People, Places: Raison d’être

Experience Life

A Perfect New England Weekend

On a bitterly cold winter day when you are digging your car out of three feet of snow and ice, it is easy to forget why you live in New England. The sky is often gray, sunset is around 4 p.m, and the wind is so cold and fierce you get brain freeze just from walking  to your car. Even skiing isn’t a  justifiable reason when you can fly out West to a resort.

Much like the agony of childbirth, these painful memories are erased when the sun emerges.  While I’ve enjoyed summer, I have to admit this past weekend was a great reminder of why I love living in Boston.

I drove to Newport, Rhode Island on Friday afternoon. Undeterred by the traffic on 93 South, I completed the drive in less than two hours.  My original plan was to walk the cliff walk, but I forgot to bring my sneakers, so I executed Plan B. I made my way to Ocean Drive and found a peaceful place to sit near Brenton Point.   The sun was bright and the air was hot as I watched mega yachts sailing along the horizon.  I meandered back  to Gooseberry Beach for better access to the water, so that I could cool off.  No visit to Newport is complete without a visit to Ocean Drive or the Cliff Walk. Few towns on the East Coast offer such a view .

In the evening, I attended a private cocktail reception at the Newport Shipyard to kickoff the Bucket race.  The Bucket race involves mega yachts, so you meet people from around the world, and it’s a great opportunity to view beautiful boats including Athena which is the largest private sailing yacht.  I was just about speechless as I stood below it. It’s an unbelievable boat.  mega yachts newport shipyard My friend Cory Silken is a photographer who specializes in nautical images. Check out the photos on his website to see what I’m talking about.

I did not participate in the Bucket race, but I was in town to crew Firefly in the Doc Cuddy Regatta in Bristol, Rhode Island.  Why race on a mega yacht when you can race on a classic yacht?  It’s my second season racing on Firefly, and I have to admit this was our most exciting race so far. We came in second place on Sunday missing the first place slot by about three seconds!Firefly view from port side

After the race in Bristol, we sailed Firefly back to Newport. It was a beautiful day to be on the water. The photo to the right is a port side view.

Upon arrival in Newport, I dashed off to Wellfleet to visit friends vacationing on the Cape.  Text messages indicated a feast underway, and my presence was kindly requested. My friends prepared the best surf & turf I’ve had in a long time. The steak was juicy, and the  freshly steamed lobster barely fit on my plate. Its claws were about the size as my hands! Oh, and the butter!!  My friend added a variety of herbs to it for an extra kick.  Delicious!  Once again, great food, wine and thoughtful, generous friends that make life memorable.

Oh, but wait, there is more!  Wellfleet is a lovely area on the Cape.  I actually had not been that far north past Chatham in about 5 years.  What a mistake. It’s a beautiful area and seemingly less developed.  The house my friends rented has a 180 degree view of a pond which I could see from my bedroom.  I was awaken by a beautiful sunrise which I normally avoid with room darkening shades.

boat on water in wellfleetA short walk from the house was a stunning  private beach.  I was the only person there for hours.  It was absolutely peaceful except for the occasional attach of biting green flies. 🙂  I can’t believe how lucky I am to live two hours away from such a beautiful, calming place.

Before I made the drive back to Boston, we stopped at a local clam shack for, well, what else- Wellfleet clams and scallops!  Perfection.

It was a perfect way to enjoy a summer weekend in New England.  I’ll have to remember this next January.

July 21, 2009 Posted by | sailing | , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Am I a sailor yet?

Amy_helmThe first time I sailed was about 12 years ago while I was living in Pittsburgh.  A friend casually mentioned that a woman in his office was planning a sailing trip on the Chesapeake.  I always wanted to learn how to sail, so I suggested that he ask her if we could go.  Having planned vacations, I was familiar with the difficulty of getting people to commit with money.  As I suspected, there was space available for us!

The sailing trip began at a marina on Solomon’s Island in Maryland.  We made the five hour drive after work. The crew was to meet at the Tiki Bar the night before our sail.  We only knew Sue the organizer, so we looked forward to meeting our new friends and our Captain.

I’ll never forget meeting Captain Dave.  As luck would have it, he turned out to be the salty dog character at the Tiki Bar, with a gruff beard and dark tussled hair, that had one too many MaiTai’s. I of course avoided eye contact and ignored whatever words he slurred when he sat in the chair next to me that  my friend temporarily vacated for a trip to the restroom.  We had no idea he was our Captain at the time because we had not yet met any of the crew.  You can imagine our surprise when we were introduced. Ultimately, Dave was harmless, but he was definitely a character with many stories.  I heard he has since retired from his civilian Navy job (Physicist iirc), sold his boat and is doing well playing poker tournaments in Vegas.

Captain Dave was used to racing and winning on Krugerrand (a Morgan 36), so my introduction to sailing  involved him yelling a bunch of commands that I did not understand. I barely knew the  difference between Port and Starboard.  He didn’t yell out of anger or frustration, it’s just what was he was used to from his competitive racing days. Nothing personal.  Just urgency. I learned a few new things about sailing and the boat on each trip, but I admit we weren’t a hard working crew.  To this day, I still enjoy sitting at the bow or under the main if I not at the helm. amy_bow seat

Over the years, I sailed the Chesapeake a few times each summer with the same group of people that I met on that initial sailing trip. I also made two trips to the Caribbean.  During the first trip, we sailed around the BVI on a Beneteau 50 which is a common charter boat.  On the second next trip, we sailed around the lessor Antilles including St Bart’s and Saint Martin on a catamaran. By the way, it’s worth noting that I had the best dinner ever at the Fish Pot. Well, up to that point in my life anyway.

I thoroughly enjoyed both sailing trips, and I could write detailed blogs about each.  Ah, ok. Just a  few short  notes. Snorkeling is better in the BVI. I suspect this is because there are more moorings and the  coral reefs are protected from anchors, but what do I know. Painkillers at the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke. The Baths. The Caves.  Willie T’s. Enough said. St. Bart’s is exactly what you expect it to be except even more colorful.

I moved to Boston in 2002, and I’ve since spent many summer weekends on a boat in Newport, the sailing capital of the world and former home of  America’s Cup.  You want to sail? This town is drenched with experienced sailors, beautiful boats, and captivating views. It’s a small town, yet it is surprisingly international.

Fortunately, many of my friends are experienced sailors, and I have learned quite a bit from them over the years. They are very patient teachers.  I’ve learned about navigation, maintenance, tide charts, safety, troubleshooting, and of course knots. I am grateful for all they have shared with me over the years. Last summer, I started racing on my friend’s 1926 Herreshoff S Class boat. On a classic yacht with a wooden mast, you don’t want to screw up. I was essentially ballast for the first race or two, but now I’m considered to be experienced crew. Progress! 🙂

I’ve learned quite a bit since my first sailing trip, yet when asked if I am a sailor, I always hesitate to answer. Compared to most of my friends and the sailors I meet? No. Learning about sailing is endless, but in my heart I know the answer is yes. Most sailors would tell you there is always something new to learn.

Best place to enjoy the view!

Best place to enjoy the view!

July 9, 2009 Posted by | Boston, Domestic, sailing, Uncategorized | , , , | 1 Comment