While we were exploring Nantucket we carried heavy hearts and tear-filled eyes as Dorian demolished the Abacos. It was absolutely gut wrenching to know that places we love were being destroyed. Growing up in Missouri I had no idea how a hurricane can impact lives and the fear it creates. When I moved to Punta Gorda Scott assured me that if a hurricane comes…we leave. He is a man of his word and we evacuated when Irma hit Florida in 2017. Although our home on the west coast and newly purchased boat on the east coast were unscathed I remember the fear of the unknown. We were lucky enough to have options, most Bahamians do not. Besides a monetary donation we look forward to helping out in other ways.
When we saw footage of the aftermath of Dorian we knew we needed to act quickly and change our winter plans. We had a reservation at beautiful Treasure Cay Marina in the Abacos for Nov.- Feb. Many boaters that had planned on spending time in the Abacos would be staying in Florida and dockage was already difficult to find. Scott will have his hip replaced in St. Louis in November so we needed a safe place to leave Unforgettable. We were so excited to be settled into the Abacos and then return directly there after the surgery. Since Treasure Cay was demolished and boats were stranded in surrounding condos Scott made dozens of calls and finally found a spot back in Stuart, FL.
Our friends from St. Louis, Robyn and Gary, were brave enough to join us in Newport despite the potential threat of Dorian. While in Newport we enjoyed some delicious seafood and acted like goats as we climbed the boulders in portions of the 3.5 mi. Cliff Walk. Sometimes we were so busy looking for our next step along the cliffs that dropped 70′ that we missed the famous mansions above us. We experienced a tour of the Breakers, the summer home for the Cornelius Vanderbilt family. It is the largest and most magnificent of the Newport mansions. The footprint of the house was approximately one acre and had 70 rooms. Although grandiose, I did not find the home visually appealing.
Realizing that odds were great that Dorian could travel up the coast while we were anchored in Newport, Scott scurried to find a safe haven for Unforgettable. This was a challenge because many marinas were booked or were out of our price range. A second stay at Wickford Marina ended up being a perfect spot for us for three nights. Winds were not nearly as strong as we had prepared for so it was rather anti-climactic but as the old saying goes, “Better safe than sorry!”
The advantage of hunkering down in Wickford was that our guests were able to experience the charm and history of one of the oldest Colonial villages. Although we had been there a few weeks prior we visited new places and dined at new restaurants. Since learning of stuffed quahog (large local clams) in Menemsha I had been looking forward to tasting it. We ate stuffed quahog at two different restaurants because it was so good. We took the “HistWick” walking tour and learned much about it’s rich maritime history. During our tour of Smith’s Castle the docent shared many interesting tidbits about life in the 1700’s such as bathing procedures. Typically the family took a bath twice each year, at Thanksgiving and Easter. They all used the same bath water and the father went first, followed by the mother, then the children in birth order. This coined the phrase, “Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water!”
We decided to add one more stop to our Dorian detour and spent one night in Bristol, RI giving Robyn and Gary a three-town-tour. Bristol is yet another charming town on Narragansett Bay with a lovely anchorage. Here we visited the America’s Cup Hall of Fame located in the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Did Robyn and Gary enjoy their time on Unforgettable? Before they left they were looking at Kadey-Krogens online so I think they did! The following day they departed and we headed south back to Newport for one night before crossing to Block Island, RI.
We spent 6 nights at Block Island on a mooring ball and 3 of the days we never left the boat. It was rather windy and cool so we took the time to catch up inside. The nicest day was our last one when we walked to church and later in the afternoon I took a long walk on shore. It was delightful having sun and warmth again. Although we enjoyed the cool temperatures at night I guess we were missing “summer” during the day. The disadvantage of visiting this area in September is the cool temperatures (at least in our opinion). The lack of crowds and bugs is a distinct advantage. The anchorage was practically empty.
Greg and Lisa on Privateer moved to the anchorage to stage for an overnight trip to the Chesapeake Bay. We had been vacillating about whether we should take our time visiting ports on the New York side of Long Island Sound before going south or get ahead of a tropical depression by heading out into the Atlantic and back up the Delaware River prior to the arrival of high winds and waves. We opted to buddy boat and the two Krogens left at 5:50 a.m. for a 33 hr. crossing. I found it comforting to know that we had a buddy near us as we made the 289 nm passage. We timed it well because for once, the winds and waves were less than anticipated! Yippee!!
Some of our favorites in the Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts area:
- Favorite area: Nantucket, second place goes to Menemsha
- Favorite eats: Warm buttered lobster rolls at Larsen’s in Menemsha, Quahog chowder at The Black Dog in Vineyard Haven and 2 healthy meals at Center Street Cafe in Nantucket
- Favorite entertainment: Sea Shanties at the Griswold Inn in Essex.
- Favorite topic to study: Whaling
Next up…find some new places to explore in the Chesapeake Bay.
Scott and Melissa's "Unforgettable" Adventures 
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