18th annual Challenger's Cup Regatta

We had been unwinding at home for a week when I discovered that the 18th Annual Challenger's Cup Regatta, hosted by the Portsmouth Yacht Club and organized by "One Sky Community Services, Inc." was going to be held on Saturday June 27, instead of the traditional September date.

We had been disappointed last year when the regatta was rained out and we couldn't show off ACT III. Previous years, we had participated in our Columbia 22, "Dragonfly", almost always the smallest boat in the fleet. We were looking forward to taking out more sailors with disabilities, and their helpers in our much bigger boat. Unfortunately, I had removed the raw water pump from ACT III's engine for replacement. After calling the pump supplier on the west coast and requesting rush delivery, I knew it would be close. But UPS kept their promised delivery date of Fri., June 26. I met the truck en route to take delivery in the early afternoon instead of evening so I had time to install the pump. After discovering and correcting a mounting plate reversal that must have occurred at the pump factory, she was good to go.

With my friend Leif Guerjoy and his daughter, Bailey Irish as able crew, we motored over to the Portsmouth Yacht Club in a dense fog early on Saturday morning. Thank goodness for chart plotter and radar! By the time we enjoyed coffee, doughnuts, introductions, and the Skippers Meeting, the fog had cleared and a perfect sailing breeze had sprung up. Besides Leif and Bailey, our crew were Theo, Jill, and Damien. They had great questions, big smiles, and a cooperative attitude: we all had a ball. After the sail, there was an excellent BBQ for everyone at the PYC. As always, Jesse Gage and his staff and volunteers made the 18th Annual Challenger's Cup Regatta a smashing success.

Mate Heidi had chorus rehearsal all day so could not join the regatta. She was proud to find that Act III had won a number of regatta prizes and she quickly filled the new sailfislh cookie jar, donated by West Marine.

Wyatt and Bill at Birdland circa 1962

Home

We set sail from P Town at sunset on Wednesday evening in a 5 to 8 kt. westerly breeze. It was a beautiful starry moonless night with the dramatically lit PTown monument behind us. Our speed was a leisurely four to four and a half knots; we were in no hurry. Around midnight Heidi was dozing on the starboard cockpit seat and I was steering and enjoying the always satisfying soft gurgling sound that ACT III makes as she glides gracefully through small seas when my 50 bpm resting heart rate suddenly doubled. I had heard what sounded like a large gas explosion behind us. I turned around expecting to see a huge propane carrier in flames. Then there was a smaller "explosion" a few yards off our port side. Then more, some very loud, some fairly loud, all of them louder than any Humpback we had ever heard (and we have been practically on top of Humpbacks when they spouted). By now Heidi was wide awake and sitting at attention on the port seat. We looked at each other and whispered, "Whales, and REALLY big ones!" In the dim light we could see spouts and brief glimpses of backs, but that was all. The explosive spouts were close by our port side and coming at an an avarage frequency of one every two seconds or so. Heidi suggested maybe we should get the spotlight. I whispered that I thought it would be disrespectful, but really I was mainly afraid we might piss them off: by now I was sure our visitors were Northen Right whales, which can reach ninety feet in length, and they sounded bigger than locomotives. After ten minutes or so, we could only hear an occasionl "explosion" way astern of us. I marked the spot on the chart plotter and saw that it was right under the "W" in "Right Whale Protected Habitat". The night returned to normal, but we will never be the same.

Josh kindly met us at Pepperrell Cove on Thursday morning with the truck so we could unload gear and take our going ashore dinghy in tow. Then Josh Nute met us with the truck at Wich Creek by our home mooring field in Little Harbor. We arrived home in early afternoon to a very well cared for house, again thanks to our good friend Josh.

We are eager to set sail on extended adventures in the Fall; the cruising life seems so natural. But first we'll enjoy a summer filled with family, friends, singing, tennis, Polly's wedding, and endless preparations, nautical and land based, for extended cruising.

Johnny Greshner Orchestra--50 years later.

