It's Over!

Hard to believe that the summer is over.  Both David and I had our first day of school on Thursday, boy, it was hard to have to wear shoes all day! And sit in a metal chair at a table listing to a speaker all day! The real deal starts on Tuesday after Labor Day.

Monday after Irene Obsession was one of the first boats to go back in the water.  Once she was in David helped George and others from the Marina put the rest of the boats in.  He worked until 5:00pm that evening.  Lifting, pulling, bending squatting, kneeling.  He LOVED it.  I put the dodger and bimini back on, put things in order down below, and enjoyed the beautiful day.  Later that day Nancy brought my mom and dad down to the marina and we had hamburgers on the grill at the Clubhouse.  Mom and Dad didn't have power at their apartment at John Clarke, and we were concerned for them to go back home to an apartment in the dark, but as we approached the island we noticed that all the stop lights were working (of course David got them all) and more and more houses had lights on.  Hooray - we arrived at John Clarke, and the lights were on.  Food in their freezer was still frozen, things were still cold in the refrigerator.  Within 5 minutes of leaving I noticed that Mom was on the computer checking Facebook!  Well - it IS 2011!!!

Life at the Marina Tuesday through Thursday was uneventful.  David tried every possible fix for the engine overheating problem, from changing the oil filter, to flushing the salt and fresh water pumps and hoses, he checked the impeller and changed the gasket, ran the engine for 20 minutes at 2600 rpms and it seemed to work.  I had appointments with Walgreen's, TJ Maxx, Stop and Shop, Ocean State Job Lot, Walmart, and Burlington Coat Factory.  Prognosis - we are ready for the first day of school with new outfits, shoes etc.

So when Friday rolled around, we headed out early on another crisp, cool day, with the North Wind that eventually died and switched to the SE.  We motored all the way to Newport - engine worked fine, picked up the mooring, and sat back to enjoy the view.  After a lovely cocktail party at 41North with our friends Mariah and Bob, we showed off our skills in the library at the pool table, then enjoyed a dinner of Truffle Fries, Tater Tots, Steamed Asparagas, various cheeses and salad. Just a mix of different appetizers that we shared sitting at the Oval Bar and enjoying the view!

Today, Saturday, is another beautiful day, I can hear the wind running through the wind generator, I can feel the warmth of the sun streaming through the hatches, and I can sense the boat's movement from the waves lapping against the sides.  The sky is blue with big white fluffy clouds.  We are looking forward to fireworks tonight - the Navy's Salute to Summer.

We will toast the end of summer tonight aboard Obsession with a bottle of Moet Chandon that I have saved all summer for such an occasion.  We certainly have had a summer to remember.  And we will toast to many more in the future.

Travels Aboard Obsession for the summer of 2011 has come to an end.  The summer of 2012 is being planned as I write this. Maine? Long Island? Cuttyhunk and Vineyard?  Tune in again next summer.

Obsession - OUT.

IRENE

The first wave of clouds wind and rain of Irene Saturday afternoon.

We sailed to Fall River from Newport on Wednesday.  It was a beautiful sail, 15-20 knots of wind, so we just used the main. Pulled into our slip without a hitch, and proceeded to get things ready for hauling for the hurricane.  More and more of our dockside friends showed up over the next few days, CJ, Linda and Susan, Mike and Pam, Scott and Donna.

Notice the shadows on the cooling towers of the coal plant.  Also, that's the Energy Independence unloading coal.  She passed us traveling up Narragansett Bay on Tuesday.

Truly Topless she is! Lori DaSousa's boat.  Aptly named this very day.  Hope she rides out the storm well in her slip.

Borden Light started hauling boats that very day.   David and I love to watch the boat yard at work.  George drives the travel lift like it's a toy car, the guys are a well tuned machine, knowing exactly where to put the boats and be prepared to push blocks under keels, and place the poppits.  I am amazed at the number of boats they pulled between Wednesday afternoon and Saturday evening.  We watched Mike drive his father's boat "Lundon Bridge" into the travel lift without steering, "I don't need the wheel - just use the engines!" he said, sounding a bit like Captain Ron.  And he accomplished the task without touching a boat, a dock or the sides of the travel lift.

Lundon Bridge in travel lift ready to be hauled Thursday night.  They parked their trucks with their lights on to light up the lift area.

