2021 Bryan and I sail from Long Island up along the coast of Massachusetts to Central Maine. Along the way I compose music and we distribute instruments to kids’ music programs.
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
It was the final stretch as we were gently sailing along the very long Long Island in the early morning. After sailing and motoring through the night, it looked like we were going to make it back to Fire Island Inlet by mid afternoon. In our two months of sailing we had not seen any […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
We left Cuttyhunk at 7:30 am on a brisk sailing breeze towards Block Island. We were making good time until 6 miles east of Block Island, and as we rounded the back of the island at 2:30 pm we found that we were suddenly against the wind, against the tide and against the waves. We […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
Please join me for Monday Live 7pm EDT on my FB and YouTube channels! Here’s an update from my first mate’s log.While on shore yesterday we made the acquaintance of Dave, an extreme-surfer who invited us for dinner in his catamaran. We were enthralled by his stories of surfing in hurricane Katrina’s 30 foot waves. […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
Yesterday we saw some of the most picturesque of villages, the fishing huts lining the docks in Menemsha. This is the same village that appears in the opening scene of Jaws. The poison ivy growing up the sides of neglected fishing huts don’t take away from the painting-like charm of the community, still actively unloading […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
We stopped at Weepecket Island. Bryan anchored off shore and rowed in as I swam to shore, taking advantage of the warm day and finally a chance for real exercise. When I got to shore we saw many dead seagulls in the beach, and the juvenile ones walking around looked sickly. I remembered last year […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
We enjoyed a day at beautiful Hadley Harbor, rowing to the islands and watching the jellyfish gracefully dance near the shore. (I swam near the boat, where there weren’t as many of them.) We saw a familiar motorboat come alongside us. It was David Isenberg and we visited until it was time to do my […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
We set the alarm for 2:30am yet again, and managed to be off anchor and on our way by 2:50, so that we’d get to the Cape Cod Canal while the tide was going our direction the entire way. The air filled with gulls diving into balls of bait fish making their way through the […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
We left Isle of Shoals at 2:30 AM for the long crossing over to Provincetown.Contrary to the forecast, the wind was at a stiff beam reach, and so were the waves, at 6 to 8 feet, plus the occasional big one. After the first couple of waves broke over the side, we both donned full […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
It was sunny summery weather on our sail to Isle of Shoals, but our enjoyment was interrupted by invaders. Biting black flies continued to board the boat the entire distance. They must have been sitting on the water and came up to the boat as it sailed by. I had some fly catchers that I […]
Categories: First Mate's Log 2021
We passed some quaint lighthouses and did see a seals head pop up in the water on our way to seal Cove. We went to shore for a swim and collected some unusual rocks. Many were flat ovals. One was a smooth billy club, one a perfectly round ping pong shape, and a couple look […]
