September 19                                 Sandwich, Massachusetts

The weather gods finally smiled on us and we had a lovely cruise to Sandwich Marina, at the eastern entrance of the Cape Cod Canal.  As the little restaurant nearby is notoriously bad and we did not have a car, we opted to dine on the boat.  Samantha is a very good cook and she made a delicious pasta dish.  We dined on the aft deck with a great sunset lingering for hours.

September 20-23                                       North Kingstown, Rhode Island

We found it difficult to believe we had once again entered the Cape Cod Canal after spending several summers in Maine.  It was almost like coming home again as we saw familiar sights along the way.  We passed Newport to take the western channel of Narragansett Bay to the secluded harbor at North Kingstown, Rhode Island.  We were greeted warmly and assigned a great dock with a wide channel view.  The marina was filled with boats and we soon were visiting with nearby boaters.  Dinner was at Tate’s Italian Kitchen in Warwick, a small, very charming restaurant popular with locals.

The following day we received our car from Enterprise and gave our guests a tour of Newport.  They were not interested in seeing the interiors of the mansions so we made a lengthy drive through the town.  Although the height of tourist season had passed, the streets and shops were packed.  Samantha suggested she and I have a manicure-pedicure at a local salon to remove the “rough edges” from our boating experience.  This proved to be a delightful experience.  The guys explored Newport and found a large West Marine which provided some needed supplies.

Dave and Samantha left on the train for Manhattan the following morning to spend several days exploring that wonderful place.  With reservations at an Airbnb in Brooklyn, they were excited about seeing some different sights from those of mid-town and upper Manhattan.  We returned to the boat and began final cleaning for our departure the next day.

Miller arrived early from his home a few miles from the marina and graciously provided help to load the luggage and help us leave The Bottom Line in his capable hands.  He will complete the wood finishing on the aft deck and watch over the winterizing procedure before the boat is shrink-wrapped for protection during the winter.  As always, we left with gratitude for the wonderful opportunity to spend months on or beloved boat in beautiful and interesting places.

September 16-18                           Boston, Massachusetts

The wind again was a factor in making an idyllic journey but it was time to go to Boston.  We carefully secured furniture on the aft deck and throughout the boat.  The journey was rough but we managed to endure the rocking and rolling to finally reach Boston Harbor.  Dave insisted on piloting all the way and, as one would expect from a professional captain, he did a marvelous job of bringing us safely through the traffic to Boston Waterboat Marina, one of our favorite places.

After a short rest and time to acclimate ourselves to the area, we dined at Legal Sea Foods, known for their outstanding fresh seafood.  Samantha is a raw oyster fan and she, Dave and David consumed several dozen assorted oysters.  

As we were docked near the North End of Boston, Dave was eager to show Samantha that interesting and historical area.  Unlike the Italian neighborhoods in Manhattan, Boston has retained much of its original population and businesses.  Clean and safe, it is a delightful area to explore.

David and I were delighted to visit our boating pal, Jerry Orloff in his fabulous condo near our marina.  He has a wonderful unobstructed view of the harbor and Logan Airport from his balcony.  It is a place where one could sit and observe for hours and must be spectacular at night.  Jerry treated us to a delicious dinner at Mamma Maria, one of Boston’s best Italian restaurants and just a few blocks from his home. It was a delightful evening and a highlight of our trip!

September 15-16                           Portland, Maine

We carefully watched weather reports to determine if wind would be a significant factor in our journey to Portland.  We faced days of wind more than 15 knts and despite our misgivings, we decided to continue the trip.  It was a rough trip with furniture on the aft deck sliding all about (Dave had suggested securing all before we left but his Dad insisted it would be OK.  WRONG!) 

The beautiful iconic lighthouse at Portland Head was a welcome sight and we easily docked at DiMilo’s Marina, located in the heart of the city waterside area.  We had a great view of a magnificent sail/motor yacht nearby with a hundred plus mast reaching far above the others.

Dave and Samantha quickly explored the area which is filled with quaint shops and restaurants.  Dinner was at an outstanding Asian Restaurant.  

Breakfast was on the balcony of Becky’s, a local favorite and worth the wait to enter.  Afterwards, David and I boarded the cute little tour bus and again saw the sights and learned the history of Portland.  Dinner was at Scales, an outstanding seafood restaurant.  The calories were building up fast!