Au Revoir Newport

I know you are all probably hanging out to hear how the homeschooling went.  Well, it was a lot easier talking about it in Singapore than doing it.  To start with Nic has taken Calley and Scott has taken Sam.   The first lesson started on Monday but with Sam it was not finished until two days later.  Now it is Sunday evening and Calley has finished lesson 3 and Sam has almost finished it.  Only 149 lessons to go for this academic year...yay.  To be honest part of it is us getting used to the material and part of it is the kids getting used to doing the work.  As ever we are optimistic and are sure it will get easier.  In fact in Block Island we met a couple who had circumnavigated with their kids of a similar age a few years ago and they said that for the first year they just winged.

So as the title suggests we have now started the journey proper although in the opposite direction to Singapore.  We are headed to Penobscott Bay in Maine to spend 4 to 5 weeks cruising.  It is supposed to be extremely beautiful place and similar to Scotland without the accompanying rain.   There are countless islands, bays and quaint towns and anchorages.  First however we have to get there.  This will involve our first real test.  

We will take approx 5 days stopping overnight.  The first leg was completed today - we sailed from Newport early this morning into a brisk southerly and a rolling swell.  Luckily we turned east and managed to have a great sail to an anchorage just North of the Cape Cod canal.  We will transit the canal early tomorrow morning and then overnight North of Boston in a place called Marblehead.  Thereafter its on to the Isle of Shoals, Biddeford Pool, Monhegan Island and then Rockport in Maine.  Weather looks good so we should be OK.  If it blows up we will be spending more time in one of the above towns.

We are trying to find some smart way of incorporating a map into the site to let everyone see where we are going.  For the time being you will have to look it up yourselves.

Last week was spent getting last minute items finished, shopping done, laundry done and having a meal ashore.  Finally got the autopilot working and a few other bits and pieces sorted out.  There are still some niggling problems with the boat but no showstoppers that we know of.   We have said goodbye for the time being to Heather our trusted sailing and boat advisor but as the title suggests we plan to stop off in Newport on the way South at the end of September so will catch up then.

It looks calmer than it was

View to Newport from Anchorage

Newport Bridge from anchorage

Sunset from anchorage