Clams, Clams, Clams and the big parade

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Thu 5 Jul 2012 23:25

41:39.99N 71:16.89W

 

Mon, Tues, Wed & Thurs – 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th July

 

Quick motor up to Bristol first thing and found we could anchor in amongst Il Sogno's friends, although I messed up the first attempt (too close to another boat) and had to re-anchor - isn't that always the way if you are wanting to impress?  Craig & Karene had been kind enough to arrange for us to join in with them and their friends in a few days of celebrations…..

 

We dressed Serafina overall (ie put the flags up), regretting that we haven't got an enormous Red Ensign to match the huge Stars and Stripes going up everywhere.   And then we met our neighbours, one couple turning out to be Jenny and Charlie who we met before in the BVIs and Jenny is an ex-English Oklahoman!  

 

We had a quick wander in town (mostly shut on a Monday) and failed to find any groceries, but got a good look at the decorations going up for 4th July.   Bristol has the longest history of 4th July celebrations in the US and they are expecting 100,000 visitors on Wednesday to a town of just 20,000!   By law the residents aren't allowed to line the street with their chairs until 0500 hours (this is to prevent the situation when people would arrive a week earlier and camp out to be ringside!), but to ensure a place along the parade they actually go and sit in their seats from 0300 hours to prevent the police disposing of their chairs;  after 0500 they can go home and be confident that they now have a place for later.

 

At 1800  hours we went off to a surreal reception on-board a small schooner where we were inducted into the Conch Republic Navy with a faintly embarrassing ceremony, this had been suggested by Linda and Bill from S/Y Sapphire.   Bill and Linda are an amazing couple who organised the Salty Dawg Rally from the Caribbean to the US, which Craig had joined earlier this year.   The others in our 'party' are also all Salty Dawgs.

 

After this we went to Mary's house.   Mary is a very game dame which is probably the best description of her:  she is an ex-nun in her 70s with an incredibly generous nature and great sense of humour.  As she drove us to her home she detoured to show us her next-door neighbour’s house which had been picked up and moved, over and through the neighbours' gardens (the too low electric cables in the US prevented them from using the road) to a new plot on the other side of the block.   Have a look on the website to see that it still has to be planted down. Gives a new meaning to moving house.

 

We were then treated to another gastronomic evening, this time learning how to eat steamed clams and lobsters on Mary's porch.   This meal had been deemed impossible to do for 9 on-board, so Mary had been volunteered to lend us her house!

 

The following morning Rob and I visited the excellent Herreshoff Museum (which Bill used to manage) in the old boatyard where the family firm had built so many outstanding fine sailing yachts and boats including no less than 7 America's Cup winning yachts.   We were also delighted to find a photo of Mariette, the beautiful yacht that Ben Charny was working on when we met him in Antigua - so now we have much more insight into what an important boat she is, as she was also built there.   There were two rooms full of half models as the original designer/boat builder, Nathanael G Herreshoff was such a genius he could make these so accurately achieving just what he wanted for that individual hull, that the yard could build directly from them.   Well worth a visit.

 

Early in the afternoon the tall ship, HMS Bounty (American replica made for the original film!) made an approach towards the harbour and fired 2 cannons at the ‘Picton Castle’ another tall Ship, docked alongside, making us all jump out of our skins.   She then made a very tight turn past Serafina at anchor and went off to anchor slightly further out.   She had gone by the next morning.   Presumably all in the pursuit of a photo-shoot for the 4th July.

 

Then it was off to another local culinary spectacular on board Sapphire:  this time 10 of us enjoyed a Southern Pulled Pork casserole, but this was preceded by seemingly hundreds of raw clams with a variety of hot sauces or combinations to add to them - again delicious.   We had already been treated to many surrounding fireworks visible from all the islands around us but the main event, the local show, began at 2130 - and they were spectacular.   Interestingly Americans don't seem to know what a Catherine Wheel is.   And then we finally wobbled home in the dinghy.

 

It started to rain at 0430 hours which didn't bode well for the parade, but this had stopped by the time we got up, although it was still looking very grey.   Luckily this all changed by the time we got ashore and it was steaming.   Thanks to Bill's great organising we merely had to wander up the road just as the parade began, to our spot right opposite the TV crews which meant that all the parade participants did their ‘bit’ right in front of us, in their bid for posterity.   I must say that this parade knocked spots off the Memorial Day one in Washington, perhaps because it is more intimate being a narrow street or just the bands were so much more enthusiastic.   All the bystanders are seated along the road with picnics or wandering up and down with the parade to see friends further along - it is most casual;  no barriers or health and safety interfering here.  And we are getting to know why firemen are so revered  here:   there are so many beautifully maintained ancient engines that get into all the parades!   We had made the effort to dress in red, white and blue - and so had everyone else without exception;  it is a very patriotic occasion.   As the only Englishmen we were treated by the restaurant beside us,  to free hotdogs, and they were all as friendly as ever.

 

Jenny had really gone to town on her outfit (see the photo at ww.rhbell.com) and with legs like hers, she could get away with it.   The navy admiral in the parade was particularly impressed!

 

Again the evening was spent on Sapphire eating delicious salmon with salsa, plus potato stuffed pepper as a starter (yes we beginning to resemble the natives!) followed by a clam  boil which is an immense pot layered with clams, onions, sausages and a special white sausage, potatoes, and chorizo sausage.   It is surprisingly good and funnily enough, very filling.   Then Linda had baked the most wonderful Blueberry Pie (a July 4th staple) to finish (us) off with.   There were more fireworks to be seen and also, less inspiringly, some lightning.   We all crept off to bed a little earlier after all this partying, and in the morning we didn't feel any need for breakfast or indeed lunch until 1500!

 

We are now back anchored at Dutch Harbor to recover from the excesses of the last few days, sort out the few non-functioning items on the boat, see Dave and Judy Enstone before they depart to the UK and hopefully visit the tall ships now arriving at Newport – and probably for the first time ever, hope that nobody feels the need to invite us over for drinks or more food….. well not 24 hours anyway!