Friday night proved to be fun, after all our work was done - taking off the jib, the side curtains, and laundry, we sat on the dock with our friends, watching the boats being hauled and finally ended up at the Tipsy just in time to close it down.

Saturday - 7:30am - Obsession was in the travel lift and on the hard by 8:30am.  More work - bimini and dodger need to be removed and stowed, cushions, tie down the electronics covers, tie up the bimini and dodger poles, pack clothes and food make sure everything is tied down and nothing left loose to fly around.  Again, George and Mike and the Borden Light crew worked alongside many volunteers getting as many boats out of the water as they could until 5:00pm.

Right where we wanted to be. In front of G Dock clubhouse and on the pavement.

One of the tires of the travel lift went right through the boardwalk next to Obsession with the boat that was hauled right after us.  Glad we ended up on the pavement.

We checked into the hotel, (got Hurricane rates!) went to dinner at White's and then crashed on the soft, DRY and comfortable King Size bed, being lulled to sleep by the news and weather.

Sunday morning - I was up at 4:00am to my favorite Channel 10 newscaster - Frank Coletta, and Gary Ley.  (Is anyone surprised by that?) Hurricane not as strong as expected, but "still beware" was their mantra.  After breakfast we drove over to the Marina to check the boats,

Unusual high tide.  This is as high as it got this morning.  Phew!

Just enough room to walk through.  Like a maze!

 the tide, the docks etc.,  then drove through the condos.  Surprise!  Obsession is fine.  But what? Trees down by the condo? Oh dear!

Tree down in front of our condo.  No major damage, just the fence.

As the wind started to pick up, and the rain got heavier, we decided against a trip to Newport across the Sakonnet River Bridge, and opted for the hotel for a bit.  As I write this the electricity is out here in the hotel, and as I check my facebook (using my iPhone hotspot) it seems to be the norm around Rhode Island.

This is a new age.  My mom has facebook, and can communicate with us all during the storm (as long as she has electricity).  Sharing pictures and thoughts with friends near and far almost instantly is part of this age of communication.  Love it.  David even has entered the new age.  He has a new Smart Phone - a Droid-X.

From the Point in Newport - one boat is losing it's jib - the red one on the left.  Very windy and rough in Newport.

Forty Steps.  Photo by David with his new Droid-X

POTUS and IRENE

We left Cuttyhunk in search of POTUS (President of the United States).  We had a great sail up Buzzards Bay and through Woods Hole.

The Elizabeth Islands always remind me of the Caribbean!  This is Weepecket Island, just west of the entrance to Woods Hole.  I've noticed more and more boats anchoring off this island during the day for a lunch/swim stop.  Someday we'll do that too.  I wonder if there are any clams to dig there?

 BUT the engine started to overheat again.  We had hoped that if we ran it at low rpms (1800) and gradually increased it to 2400 rpms like we did from Gloucester that it would be fine.  It didn't.  We put the engine on to help us through Woods Hole - and also got a lot of help from the current, then continued to sail over to Vineyard Haven.  We really went there to stock up on food and maybe get a glimpse of the President.

Sea Force One?  We had good reason to suspect that President Obama was aboard The Alabama.  But even if he wasn't, it was a gorgeous picture.  

The weather was beautiful, but the wind direction wasn't.  We rocked and rolled on anchor outside the breakwater, so, once our shopping was done on Tuesday morning we headed for Cuttyhunk.

The tide was with us down Vineyard Sound, and the wind was from a favorable direction - we had another great sailing day.  We anchored in our favorite spot, and settled down for a relaxing night aboard, listening and watching the weather reports about IRENE.  What should we do, it's not going to really impact the weather until Sunday - but should we head home as soon as possible since the engine isn't 100%?  We finally decided to sail to Newport on Wednesday, spend Thursday there, get another impeller and David would spend some more time bonding with the engine.  He will try to flush out the hose and replace it, check the impeller again, and replace it if it's damaged (it was 6 years old), change the oil, and anything else that he thinks may be affecting the temperature.  (If any of you are thinking it could be the gauge, well, we replaced that at the beginning of the summer).

Our sail to Newport was just perfect also.  The tide helped us all the way, turning with us as we rounded Castle Hill.  Unusual for us, we sailed right to Fort Adams. 4.5 hours from up-anchor in Cuttyhunk to on mooring in Newport Harbor.  Excellent!

Always a welcome sight as we enter Narragansett Bay.

