Monday, 23 June
“Good afternoon and welcome to Block Island.” Steve the Harbormaster pulls his launch alongside and asks, “So how long do you plan to stay? The rest of the season?”
It’s good to know that dry New England sense of humor remains undiminished even into the 21st century.
That is to say, he was kidding wasn’t he?
A three-masted schooner under full sail is a sight to behold.
Maybe not! After all, who wouldn’t want to spend the summer here? Great Salt Pond is a remarkable harbor and Block a destination unlike any other, close enough to the mainland to be within easy reach yet far enough to retain its unspoiled charm.
The light at Latimer Reef is easy to spot half-way down Fisher’s Island Sound.
A quick perusal of Eldridge indicated a midmorning departure from Mystic would give Steadfast a good boost on the trip over and Eldridge was right on. Steadfast slipped her mooring at 1058—a bit later than planned—and slid down the river to Green-1, came left to 110 magnetic and enjoyed a 7-knot run up Fisher’s Island Sound. Water speed never got much above four-and-a-half while the GPS consistently registered in the upper 7s, topping out at 7.9! One does well to check Eldridge before transiting Fisher’s Island Sound.
The current stayed fair, though not quite as impressive, as Steadfast held to a heading of 130 all the way to the red buoy marking the entrance to Salt Pond.
The day-one racing took place just south of the entrance channel to Great Salt Pond.
It being late June and the start of Block Island Race Week, it seemed reasonable to expect the harbor to be busy. Contrary to logic, the anchorage and mooring fields are less than half full and the piers at Champlin’s Marina look all but empty, not at all the way it was when Steadfast was here Labor Day weekend two years ago.
Having arrived by 1430, there was time to put the Torqeedo outboard to work once again for a quick run to the Boat Basin dinghy dock, then a walk around the harbor and over to Crescent Beach. Having worked up a parch on those dusty roads, a stop at The Oar was in order before making the trip home.
Rocky fields yield stone walls, on Block as through all of New England.
The real exploration will be by bicycles tomorrow when it’s hoped the island’s entire length can be covered, from North Light through Old Harbor and on to Mohegan Bluffs. If completed, a round-trip of this sort may necessitate another stop at The Oar at day’s end.
Then again, what’s the hurry. We could just stay here all season.
Steadfast out.
At Sea with Steadfast 
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