Long Island Sound Part 3, Martha;s vineyard (10030 miles)

Some lovely yachts at Martha's Vineyard. I sail to the  anchorage at Edgartown, the furthest town but a better anchorage, Exposed to the North but winds are light from the South. The town is remarkable in that a lot of the buildings are similar sizes, no massive hotels blight the collection of nice properties. Martha's Vineyard has no vines by the way, originally there was farming, fishing and whaling. in the summer there was not as much to do and a large Methodist revival meeting was held - with people coming from New York. A proliferation of tents and then tiny wee cabins came about and a property developer expanded this to create holiday homes  and then  as traditional industry died and summer residences become desirable the properties grew. The town came into being.  It is not that big, 3 or 4 streets and 7 or so avenues. It has no real heart, the roads are packed with cars trying to get into the many car parks. The cafes and restaurants are packed. The island has nice beaches and walks and the shops await the visitors. Jewelry, Art and craft predominate, lots of galleries, some of the restaurants are in the upper range, no Starbucks, Subway or MacDonalds here (no bad thing!)

I am forming ideas about my tour through the East coast - as I write this I am in Canada. I have been surprised that I have been in twee places the entire time - with the possible exception of Baltimore. I think the phrase is "Gentrification" maybe places price themselves up and up and the poor go elsewhere. I didn't invent the use of Gentrification, I have read a few thoughtful opinion pieces in the online Guardian app. There are not many (i.e Zero) beggars in Martha's Vineyard. Everyone has (to have) money.

Docks everywhere

 Nice boat a catboat

The ferry disgorges scores of tourists with bicycles.

State, Church and the Judiciary, what happy bedfellows.

It all gets a bit too much so I retreat to a nice air conditioned museum

Sorry for the quality - my laptop batteries are low and preclude cropping if I am to upload before losing WiFi (and my camera zoom is broken)

Claims to fame, Jaws was shot (sic) here.

I buy a book on shipwrecks - for a rainy day, but discover most are either recovered or taken by the sands...

Another nice old boat goes past the anchorage, which has two superyachts anchored in it too.

After a morning spent in Martha's Vineyard I head across the sound to the Island of Cape Cod and through a narrow gap at Wood's Hole to get into Buzzard's Bay, this leads up to the Cape Cod canal - a 10 mile long short cut that saves 50 miles of treacherous open sea. I "borrow" a mooring near the canal start as dusk falls and resolve to get up at 6 a.m the next morning to get down the canal. The two bits of sea at each end of the canal are usually at different heights and current flow in the canal is fast - I  will have it with me in the morning - I have trouble keeping to the 10 mph speed limit.

Long Island Sound Part 2 (9979 miles)

Block island - the channel is nearly blocked with boats!

An enormous square lagoon with a narrow entrance, hundreds and hundreds of boats are inside, moored and anchored, I find a spot miles from the dock and take two goes at getting the anchor in the right place. In the end I don't go ashore, I drive up to the docks, have a drive past and head on to Newport.

Newport has superyachts and super yachts, It is also a busy place

Two of these pass me on the way in. - 12m class I guess.

Newport is up an inlet with lots of islets, and nearby parallel inlets, lovely terrain, some nice houses.

dozens of yachts and small boats to avoid

Harbour is in there past this point

An unconcerned wee boat, mucking about in boats, simply mucking.

Even after I am anchored lots of people sail in and out of the anchored and moored boats. There is a free anchorage and several free public dinghy docks. Showers, laundry and Wifi blocks too, well set up to support transient boaters.

Docks everywhere, most with some big motor yachts.

Some history, there are historic buildings preserved throughout the town and a small museum which I visit.

The dockside has plenty of "Nice" shops and a plethora of Ice Cream shops. Lots of people visiting.

The museum has some nice pieces

Printing presses are fascinating - the spread of "facts", alternative ot otherwise was crucial in getting decisions made, The use of printing presses were as important as facebook today? food for thought.

I bet you President Trump wishes he controlled all the printing presses today.

Interesting link to Benjamin Franklin.

A charablanc, sort of,  Belfast had these, It had advertising on the side of it.

Some more shots of the town - the shopping district

 Newport Yacht club is famous - but you have to decide which Newport yacht club. This is Newport YC, RI (Rhode Island) - the OSTAR finishes here. There is also Newport YC, NJ (New Jersey - but reallly New York - its up the Hudson, opposite Manhattan. There is even a Newport YC in the Great Lakes.

Lovely boat, under wraps unfortunately.Newport Shipyard is run like a shipyard with good security at the gate so I couldn't get closer.

 More shops - mainly restaurants in the dock area

Nice chairs, pity they are plastic

Let the air in? sort of spoils the lines of a nice old building.

There were cars everywhere - a curse

I managed to walk to a supermarket and plaza, way up the hill. I passed this hotel.

If you'd like to live here, its not too bad. Cold winters though.

And then I move onto Martha's Vineyard, I see this property with a view behind me as I leave. No point having a double garage here, no on street car parking either.