Given the weather predictions for the next few days, Peter and I elected to get up in the middle of the night and sail to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where Peter and Mantra will be spending the month of October and the first part of November at Safe Harbor New England Boatworks. We pulled up anchor at 4:40 a.m. to leave Clark's Cove. We had time to get up the main and the genoa just before heavy rain set in. After two hours, as the rain began to pour, I left Peter in the cockpit and returned to bed for a few more hours of sleep.
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| Sherri ready for the weather |
By 10 a.m., I was up and layered in clothes to help with the final part of the trip. (I have used my foul weather jacket and pants more in the last month and a half than I have in the last 17 years!) Unfortunately, I forgot to use the bathroom before putting on all my foul weather gear, and I did not want to go to the trouble of taking it off and putting it back on, so I waited until we docked to finally relieve myself! Luckily, we were pretty busy, so I couldn't focus on that issue.
I stayed out of the rain as long as I could, but as we approached the marina, we took the boat off autopilot and I took the helm while Peter went to the forepeak to get out lines and fenders for docking. Rain was pouring in rivulets off his foul weather gear when he came aft.
In Narrangansett Bay, the wind was 20-25 knots but it decreased in strength as we got near Portsmouth, and inside the lagoon it was only 6-8 knots, so docking was not as challenging as we feared. The rain is continuing for the entire day, so we are staying down below. It's 57 degrees outside right now and only a few degrees warmer down below, but at least it's dry down here! Some rain is predicted for tomorrow and for Tuesday and Wednesday. In Gold River, the daytime temperatures are in the high 80s and will be in the 90s later in the week, and the hot sun beams down through blue skies. I want to visit some of the mansions in Newport while I am here, but then I am out of here. Next on the to-do list: buy a plane ticket home!
