We had a three day weekend and the wind looked favorable for Menemsha with Saturday blowing us there with a north east breeze and Monday morning a south westerly to blow us back! While we’d prefer not to sail dead down wind, we managed really nicely, sailing wing on wing, Main out to starboard, genoa to port and made good progress at 6 – 7 knots all the way, on a direct line to Quicks Hole where we picked up sufficient current to clock 10.5 knots over ground as we squeezed through the Elizabeth Islands.
We arrived in just over 3 hours to find that the New Bedford Yacht Club had a stellar turnout for their “Shakedown Cruise” so everything on the inside was booked – save one slip that would have cost us more than the embarrassment of mooring betwixt 4 pilings was worth, so we chose to anchor out instead. Since it was blowing 20+knots, we figured we’d be in for a rolly night – and noisy with a bell just upwind of the anchorage! Turns out the holding there is excellent – immediately grabbing our Manson Supreme – and that held very securely – and fortunately, the wind died in the early evening, so all was good. Actually very good!
We dinghied in for essential supplies – mussels for our appetizer! And also met with Ginny Jones who is an assistant harbormaster and is helping me with the upcoming OCC cruise.
Mussels!
NBYC had 18 boats on the inside – great turnout – and they all enjoyed pot luck appetizers on the beach at sunset – no doubt admiring Toodle-oo! in all her splendor! Looks like the way to enjoy Menemsha with a large party…
Certainly looks the part!
Larsen’s The place for seafood
Sunday we were pretty lazy, but we did relocate the boat to the inner harbor once the others had all left – but to be honest, while the harbor is empty, we somewhat regretted moving in – the anchorage was just idyllic and the inside mooring balls where they’ll raft upto 4 boats on each are always a real giggle. Lunch was a picnic in the lagoon on the beach on a beautifully sunny and warm day – truly the best weather! Another run to Larsens enabled us to pick up all the necessary (clams, littlenecks and mussels) for our first clam boil in ages – wonderful!
First Clam Boil in ages – Yummy!
Sunset watchers – and fishermen!
Monday’s winds were again behind us as we set off across Vineyard Sound and this time we flew both headsails, one on each side and made a B line for Quicks Hole. Once into Buzzards Bay we were able to head off on a run with reefed Main and small jib in the building winds, making 7 – 8 knots and gaining another 1.5 knots from the favorable current. Our only downside was having to douse the sails in 25kts! – always interesting!
The season is off to a flying start!