7 Jul 2015

Time to Enjoy the Boat, with a Family Visit

by | posted in: Family and Friends, Southern New England Sailing | 1

It was time to enjoy the boat now that the majority of the transforming is completed (Note that I wrote majority, not all.) Al’s son, Tim, and his wife, Amanda were in Connecticut for a couple of weeks and became our first overnight guests on the trawler. 🙂 They have spent the last 3 years traveling the U.S. in their 25 foot Airstream RV (Watsons Wander) so they were the perfect couple to test out the accommodations. They understand small spaces!

A bouquet of homegrown hydrangeas add color and cheer to the boat's salon.
A bouquet of homegrown hydrangeas add color and cheer to the boat’s salon.

To add a festive touch to the salon for our first overnight guests. I picked some hydrangeas from our garden. The blooms this year have been full and plentiful.  My stone towers require no watering or trimming. 😉

Our minimalist home garden - stone towers, hydrangeas, and daylilies.
Our minimalist home garden – stone towers, hydrangeas, and daylilies.
Tim and Amanda arrive via our dinghy.
Tim and Amanda arrive via our dinghy.

Because there was only time for a short trip, we headed to Napatree and Watch Hill. We learned that anchoring is the boating version of RV “boon docking,” dry camping without hookups = free. Although I suppose anchoring wouldn’t be considered “dry,” just free. 🙂

Once anchored, we stretched our legs with a walk on the beach and a little beach combing.

Beach combing at Napatree, all the way out tot he rocky point.
Beach combing at Napatree, all the way out to the rocky point.

Napatree Beach doesn’t have many special finds such as unusual shells or sea glass. Some years we do find nice sea glass, but most of the time there just isn’t any along here. One might think that the homes destroyed in the Hurricane of 1938 would have created a treasure of sea glass and pottery, but if it did, it has long since been discovered or buried deeper beneath the sand and sea. One can find plenty of coal as you reach the end of the beach near the rocks and old pilings. These pieces are supposedly what remains of a wrecked coal barge many many years ago. The coal actually has a beauty of its own, sparkling in the sun.

Collection of coal iridescent pieces found washed up upon the sand.
Collection of  iridescent coal pieces found washed up upon the sand.
Tim and Amanda try out our kayaks and tour the anchorage and mooring field near the town of Watch Hill. They must have enjoyed the experience because they now have their own kayaks!
Tim and Amanda tried out our kayaks and toured the bay.. They must have enjoyed the experience because they now have their own kayaks!                                            Sitting on the bow is a great place to survey the anchorage.

Our next walking tour was around the town of Watch Hill, a good choice due to the cloudy skies. We come to Watch Hill quite often, so I will try to post pictures of different sights, if that is possible! We began with a walk out to the Coast Guard Station, always visible from the beach and from the water when passing by the coast.

U.S. Coast Guard Station stands watch.
U.S. Coast Guard Station stands watch.
On our walk past the houses that line the road to the Coast Guard Station, we noticed this unusual wind vane.
On our walk past the houses that line the road to the Coast Guard Station, we noticed this unusual wind vane. The zoom lens did manage to capture some of the details of this quirky witch vane.
On the road to the Coast Guard Station is this charming log (stick?) and rock fence. THehouse it surrounded was part of a garden tour on this particular day.
This charming log, stick and rock fence lines the road on the way to the Coast Guard Station.
Yes - Taylor Swift's "house" in Watch Hill. The white walls built around it are now more visible from the water than any other land feature.
Yes – Taylor Swift’s “house” in Watch Hill. The white walls built around it are now more visible from the water than any other land feature.
I know, I know, I have posted photos of the Ocean House before, but I can't resist. It is such a landmark. The gardens around the croquet court were in bloom.
I know, I know, I have posted photos of the Ocean House before, but I can’t resist. It is such a landmark. The gardens around the croquet court were in bloom.
Although the day was gray, the flowers were bright and cheerful.
Although the day was gray, the flowers were bright and cheerful.
Bronze statue of Ninigret in the center of town. Watch Hill was occupied in the 1600s by the Niantic Indians, who were led for many years by Chief Ninigret.
Bronze statue of Ninigret in the center of town. Watch Hill was occupied in the 1600s by the Niantic Indians, who were led for many years by Chief Ninigret.
"Bonita" the charter fishing boat was back at the dock with a catch.
“Bonita” the charter fishing boat was back at the dock with a catch.

Watch Hill remains a special place to visit. It is within a two-hour boat ride, has a little town with shops and restaurants, history, beaches, and a nice anchorage. What’s not to like? It is close to home, but gives you the feeling that “you got away” for a little while.

A Napatree sunset.
A Napatree sunset.

Our special little trip ended with dinner at Paul’s Pasta in Groton. Thanks, Amanda and Tim! We really enjoyed our time with you. Perhaps we are kindred spirits as we travel on land and on water.

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