After the amazing wonderful weekend in East Greenwich, the next leg took us to Cuttyhunk, MA — a beautiful island with scenic hikes and breathtaking views.
After 3 days and 2 nights in Cuttyhunk off we went through the Cape Cod Canal. Even in idle we made 8kn with the current pushing us through.
Unfortunately, once on the other side, we ran into trouble with the port engine — a strong smell of unburned diesel filled the air, and smoke began to appear.
Our next stop was Plymouth, where Marcus first unsuccessfully called 12 different repair companies – nobody picked up and only one person called back…. we were lucky enough to find eventually Jonah through his brother at the fisherman’s dock who helped us troubleshoot the issue. Despite feeling stressed about parts arriving and getting the boat fixed so Jolanda could meet her friend Connie who was flying in from California on time in Boston, we ended up having a great time in Plymouth. Exploring the history of the Pilgrims and the Mayflower — with a beautiful replica on display right in the harbor. They also had a little pirate boat to entertain the tourists. The dockmaster’s office and facilities were brand new, and we even managed to get our laundry done for free. We also had a surprise visit from Andy , who was on his way up to Canada. He had stayed at our New Jersey marina last season.
Leaving Plymouth, we set course for Boston. Unfortunately, the port engine problem persisted, so we crossed our fingers that we’d make it in time for Jolanda to meet her friend Connie. We were also excited to catch up with Erik and Shelly, our friends from the Manhattan Yacht Club, who had recently relocated to Boston.
Erik, now a sailing instructor at the Boston Sailing Center, invited us for a harbor sail, and we also spent a sunny day at Spectacle Island with Connie. Between outings, we enjoyed some local runs, and the marina staff who managed the moorings couldn’t have been nicer. One afternoon, I spotted our dinghy drifting away — apparently, it hadn’t been secured properly — and with three ferries crossing its path, the dockmaster quickly jumped into a boat and rescued it. We also welcomed Joanna our friend from East Greenwich for an overnight stay, and she inspired us to a relaxing yoga session.
We decided to spend the next weekend in Marblehead with our friends Shelly and Erik, who have friends there. Unfortunately, it was raining when we arrived and not easy to navigate. The harbor was filled with hundreds of mooring balls — we learned there’s a 25-year wait to get one! When it was time to leave, a thick fog had settled in, and we sounded the horn every minute to make sure nearby boats were aware of our presence. Super grateful we were not alone on this adventure and had amazing Shelly and Erik with us!
Once back to Boston we meet up with our boating friend from New Jersey Stephen and we had a very nice dinner on his boat. Also we meet up with our old friend Roland our workout partner we met a long time ago when we lived in New York.
Stay tuned for the return trip, please cross your fingers that we are able to make it back 🙂