Author: Igor

Newport, Rhode Island, is a name that resonates with all sailing enthusiasts—it’s the universally recognized capital of the sailing world. Our return to this maritime haven brought back memories of 2018 when we attended the start of the Volvo Race leg—an unforgettable celebration of sailing. Despite being tardy for a daytime sunset due to persistent rain, we couldn’t resist the allure of this sailing capital.

Navigating Newport’s harbor filled with mooring buoys at night presented a challenge, but we successfully reached the outer dock near Safe Harbor Shipyard. This company, operational year-round, provided floating docks with power—a welcome respite after a day accompanied by pouring rain. As we secured our mooring, we found ourselves surrounded by superyachts—a world of colossal sailing toys. While mooring in marinas, we often contemplate engaging superyacht owners in collecting ocean data, but in Newport, these vessels were in winter hibernation, devoid of visible activity. December, not the most favourable month for sailing, saw superyacht owners absent from their vessels. Exploring the boatyard offered us a novel experience, showcasing the meticulous work conducted on yachts at the highest standards. Safe Harbor’s competence extends beyond managing marinas, impressively encompassing top-notch yacht work.

Another intriguing encounter at the shipyard involved the brigantine Corvith Cramer. In 2004, I had the privilege of sailing on this vessel, testing the newly developed Micro-salinometer. The journey from Rockland to Woods Hole mirrored the path I now traversed. The brigantine serves as a training ship for the Sea Educational Association, where future oceanographers engage in practical maritime experiences, including handling oceanographic instruments such as the RBR CTD measuring system. Sailing on a real ship adds an extra layer of magic to the learning experience.

The persistent rain prompted us to bid farewell to Newport, hoping for a future reunion on a sunnier, windier day—ideal conditions for embracing the true spirit of sailing.

Setting out in the morning for Newport, we soon realized that our path lay not far from Woods Hole. It would be unforgivable not to stop by the center of oceanographic science on the East coast of the United States – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. It was at the end of the working day on Friday, when we docked to the WHOI pier, so not many colleagues were able to see, but with those who were at the pier we had good conversations both about our project and the RBR instruments.

Our prolonged stay in Maine brought challenges with the progressively colder weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping to -8 degrees Celsius. This not only affected our living conditions on the yacht but also posed difficulties starting our engine. Navigating along the coast presented its own set of challenges, particularly in avoiding lobster traps. We found ourselves entangled with these traps a few times, struggling to free the keel from their clutches.

To tackle this, we decided to sail directly from Portland to Cape Cod—a 110-mile journey to the entrance of the Cape Cod Channel, feasible with a night passage. This marked our third night passage, and we felt seasoned in handling night watches. The weather was brisk, with winds reaching up to 20 knots. However, the waves posed a significant hurdle, with oncoming waves reaching up to 2 meters, turning our sailboat, laden with all its weight, into a mere toy on the waves.

Dawn brought relief, and after a few more hours, we reached the eastern entrance to the Cape Cod Channel. Here, we had to wait for an hour for a favorable current. It’s noteworthy that the current in the channel, influenced by the tide, can reach speeds of up to 4 knots. Getting caught in a counter-current could drop the yacht’s speed to 2-3 knots, while a passing current could propel it to 10 knots.

We navigated the canal at speeds of up to 10 knots, passing under two road bridges and one railway drawbridge. Exiting the canal, we reached Safe Harbor Onset Marina, where the staff warmly welcomed us to the deserted marina and even offered a free overnight stay on the dock! This marked a departure from our experiences in Maine marinas (we were in Massachusetts now!), perhaps because we didn’t encounter the fishing boats that filled the Maine marinas here.

The village of Onset exemplifies a resort destination, boasting splendid new marinas, sandy beaches, waterfront parks, and seafood restaurants. We dined at Stonebridge, relishing clamp chowders for lunch while engaging in pleasant conversation with the friendly waitress and another boater who had just arrived on his motorboat – it looked like we were the only visitors in the village. The next morning, we bid farewell to the hospitable Onset, greeting the dawn and setting sail while conducting CTD cast in the bay.