New England - a lot of sea to see

A Cuttyhunk quahogger returning with his catch.

Saturday last, early in the day, we were running up the bay from Jamestown to our home port in Cranston. The weather radar map was scary, splotched with angry red and yellow cells of nasty weather. (In fact, Webster Mass was clobbered by one or more tornadoes about that time).  

Everything was in our favor: following wind and waves, incoming tide. But still our modest sailboat made only six and a half knots at the very best, even with a boost from our “iron jib.”

It was a scary race but we narrowly won it, arriving at the Rhode Island Yacht Club with only a slight soaking, then remained onboard, snugly tied to the dock, for several hours as the deluge built, peaked, and eventually subsided. It was with great relief that we thus concluded our eight-day sailing sojourn in New England’s fabulous waters.

What a treasure we share, the Elizabeth Islands framing Buzzard’s Bay, quaint seaside villages such as Padanaram (in South Dartmouth), the larger islands of Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Block Island, the protected reaches of Narragansett Bay. People come from around the nation, and indeed the world, to visit our seas and islands and beaches and shores. They come for the beauty, the delicious seafood, and our interesting history.

And you don’t need your own boat to explore it. The ferry services offered in our region are numerous, and many destinations may be accessed by car. For instance, Jamestown RI (Conanicut Island) is only about a one-hour drive from the Sun Chronicle area, using either the Jamestown or Newport bridge.

But such was not always the case. Before the bridges, Jamestown was reached by ferry. As a matter of fact, the curiously wide, ruler-straight, mile-long Narragansett Avenue bisecting the island, linking East Ferry and West Ferry, was purpose-built as part of that system. According to a local history, “By the late 17^th century, East Ferry, West Ferry, and their connecting cross-island road were an important link between Narragansett Country and Newport and beyond.” For several hundred years before the bridges appeared, agricultural and manufactured goods, as well as travelers, flowed across Jamestown from the mainland to Newport and vice versa. To those who are tickled by history, this is great stuff.

Cuttyhunk Island, at the western end of the Elizabeth chain, is a jewel. It can be reached by ferry from New Bedford and is well worth the trip. After climbing Lookout Hill (from which World War II watchers looked for German submarines), one can see the mainland, Gay Head on Martha’s Vineyard, and the Elizabeth chain stretching to the northeast. Bring plenty of cash. None of the business we encountered accepted credit cards, and there is not an ATM to be had on the island. But there are fifty-two year-round residents, a number that expands considerably during the summer, who work hard at a variety of entrepreneurial vocations. The seafood is fresh and fabulous. The quiet is soothing. The views are immense. And if you can stay overnight (on your own boat or at one of the island’s B&Bs), the thick belt of the Milky Way on a clear night is a sight to behold.

Padanaram, a village in South Dartmouth, is a charming seaside locale easily accessed by car. There are many older homes featuring architectures of the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Shopping and restaurants featuring local seafood and farm-to-table produce are great attractions. The views of Apponagansett Bay from the Padanaram swing bridge are enchanting. This would make a terrific day trip.

But here is the greatest finding of our journey: hope for the future. At each and every stop, Jamestown Dutch Harbor, Cuttyhunk, Padanaram, and the home-port Rhode Island Yacht Club, we met college kids who were spending their summers as dock hands or launch operators or bartenders. They were, to a person, intelligent, motivated, and kind. They were preparing to return to their studies: chemical engineer (a young woman), optometrist (a young man), research psychologist (another young woman), and quite a few more, equally impressive. Generation Z is remarkable, and we are thankful.

Let’s close with this: Go see New England, your birthright. Don’t let the tourists enjoy it more than you do.