We did it again. Boat Camp for the 3rd year in a row. Are we crazy? A little bit, but we love them and enjoy making memories together that they can treasure.
We had a week between the family vacation in Maine and Boat Camp. Just enough recovery time.
There was also time for an anniversary celebration (32 years) dinner at The Dog Watch in Stonington.
Addie’s anticipation for Boat Camp began weeks earlier.
Arrival day
Feeding the fish is always the first activity. Even the parents stay for it.
We couldn’t leave the dock until 5 pm in order to catch the high tide going around Sandy Point into Napatree.
We had time for a ride in Molly B.
The boat seems to function as a gymnasium. Al and I have learned to look first before we move through the boat.
On our way to Watch Hill. We ate a picnic style dinner in the pilot house because it would be too late for cooking after anchoring.
It is a relatively short voyage, 1 ½ hours. The crew kept themselves busy inside and out.
I had bought a new game for us to play, Ticket to Ride, and it was more of a hit than I expected.
I leave the cheerios out so they can grab a quick early morning bite before I get up and out to the galley. Then Breakfast #2 is bagels and fruit or waffles. Sometimes there is a Breakfast #3.
9:00 am in the morning and they were ready to get in the water. Or so they thought. It was colder than they expected!
With noodles and a floating rope, the cold didn’t seem to bother them anymore.
Before the clock could reach 10:00 am, the kids were ready to go tubing. That may be their favorite thing to do at boat camp.
After a couple minutes they all realized that it was better to sit in the tube rather than lay on it.
Some action videos which capture the fun much better than still shots.
On to the next activity! A new one for boat camp – “Can we jump off the boat??”
Naturally, Caleb had to try jumping from the flybridge.
After lunch – to the beach!!
The annual photo on the log.
Boating friends on Gale Warning were also at Napatree with their 6-year old grandson. All four grandkids got along famously on the beach, especially working on their big construction project.
Who doesn’t like to dig in the sand? This gang took that to new heights. Or should we say new lows?
Ceci and Addie became the supply department searching for driftwood logs to add to the project. Some were so large they had to enlist help from other “departments.”
All hands on deck. They worked on this for two days.
That hole was quite wide and deep.
Posing with their fine construction project.
There was time for water breaks.
Great beach days!
There was enough energy to go to the Watch Hill Sunset Concert series to listen to the Willie J. Laws Band and to have ice cream.
All three grandkids were hoping for a thunderstorm sometime during boat camp. Whaaaat? Really? They got their wish in the middle of the night. I checked on them a couple times – Caleb slept through it, but the Boston Whaler woke the girls by banging against the side of Kindred Spirit.
After the storm, the boat was very wet and the crew eagerly began the wiping down.
Caleb bailed out the dinghy.
There were some quiet times.
And teaching/learning times.
Kindred Spirit in all her boat camp glory – drying towels and bathing suits, water toys, and the Boston Whaler all decorated her.
There was more jumping on Wednesday. Finn and Greg came over and Finn joined right in. Caleb was the only one who jumped from the flybridge. The other three decided they preferred jumping off the side.
LeeAnn took these photos from Gale Warning.
Al took Greg and Finn out in the Molly B with the kids for more tubing.
They would do this all day long if they could.
The Watch Hill Flying Horse Carousel in Westerly, Rhode Island, was built around 1867-1876 by Andrew Christian and the Charles W.F. Dare Company. It is the oldest operating carousel in the U.S. with horses suspended from chains, flying outward via centrifugal force rather than moving up and down.
It was time to return to Shennecossett Yacht Club on Thursday morning due to the timing of high tide. We may be returning to the dock, but Boat Camp was not over yet.
A quick stop at the SYC fuel dock for a pump out. That process still fascinates the grandkids. Earlier that day Al had shown them the level in the holding tank. Fun stuff. 🙄
The nautical lessons continued at the dock. Caleb is getting quite good at starting the engine on the dinghy. He also helps Papa secure the lines to the pilings. Addie is practicing cleating a line.
What are the activities for the afternoon?? Fish feeding and driving lessons on the Molly B. Of course!
A steady diet of hot dogs for these fish. We have warned the kids that hot dogs and fingers may look remarkably similar.
The fish and the kids in action!
They do love driving the unsinkable Molly B. They drive a bit fast for my taste. Poor old Nana!
Papa, in his infinite wisdom, decided it was time to learn that boating is more than going fast, that real skill is maneuvering and control, not speed. So, he tossed the orange buoy overboard and told Caleb to get the boat close enough for the girls to grab it, without running it over. They declared it was Winston overboard! It took three tries but they did it.
We anchored off the beach at Bushy Point. They started a new construction project, this time above ground.
A bit of beach combing to end the afternoon. Caleb found two nice pieces of sea glass and Addie found a rock for a school project of painting rocks with affirmations. Ceci was intent on finding good pieces of driftwood.
Getting ready for dinner. ❤️
A game of UNO
Caleb treated everyone to his scrambled eggs with cheese for breakfast. ❤️ He is becoming quite the chef.
The final day of Boat Camp 2026 was a “family day.” Parents arrived and we all went to Mystic Seaport Museum.
We all wanted to see the exhibit “Brick Wrecks” on display at the Seaport. “Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks brings those stories to life through an extraordinary blend of LEGO® models, artifacts, and hands-on experiences. Mystic Seaport Museum is the first North American venue for this exhibition, developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum in partnership with the Western Australian Maritime Museum and Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught—one of only 14 LEGO® Certified Professionals in the world.”
Couldn’t even get out of the Visitor Center without a photo opportunity.
How many kids are with us? Is it three or seven???????
The Brick Wrecks were pretty cool. The use of LEGOS itself was fascinating, and the educational descriptions were well done.
There were plenty of hands-on opportunities. Always good for kids!
The best hands-on is building with LEGOS. This challenge was “Can you build a lifeboat form LEGOs?”
The other exhibit most enjoyed by everyone was a visit onboard the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling boat. Our crew was even more appreciative of the accommodations aboard Kindred Spirit.
Time on Kindred Spirit always inspires art work, Wikki Stix, paper and pencil, and even wood.
Addie’s over head view of tubing. Wikki Stix adorn our pilot house walls. ❤️👏❤️
After lunch in the cafe, we left the younger generations to explore more on their own. Papa and I had run out of fuel reserves and were ready to head back to Kindred Spirit to clean and organize.
Good byes are hard after such a wonderful time together. We love that we can do these things with our grandchildren and children.
such wonderful memories you guys make together. i am jealous to the core. never having anything close to real grandparents (let alone parents that did things with us) looking at your photos and outings makes me so happy that you share this with your young people and everyone enjoys it. thank you for sharing…xo
Gwynn
What lucky grandkids! You and Al are amazing. Happy for you too, but I also know how exhausting it can be, Love to see your adventures.
watsons
It’s getting harder each year. We feel very fortunate that all three enjoy their time on the boat with us.
Ellen
such wonderful memories you guys make together. i am jealous to the core. never having anything close to real grandparents (let alone parents that did things with us) looking at your photos and outings makes me so happy that you share this with your young people and everyone enjoys it. thank you for sharing…xo
watsons
I think grandparenting was different when we were children. I have good memories of mine, but I never spent that much time with them.
I think being a grandparent is the best. And watching our children be parents has been very rewarding.