August 25-August 30                          Baltimore, Maryland

As we began our cruise to Baltimore, the weather was cooperating beautifully.  We had a calm sea with light wind, sunshine, cool weather, and blue skies.  We had spoken to our friend, Brian McDermott at Henderson’s Wharf Marina in Baltimore and he had assured us the boat would be cared for while we returned to Texas. 

After several hours of cruising, the weather began to change.  The wind became heavier and the sky began to darken.  The radio indicated a squall was on the way and we were soon in the midst of pouring rain.  We expected it to move on quickly but it seemed to follow us as we entered the Patapsco River heading toward Baltimore.  The rain finally slackened as we neared the huge Francis Scott Key Bridge spanning the river and by the time we reached our marina, it was light enough that we could easily dock.  The hours of intensive rain had given our boat the good washing it needed.  All the resilient grime had been removed from the hull and the entire boat was cleaner than it had been since we left Maine.

Henderson’s Wharf Marina is located in the historic Fells Point neighborhood of Baltimore.  Many of the streets are cobblestoned and the area boasts more than 100 restaurants.  We could easily walk to the main streets and enjoy the vibrant ambiance.  Many lovely little shops are scattered among the restaurants, taverns, inns, and condominiums.

The following morning, David wanted to explore the area and find a restaurant he had seen featured on Drive-ins, Diners and Dives, a popular Food Network show.  Using his computer, he learned it was within easy walking distance of the marina.  With a bright blue façade, the Blue Moon Café stands out from the more traditional buildings surrounding it.  Serving only breakfast and closing at 3:00 PM, the café is a popular local dining experience.  The interior is small with scarcely space for about fifteen tables and a small bar. 

After a short wait, we were seated at a small table near the window.  Our waitress was an Ann Hathaway look-alike, tall, slender, with a beautiful complexion. This girl also had fuchsia hair and multiple tattoos.  She was charming, efficient, with a lovely smile which completely destroyed her tough-girl image. 

The menu was expansive and high in calories.  I ordered Crunchy French Toast which was beautifully presented with a three slice tier each garnished with a different fruit.  Cinnamon-flavored whipping cream was artfully placed on the side.  It was outstanding!  Diners around us seemed to be enjoying a similar experience with generous plates of eggs, breakfast meats, corned beef, waffles, pancakes, etc.  All the plates looked as if they could have been photographed for Bon Appetit magazine.

Except for one other dining experience at a wine bar near the marina and a brief trip on the bus to the closest Walgreen’s Pharmacy for a medicine refill, we spent the remainder of the time on the boat.  David had work to do and I had boat projects to finish.  In the evenings, we were usually watching the Republican Convention activities. Unfortunately, David’s left knee was giving him considerable pain and his mobility was very limited.  It was probably a good thing we were going home early so he could see our doctor in Fort Worth.  With only a brief respite, David had been in constant pain since May 12 when he broke his leg.  Despite all the discomfort, he had persevered and we had been able to enjoy the boat and make the journey we had planned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 24                 C and D Canal, Delaware

Tide is a problem in Cape May Harbor and we needed a rising tide to have sufficient depth for our departure.  Delaware Bay can be choppy and on this date, we had wind and waves.  We were glad once again we had stabilizers on the boat.  The weather cleared before we reached our marina, located midway through the canal.

Summit North Marina was located in a lovely cove and we had excellent dock help.  An impressive restaurant, resembling a French chateau, was located on a hill above the marina.  Aqua Sol had a large deck overlooking the cove and appeared to be a popular dining choice.  We enjoyed a light dinner and the casual nautical ambiance.

August 22-23               Cape May, New Jersey

Determined to make the long trek from Atlantic Highlands to Cape May in one day, we left at 6:00 AM.  We were fortunate the sea was smooth and the wind was slight.  We were looking forward to resting in Cape May for two days and enjoying again the sights of that quaint, charming seaside resort.  Unfortunately, a cold disrupted my plans and I stayed on the sofa most of our two days in port.

 

August 21                         Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey

We left early from Milton on a sunny, cool day.  Long Island Sound was calm and our cruising was very pleasant as we continued down the Connecticut coastline.  We were excited about once again cruising the fourteen miles of the East River to the Battery at the tip of Manhattan.  Despite its reputed turbulence, we easily cruised through Hell’s Gate, the confluence of the East River, Long Island Sound, and the Harlem River.  No sight is more impressive than that of New York City and it was awesome to once again be going past familiar landmarks.

