Sailing On Grace : uncluttered space, Scituate, MA

5/25/18 Gloucester, MA

The trip from Point Judith to Scituate, MA was calm and lovely as I recall. The regular lookout for lobster pots (now instead of crab pots), other boats, wakes. I sort of remember that it was beautiful, sunny and calm. David is mending but still I'm at the helm most of the day.

I was at the helm as we left the port of refuge, David on the foredeck securing the anchor. He scurried back to ask if I knew if the water was deep all the way to the breakwater. Yes. It is easy to be annoyed at his surprise (?), lack of confidence (?) in my abilities and attention. Then, we all can loose focus or attention. But, YES, I do know the water is deep enough where I'm steering. Let's see, I've been managing this boat for more than three days now.

Point Judith, up the coast was mostly uneventful. David did some time at the helm while I read my new-to-me mystery novel by Louise Penny...the Inspector Gaumach mysteries. I enjoy them and have now completed three and looking forward to the next one I find. I was told to read them in proper sequence but I can't manage that in the give/take sailor libraries. No matter.

I was back at the helm as we entered the channel leading to the Cape Cod Canal. Our plan was to stop overnight at Onset and visit friends, Jayne and Gary. I woke David a couple of miles from our turn into Onset. We had a quick discussion and decided to keep going. We had the current going into the canal and exiting the other side. Only another day of good traveling weather before the winds pick up too much. So....

Apologies and regrets to Jayne and Gary and on we steam past that turn...not taken.

David and I both commented how beautiful and wonderful it is that the canal constructors (Army Corp of Engineers?) also make bike/run pathways/green spaces all along the canal. This is true of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, too. Such a wonderful "gift" of nature to citizens along the way...both boaters and land lovers.

The Mass Maritime Academy is at the southern end of the canal. This tower and its mate are on the bridge across from the Academy and the entrance to the canal. The hat of the tin man.

I buttoned everything down to exit the northern end as my first experience with the CCC was coming into that end and being in a fast washing machine cycle. Scared and pissed.

This time? About as calm as anyone could ask!

And at the other end of the canal......

Massachusetts was at my back on the port side of the boat. Cape Code is way out there in the distance to the starboard side with one boat on the horizon. But really....this is the joy of sailing and open space, uncluttered space.....
of course, the sunny, CALM seas, and light wind make it possible to enjoy the open, empty space.

the passage to Scituate, MA, was so fine.

David took the helm about 6:30 PM because...I was tired and don't see well at night and he was rested up and feeling pretty good. He brought us into the harbor and we "borrowed" a mooring overnight. An easy dinner by "candle light" (little solar lights). Bed early for an early start tomorrow....both to vacate our borrowed mooring and the beat the increasingly windy weather. The early part of the trip was pretty bouncy. Settled an hour into it.

This "Pinky" sailed by our mooring. A beauty!

We came into the harbor and borrowed another mooring so we could change the oil while the engine/oil was still hot. A necessary task completed. And while we were in our work clothes be decided to empty the composting toilet. That was a more disgusting than usual job but also completed.

Into the inner harbor to Brown's Marine Yard. We love Valarie who is the dock person there. We have a four year history with her now.
Fuel. Water. Get rid of garbage. Get rid of the sea trash we'd collected - two plastic buckets and a partly full 5 gallon oil bin. We passed up another 4 or 5 balloons that we just couldn't get.

And now we've been to the laundry mat and have clean underwear and clean sheets...also some outer clothes, too. Joy. And we're on a mooring looking out to sea but we're in calm waters. Beginning to bob up and down on the mooring as the wind increases.

Tomorrow morning I get on a train and a bus to go to Freeport. Sunday I'll attend a memorial service for a beloved colleague who passed in the fall. He hired me to teach at University of Southern Maine and we grew up a bit together. Seems I've said this before. Dr. Walter Stump directed summer musical theater for which I choreographed and performed for a number of years. And for 10+ years I was the dance program at the college. I loved the teaching, and choreographing and directing student choreography for the Spring Dance Performance each year. I'm looking forward to seeing other people who loved Walter.

David and Amelia will sit out Friday and maybe travel on Saturday to Portsmouth. I'll join them again, somewhere, on Monday or Tuesday.

Our "away" journey is nearly ending for this year. It has not been an easy journey this winter...boat mechanical issues and often lousy weather. Still....great to be....and be onboard with David.

Some leftover photos: