September 14-October 4                            North Kingstown, Rhode Island

Scott, the local refrigerator/A/C repairman extraordinaire, came again to diagnose and repair our temperamental refrigerator.  Replacing the full-size fifteen-year-old unit with a newer model is not an option.  It was installed by previous owners during an extensive remodel of the galley and pilot area.  To remove the refrigerator would require considerable demolition.  We will do whatever it takes to keep this one operating even though repair bills may exceed the cost of a replacement.  Once again, a part was ordered and everything worked as it should.

Consulting the weather charts, we finally found several favorable days for cruising with winds less than 12 knots.  Reservations were made at Sandwich Marina and Boston Waterboat Marina.  Jerry and Jill, our Boston friends would be free and we were eager to spend time with them.

Several days before departure, we took the boat to the nearby gas dock and filled the tanks.  I charted our course on the GPS and David ran through the checklist to be sure all was ready.  We were excited to finally be leaving Wickford Shipyard.

At 8:00 AM, Rupe came to take in the ladder and the lines and we made a smooth exit from our slip.  Before reaching the breakwater barrier into the bay, we experienced vibrations which steadily increased.  It was obvious there was a prop problem.  We had no previous indications and were very surprised by this occurrence.  With regret, we returned to Wickford Shipyard.

A diver was summoned and his quick inspection revealed the props and shafts were impacted by barnacles!  After several hours of cleaning, these pesky crustaceans were removed.  Too late to leave for our trip, we called to change reservations.

 Unfortunately, David pulled a shoulder muscle as he attempted to pull in a kinked power cord.  The pain was excruciating.  A visit to a local ER clinic showed he had tendonitis and only rest, heat or cold and pain medication would take care of the problem.  It was definitely not our day.  The shoulder continued to cause considerable discomfort and we knew David was in no condition to soon make the journey to Boston.

The boat was now located in a slip further into the channel.  Our view was across to the town of Wickford, the lovely marina leading into the town and the beautiful homes on the shore.  It was a lively area with people coming to stay on their boats and socializing with neighbors.  

Several days of high wind transpired before we finally had a sunny calm morning to make a brief cruise to test the props.  We enlisted the help of Rupe to join us and handle all the electrical cords and lines.  David expertly piloted the boat into Narragansett Bay and we cruised past familiar sights down to Newport and Point Judith before reversing and returning to port.  There was no vibration and all systems worked well. 

Our delayed plans to go to Boston were finally cancelled (despite losing reservation guarantees).  David’s shoulder was slowly improving but we decided it would be risky to attempt such a long journey.  To our delight, Jerry and Jill proposed a trip to the White Mountains.  We would spend four nights at the fabulous Omni White Mountain Resort and make extensive driving trips in the area to enjoy the fall foliage.