Safe Harbor Plymouth finally released us and Friday looked like a good day to make the run down the canal to our homeport in Onset Bay.
The Right Whale speed limit was still in effect, and at 10 MPH, it would be at least a three-hour trip. I wanted to get an early start, so we all stayed aboard on Thursday night in Plymouth.
The first run of the season would not be complete without Peter, who joined us in Plymouth…
The Tasty
I think we’ve eaten at every restaurant in Plymouth that takes reservations and most that don’t.
The Tasty doesn’t take reservations, so a Thursday night in early May seemed like a good time to check it out.
We spotted three open seats at the bar as soon as we walked in and grabbed them!
The vibe is hip, but it’s a rather compact restaurant with limited seating.
They offer an IPA draft – Maine Lunch…
The menus are on the website eclectic, with a strong Asian flair…
I’m guessing the menu changes every night!
shredded duck confit, dashi, chili crisp
red wine braised, celery root purée
tamari braised chicken, veg slaw,
awesome sauce, lo mein noodles.
chopped peanuts
Belgian chocolate custard, miso caramel. Maldon sea salt
Everything tasted great and while I would readily return to the Tasty, we all noticed that our meals were a tad salty (and we all love salt).
I would also suggest you order your meal as soon as possible. The restaurant wasn’t crowded, but the food was coming out of the kitchen slowly!
The Run To Plymouth
We left Plymouth about 8:30 in perfect conditions…
It felt like home watching the crew stow lines through the video monitor on the bridge.
Despite the clouds, the visibility in the cool early May air was unreal. As we turned south exiting the outer harbor, Mrs. Horne, said “What’s that?” and pointed east.
After a quick discussion, we realized you could see the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown from Plymouth!
That’s over 20 miles…
The 10 MPH Right Whale speed limit added over an hour to the trip.
Given our frequent encounters with fog over the past season, Peter committed to learning all the capabilities of our Garmin Fantom 18 Radar.
We discovered last year that having a second set of eyes on a traditional radar screen on the port monitor significantly reduces the stress of running at 25 MPH in zero visibility.
Running down the south coast on a crystal clear day was the perfect place to fiddle with MARPA, VRM/EBLs, and Warning Zones…
The forecast called for calm seas all day, but as soon as we tied up – about noon, a southeast blow of about 20 knots kicked up.
We set the lines and left Amazing Grace in her summer home…
Day Trip #1 – Da Sistas
Mrs. Horne and her sisters (Da Sistas) love a visit to the casino. They only play the slots and I think it’s as much about camaraderie as winning.
They picked the day after Mother’s Day to visit Bally’s in Tiverton. May 11 was a nice day, so Mrs. Horne suggested a cruise up the canal to the Fisherman’s View for lunch.
The sun was breaking out as we left Onset Bay.
Posing for a photo in Little Miss Sandwich has become a bit of a tradition!
Charlene had dined with us at the F/V before and ordered the Kung Pao Fish Bites before.
It may have been the only thing I’ve ever had there that wasn’t great. The pieces of fish were too big, as were the green pepper slices – which were under done.
She ordered them again, and this time the results were pleasantly improved…
crispy battered cod, sweet peppers, peanut,
The bites were now bite-sized and the accompaniments offered traditional Kung Poa flavors. I may try it next time!
shredded iceberg, tartar, lemon
I decided to try something different and ordered the Grilled Scallop Tacos.
grilled corn salsa, chili garlic aioli, crispy blue corn tortillas
These were fantastic! I tend to avoid tacos in non-Mexican restaurants because the accoutrements are often just shredded lettuce and salsa.
These were stuffed with home-roasted Mexican corn and seared scallops. The shells were crispy and the aioli was just spicy enough.
On the way back to the boat, Charlene snapped my photo and I instantly created a new poster…
The cruise down the canal was typically tranquil…
Day Trip #2 – The Chartroom Opening Weekend
Our second May Day trip came last Sunday with Doc Ruel, Joan, and Jean for the opening weekend at The Chartroom.
It feels like everyone is taking their time launching boats this season. Onset Bay was still pretty desolate a week before Memorial Day Weekend.
I greeted our guests with Pastel de Nata from a new bakery in New Bedford – Holiday Bakery. It’s a wonderful bakery that, unlike other Portuguese bakeries in town, is committed to never running out of Pastel de Nata.
Kingman Yachting Center Dockmaster Sophie gave us the Primo Spot on the front dock.
The opening weekend at The Chartroom can be chilly, but Sunday was perfect for outdoor dining.
Although there are a lot of dinners on the menu, we tend to stick with the traditional dishes…
local cherrystones, broiled with casino
butter, seasoned breadcrumbs, bacon
mixed greens, garden vegetables, avocado, goat cheese
on a brioche hot dog roll
side of cole slaw
grilled corn beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese,
1000 island, grilled marble rye
Doc Ruel had never been on Amazing Grace in Buzzards Bay’s typical afternoon snot and he wanted to see her in action.
We headed straight out the north channel toward Cleveland Ledge at 25 MPH into 3-4’ steep chop.
Then I turned and ran downwind into the canal entrance where we encountered the typical 6-8’ confused rollers.
Doc was impressed with both the handling and the relative quiet on the bridge.
Next Up: Who Knows?
Thus far the weather seems to be sabotaging our cruising plans, although I’ve been living on Buzzards Bay long enough to know it looks like this every Spring until suddenly Summer breaks out!