TripSailor.com® Sailing Blogs

10-12-2009

We left Portsmouth Harbor at about 7:20 AM in the morning.  Wicked early, the temperature was so cold, I had four layers of clothes on and Spruce had about two layers.  We were up earlier in the morning because the mooring ball decided to be naughty and go under the boat again, at 4:30 AM.  We got it untangled and decided since we were up we might as well get ready to go.  The sail or motor to Newburyport Harbor was uneventful  until we came to were we thought the entrance to the harbor was and had a hard time finding the buoy. We found the buoy and I had a minor coronary, because of the rather low chart depths and the Wicked Bad current, which was going as fast as 2 KTS. (Check out the Buoy riding it)  We made to the Municipal Dock and broke the boat hook again trying to get the boat hooked to the mooring.  I once again had to get into the dighny, but this time the wind guards were up and jump over the life rail into the dighny while Spruce drove the boat. Once the boat was hooked up, we went in to see the Harbor Master and settle up, as they say in these parts. unfortunately he was not, his assistance said wait till tomorrow and move to the dock.  

We decided we would check out the Columbus Day Festival instead and get some food.  Spruce felt a little culture shocked with all the loud noise so we ended up at the Oldies barn and the Marine store buying Propane, a Boat Hook ( The Cadillac of Boat Hooks!), Ethanol Treater.  Once we returned to the boat we moved it to the dock.  Were we met a very nice guy named Phil who had a 30 something Benateau sailboat.  He offered to help us in anyway because he lived here locally.  After we topped off the water we walked around Newburyport and ended up having two Kraut dogs at Angie’s Food.  The Food and the service was great even though we heard the coming weather report and even more distress….. The Red Sox are done for the year.  Later that night we plugged into the dock power and used the blissfully quiet electricity (The genny is a little loud and we have to leave the hatch open so we do not pinch the cord, a little draft occurs which is so cold.)

We plan on waiting till thursday and attempting to sail to Gloucester next and then waiting till Sunday, to leave if the weather is with us.  

Will, thank God for the Newburyport Library and their WiFi !!  We Love Libraries!!!!