Marion at last

Moorglade's Voyage
Ted Wilson
Tue 10 Jul 2012 14:13

Our position is: 41:42.686N 70:45.186W

The sail from Cuttyhunk to Marion was completely uneventful and in no time we were in the little anchorage off Ram Island and making contact with friends and family. Our first task was to make contact with my cousin Susan, who immediately welcomed us to her house and let us take advantage of her laundry and shower, as well as exploring the pretty little town. Susan and her friend Charles came aboard on Wednesday night for Dark and Stormys and a meal. Ted also dropped by Another Adventure while I was doing the laundry to say “Hi” to John, who was there attending to the inevitable boat jobs. We were pleased to see many children sailing Optimists and 420s under instruction - surely Olympic stars of tomorrow.

On Thursday we entertained Robbie and Carol from Bella (also in the anchorage) to breakfast and took advantage of the opportunity to pick their brains about future anchorages and yards for winter storage, as well as discussing their time teaching in the Lebanon. They were off after breakfast to meet their family in Martha’s Vineyard and we had a date ashore to discuss Maine with Paul Cambridge, a fellow Tot Club member, whose boat, Selkie, had been having work done in the yard here. We had thought we might eat ashore in the evening at a restaurant that is only open on Thursdays, but in the end lethargy took over and we ate on board.

Friday saw Susan bringing Kirsty from Cambridge, where she had been staying with friends since flying into Boston on Wednesday. We just had time to settle her on board when it was time to go ashore and meet John, who was taking us for a drink at the yacht club before we all went back to his house for a “cook-out”. At the yacht club we met a couple who had sailed round the world in the 1990s (before the advent of GPS), including stopping off in Eritrea. It felt a lot more daring and adventurous than anything we’d done. They were also displaying more stamina now by having their grandchildren to stay whilst on a sailing course. John and Travis entertained us royally with the barbie and we all fell into bed exhausted (in fact Kirsty fell asleep before we’d left!)

On Saturday we had arranged to take Susan and Charles for a sail. There was a nice Southerly breeze as we left the harbour and headed for Red Brook Harbour. Having successfully negotiated a yacht race coming the other way we picked up a mooring off Scraggy Neck and had lunch. Frustratingly the wind had gone round into the West so we motored most of the way back. Fortunately no-one had come into the anchorage and taken all the room so we were able to re-anchor in almost the same spot, then Susan and Charles took us to Turks seafood restaurant in Mattapoisset, where we were able to sample all the local delicacies. For me an excellent end to this section of my cruise.

 

    

This guy wanted a turn at steering                                                                             There are as many boats in Marion as houses

   

The house on the left is unusual in being rendered                                               Interesting things to do with rubbish

    

Marion dinghy dock                                                                                                Lots of children dinghy sailing

 

    

Drinks at the Yacht Club                                                                                          Cook-out at John and Travis's

   

John's in charge of the barbie                                                                               Susan and Charles join the crew

   

Lunchtime anchorage - not very restful because of wake from many passing boats    Can you see the family resemblance?

  Dinner at Turks seafood restaurant