We spent last evening at 41North, relaxing and reviewing options and preparations for IRENE.

We are lousy pool players - but we have fun, and it's something different to do.  We had the room to ourselves for more than an hour, I'm working on perfecting one shot, and NOT putting the cue ball in the pocket!

It looks like IRENE's coming.  Our plan, subject to change - head to Borden Light on Friday.  Talk to Mike - if we haul, we need to go back in the water  since our tenants won't be moving out of the condo until September 11th.  We will find a hotel or some place to stay on land the nights the boat is out of the water.  If we can't haul, hopefully we can move to a slip closer to the shore.  If we have to vacate the slip, then we'll have to bring her back to Newport and put her on the mooring, and PRAY!!!!  Don't worry, although we have contemplated staying aboard in the Kickimuit, I don't really think that's an option.  Of course, we still have some time for the IRENE to change course, like EARL last year, but we need to be prepared.

I think the weathermen have done an excellent job forecasting the weather this summer.  If Kelley's (Channel 10) forecast is correct, then IRENE is headed this way. 

Our Island in the Sun-Cuttyhunk

Our trip from Scituate to Mattapoisett (25 miles, 5 hours) turned into a 50 mile, 10 hour trip to Cuttyhunk.  Don't ask me why, but Cuttyhunk calls us.  Well, really, Marge and George and Tim, Bridget, Kira and Timmy called along with the promise of a cookout on the beach.  The trip was uneventful - we sailed for a bit, then the wind died and we had to motor.  We kept it at 2200 rpms for a good while, no over-heating incidents to report this day.  As we approached the Canal we could see a huge rain cloud moving toward us.

We dodged another one!

I suggested that if we kicked it up a notch to 2400 rpms we might be able to dodge it.  We did.  We kept on course to the Canal, got there about 1:30 and saw other boats heading west, so we entered too.  No record time going through this day, current was against us a bit, so only 5-6 knots, but a pretty trip.  Since it was a Saturday, mid-day there were a lot of people on the shoreline, swimming, fishing, sunning, sightseeing.  Very few boats, no tankers or barges.  As  we approached Buzzards Bay the wind kicked up to 20+ knots.  Quite a contrast to the flat calm of Cape Cod Bay.  We decided to motor all the way to Cuttyhunk - despite excellent sailing conditions.  We received a warm welcome from the Pavilonis clan and Marge and George.  They even saved some shrimp cocktail for us.

The sun always shines in Cuttyhunk.  Love it!

By 6:30 we were packed and headed to the beach.  Wood had already been collected, George and Tim got the fire going, and those delicious wings and hotdogs were ready in no time.

Hot dogs always taste better at a Cuttyhunk Cookout.

 It was a beautiful night.  Big Dipper, Milky Way, no dampness.  We sat there enjoying the fire and listening to the waves hit the beach on the Vineyard Sound side of Cuttyhunk.  So peaceful.  Our Island in the Sun, our favorite place.  The place we call home in the summer.  Good to be here.

I put a star where we anchor.  Our Cookout is always on the spit of land just under the lat/long box.  The waves we could hear the other night were hitting the shoreline just under the words "Cuttyhunk Island"

One morning a few summers ago we circumnavigated the island in our dink.  It was an interesting trip.  Need to do it again.

Marge and George headed out Sunday morning.  We stayed.  Bart's cart wasn't open (Best Burger on the Island - Only Burger on the Island) so a quick visit to "The Mall" with instructions from my mom  to buy some Mary Jane penny candy.  No Mary Janes either!  Chocolate ice-cream for lunch then.  Order stuffies and oysters and littlenecks from the Raw Bar, get fresh swordfish from Captain Bruce, and back to the boat for a nap before dinner.  Our contributions to Cuttyhunk's economy.


Good news - WJAR-Channel 10 news.  But since it was a weekend we'd have to wait for Monday for our favorites, Frank Coletta, Mark Searles, Dan Jaehnig, Alison Bologna.

By 1:00am the rain started, and by 2:00am the wind picked up to about 30mph.  Obsession's anchor held her ground - a neighbor was not so lucky we would find out in the morning.

Cross your fingers, knock on wood, that this never happens to us!

Vineyard Haven is our destination on this beautiful day.  POTUS is there.  Will we bump into him in any of our favorite haunts?  I hear they've already been to the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore and Mad Martha's.  Maybe the Black Dog? or how about Le Grenier?  We'll see.

