Bye-bye Block

Fisherman's pal waiting while a prize catch weighs in at 40 lbs.  Some in our crew thought she was visually more interesting than the fish.

Leaving Block Island in the A.M.

When the morning comes it'll be time to press on, hard as it is to leave. We've felt that way at every stop since Oyster Bay and yet each new port has been better than the last. That said, I think I'm an island person. There's just something about being on a tiny piece of land out in the middle of the ocean that feels wonderfully weird. The main industry on Block Island, Martha's Vinyard and Nantucket is tourism, hands down. Ferries come in two and three at a time, unloading armies of T-shirt buyers on a day trip. The Block Island Harbor has over 90 public mooring balls for visiting pleasure craft in addition to marinas for transients.  If, however,  you have a chance to get to Vinalhaven, Maine, an island about an hour and a half ferry ride from Rockport,  you'll experience a real, working island home of a thriving lobster industry. Yeah, you can get fudge and T-shirts, but there's only one motel and not much else. Maybe a couple of restaurants. About as un-Nantucket as an island in the U.S. can get, me thinks.  

Ah, but I digress from our trip.

We did a little touring today, enough for me to grab a couple blog photos. The rest of the time we hung out on the boat reading and in Skipper G's case, doing a couple projects. There is ALWAYS a boat project to be done. ALWAYS.  AlWAYS. ALWAYS.

Here's Richard in the Block Island hardware store:

Leo Oxburger said he and his wife, Mona, read a book "Sailing Down the Moonbeam" by Mary Gottschalk while they were cruising. Thanks to a good wi-fi connection, I downloaded it onto my Kindle app on the iPad and started reading. Whoa! The author acknowledged a couple of Des Moines friends for encouraging her writing, including Mary Kay Shanley and Diane Glass. I searched and found the author on Facebook and we have since struck up a 'conversation'.  I can't wait to finish her book, read her blog and get to know her in real time if possible. Any woman who writes in her  bio that she makes her living writing and speaking on topics such as career planning, adjusting to aging and 'the amazing things that can happen when you accept the fact that control is an illusion' has got to be a kindred spirit. Her first novel is due in 2013. I'm 30% into the Moonbeam book and right in the thick of their cruising angst. Hope it has a happy ending. 

It's great fun to hear from our readers. George Pattee says reading the blog reminds him of the Jimmy Buffet song, "Lovely Cruise." As it is. 

Here are some shots and videos of our last day on Block Island (for awhile):  Kid getting filthy in the sand, oars decorating a restaurant called (can you guess?) The Oars,  me after returning from a long kayak journey exploring places motor boats can't get into, and Richard featuring a pasta he made with basil, lobster, pine nuts, garlic etc. etc. 

This video drove Richard crazy when he realized I shot it while driving a moped. Click here:  Moped View

Many more sunsets.