We wrapped up our eight-day Southern Cruise at Safe Harbor Wickford Cove.
The 70-mile ride from Sag Harbor was about as smooth as it gets.
Unlike the ride from Mystic to Greenport, there were none of those crazy spots that took us through furious chop between the islands.
Two Marinas
I highly recommend Safe Harbor Wickford Cove, but be advised that they actually operate two marinas with the same name and we wasted ten minutes maneuvering the southern Marina before discovering we were assigned to the northern Marina.
Also, be advised that they might be short-staffed. We arrived around 11:00 AM on Saturday morning and the only help we received was from a hard working young lady and other boaters on the docks.
We were told we’d be backing into a port tie, but when we reached the marina it was just the opposite. Rather than move gear, I decided to go bow in and I’m glad I did,
Unlike the nonstop action in Sag Harbor, Wickford was immersive pure tranquility from the Skydeck.
Walking To Town
The only other drawback to Wickford Cove was the walk to town. It’s not as long as Falmouth, but it’s a solid 15 minutes to the intersection of Main and Brown, which is the heart of what you might call downtown Wickford.
We chatted with some folks in the marina who told us “There are only two real restaurants in Wickford – Wickford On The Water and the Tavern By The Sea.”
This was great news since those were the two restaurants I selected for our visit. There is a third possibility – Tates, which is an Italian restaurant with a limited menu and wine only.
Tavern By The Sea
Wickford On The Water is on OpenTable, so I made a reservation for dinner. That meant lunch would be at Tavern By The Sea.
We never went inside, so I can’t comment on that, but they do offer a variety of outdoor dining patios.
The lunch menu offered much of the usual fare with a couple of surprises.
Mrs. Horne started with dessert – a virgin strawberry daiquiri with whipped cream topping.
I saw two Greek dishes on the menu and I was skeptical. I asked our server about the Gyro and she said: “It’s great!”
So I ordered it…
beef strips on grilled pita with
lettuce, tomato, and tzatziki sauce
It was a perfectly prepared gyro. The pita was warm and soft, The beef and tzatziki were authentic.
romaine, bacon, ham, gorgonzola, cucumber,
red onion, tomato, an blue cheese dressing
crispy romaine tossed with creamy dressing, multigrain
croutons, shredded parmesan reggiano, and grilled chicken
fried cod, lettuce, tomato, coke slaw,
and a side of tarter sauce
After lunch, we contemplated biking. There don’t appear to be any bike trails in the area, but a lot of 20 MPH country roads.
Of all the little villages we’ve visited, Wickford has to be the most quaint.
Knowing we’d end up walking over an hour by the time we walked to dinner and back, we skipped biking and just enjoyed the tranquility of the Skydeck.
At some point on Saturday afternoon, everyone took a nap. They all went to their cabins, but I took mine on the Skydeck.
Wickford On The Water
After another 15-minute walk to town, we dined at Wickford On The Water.
The weather was perfect for alfresco dining, so the outdoor patio was packed…
Having spent most of the day outdoors, we opted for indoors. There was plenty of room and a very nice bar overlooking the harbor.
We started with an order of Tots. They weren’t on the menu, so I’m not sure what they cost.
with chipotle and garlic aioli
Summer Strawberry Salad – $20
Strawberries, feta, arugula, candied pecans,
balsamic glaze, blush wine vinaigrette
Lemon Caper Salmon – $28
Baked Norwegian salmon topped with white wine lemon caper sauce, over mashed potatoes, with sautéed green beans
Jake and split the Reuben…
One Half Sourdough Reuben – $17.50
Slow roasted corned beef, sauerkraut, swiss cheese & thousand island dressing on grilled sourdough
The Tots were perfect, as was the Rueben. It wasn’t surprising because Wickford On The Water belongs to the same ownership group as JB’s On The Water where we ate Monday.
After a twilight walk back to the boat we enjoyed a balmy evening watching the last of the day’s boaters returning.
We left for home around 9:00 AM and got back to Onset in a little over two hours.
Jake and Peggy weren’t flying out until Monday morning, so we enjoyed a little deck time and a classic lobster dinner back in Mattapoisett.
Those of you who cruise know that you can’t just take any couple onboard for an eight-day cruise, but cruising with Jake and Peggy is a special treat.
Next Up – Southern Cruise Takeaways
Thanks for the great reviews Dave, we enjoyed Vineyard Haven this past weekend and had a guest also. Having purchased our 1995 Grand Banks Eastbay 38 last year we are looking forward to many visits our our great New England Marina’s. Your publication provides valuable information on the places to visit and we enjoy your articles and the great pictures.
Joe and Sue Kiceina