Our cruising time aboard is coming to an end.  We will be back in Cuttyhunk this weekend before we head to Newport for next Monday or Tuesday (Aug 29 or 30).  Our friends Leslie and Carl have returned from their summer of sailing in the Caribbean.  Time to catch up with them before we all have to start a new school year.  I hear there are fireworks Saturday the 3rd in Newport.  We just may hang around to enjoy them.

Praise for the Weatherman - and David. (Isles of Shoals and Gloucester)

Looking towards Portsmouth from Isles of Shoals.  Weatherman was correct - chance of thunderstorms along the coast.  We were far away from the coast.

As the weatherman predicted the rain and winds and seas all diminished as Tuesday wore on.  We left the dock at 11:00am.  All morning log we checked the NOAA weather site, and got the reports from the buoys between Portland and Isles of Shoals.  We watched the sea reports diminish from 5 feet to 3 feet, and the wind died from 25 knots down to 15.  "Let's go!" he said.  And so we did.  We sailed a good portion of the day, a good steady wind from the NNW, and the seas were not a problem at all.  It was nice to be sailing again.  As I've said before, we haven't sailed much visiting the islands in Casco Bay.  They are so close to each other, and there are so many lobster pots to avoid that we have motored from place to place.  As the afternoon wore on we realized that the wind was dying and if we wanted to be at Isles of Shoals (42 miles) before 6pm we would have to motor again.  So we power sailed the rest of the way there, getting there at 5:45pm.  Just in time to get a mooring and enjoy the scenery.  Last time we were here it was sweltering hot, close to 100 degrees.  Today, it was chilly - so chilly I had on my long jeans, 2 shirts and a fleece vest.  Last time we were here it was packed! Boats all over the place! This time I think there was a total of 10 boats, and lots of moorings available.  Last time we had to anchor.  Last time a loud party boat pulled in about sunset adding to the discomfort we were already enduring from the mosquitoes and flies.  This time it was quiet, peaceful, no mosquitoes (we had flies accompany us on our trip there) and a beautiful sunset.  Wikipedia describes the Isles of Shoals as "a place where the islands float and the water sinks."  What an accurate description.

Islands that float - water that sinks.

We headed out early on Wednesday for Gloucester. It was a beautiful day, we thought we could sail, but as soon as we pulled out of the harbor the winds died down to about 4-5 knots, and as the day progressed never went over 10 knots.  Not good for Obsession.  She likes at least 12, loves 15-17.  It was a gorgeous, sunny and comfortable day.  Not too warm, but the sun was bright, the skies a beautiful blue.  Destination Gloucester - about 26 miles away.  About half way to Gloucester the engine started to overheat again.  David cleaned out the strainer again (this had become a daily ritual since our experience on our overnight earlier in the month).  But that didn't work.  About an hour later it overheated again.  So, he checked the oil.  That's ok.  Must be the impeller.  At first glance he thought it was OK, but after one more overheating incident he decided that he'd better try to replace it.  He must have worked at it for over an hour while I tried desperately to sail this "bus" in 4-5 knot winds.  Our trail on the gps looked like a the path of a drunken sailor! Unfortunately David couldn't remove the damaged impeller. It's in a place that makes it hard to reach without a tool called an "impeller puller".  Sooooo, he gave it a tap or two to push it back in and said a prayer.  We motored at a lower rpm the remaining miles to Gloucester and managed to get here, and pick up a mooring.  ($25.00)

I guess the fishermen needed two lighthouses to find their way back to Gloucester in the fog after months at sea! 

Gloucester has an interesting waterfront - a mixture of a quaint village with the industrialized, working waterfront. 

We went ashore, tried to find the harbormaster (nowhere to be found), wandered around the shops, found a Walgreen's to refill some prescriptions, and made reservations at a French Restaurant for dinner.  I must say, Duckworth's Bistro was one of the highlights of our stay here in Gloucester.  Not only was the food delicious, but we met 2 elderly gentlemen at the bar (that's the only place we could get a reservation) and had an enjoyable dinner and conversation with them.  FRIED lobster tails for me, seafood stew for David and we shared a flourless chocolate cake for dessert.  But the best was our salad - almost an Eggs Benedict without all the fat and carbs.  Frissee and crumbled bacon with a honey viniagrette dressing topped with a perfectly poached egg!  It was different and refreshing.

