July 2011 - BYC Summer Cruise

Back to Gryphon's Homepage

Click on pictures to enlarge

Tracks may be viewed using Google Earth; *.KMZ files prepared as described here.

Oliver (MV Pandemonium) and the BYC cruise committee did an outstanding job organizing a 4'th of July outing with destinations including Cuttyhunk, Hadley's Harbor, Nantucket and Edgartown. 

30 June.  Sunny, 83F.  Wind 8-12 knots.  Sheila had brought aboard the dry goods, loaded a block of ice and turned on the refrigeration the day before!  We finished provisioning, filled the reffer and cast off around 1 PM to take advantage of the outgoing tide.  Instead of going via Third Beach with the fleet, we decided to start one day early.  Christopher and I had a quick passage down the bay to Jamestown.  Picked up a mooring at Conanicut Marina.  Dinner at the Jamestown Oyster Bar.  Grilled tuna sandwich and grilled chicken Caesar salad sitting at the bar.  Not a bad start.  Turned in early to get a head start in the AM.  Blue track

1 July.  Partly sunny, 80F.  Wind 0 - 5 knots.  Up early for the ride to Cuttyhunk with breakfast underway.  Unfortunately, no wind so we motored all the way.  Plenty of moorings to be had when we arrived just after noontime.  This is a really nice spot.  We explored and visited with a few other BYC boats in the harbor.  Grilled chicken onboard for dinner.  Will look forward to seeing more of the island at the back end of the trip.  Orange track

2 July.  Sunny, 85F.  Wind 0 -5 knots.  After breakfast, headed over to Hadley's Harbor at Naushon Island.  Definitely a very picturesque place. No moorings were available so we anchored.  Enjoying a relaxing afternoon, we swam off the stern to  beat the heat.  In 2008, a great white shark visited Hadley's Harbor.  Thankfully, that was a few years ago!  Late in the afternoon, the BYC group had organized a floating cocktail party.  Chip (SV Caneel) led us on a sightseeing tour around several of the islands, under a small bridge (with an outgoing tide), and even out into Vineyard Sound!  On the way back we had to go back under another small bridge but this time against the opposing current!  Most got through; I nearly made it as well but missed getting out of the rip by a few feet and was flushed backwards.  Sergio (SV Fandango) and crew kindly gave me a tow with their 20 HP outboard equipped zodiac.  Just like being at the amusement park! Chris and I enjoyed grilled marinated steak tips for dinner before turning in early for the long leg to Nantucket.  Light orange track

3 July.  Partly sunny, 82F.  Wind 10 -12 with gusts to 15.  Up early once again to catch a favorable tide pattern through Broadway and for the long leg to Nantucket.  We had a fast sail over on a southerly.  Despite being headed on the way into the harbor, we made very respectable time.  Glad we had made reservations with Nantucket Moorings well in advance.  We arrived about one hour before Sheila landed.  She flew over on Cape Air to join us for the Nantucket - Edgartown leg.  Spent the afternoon exploring ashore including the obligatory stop at Murray's Toggery.  Dinner at Arno's at 41 Main Street.  Swordfish and salmon with couscous.  Very good.  Yellow track

4 July.  Sunny, 84F.  Perfect weather for the Holiday; dressed ship, BYC burgee atop the pig-stick at the mast head.  Gryphon IV looked great!  Decorated the Avon for the BYC dinghy parade in the AM.  Our Commodore Scott (SV Pegasus) led our group around the mooring field and docks, which drew lots of applause and whistle blowing.  Everyone had a great time.  Explored the town and roamed the shops, managed a few loads of laundry ashore and replenished provisions.  Grilled chicken for dinner.  Pretty good fireworks display at dark. 

5 July.  Sunny, 80F.  Last day on Nantucket.  More roaming ashore and relaxing.  Sheila brought us an incredible lobster salad from the fish market for dinner.  Afterwards, we joined the BYC crew at the beach for a sunset barbeque and cocktails.  Great way to end this leg.

6 July.  Sunny, 75F.  Wind 10 - 15 knots.  Socked in with fog to say the least.  100 foot visibility at times.  Everyone held off leaving but given that Gryphon is the smallest boat in the fleet, we decided to head out.  We may have been second to depart.  Sheila manned the radar while Chris helped me keep an eye out on deck.  Despite the fog, we had a fast, hard on the wind, sail to Edgartown.  Even had a rail in the water for a brief moment!   The wind shifted into our faces as as we approached the harbor; motored in.  Explored Edgartown; much less crowded than Nantucket; showers at the Harbormasters; enjoyed reciprocal privileges of the EYC.  Sheila made Barbeque ribs for dinner.  White track

7 July.  Sunny, 80F.  Relaxed in the AM.  Christopher and I rented a moped in Oak Bluffs.  Great way to tour the island.  Kathy (SV Quest) was in Menemsha and called in an emergency order for Bud Lite.  No problem; we will meet her in Cuttyhunk with the beer!  Later afternoon lunch at the Seafood Shanty; lobster salad for Sheila and me; a cheeseburger for Christopher!  Sheila caught the last flight home on Cape Air.  She was the only passenger and flew in the co-pilots seat!  It was a very clear evening which made for a great ride across Buzzards Bay and up Narragansett Bay into Providence.

8 July.  Sunny, 75F.  Winds 8 -12 knots.  Up early to catch a favorable current towards Cuttyhunk.  Despite more fog, it was a pleasant trip.  As we arrived, the fog was lifting.  SV Quest was moored just inside the harbor and Cathy arrived on the ferry from New Bedford as we temporarily picked up a mooring.  We had reserved a dockside space, so we brought the boat in to make going ashore even easier.  Roamed around the inner harbor in the Avon, and explored the island for the first time; great views of Vineyard Sound and Buzzard's Bay from the lookout.  We really like this place!  Kathy joined us for dinner; grilled chicken and steamed haddock.  Green track

9 July.  Sunny, 80F.  Late brunch at the Cuttyhunk Fishing Club.  Very good.  More exploring the island, boats chores and helping Kathy diagnose a bilge pump problem on Quest.  Joined the BYC gang for a beach cocktail party late in the day.  Grilled marinated pork and chicken for dinner with Cathy, Kathy and Christopher.

10 July.  Partly Cloudy, 75F.  Wind 0 -3 knots.  Up early for the trip home; sadly no wind!  We  had a long but uneventful ride back, this time up the Sakonnet River to Bristol then home.  Sheila met us at the dock to help unload.  We dropped Cathy at her car in New Bedford and headed home.  Purple track

 

Pictures by Christopher

Back to Gryphon's Homepage

CSS style sheet courtesy of Wally Bryant, on his own sailing adventure!