We left Newport in good time on the 3 July to motor up the Narragansett Bay to Bristol Harbour Bay, so we could secure an anchoring spot somewhere near the dock used by Jill and John who were hosting the pot luck barbeque at Bristol that night.  After a pleasant motor up the bay, we arrived in good time and anchored next to Over Budget again, but this time with plenty of room and then waited for the rest of the rally to arrive.  Then it was prepare hors d’oeuvres and pick up Alia Vita’s crew, Rob and Frances on the way to Jill and John’s neighbours’ dock for the barbeque at Jill and John’s lovely riverside house.  A great evening with a chance to catch up with Gary and Greta from Norfolk and meet Lydia and Bill who live in Deltaville where we are planning to lay the boat up.  The evening was made by Julian from Domini, who gave us a rendering of his latest composition, “The OCC Rally Blues”.  Brilliant and very, very funny.  The weather cooperated as well and it was a gorgeous evening,  perfect for the fireworks display in the bay when we got back to the boat, enjoyed with Rob and Frances for company.

 

 

Over Budget anchored in the Bristol, Rhode  Island Bay

  Julian giving us rendering of “The Ocean Cruising Club Rally Blues” at the Pot Luck Barbeque

 

 

The View from Jill and John’ garden and....

 

 

                 ...a perfect evening for the barbeque. Jim, Rachel, Tony, Rob and Bill

 

July 4 and we all polled up at the Bristol Yacht Club for a thoroughly American breakfast, pancakes, maple syrup and bacon, followed by a walk to the town for the 4 July parade.  Not as entertaining as the Trinidad Carnival, but still impressive and great to have done once and Bristol is the town to do it in.  The evening’s entertainment was drinks on Lily, with perfect hosts, Ron and Ineke, not forgetting the cat, Boris.

 

 

Pancakes in the Yacht Club with Rob and Francis before walking to Bristol and...

 

 

       ...street scenes that looked like the start of the New Year sales outside Harrods

 

 

So this is what they are waiting for and......

 

 

 

              The first of several Bands and the winners of the previous day’s competition.

 

 

 

One of the Patriot bands and..                                                                                                        

 

 

...a very smart turnout, one of the commercial ones.

 

 

One of the smartest bands on parade and....

 

 

 

                                    .....one of the most showy.

 

July 5 and we have had an easy day visiting the Herreshoff Museum, with it’s history of a fantastically successful era of sail and steam, the America’s cup, especially Reliance and a hawk that just happened to come into the museum while we were there.  Then a farewell drink on Alcedo for all our English, Scottish, American and Dutch friends on the Rally who have made it so much fun and who are going north while we go south.

 

 

A Hawk in the Herreshoff Museum, possibly a Cooper’s or a Sharp Shinned. 

 

 

 

                               The model of Reliance in the Herreshoff workshop

 

 

Last night of the Rally for us, from the left: Jinny, Francis, Julian, Stuart, JW and...

 

 

 

                        .....Ron, Ineke (almost hidden) and Rob

 

It is time to give our livers a rest, so Newport tomorrow for a couple more houses and then back to back down Long Island Sound to New York and beyond.   We will miss our new friends.

 

Alcedo