Look closely at the sign above the windows!

Fish Tales?

We decided to stay an extra day so David could get the tool ($80.00) he needed to remove the impeller, and enjoy  the city a bit more.  His chore didn't take as long as he expected, and lo and behold, the impeller was damaged.  (He threw it away before I could take a picture of it).  By lunchtime we were ready to go ashore, get some fresh water and coffee (Dunkin' Donuts) and lunch in a true diner. A perfect shaved roast beef sandwich.  No frills, just roast beef and a toasted roll.

After lunch we took a dinghy tour around the harbor.  Gloucester has several different harbors.  The waterfront is lined with industry, fish processing plants, and large (and I mean large) fishing boats.  There is one section, the North End which has become an arts colony, (that's where Duckworth's Bistro was).  For sure Gloucester will be a definite stop on our trip to and from Maine in the future.  There are restaurants galore, the shops are simple and don't appear to be overpriced.

There are about 3 ships similar to this in this shipyard all in a different state of dis/repair.

 And the harbor is an interesting place to sit on the boat and watch the fishing, lobster, pleasure, boats go by.  The people we have met here are friendly (someone on a trawler on a mooring behind us came by last night to ask if we wanted him to get us some lobsters - he was heading to the lobster pound).  Next time we'll take him up on the offer, but I think we've had enough lobster for a while.

A BIG fishing boat.  Too big for my camera!

We will head to Scituate today.  We have met Jane and Mike from Tiverton (JAMIN) and they will be heading the same way.  We had cocktails with them last night, and learned we have a lot in common.  Pray that the engine doesn't overheat again - David says there could still be some pieces of the broken impeller in the lines and in the engine that might cause a problem.  I'm thinking he got them all when he flushed lines.

Gloucester sunset

PS - We got to Scituate.

Scituate Harbor Yacht Club

Engine DID NOT overheat.  Very crowded harbor, but we have a good mooring right in front of the Yacht Club.  Nice showers, nice clubhouse, WIFI (so I could download pictures and finish this blog).  $35.00/night includes launch service.  David is happy - he doesn't have to put down the dinghy.  We will head to and through the canal tomorrow morning - can't go through until about 2:00pm.

Jewell Island and Portland/No Falmouth Foreside/Yes Portland

After leaving Great Diamond Island we headed right for Jewel Island on Friday.  We had heard that it could get crowded on the weekends.  We wanted to stay right through Sunday before heading to Portland, and made a beeline for the anchorage to "mark our spot".   As it turns out we found the best anchoring spot in the cove.  In the very middle of the cove, in 25 feet of water (that at low tide was more like 10) and a nice breeze almost all day and night.

This is how close the rocks were at low tide.

 We watched boats come and go all day, put up the hammock, took a dinghy ride, and settled in to a place as picturesque and relaxing as Cuttyhunk.  We heard that there were trails ashore on the Island that led to several camp sites and old WWII buildings.  We decided to save exploring ashore for Saturday.  Later in the day we met up with three other couples aboard a gorgeous Beneteau 43 for cocktails.  We struck up a quick friendship - and probably will see them again.  I had business/sailing cards made up for us this winter.  So many times we meet people and want to share information, and I decided that we needed cards.  Lots of cruisers have them.

We walked all these trails.  Later on Sunday we met the caretaker of the Island.  He maintains the trails, makes sure the campsites are clean and generally watches over the Island.

Saturday we did venture ashore to explore the island.  Trail walking is NOT my thing, but I was curious about what the island was like.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The trails are very well maintained, the campsites clean and clear, and I even climbed to the top of a look-out tower.  What a view!  Again, I am amazed at what the state of Maine has done to preserve the history of this area.

View from the top of the tower looking North

Another view from the top of the tower - looking south.

The Tower.  When I sent this picture to Christen she informed me that Baleigh thought it looked like Rapunzel's tower.

A campsite.  Other than the fact I'd NEVER sleep in a tent on the ground, I would have loved to have had a cookout here or at any of the other campsites.

This is called the Punchbowl.  I found some sea glass and collected some rocks for our fountain.  David investigated a dead HUGE sea turtle.  I'll get him to send me the picture he took for another blog.

