I woke up to our third day in Nantucket with absolutely no agenda. Sure, we’d kicked around a few ideas but nothing concrete. There was almost no wind so Vigilant rested perfectly still on the Straight Wharf and the girls slept in. A Fog Island Breakfast Isn’t San Francisco supposed to be Fog City? Who knows? But I do know the top rated breakfast on … Continue reading Things To Do In Nantucket
Day Two in Nantucket didn’t quite start like the weatherman promised. Not only did the 70 degree forecast vanish in thin air (revised forecast high was now 59), but it was raining! I brewed my morning coffee and turned on the heat. Nantucket Tide Mrs. Horne didn’t sleep well because the boat and dock creaked most of the night. NBB is all fixed piers and … Continue reading All Weather Day in Nantucket
The list of destinations Vigilant has yet to visit got shorter yesterday with our Father’s Day 4-day weekend trip to Nantucket. All week long the local weather reporters were promising the best weather in years and when we woke up, it looked to be true. By the time I got on Mattapoisett Boat Yard launch to head out to bring Vigilant in for loading, the … Continue reading Getting to Nantucket
Last week Mrs. Horne decided we needed a getaway and with that our mid May mini vacation began. I think this is the first time we ever left home without a destination. In fact, we weren’t even sure how long we were going to be gone! Since the odds were that we’d be out at least one night, we dragged our little Westie Daisy along … Continue reading Our Preseason Mini Vacation in Newport
Monday morning Mrs. Horne decided that we’d take advantage of a beautiful 75 degree day and head to Newport for a mini vacation (full story to follow). Although we mostly enjoyed our favorite restaurants, we did find time to try a new one – The Wharf Pub located right off Bowens Wharf. I admit having walked by The Wharf Pub dozens of times and never … Continue reading The Wharf Pub – Newport
Growing up in Mattapoisett, Martha’s Vineyard was always the island we saw off in the distance just outside of Buzzards Bay. But when it came to boating, it was always “so close, and yet so far.” Those of us who boat on Buzzards Bay are quite fortunate to have such an exotic venue so close. People all over the world know about the Vineyard. It … Continue reading Destination – Martha’s Vineyard
Thanks to the fog, our day trip to Oak Bluffs last September turned into a 3 day mini vacation. I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things to do on vacation is to go to breakfast and that’s how we discovered Linda Jeans — one of the best breakfast spots on Martha’s Vineyard. Although it looked and felt new, Linda Jeans is … Continue reading Linda Jeans – Breakfast on Oak Bluffs
Yesterday was a big day for partying. Not only was it Cinco De Mayo, but it was also Kentucky Derby Day. It turned out to be a nice day to take our first cruise to Martha’s Vineyard. It was a weird weather day. Friday night the wind howled and it was still blowing close to 20 when I went over to clean the windows for … Continue reading A Sneak Peak of Summer at The Lookout Tavern
Last Autumn, Mrs. Horne, Daisy (our Westie), and I snuck away for a midweek getaway to Oak Bluffs – click here for the full report. We arrived around noon and decided to take Daisy to the only place in Oak Bluffs that served both beer and dogs. It turns out dogs are only allowed at two tables that are closer to the street than they … Continue reading The Offshore Ale House – Oak Bluffs
After a relaxing autumn afternoon on Vigilant reading and listening to Spanish Guitar on Pandora, we ventured out to Red Cat Kitchen for dinner on Oaks Bluff. Oak Bluffs is a funny place. It’s totally crazy during the summer as a major ferry port, but seemed closed for the season when we visited in late September. We hit up yelp and discovered Down Island was … Continue reading Red Cat Kitchen – Oak Bluffs
We’ve stayed at The Newport Yachting Center more than anywhere else in Newport. It’s a great marina, centrally located, and just a few steps from the #1 rated restaurant in Newport – The Moorings. Unlike most of the better restaurants on America’s Cup Way, the Moorings has a large parking lot. This is good is you’re driving here, but it may also account for the … Continue reading The Moorings – Newport
My new favorite marina in Newport is Bowens. I love it because it’s right in the center of the action on the Newport Waterfront. I also love the fact that you dock east-west which allows you to dock stern out and get a view of Newport Harbor without being blocked by mega yachts that require the deeper water. We first docked and dined at Bowens … Continue reading 22 Bowens – Newport Rhode Island
As you know from my past reports, I’m a huge fan of Mattapoisett Boat Yard. I did a lengthy report in 2017 and I have them listed at my #1 partner. It turns out that 2017 was a big year for my favorite boatyard. Art McLean passed the reins to Dave Kaiser. Ned Kaiser fully matured as the yard boss while getting married. On top … Continue reading Look What’s New at The Mattapoisett Boatyard!
The original goal for My Buzzards Bay was to showcase every Dock and Dine venue near the bay for a boating day trip. While not yet perfect, I do think it’s the most comprehensive directory anywhere! As we rack up more hours cruising New England in Vigilant, we’re also collecting a lot of inside tips for overnight cruising to major destinations. So far, I’ve reported … Continue reading Destination – Block Island
Our last night on Block Island we stumbled onto a secret gem – the restaurant at The Surf Hotel. Yep, that’s it’s name. It’s a great restaurant that doesn’t even have a name! A Little History I was struck by The Surf Hotel when we first visited Block Island on Tenacity in 2016. It’s right on the beach and such a cool old place. My … Continue reading The Surf Hotel – Block Island
After a day of dealing with a tropical gale 50 miles to our south, the wind finally died down, the sun came out, and we headed to town for dinner. During our morning walk, we’d checked out the menus in front of restaurants and decided to give The Tap and Grille at the National Hotel a try. The National Hotel is without a doubt the … Continue reading The National Hotel Tap and Grille – Block Island
When we arrived at Ballard’s Marina, we asked Breezy (the Dockmaster) for some local restaurant recommendations and one of the first she mentioned was Calaveras, a Mexican establishment. You have to understand, Mrs. Horne and I spend our winters in the desert of Southern California about 75 miles north of the border. Not only do we have many Mexican neighbors, but we’re also surrounded by … Continue reading Calaveras – Block Island
One of the nicest aspects to acquiring our first cruising boat Tenacity has been visiting Block Island at the same time my cousin Sharon and her family are there at her home. We never know how many cousins will be there, but in 2017, it was a dozen so we ate at the only place on Block Island that would take a reservation for 12 … Continue reading Dead Eye Dick’s – Block Island
Our quick overnight trip to Oak Bluffs became an adventure when we woke up Wednesday morning to near zero visibility in the fog. I was hoping it would burn off like it did on Tuesday but it looked darker. Still, it was a little erie and beautiful at the same time. Dock Building in the Fog Oak Bluffs seems to have become a major recipient … Continue reading Fogged In On Martha’s Vineyard
After cancelling a couple of trips early this month due to nearby hurricanes, Mrs. Horne and I decided to take a spur of the moment overnight cruise on Tuesday. She was arriving that morning after caring for her dear mother Doris and I had no idea exactly where we were going until she arrived. I was determined to go somewhere we hadn’t visited this summer … Continue reading Oak Bluffs – An Ideal Autumn Destination
