July 29-August 4    North Kingstown, Rhode Island /Quincy, Massachusetts

All the parts finally arrived to complete the repairs and install the new stern thruster.  The boat would have to be on the hard for three days.  We decided to use this time to explore the coast of Massachusetts and again visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Making a leisurely trip off the Interstates through small villages, we admired the pristine countryside, small farms and lovely colonial and Cape Cod style homes. We wanted to discover if The Bottom Line could go into harbors at Plymouth, Scituate and Quincy.  We had considered doing this several times rather than making the long route into Boston, however, our guidebook had indicated these areas were either too constricted or shallow for a 58’ vessel.  This trip gave us the opportunity to judge for ourselves.

Plymouth was a lovely surprise.  We had expected a touristy spectacle of Pilgrims and Indians but instead encountered a lovely little town, obviously proud of its importance in American history and desiring to display it in a tasteful manner.  The renowned Plymouth Rock was housed in a columned shelter open and easily accessible to all next to the beautiful harbor.  Shops, restaurants and homes maintained the colonial or Cape Cod architectural style.  The harbor was extensive and filled with boats; however, we determined there was little room for larger boats.  It could be done but might be difficult.  We would have to tie to a mooring ball and use the dinghy to go ashore.

The long, winding road, lined with tall trees and stone walls took us to Scituate, a typical small New England beach town.  Their harbor was scenic and expansive but also too shallow for our boat.

Quincy was our final destination and a Staybridge Suites hotel was a perfect choice.  With the Red Sox on a winning streak (which did not last) and playing at home, Boston was booked.  Quincy, only a few miles away, promised all the amenities we wanted:  a great hotel, free parking, easy access to historical sites and the T (subway) only a block away. The hotel shuttle took us to the Marina Bay area for a delicious dinner at Siro’s overlooking the bay and the Boston skyline.

With the heat escalating, we shuttled the short distance to the T station, studied the map and quickly boarded.  We made a change to another line near downtown and were soon standing in front of the MFA.  The current exhibition featured the work and times of Toulouse-Lautrec.  His body of work consisted mainly of sketches and posters of Parisian notables.  His life was brief and his work was limited.  Although the show was interesting and exhibited very well, its appeal was underwhelming.

The collection of the MFA is extensive and recent changes have been significant.  Enlarged galleries and new additions make it necessary to use a map in order to find one’s way through the warren of halls.  Getting lost can be fun, however, as an unexpected surprise may be discovered.  I was shocked when I stumbled upon a beautiful Botticelli painting discretely hung in a corridor.  A masterpiece by an Italian Renaissance legend displayed in a place to be easily overlooked!!  The Asian Galleries displayed several Yuan porcelains made in the ancient kilns of Jingdezhen located in interior China and highly prized by collectors.

We left for the T in time to avoid the afternoon rush and arrived at our destination station in time to see the dark clouds, high wind and rain approaching.  We quickly made it to the hotel as the storm reached our area.  For several hours, the rain and wind continued and the intensity of the wind caused Logan Airport to close for the evening.

On Thursday, we took a trolley tour (operated by the National Parks Service personnel) to the two early homes of John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams.  Another home on the tour was a grander house occupied by both Johns and their descendants from the early 1800’s until the 1930’s.  Filled with Adams memorabilia and furnishings, it was a wonderful introduction to this remarkable family.  A separate stone building, resembling a chapel, adjacent to the home housed the extensive library with volumes from generations of Adams.

We were pleased to return to Wickford and find the boat back in the water.  Although dusty from the work done in the interior, it was a welcoming sight.  David was delighted when later that evening, Pretzel came to the door.  She had  boarded with Shannon ( who kept her while we were in Europe) for three days and obviously had been treated well.  She spent time sadly looking out the door after Shannon left.