May 22-24                North Kingstown and Wickford, Rhode Island

Wickford Shipyard, our home port, had docked the boat to provide a great view of the harbor and the constant stream of boats going in and out of the channel to the marinas.  We enjoyed having easy access within a ten-minute drive to Walmart, Home Depot, Walgreens and a wonderful grocery store that rivals Central Market in quality and variety.  We stocked the boat and prepared for the arrival of Stephanie and Joe on Thursday.  They would stay with us as we traveled to Maine.

Transportation from Logan Airport in Boston to Wickford was amazingly easy.  They had no difficulty making the transition to the bus which took them directly to the train.  In a little more than an hour, we greeted them at the beautiful transportation center in Wickford, five minutes from our marina. 

Dinner was at Tate’s Italian Kitchen, our favorite restaurant in Wickford.  Small and charming, it maintains a local feel and friendly atmosphere.  Unassuming but definitely innovative in food preparation, menu choices are often surprising.  The following day, I introduced Stephanie to my favorite clothing shop, Green Ink, and we made a significant contribution to the local economy.  After perusing the delightful, small shops on the main streets of Wickford, we opted for lunch at another local favorite.  Joe and I had decided to order fish and chips everywhere and make a determination as to which restaurant served the best as we traveled from Rhode Island to Maine.  All in the interest of culinary curiosity, of course!