Hoping to take advantage of the beautiful weather, we bypassed docking at Liberty Landing and proceeded through the harbor, under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, to Sandy Hook and Atlantic Highlands.  We had been cruising for eight hours and we were delighted to dock at the lovely Atlantic Highlands Municipal Harbor.  Catering to smaller boats, the marina had limited dockage for us.  We were pleased to find accommodations because the next dockage was a considerable distance down the Jersey Shore.  Lovely older homes lined the hillside surrounding the marina.  We walked the short distance into town and then had a light dinner at the dockside restaurant near the marina. 

Atlantic Highlands is a bedroom community for New York City.  Residents have several ferry choices into the city.  It has some lovely downtown restaurants but the shopping area was unimpressive. The marina is a good choice, however, for mariners who want to stop before the long “outside” trip to Cape May, New Jersey and Chesapeake Bay. 

 

 

 

 

August 20-August 21                Milton, Connecticut

As predicted, the weather was sunny, cool, and without significant wind and we began our journey westward down the Rhode Island and Connecticut coastline toward New York City.  I had charted our journey to Milton, a small, picturesque bedroom community with a small historic role in the Revolutionary War.  Our cruising was without incident as we passed hundreds of beach homes, mostly large and some enormous, lining the shores for miles and miles.

Milton Landing Marina was at the mouth of a short, narrow inlet, thickly lined with boats on both sides.  We were told the depth of the inlet was greatly improved last year when Hurricane Irene came through and the great force of the wind and water moved much of the silt filling the channel. We had no difficulty navigating to our slip and were pleased to be greeted by capable, friendly dock help.

Shortly after docking, David and I went on deck with our drinks to join in conversation with the couple sitting on the sailboat next to us.  Jim and Marcia had been cruising for a week and, though they lived only three hours away, they chose to stay out one more evening in order not to “surprise” their college student son who had house-sat for them.  They were considerately giving him time to straighten the house and get rid of any “evidence” before greeting his parents! 

Marcia gave us several restaurant recommendations for dinner.  This was our fifty-eighth wedding anniversary and David insisted we go out for a special meal.  We walked the short distance to the lovely Bistro Basque, a small, charming place with an emphasis on cuisine from Spain.  We were seated at a quiet table in a tiny courtyard and enjoyed excellent service and a great dinner.  Reminiscing about that memorable night in 1954 when we married, we talked of people who were part of our wedding celebration and meant so much to us.  We both felt very fortunate to have had that special time and to be today where we were and doing what we were doing.

Downtown Milford is spread along two sides of a broad avenue divided by a wide green space filled with trees, gazebos, statuary, and flowers.  There are only small shops, restaurants, and local businesses. Apparently all the big chain stores are on the distant interstate.  On Tuesday, We had a great lunch at Rainbow Gardens, located in a large mansion on the green.  I was delighted when the server shared with me the recipe for a raspberry vinaigrette dressing that perfectly complimented my excellent fruit salad.

On Tuesday, we finalized plans to return home early.  An IRS agent was coming to SGA to examine workpapers on a client and David felt his presence was needed. We would leave on September 2 from Baltimore and would be in Texas for approximately six weeks due to other business-related matters.   Since we were predicted to have good weather for several more days, we decided to plan long cruising days in order to have ample time in Baltimore to do some “housekeeping” chores on the boat before leaving.

 

 

 

 

 

August 17- August 18                           Newport, Rhode Island

Entering the harbor at Newport was almost like coming home!  We had been here twice in 2011 and would once again stay at the venerable Newport Yacht Club.  The harbor was filled with boats of all sizes and descriptions.  David wove expertly through the maze of docks and moorings to our assigned slip, the same one we had on previous visits.  We love this dockage because it affords a great view of the nautical scene as well as the activity on busy America’s Cup Avenue.

A long walk re-acquainted us with the weekend celebratory scene in the area near the harbor.  Restaurants were packed and sidewalks were filled with strollers, dogs, family groups, and tourists.  Newport has some wonderful shops but we reminded ourselves once more that we don’t need “stuff.”  We ended the evening with a visit to the upstairs bar area of the Newport Yacht Club and enjoyed sitting on the balcony in the cool air and looking at the hundreds of lights in the harbor and on its adjacent shores.

On Saturday, there was rain, rain, and more rain.  It came in sprinkles and torrents but it came consistently all day. To our delight, we received a call from  Phil and Linda Hardberger, who were docked about a mile away, inviting us to join them for dinner.  Mama Luisa’s, their restaurant choice, was approximately two miles from the yacht club.  Since the weather was uncertain (the rain was now intermittent), we treated ourselves to a pedi-cab.  It was a fun experience to weave in and out of Newport traffic in the care of our experienced driver (who was a student at The University of Texas in Austin!) and we arrived early to greet Phil, Linda, and their guests from San Antonio, Eugene and Mary.

