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Sandy Hook Coast Guard Station – Anchorage 

“Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing those you hold well.” ― Josh Billings

Weather and the tide play a big part in determining the what, when and where in our cruising life. Some places they are more important than in others. From Port Washington we had to travel down the East River to reach the Hudson River and New York Harbor. The current is very strong through this area (5 kn) and can make traveling difficult if you’re not “going with the flow”. So we’ve always timed our travels to go with the tide. We flew through the East River and New York Harbor at a record speed today. It would be wonderful to travel this fast all the time.

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Manhasset Bay – Anchorage

“It’s out there at sea that you are really yourself.” —Vito Dumas

It was the Captain’s birthday today and we celebrated it on the water…just the way he likes it. The wind finally died down and we had a perfect day to travel down Long Island Sound. We decided to make it another long run and are anchored in Port Washington. Now we can be in position for the next good day in the Atlantic to head down the coast to Cape May.
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Newport Harbor –Anchorage

“My escape is to just get in a boat and disappear on the water.” —Carl Hiaasen

We had a very rough ride down Buzzards Bay and the Atlantic, but we arrived in Newport safely and we’re glad to be in the protection of the harbor. The harbor was busy and very crowded since the boat show is starting in a few days. We usually like to pick up a mooring but there weren’t any available. We anchored near the yacht club and the fort a little more exposed than we like, but we made it work.

Newport is one of our favorite towns…very old and full of history. It was founded in 1639. It attracted settlers in the early days for the religious freedom it offered. It became a major port in the whale business and in the slave trade. Most of the buildings in town were built in the 1700 & 1800’s. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, wealthy southern planters seeking to escape the heat began to build summer “cottages” on Bellevue Avenue and it became the summer playground to America’s wealthiest families. Some of large mansions are now museums. Newport’s harbor has been filled with yachts since the Gilded Age and is the sailing capital of New England. In the summer the docks are lined with mega yachts, here for the summer social season.
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“Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.” — Stephen Hawking

We said goodbye to Maine today. As much as we hate to leave, it’s time to move south. We’ve enjoyed every day and have great memories of this unbelievably beautiful place…we will be back. Our intention was to stop in Gloucester for the night, but the sea was flat and beautiful, we decided early in the day to go to an anchorage just past the Cape Cod Canal. A total of 144 miles…our longest run ever. We’ll stay in Newport for the rest of the week and then move south to the Chesapeake when we have a weather window.

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South Port Marine

“The world is but canvas to our imaginations.” —Henry David Thoreau

High winds and seas were predicted for today, so we stayed put securely tied to our dock. After the front blew in and the sun came out we rode our bikes out to Fort Williams Park, 90 acres of rugged beauty on Casco Bay. The park is home to the iconic Portland Head Light and Museum and offers awe-inspiring ocean views. The park is on the grounds of the former Fort Williams, which was an active military base from 1898 until 1963.
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South Port Marine

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” — Dr. Seuss

Portland is one of the few working waterfronts left in the United States, acting as New England’s largest tonnage seaport and second largest fishing port. Mixed in with working waterfront is the Ole Port district that is a revitalized warehouse district with cobblestone streets, old brick buildings and quaint fishing piers, known for its chic boutique shopping, renowned dining and bustling nightlife…Portland is a foodie and craft brew lovers hotspot.
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Brewer Marina Mooring

“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.” —Chinese Proverb

The 16.5-foot tall all-weather Bean boot is the mascot for the flagship store is a size 410.

Some days we explore nature and some days we enjoy what towns have to offer. Today we took time to visit Freeport, home to the iconic LL Bean Flagship Store. L.L. Bean was founded in 1912 by avid outdoorsman Leon Leonwood Bean as a quality retailer of recreational outdoor boots and outdoor gear, and has grown significantly over the years. Today it operates a thriving catalog, online, and retail presence, still adhering to the brand’s dedication to quality, customer service, and a love of the outdoors. This, coupled with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and recent free shipping policy, has earned “Bean’s” a loyal legion of fans not just in Maine and New England, but throughout the world.
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