We’ve been out of touch for a couple of days due to the spotty nature of the internet service but now seem to have a more stable connection…at least for the moment.  It’s funny how so many places advertise that they have wi fi but the advertisement (in the form of a small icon in the cruising guide) I have found, can mean a number of different things.  It often depends entirely on the direction of the antenna and the wind speed and therefore the swing of the boat whether the fact that the wifi icon appears means anything at all to you as a cruiser paying for the mooring/dock space. In addition just because the icon indicates that there is wifi and you have paid your premium for the privilege of having the services offered doesn’t mean that those services are included with the price of the mooring/dock space. Sometimes all of the other astronomical conditions required do align but in the end you have to pay to log into the wifi.  And so now you know why we have been out of touch.  All these and sometimes more are a factor of whether we get it or not and whether or not you all hear from us.

So…. Since the last installment we have made it from the top of the Cape Cod Canal through the canal and down through Buzzard Bay and all the way down to Newport RI.  The trip was relatively uneventful we had no real wave action (a bonus) fair weather and easy, although long travel days.  Our first night we stayed at the Sandwich Marina which I feel compelled to mention had the worst looking docks I’ve yet to see.  In order to impress on you the foul nature of the surface of the dock Nicole took a photo of one single spot.  This was indeed the condition of the entire surface of the docks.  In addition and to add insult to injury the price was 1.5 times where we had been the night before.  The promise (in the cruisers guide) of showers and water went unfulfilled as the attendant neglected to inform us that they had “turned off the water” for both two weeks earlier until after we had paid for the night.  Well as in cruisers it’s all about location, location, location.   Sandwich is at the mouth of the Cape Cod Canal and the perfect jumping off spot to catch your tide down the canal, which is just what we did.

We started out about 30 minutes before slack water and experienced a 1.5 knot resistant current for the first hour after that nothing and then…weee.  We had a plus tidal current adding to our usual 6.5 nm speed At some point we were going close to 8. We made it through in no time going under several bridges, at least one of which you may see here.  In the end we gave the kids the choice to pull into Marion or go all the way to Newport and they chose Newport.  This meant that we came in about 6pm (once again in the dark) but it was truly beautiful with the bridge lit up and the reflection of all of the lights on the water.  We had no trouble picking up a mooring even with the wind and in the dark.

Newport is a town Boyd knows well and we were fortunate to be able to meet up with our Aunt Elsie and Uncle Doug.   We spent most of yesterday running all over Newport trying to find parts and pieces for the boat and today we went into town to do laundry and take shower while Boyd works on the installation of those vital systems on the boat.  Last I heard he’s been wildly successful on the installation of both the washer/dryer and the shower – in addition he’s replaced the fatally wounded aft bilge pocket pump with an “alternate” and is well on his way to getting the AIS system working.   The kids and I have had lunch ashore -always a treat-, done 3 loads of laundry, and finally finished some grocery shopping that we neglected when with Doug and Elsie.

For those whom are unaware which is probably just about everyone this next segment will be writen in the veiw of an 18 year old. If you are unfamiliar with the veiws, thoughts, or opinions of an 18 year old then I bid thee fair sailing. If you are aware of the list of things above than I will you you a few moments to prepare yourselves. Ok times up.

Well here we are again on a transit from one port to another. However i did not realize that I would be leaving from a dock with a copious amount of food showers and some wifi for emailing to a place that has poop splattered decks no wifi and no showers. But the transit was good. Not a single person needed sea sickness medication and we saw 2 huge tankers and the only really awful part was that during the transit some one inadvertantly set off a thing of spray lubricant which smelled up all of everything and gave me chest pains and a headache. But you know over all there was not too much to complain about. I was given a chance to take a year off from school and sail and on this particular day I was not in snow or other freezing conditions.

The next morning we awoke to the pungent smell of seagul poop and. We prepared to leave the dock. When we did leave the dock we made haste up the river like current and found our way under the first bridge. After this first one the current of the channel switched and we started going faster than we have before. If you ask me it was a good change. It was not long before we found ourselves under the last 2 bridges and out of the canal. Once out of the canal I took the helm for the next 4 hours or so and sailed us in 2 straight lines to seeming no end. Once I was done at the helm it seemed as thought we made quick time to the harbor and before we knew it we were on a mooring and back into the warmth of our half done living space below. DON’T even get me started on the lighting debacle!!!!!!