Mama Luisa’s is located in an old house that looks as if it were decorated fifty years ago by an Italian grandmother.  Its warren of rooms is filled with memorabilia, pictures, and knick knacks.  The food was traditional but excellent.  It was great to be with our friends again and we enjoyed meeting Eugene and Mary.  Eugene produces Alamo Beer (Motto:  A Beer Worth Fighting For!) and is currently working on a project to build his own brewery in San Antonio. Last week, he was granted a million dollar grant from that city and he is hopeful that this show of support and confidence will be an incentive for others to invest in his dream.

After dinner, David and I said goodbye to our friends and walked from the restaurant to the boat.  Such an effort would have been impossible for him before he received the shots in his knee prior to our departure from Texas.  It seems almost like a miracle and we are hopeful the great results will continue for several months.  The rain had finally ended and we made our way back to the balcony bar to enjoy the beautiful evening.

Sundays in port are ritually planned.  We awaken early, find a place to buy The New York Times, and return to the boat for breakfast, reading, and watching CBS Sunday Morning and Face the Nation.  Then we “discuss” politics and politicians for several hours.  On this Sunday in Newport, I went to the shop in the nearby Marriott Hotel to find the newspaper.  Sitting in the shop, surrounded by brightly colored children’s books was a delightful author and illustrator, Muriel Barkley de Tolly, who was signing copies of her books.  Muriel is eighty-two years old, mother of six children, a former restaurant owner in Newport, and became an author and an artist when she was past sixty-five. Her books feature her cat, her grandchildren, and notable sights in Newport. The illustrations are reminiscent of the style of Matisse with bright colors, a mixture of designs, and a flat perspective.  I bought two of the children’s books and could not resist a lovely cookbook she wrote with the help of Newport friends. All the bookstores in Newport display her books.

We left the boat shortly after noon to walk to Beverly Avenue, the main thoroughfare past the historic Newport mansions. Our destination was not the large homes but the Newport Art Museum.  Located in an enormous late nineteenth century arts and crafts wooden house, the museum displayed a small select collection of contemporary art.  In the Cushing annex, paintings and sculptures reflect more traditional styles with works by Robert Henri (a beautiful portrait of an Indian girl from his New Mexico series), George Bellows, and Childe Hassam.  The star of the collection is a three-quarter length portrait of one of the museum’s benefactors by Thomas Eakins.  Executed in Eakins’ limited palette of browns, grays, black, and white, it is a masterpiece of understatement. 

We enjoyed a late lunch at La Forge, the restaurant within the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Designed by McKim, Mead, and White for a Newport socialite who wanted to have his own private social and sporting club, the buildings are monuments to the Golden Age of Newport. The main court is surrounded by dark green painted porches and balconies hung with dozens of baskets filled with bright red impatiens.  Initially, they provided viewing for the wealthy spectators who came in the summers.   Courts are still available for play but the main facility is now for shopping, dining, and displaying tennis memorabilia from its glory days.  The precursor event to the U.S. Tennis Open was held here and tennis greats such as Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King have played matches on its grass courts.

Despite our delicious lunch, we were ready to enjoy two of the prime beef tenderloin steaks purchased at Costco.  With careful attention, David cooked them on the grill and we had a wonderful dinner on the aft deck.  Earlier in the day, I had read recipes in my new cookbook and discovered I had all the ingredients for a simple Blueberry Kuchen dessert.  While the steaks cooked, I made this delicious dish.  It was a great finale to our dinner.

 

August 16                              Fairhaven, Massachusetts

An early morning thunderstorm quickly dispelled shortly after 8:00 and we left Beverly in sunshine and cool weather.  We had rejected earlier plans to go into Boston Harbor for several days and had charted a course to Newport with an overnight stop at Fairhaven.

The sea was smooth and we had a long, pleasant day cruising to the Cape Cod Canal.  It was fun to see again the busy canal scene as people were enjoying hiking, biking, and fishing in the state park that borders the waterway.

As often happens, the water becomes choppy after the exit from the canal.  Fortunately, we had only three hours before we entered the massive gates of the hurricane barrier across the river dividing New Bedford and Fairhaven.  Last year we had spent a week at Fairhaven Shipyards South and we were delighted to return to this pristine and hospitable marina.  Battling a strong wind, David finally brought in the stern of the boat for secure docking despite the ineffective efforts of the dockhand.  It is frustrating, and sometimes dangerous, to have dock help lacking the necessary skills to properly dock a large boat.

After dinner, we took a long walk to the rocky promontory overlooking the bay.  Lined with beautiful large homes, the area reflects the former wealth of this once prominent shipping town.  Unfortunately, the lovely evening was marred when we were attacked by invisible stinging insects.  They seemed to love me best!