This is Mary Jane's home in Newport. It was built in the 1700's. 

The path leading to her secret garden.

What a beautiful backyard she has.

 

Happy Birthday September Song

September Song spent her 5th Birthday in Newport, RI. She has been a great ship, and kept us safe in all our cruising. She has taken us a total of 20,346 adventurous miles. We love her, and we look forward to many more years of cruising on her. Happy Birthday September Song!
We are in Newport, RI, and have been here for the last six days, and love Newport. Stephanie has relatives here in Newport, and we are going to Mary Jane Rodman's home today for a get together with some of the family. More about Newport later in another blog.
Our first stop, after leaving NY, was Watch Hill, RI, and Stonington, CT. Even though they are in different states, they are just a dingy ride away from each other. Watch Hill is beautiful, but a little touristy, but Stonington is a quiet little New England Town, with tons of charm. To give you an idea, they have a seafood market where you pick out your seafood, and put your money in a slot in the wall. You don't find too many places anymore with the honor system. We explored the two towns, enjoyed the gorgeous New England weather, and ate more lobster. I'm not lobstered out yet!


September Song (Happy Birthday September Song) out
Bob


September Song, in one of her favorite places, the Land and Sea Park in the Exumas.

Now that's New England!

Do you think we could put one of these on the upper deck, honey?

Watch Hill has gorgeous New England homes on hills overlooking the water.

 

Most places we travel, if we grounded, we would be in sand or mud. In New England, if we grounded, (it's all rock) we would sink.

What beautiful views.

The lighthouse on Watch Hill Point.

The flowers up here are spectacular.

We see so many unusual boats that we don't normally see in our travels down South. I don't think I have ever seen so much teak work.

Every day, we see these little guys learning how to sail.

The view of Stonington as we come in on the tender.

The weather is so gorgeous, that you can sit out in the sun and still be comfortable. Oh, that's another lobster for lunch.

Stonington streets.

The honor system seafood market.

Fun with great friends

After our "goose bump" cruise through NY, and up the East River, we put the pointy end toward the Huguenot Yacht Club, where Joe (Sea Pearl) has been a member for many years, to spend some time with our great friends, Joe and Julia. After we got tied up, it was time to cool off in the pool, (it was hot in NY) catch up, and meet some of Joe and Julia's boating friends. What a great and welcoming bunch of friends they have. The next six days were so much fun, with Joe, Julia, and Julia's nephew, Brian (Sea Pearl) Bob and Penny, (Penny Too) Bruce and Linda, (JErica)  and  Mark and Patty. (Pied Piper) During the day, Joe ferried us around for provisions, and marine stores for a few things we needed, and things we didn't know we needed. You cruisers know how it is when you go to a marine store. We call them our "candy stores." We would spend the afternoon in the Yacht Club pool, then fun cocktail hours on our new found friends' boats. Tuesday was Patty's (Pied Piper) Birthday, So we all loaded up on Pied Piper, and cruised  to the Pier Restaurant in Rye, NY, for a fun evening, then cruised back to the Yacht Club late that night. It was lobster #1 for me! Monday night, we were treated to steamed clams, baked clams, well, clams any way you could fix them on Bob and Penny's boat, Penny Too.
The morning of the fourth, September Song, Sea Pearl, Penny Too, and JErica, cruised out to Lloyd Harbor, where Joe has a mooring ball, and the four boats rafted up for the next four days. What a beautiful place Lloyd Harbor is. That evening, we celebrated the fourth on September Song. What a way to celebrate, with lobster, (#2and #3 for me) corn on the cob, clams on the half shell, baked clams, and tons of laughs. Happy Birthday America! After playing on the beach with the girls, (four legged) and exploring each day, we would get together in the evening/night, on another boat for fresh clams, several different ways, mussels, prepared beautifully by chef Stephanie, and more fun than a person should be allowed to have. Each morning, the guys, well, mostly the other guys, would go out and rake clams, and pick mussels for cocktail hour(s) and dinner that night. Thursday night, we loaded up the tenders, and headed into Northport, to the John Engeman Theater, for the opening night of the play I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. What a great performance!
Sunday Morning, it was time for us to say sad goodbyes to Joe, Julia, Brian, and a great new set of cruising friends, and put the pointy end North again. We had such a great time with them all, and we will see them again on our way South.
Thanks for the wonderful time you all showed us. It was great to meet you all, and we will see you all again, soon.
We are on a mooring ball in beautiful Newport Harbor for a few days, but that's for another blog.

September Song (what a fabulous, fun time we had in NY with old and new friends) out
Bob


Time to cool off in the afternoon in the Yacht Club Pool.

Catch up time with Joe and Julia. That's Brian in the back. What a good kid!

The first morning, we found out what happens here at the Yacht Club at 08:00. They ring the bell, shoot a cannon, and raise the colors.

Did I mention, the area they do this is right in front of our slip. They shoot the cannon right over our bow. Cassie and Godiva were not impressed!

The four boats rafted up in Lloyd Harbor.

 

Cassie and Godiva's new friend (Penny Too boat dog) Callie.

The two girls, playing with a boy dog that joined them at the beach. Wheres Cassie? Off hunting fish as usual. Boys are not her thing!

Bob, Penny, and Callie, headed for the beach.

Bruce and Linda, out exploring.

Brian, Julia's nephew. What a fun kid to be around.

Fun afternoon on September Song. 

On our way to the Theater.

A rose between two thorns at the theater cocktail hour.

Bob, back from raking clams and picking mussels.

Bruce, with his full bag. How are we going to prepare them today? "steamed, baked, on the half shell? All those and more!

Stephanie's bag of mussels, compliments of Bob. (Penny Too) (And, "my" Bob worked his fingers to the bone cleaning them.Thanks, Honey!)

Beautiful harbors in this part of the country.

I think this is sailboat country. I've never seen so many sailboats.

OOPS! 

Beautiful homes, tucked back in the hills along the shores.