It’s not quite the end of the 2018 season, but I can see the end in sight! In honor of Columbus Day, we decided to visit Plymouth – the home of the American Pilgrim! This past weekend we hosted our dear old friends from our Harvard days – Peter and Mary Lee, for an overnight holiday weekend cruise. Thanks to the northeast wind and 60 … Continue reading Seeking Pilgrims – Columbus Day Weekend…
Like many of you, I freaking love Block Island! Last night I got an email from Captain Breezy Grenier (Dockmaster at Ballard’s Marina) informing me of a tragedy that occurred over Labor Day Weekend. In short, a fine young man and long time Block Island resident needs our help. If you love the island and can help and/or attend any of the fundraising events below, … Continue reading Labor Day Tragedy on Block Island!
For the past few years, we’ve spent Labor Day with Mrs. Horne’s family. Her brother Paul hosts a party and a “Washer’s” Tournament. Rudy and I don’t play Washers, but we do perform live music. In May, Mrs. Horne informed me that she wanted to try something different so I forked over $915 and booked Bowen’s Wharf in Newport for 4 days/3 nights. Our Initial … Continue reading Labor Day Weekend in Newport
We’re in Newport celebrating Labor Day. Rudy suggested we complete The Cliff Walk Saturday morning and since we were planning on eating well, the 5+ mile hike sounded like an excellent idea! We took uber to the entrance at Easton’s Beach (175 Memorial Boulevard if you want to the same). It was just 7 bucks. It was the Saturday of Labor Day weekend so it … Continue reading The Cliff Walk – Newport Rhode Island
Pessimists call this weekend the “unofficial end of summer.” I call it the beginning of “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – Autumn boating! The marinas are suddenly less crowded, rates go down, and you can finally get a table in a nice restaurant without having to make a reservation a month in advance. To celebrate this wonderful season, we’ll be taking our #1 … Continue reading What are you doing this Labor Day weekend?
After 4 great days on Block Island, we headed south for Vigilant’s first visit to New York and Montauk on Long Island. We stayed at The Montauk Marine Basin which is just south of Gosman’s as you enter the harbor. Once we tied up on their straight wharf, we headed over to The Clam and Chowder House at Salivars Dock (4 stars on Yelp). One … Continue reading Wrapping Up The Vigilant Southern NE Tour
Into each life some rain must fall… After two days at the beach, I was ready for a cloudy day. I got that and more. Mrs. Horne and I got our morning power walk in while it was still dry. It was crazy over in New Harbor thanks to a bicycle road race that closed down the only major intersection in that end of the … Continue reading Rainy Day in Paradise – SE NE Tour Day Three
Our longest adventure of the season begins tomorrow – Thursday August 2nd. Our plan is as follows: Thursday – Sunday AM: Block Island RI Sunday – Monday: Montauk NY Monday – Tuesday: Watch Hill RI Tuesday – Wednesday: East Greenwich RI If you’re going to be in any of these ports on these days and want to connect, let me know… Continue reading The Vigilant Southern NE Tour…
Mrs. Horne and I returned to Cuttyhunk for an overnight stay last week. It was very special since it’s just a few weeks short of 38th wedding anniversary when we spent our Honeymoon there on my father’s 25′ C&C Sailboat – The Banana Split. A lot has changed and mostly for the better! Back then there were no slips, it was all straight wharfs, but … Continue reading Cuttyhunk Marina With Slip Numbers and Map
Last weekend we had big plans for a 4 day trip visiting Green Harbor, Marblehead, and Provincetown. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate so we had to change our plans. We cancelled Saturday (our first leg) and based on rain forecasts north, we decided to change everything and go as far south as possible instead. The new plan was Martha’s Vineyard for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. … Continue reading Edgartown in June
Last winter I was talking to Becky at Dockwa about everything under the sun and sea. At one point we got to the topic of Marina WiFi. I mentioned that I have yet to find one that comes anywhere close to basic cellular throughput and nothing that would enable video streaming. Becky said she had come across a guy in NY who had. She said … Continue reading A Marina WiFi That Really Works!
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