Moss growing on the ground on top of a soft pine needle path

A double outhouse

I tried on and off all weekend to call Centerboard Yacht Club in Portland to see if we could rent a mooring from them, directly across from DiMillo's, but no answer.  I needed to give Mal an exact place to meet us on Sunday, so we decided to nix Portland and go to the Portland Yacht Club in Falmouth Foreside, about 5 miles north of Portland.  Good plan.  But Sunday morning I called DiMillo's just to find out of they had moorings, they don't, but they recommended Portland Yacht Service down the street.  Yes, PYS does have moorings, but they're all reserved for the next few days.  Just curious - how much for a slip?  $1.75/ft/night.  (Compared to $3.95/ft/night at DiMillo's).  Includes electric, water, showers, and wifi  Well, at that price, why not?  So, cancel Portland Yacht Club, and alter course to Portland.  We fueled up at DiMillo's - never have I been treated so poorly at a fuel dock, but payback was when the pump-out mal-functioned and dumped all our waste on the dock right in front of the larger power boat that was huffing and puffing his bow thrusters waiting  for us to finish pumping our 20 gallons of fuel.  $4.00 per gallon for diesel - very expensive.  Won't go there again. Our slip at PYS is right on the face - a little rolly, but not too bad.  The dock boys are very pleasant and helpful, and although we aren't smack dab in the center of town, the walk is a pleasant one.  We enjoyed a late breakfast aboard - fresh egg (thanks Mal for the farm fresh eggs) spinach, bacon and cheese omelettes (better than Handy's David said) and ventured into town.  Old Portland and the Wharf area have interesting shops and small restaurants to visit, similar to Newport and Vineyard Haven.  Our final stop was to the fish store on the wharf - fresh haddock ($6.99/lb.) and steamers ($3.99/lb.).  That's our dinner tonite.

1:30am.  For some reason I can't sleep.  It could be that the boat is rocking and rolling so much, or it could be that I watched Jimmy Kimmel (I NEVER watch him - always Jimmy Fallon or Jay Leno), and have  my computer so I can play games.  It was a very rough night - as I said before we are on an outside float, and the wind was from the north - or stern was facing north.  The boat bounced and rocked and rolled all night.


So this is essentially our last port in Maine.  Isle of Shoals is technically part of Portsmouth, NH.  It's a 42 mile trip.  Forecast is for 15-20 knots from the NE. We would fly there under sail if the seas aren't too rough. Quite different than our last trip there in 100 degree heat and no wind and those bothersome flies!  I swear we killed hundreds of them on our trip there 6 years ago.

Promised pictures and more!

Baileigh's new back to school back pack.

Chandler Cove - not very protected from the SW.  so - on to Great Diamond Island instead

Islands, Islands and more islands.  Lower left - Jewel Island - what a lovely place.  More in a later blog about it and my hike around the Island.  Upper left - Great Diamond Island.  Beautiful place.  Both places merit the "return visit" merit badge.

The docks at Diamond Cove.  These slips stayed empty all night.  Someone on the island told me that George Bush Sr. sometimes shows up in his fast boat and goes ashore to dinner at the Diamond's Edge Restaurant.  I had hoped they were saving the slips for him and his entourage, but I guess it wasn't to be.  In the future all we need to do is call ahead and make a reservation at the restaurant and we can stay dockside for free.  Next year.

Looking north through the gut at Diamond Island.  What a gorgeous day it was!

This ferry, and others like it, shuttle people all around the islands.  

At Diamond Cove they have renovated the WWII barracks and officers houses and other buildings to use as the restaurant, general store, condos, townhouses and private homes.  They even took a section of the Parade and put in a pool, and spa.  This looks to us like an ammo bunker that was built right into the hillside that has been sandblasted, and renovated to a private home.

Need I say more?

A perfect place for a Cuttyhunk-like cook-out at Jewel Island

An even better place for a cookout!

No wonder it's called Jewel Island - the water sparkled like diamonds on this gorgeous Friday afternoon.

Sky watching - and also wishing the TV antenna worked a little better. As well as the mast head fly and wind speed meter.  Too bad I won't hoist David up the mast unless there's someone else with me.  

This is how close the spit of land/rocks were to us at low tide.  At high tide they weren't even visible.

Yes, we added to the economy in Freetown - maybe we should have take their advice and had it all shipped home for FREE!

Floating Seaweed Islands

More Floating Seaweed Islands

Lobster Boat all cleaned up and out on Sunday with the WHOLE family and more.

Yes - lobster for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert - and a wall decoration.