It is Saturday afternoon and that means that Naragansett Bay is heavily populated with weekend warriors. Recreational fishermen in their small boats are bobbing at anchor in the entrance channel. Commercial fishermen are returning to their docks. Power boaters are anxious to open the throttle and blast their way into the Sound. Daysailors are tacking back and forth across the channel with no particular destination in mind. The harbor cruise boats are loaded with tourists. Jet ski enthusiasts are attempting to catch air off the wakes of the powerboats. And if that isn't quite enough activity, aviators are flying their ultralights just above the masts of the larger sailboats. Despite the confusion, it feels good to return to Newport.
Our efforts to secure a mooring in the harbor are rebuffed. All of the moorings are filled and there is very limited space to anchor in the harbor...not unusual for a summer weekend in Newport. We find a space to anchor Cutter Loose, but it is admittedly tight given the proximity of anchored boats. Anchoring close to other boats on short scope is never an ideal situation, but especially so because the weather forecast for tomorrow is calling for a 30 knot blow. In a storm, dragging anchors can create a bad case of bumper boats in the harbor. While we are waiting for the anchor to settle in, the Newport harbormaster stops by to pay a visit. This is not a good sign. The harbormaster strictly controls anchoring in the harbor. We assume that he is here to discourage us from anchoring in such a tight spot. But instead, Mr. Harbormaster is here to deliver good news. He explains that a mooring just became available that will accommodate Cutter Loose, and he agrees to personally guide us to our destination through the maze of moorings in the harbor. As it turns out, this is no ordinary mooring. It is a heavy duty Judy with double mooring lines (one for each bow cleat), designed for vessels up to 75 feet in length. We breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that 30 knots of breeze are no match for this mooring.
With a feeling of exuberance, we dinghy to Ann Street pier. We attend the 5 PM mass at the architecturally magnificent St. Mary's Cathedral, site of the wedding of John Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953. After an Italian meal at a sidewalk cafe and a stroll along the waterfront, we return to Cutter Loose at dusk. We will remain in Newport for a few days while a cold front passes through the area. During the past five days, Cutter Loose has traveled a total of 263 miles. The prospect of a few days of r and r in one of our favorite harbor towns is quite appealing. This pause will refresh our spirits for the final push to the Chesapeake Bay.
[caption id="attachment_1318" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="St. Mary's Cathedral in Newport"]
[/caption]
No comments:
Post a Comment