Here's the drummer (Berkeley) and bassist (Julliard) from the one-time hottest band in Greenwich CT:  The Johnny Greshner Orchestra.  Imagine them in their matching plaid tuxes driving to gigs in Bill's 1948 Buick Super Convertible, with Bill  carrying his waiver of curfew for young men being out after midnight, and his $12 share of the band's earning.

(Wyatt Bennett and Bill Raley)

Home Waters

We're happily sipping cappuchinos at our favorite caffeine dealer's outdoor patio, hooked up to wifi, in one of our favorite ports: Provincetown.  Came in yesterday afternoon from Padanaram MA (where's that?), through the Cape Cod Canal.  The weather's been a bit gray and wet the past week, but today is sunny and warm.  We're well fed, as usual...al fresco dining at The Patio on Main Street is still the best for eats and sights.

After transiting the East River on a gray, wet day (UN Building and Rikers Island), we first anchored off Great Calf Island, then had friends of the Wittys offer us a guest mooring at the hoity, toity Riverside Yacht Club.  We had a delightful dinner with Lynn, Sean, Jacob, Luke and Ethan Henry, then came back aboard for a short harbor cruise before sundown.

Next morning Wyatt Bennett took the RYC launch out to Act III to reminisce with Bill about their high school days.  We were 3 hours late for our intended departure time, but the chat (and the amazing warm handmade doughnuts Wyatt brought) was well worth the delay. 

We left in the rain and cold, and were delighted to anchor protected among the Thimble Islands, off Guilford CT at sundown.  We stayed there an  extra day to avoid a foggy slog onward, and it was wonderful to relax among this little bit of paradise, which reminded us of the Maine coast.

Next we anchored outside Fishers Island harbor, off Mystic, CT for a quick sleep, then moved on to famous Block Island for an evening on a mooring.  Took the launch ashore, ate, and ate up the funky ambiance at the Mahogany Shoals Bar.

We moved on to Padanaram MA (near New Bedford) the next day, took a mooring among the beautiful classic Conchordia wooden yawls that were once built there. 

And now here we are, soaking up the love in P-town.  Feeling like we're home.  We're dragging our feet a bit, not eager to end this cruise.  We learned how easily we fall into the cruising lifestyle.  There are many exciting things to do before we take off again for any length of time--Sounds of the Seacoast annual show, Heidi's trip to Ireland next month, Polly and Miles' wedding on July 25,  a visit from Bill's sister Edie and Frank in August--but we are excited about next fall/winter/spring aboard Act III.

We welcome your phone calls, comments and messages.  It's great to be untethered to land knowing so many people we love are around.

Heidi, Bill and Act III

Lorenzo, Mando & Act III

Where's Waldo?

heehee

Bright Lights, Big City

We felt like Scuffy the Tugboat, coming into New York Harbor at daybreak on Snday morning, after sailing and motorsailing 24 hours from Cape May, under a beautiful full moon.  It was especially sweet after we'd spent 2 days holed up in Cape May, waiting out heavy wind and rain.

Act III is merrily riding on a mooring in the Hudson River at the W. 79th Street Boat Basin, directly across the river from Wendra, Armando & Lorenzo's apartment in NJ., and only 2 blocks from Broadway.  $30 a night gets us the mooring, protected dinghy dock, showers and free laundry.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was closed on Monday, so I tried Bloomingdales for a mother-of-the-bride dress.  I found only one interesting enough to think about trying on, until I noted the price of $1600 marked down to only $1200! 

We spent Sunday afternoon with Lorenzo (and parents), enjoying a gorgeous sunny time at the playground by the boat in Riverside Park, with wading stream for us all to cool our feet in.  We ended the day with a cruise up the Hudson to Yonkers (where Bill lived until 3rd grade).  Fantastic.

We'll leave NYC tomorrow (Weds. 6/9), bound for Greenwich CT.  We're eager to sail the East River past the U.N. (if Homeland Security permits) , Gracie Manson, and other NY landmarks.  Also eager to leave the crowds.  We country mice nearly got run down trying to cross the jogging path.   We smiled to see avid photgraphers in Riverside park aiming their telephoto lenses at a hawk nest by the river.  We passed such nests on nearly every Intracoastal and Chesapeake marker on our way north.