Greenport, Long Island

Dunes at the entrance to Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island

Yesterday morning, we left Shelter Island and motored the short distance to Greenport on the North Fork of Long Island where we docked at Mitchell Park Marina right in front of the town.  I had called about a week ago to check availability here and was assured there would be no problem getting a slip and so I didn't need to make a reservation.  When I called as we approached, the dock master asked if I had a reservation.  When I told him no, I had been told we didn't need one, he said, "Well, let me see where we can squeeze you in.  I think we can put you on the T-dock on the end of B."  When we tied up, it was obvious he was pulling my leg.  We have certainly avoided the crowds.  Everyone else has hauled his boat out or gone south for the winter.  We are the only vessel in the marina!

Mantra all alone at Mitchell Park Marina

Greenport is a quiet little town, with a base population of 2000 in the off-season.  We walked across Mitchell Park and chose a Guatemalan restaurant for a quick lunch before Pete the refrigeration technician was scheduled to arrive a 1:00 p.m. with our refurbished refrigeration unit.  After the delivery, Peter spent the afternoon putting it in place in the engine room and I went to the conveniently located IGA a block and a half away to get provisions.  We have been out of fresh fruit and vegetables for quite a while now.  I paid $75 for 3 bags of groceries here.  I rememebered that we had paid $10 for 4 bags of groceries in Tulum on the Yucatan Peninsula a year and a half ago.  That is a staggering 10 times as much money for food!

On a pier by the marina is the New York Fire Department Marine Unit 9, which protected NYC harbor for 72 years.  The fireboat was built in 1938.  At the time, her 20,000 gallons per minute pumping capacity made her the world's most powerful.  In addition to extinguishing 50 major fires, she served valiently at the World Trade Center for two weeks pumping water continuously to the fires at Ground Zero in 2001.  I talked for a while to a man working on her, a marine engineer who had served on her for 18 years.

NYFD Marine Unit 9

The sun shone brightly in a robin-egg blue sky all afternoon but just as the sun disappeared, fog descended in the blink of an eye.  The lights of the nearby ferry terminal, which has ferries coming in and out constantly, glowed spooky shades of blue, red, orange and white.

We ate dinner on our boat and then walked the very short distance to town to find desserts or a drink. Before we even arrived on Front Street, we could here live jazz and it was easy to track it down to the   second floor of the Green Hill Kitchen on the corner, where all the doors were opened to the balmy night air.  We found a table outside on the deck, had dessert and wine and stayed for a couple of hours enjoying the music and the atmosphere.  We were perhaps the only non-locals there.  In fact, the enthusiastic audience seemed to be comprised of local musicians and their families and close friends. The music was played not by a single band but by many talented musicians; we had happened upon a jazz jam session!  There were several people taking turns playing saxophone, all with distintive styles.  Other instruments included the trumpet, the flugelhorn, an upright bass, keyboard, an accordion, guitar.  For a couple of numbers, there were female vocalists.  Usually reticent about talking to strangers, I approached some people in the audience who provided me with information on some of the performers.  One man, one of the saxophonists, was having a lively conversation in Italian with two friends.  When another saophonist came by, he switched to fluent Russian.  He also spoke English without an accent, and I learned from one of his friends that he was from Argentina and also spoke Spanish.  I am so envious of such multi-talented individuals!

Jam session at Green Tree Kitchen, Greenport

This morning it is still quite warm although it is overcast and the sky spits drops of rain occasionally. While Peter and Pete worked on the refrigeration unit in the engine room, I walked around town, admiring Victorian houses.  Some of the old mansion This town has more of a lived-in look than the upscale towns of New Shoreham on Block Island and Mystic, although the main downtown streets have plenty of boutiques, antique stores and galleries.  While some houses are well-maintained, quite a few could use some work.  In addition, modern additions have been added to some without consideration of the architecture of the original structure.

A purple house in Greenport

A mustard yellow house in Greenport

A brown shingled house

A blue house with scalloped shingles

Returning to the marina, I passed the blacksmith shop by Mitchell Park, and it was open.  I had a nice chat with the amateur blacksmith, a retired schoolteacher whose other hobbies include woodworking, camping and sailing.  Everyone is very friendly here.

Greenport Blacksmith Shop

Back here on Mantra, the two guys are still working on the refrigeration.  Yesterday, I thoroughly cleaned and bleached out all the mold in the refrigerator, which we have not been using since June, in anticipation of restored refrigeration.  We have been using the freezer as a cooler with ice for the last couple of months.  Now I have taken all the food out of there and we have pumped out the inch or so of water in the bottom.  It is time for me to climb in and thoroughly clean it before it freezes up.

The rains and winds spawned by Hurricane Michael have now moved in.  We have spread towels out on the dining table for the leaks from the overhead hatches, yet another job to be done.  We were thinking of moving back to Shelter Island this afternoon, but we may just stay here on this dock.  Sailing in the rain is wet and not pleasant.