut into the Atlantic for our journey to Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey, a seven minute ferry ride from Lower Manhattan and one of our favorite places.  The waves were cresting at two-three feet but the boat held steady.  The four hour trip to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the mouth of New York Harbor was uneventful although we encountered rain and fog.  As we passed beneath the bridge, the clouds lifted and the sun came through.  We entered the marina in sunshine and blue skies.

We had requested to dock again next to the walkway for Liberty Park, giving us a lovely view of the Statue of Liberty.  The wind was blowing against us and the parallel docking in a narrow space was difficult but David gradually moved in position with the aid of the bow thruster and excellent dock help.  An adjacent boat owner was awed by David’s ability to move a boat the size of The Bottom Line with such agility.  He told me, “Your husband is really good.  I could never do that.”  The dock hand also complimented him by saying he was as good “as a professional captain.”  David was insufferable the remainder of the day!

To my delight, a brief but heavy thunderstorm suddenly emerged from the blue sky and thoroughly washed the salt residue from the boat, saving me from performing that chore.  Dinner was on the boat.  We were pleased we had persisted in coming in on Thursday.  We would avoid the predicted bad weather for Friday and would easily make our theater plans for Saturday and Sunday.

 

 

 

 

June 12                                    Mannasquan, New Jersey

Weather reports indicated considerable winds and rain for the next three days.  We needed to be in New York before the weekend as we had tickets to Broadway shows on Saturday and Sunday.  We wanted to avoid cruising in rough waters.  Our memories of a very stressful day on the Strait of Georgia in Canada were still vivid!  We left port at 8:30 AM and headed through the canal to the Atlantic Ocean.  The winds were approximately 15 knots and the water was choppy but the boat stabilizers functioned well.  Cruising was pleasant and we enjoyed seeing the rows of hotels, condos, and homes lining the extensive length of white beaches that make up the famed Jersey Shore.

Before leaving Cape May, I had talked to a boat owner who advised us to be wary of charts for the New Jersey area because of Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent shifting of great amounts of sand.  We had initially planned to go to Barnegat Bay but were not sure dredging had sufficiently restored the depths we would need for The Bottom Line.  He recommended Manasquan and we decided it would be a perfect place for our stop before New York.  It was 79 nautical miles from Cape May and we would have a long day of cruising but we would then have only 40 nm to travel on the following day when the weather was predicted to be worse.

Our brief stay at Manasquan was very pleasant.  We had good dockage at Hoffman’s Marina with excellent dock help.  Even though the pantry and freezer were filled with food, we opted to have our dinner cooked by others.  Captain’s Landing was a block from the marina and the ambiance, service, and food were excellent.  We enjoyed roasted pear salads, seafood imperial with crab, lobster, and shrimp, and clams marinara. 

We plan to return to Manasquan on our return trip.  We would enjoy seeing more of this charming, pristine community with its rows of lovely beach homes and crowded marinas.  It seems to be a very active center for sports fishing.

 

 

 

June 11                          Cape May, New Jersey

We were both eager to return to the boat and begin our journey northward.  Our ten days in Texas had been fun and productive with lots of work at the office and home, visits with family and friends, and a celebratory luncheon after Winn’s dedication at church on Sunday.  The remodeling project, installing new wallpaper in the kitchen and master bath, refurbishing the kitchen tile floor, and remaking a portion of the kitchen cabinet to include a television, had been completed and we were pleased with the results.  Two days were spent replacing all the items into the cabinets and getting the house in order again.  We made many opportunities to have time with friends and family.  The dedication luncheon was at our home and everyone had a wonderful time with good food and babies all about.  Blake and Amanda’s friends are all in the “first baby” stage of their marriages and we love being with them.

 

“In Philadelphia, we picked up the rental car, installed our new GPS (the defective TomTom had been returned to Costco and changed for a new Garmin).  We drove to Costco and bought more than $400.00 of “stuff” to stock the freezer and pantry on the boat.  We would not have a car again until Maine and shopping is not always easy.

At Cape May, we made a quick trip to Swain’s to get our ordered paint.  We were hurrying to get the rental car to the office before closing so we could leave early the next morning.  At the marina, we learned their office had been burglarized and our keys were missing. We had spare ones with us so there was no problem entering the boat.  The freezer on the aft deck failed to come on but we quickly discerned the fault was a defective switch.  David spent an hour “playing with electricity” and was able to get everything working again.  No freezer would have been a problem with all that extra food!

May 27-30                               Cape May, New Jersey

We decided to rent the car an extra day to give us time to explore some of the area around Cape May.  The office for Enterprise Rental Car was in Rio Grande, a small community about four miles from the boat.  Enterprise is our preference for rental cars because they will pick up and return us to the boat.  We will also have an Enterprise rental for our return on June 11 from Philadelphia’s airport.

David was delighted when we again visited Swain’s Hardware in Cape May and found some spray paint that seemed to be the color of the boat.  He had several projects that would be made much easier with such a product.  Returning to the boat, he quickly tried the paint and declared it was a great match.  With no more in stock at Swain’s, we ordered a case which will be waiting for us when we return.

Thursday was the perfect day weather-wise.  We cleaned, packed, had the heads pumped, and left information and keys at the office. We were finally ready to go to the beach.  Grabbing towels and wine, we went to the southernmost part of the beach, spread our towels, observed the children playing, and watched the sun setting over the water.  We could appreciate even more the appeal of the Jersey beaches! 

Although we had been in Cape May for ten days, we found it difficult to think of leaving the boat and such a beautiful place.  We were looking forward to seeing the new home of the Barnes Foundation’s extensive art collection in its new home in Philadelphia in the morning before leaving for home in the afternoon of May 31.  We would leave Cape May early in order to be at the museum for our 10:00 AM entry, spend a few hours there, have lunch, and head for the airport to return to Texas.