What can I say - when we left Fall River Thursday it was with the definite plan of staying for a day or two then heading to Onset for a night before heading through the Cape Cod Canal on Sunday for the overnight sail to Maine. Well, Mike and Jane O'Neil were here in Cutty, and the weather was just beautiful, the pond was just gorgeous, swimming perfect (well, kind of) and so we stayed. It's Monday, and we WILL head up to Onset today, reprovision, refuel, get water and WILL leave for Maine tomorrow am.
While here in Cuttyhunk we did have another cook-out and I have more gorgeous pictures from our campsite. We almost had an unexpected visitor at our campsite though.
The tide was so high that our little spit of land (rocks) is deceiving to those heading out the channel. Although David called out to him "don't go in there" I don't think he heard David, and soon we heard a "clunk" and the engine sputter and stop. He managed to get out OK, but that little cove has now claimed 3 unexpected visitors. We call it "Cookout Cove." Cleve arrived later Saturday afternoon and came over to the cookout just in time to have a few smores and a special birthday smore with David. Those big marshmallows get REALLY big when you heat them over the fire.
We also had a surprise visit from "Ze Plane". The sea plane hasn't landed in Cuttyhunk in years, so it was a welcome sight yesterday. I remember the birthday that I gave David a ticket to Cuttyhunk on the sea plane. He arrived thinking his birthday dinner would be hotdogs but waiting for him down below were 4 red lobsters that Christen had "caught". That's the short story. The long story goes like this.
It was before there were ATMs all over the place, and no cellphones. Christen, Robert and I had sailed from Vineyard Haven to Cuttyhunk and reserved a spot on a mooring. Our last communication with David had ended with "I'm sorry, but I'm out of money and all I have left in the icebox for your birthday dinner is hotdogs. I hope you don't mind - we'll make it up to you when we get home." A large boat was trying desperately to pick up the mooring beside us, maneuvering to no avail. Finally he gave up, and as he was leaving we noticed to lobster pot markers. Christen called out to him, and he called back, "Oh, those things? We've towed them with us since the Vineyard." Well, one of them floated off, but the other stayed put. We realized there must be something attached to it. Christen and a woman from the boat next to us investigated further and to our surprise and joy - 8 lobsters! We took 4, the other woman took the remainder and she and Christen proceeded to re-label the pot with a milk bottle "Boat Lovers" and took it out to the breakwater. We returned to Cuttyhunk at least 2 times that August, and had lobsters each time! Now, that's a "FISH STORY" for ya! (But REALLY true! - Ask Christen)
We are looking forward to lots of lobster in Maine. Cleve told us that if we passed by a lobster boat to put a $20 bill in a bucket and pass it over to him with the boat hook, and we just might get a bucket full of lobsters. Not sure if I want to risk it, but we'll see how adventurous David is.
Quote of the weekend - "If heaven isn't like this (Cuttyhunk) then I'm coming back."
Yes, Cuttyhunk is our Fantasy Island, our little slice of heaven. We love it here, almost hate to leave. But Maine and ports unknown are calling. We will return to Cuttyhunk before we head back to Fall River and reality closer to the end of the month.
We are now in Onset. We had an eventful sail/motor up Buzzards Bay. No sooner did we leave Cuttyhunk but the fog rolled in over the Elizabeth Islands and the wind died, so we rolled in the jib and took down the main and continued to motor the rest of the way up the Bay to Onset. Halfway up the wind picked up, and the waves got a little bigger. We played chicken with another sailboat - he was sailing with his jib only, therefore not much steerage going downwind in such waves. We turned into the entrance to the canal, and lo and behold, a HUGE barge, being pushed by a tug and another tug following behind. We needed to make room for the tug - after all, "BIGGER" does count in situations like this. The other sailboat was still oscillating a lot, but we managed to kick it up a notch and pass him so we could maneuver free and clear of his antics. The entrance to Onset is a bit tricky - especially the first time you do it. It is affected greatly by the tide, and it is narrow and meanders around shallows all the way into the harbor. We have now refueled ($100.00) and topped off the water tanks,bought ice, pumped out our heads, picked up a mooring ($31.88 including tax). David's friend Alice from Simmons College days will meet us at the Marina around 4:00 so we can pick up a few provisions and have a nice dinner with her. We will head through the canal when we wake up in the morning, 7:00ish?
All for now.
ps -having trouble downloading pics - I'll try again when we make landfall in Maine. Wednesday am!
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