Thursday, 3 September, 2015
We left Hadley's Cove this morning while the wind was barely blowing. The wind was forecast to pick up, and I wanted to get across Buzzard's Bay before the winds increased, and the current began ebbing into it.
We headed southwest between the shore and Weepecket Islands before changing our course more westerly, passing south of the Wildcat, Schuyler Ledge, but north of Seal Ledge, so we could look at the houses along the shore.
It was a little hazy, but, I will tell you there are mansions along the shore bigger than hotels!
We passed the Castle Hill Light as we entered the East Passage Inlet towards Newport.
We HAD to do the drive-by of Newport! We tucked in behind Fort Adams, and you can't believe the boats! Bodacious yachts! Trawlers! Sailboats! Go-fasts! Big boats, tiny boats... you get the idea. There were more big yachts here than I've seen since Fort Lauderdale in the winter.
After we circled the Newport Harbor, we headed for the Newport Naval Station, home of the Navy War College, among other things. We passed between between Rose Island and Goat Island, passing under the Claiborne Pell Bridge to the west of Gull Rocks, where there are no height indicators, but, there was plenty of air draft for 20' and then some.
We entered the Coaster's Harbor at the base, and took our reserved mooring. I suspect this mooring would be uncomfortable here in a heavy southwest blow, but, we are here to ride out a NE blow, and it is great for that!
