New Destinations for a Week Out of Barrington, RI in Narragansett Bay?

[marktun]

Hello Cruisers Forum Friends,

My wife and I will be taking a Jeanneau 42DS with a 5ft6 keel for a week out of Barrington, RI in Narragansett Bay in mid-August 2012, and we'd love some suggested itineraries that might take us to some new spots. (I do have the Childress cruising guide to this area and am starting to go through it).

We have some familiarity with the area. For example, we've been in the Bay several times for day sails on a friend's Hunter 37, and have taken that vessell to Block Is. 3-4 times, as well as Cuttyhunk and Newport. One favorite spot which will give you a sense of what we like is in South Dartmouth, known to locals as Padanarum.

Clearlly, Martha's Vinyard and Nantucket are obvious destinations, and I wouldn't mind hitting Vineyard Haven on the former, and have some concerns about the ease of sail to the latter.

We're looking for a very relaxed week of easy sailing, pre-arranged moorings (anchoring is fine as well), to destinations in Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, the Vineyard and perhaps Nantucket. We know to be flexible in our planning, a skill we've learned in charters to the SVI and Penobscot Bay, among other destinations.

Also, any referral to the best paper chart #'s for these areas would be appreciated....the wife wants to practice her advanced nav skills.

So....what say you, Northeast cruisers? Here's a couple rough ideas, please let me know your thoughts.

Sat: Overnight on boat in Barrington, RI.
Sun: 8am departure to Cuttyhunk. (alternative: Padanarum)
Mon: Cuttyhunk to Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard
Tues: 2nd night in Vineyard Haven, or extra weather day
Weds: Vineyard Haven to Nantucket.
Thurs: 2nd night at Nantucket, or extra weather day
Fri: Nantucket to....Newport? (been there, done that)
Sat: return to Barrington, RI

Other alternatives that I've seen in the forum include places such as Memsha or Tashmoo, Hadley's Harbor, Tarpaulin Cove, Potters Cove, Quisset and Red Brook Harbor. If these are attractive with reserveable moorings in high season....and worth visiting...where would you substitute them in?

As an alternative, we could head for the Vineyard then make for Nantucket, stay for a couple days, then head back--making Nantucket the real focal point of the trip--and wouldn't mind suggestions about the best way to do that. We won't be doing any night sailing.

Thank you all in advance.

With best wishes,

MarkTun

[mbianka]

Originally Posted by marktun

Hello Cruisers Forum Friends,

My wife and I will be taking a Jeanneau 42DS with a 5ft6 keel for a week out of Barrington, RI in Narragansett Bay in mid-August 2012, and we'd love some suggested itineraries that might take us to some new spots. (I do have the Childress cruising guide to this area and am starting to go through it).

We have some familiarity with the area. For example, we've been in the Bay several times for day sails on a friend's Hunter 37, and have taken that vessell to Block Is. 3-4 times, as well as Cuttyhunk and Newport. One favorite spot which will give you a sense of what we like is in South Dartmouth, known to locals as Padanarum.

Clearlly, Martha's Vinyard and Nantucket are obvious destinations, and I wouldn't mind hitting Vineyard Haven on the former, and have some concerns about the ease of sail to the latter.

We're looking for a very relaxed week of easy sailing, pre-arranged moorings (anchoring is fine as well), to destinations in Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, the Vineyard and perhaps Nantucket. We know to be flexible in our planning, a skill we've learned in charters to the SVI and Penobscot Bay, among other destinations.

Also, any referral to the best paper chart #'s for these areas would be appreciated....the wife wants to practice her advanced nav skills.

So....what say you, Northeast cruisers? Here's a couple rough ideas, please let me know your thoughts.

Sat: Overnight on boat in Barrington, RI.
Sun: 8am departure to Cuttyhunk. (alternative: Padanarum)
Mon: Cuttyhunk to Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard
Tues: 2nd night in Vineyard Haven, or extra weather day
Weds: Vineyard Haven to Nantucket.
Thurs: 2nd night at Nantucket, or extra weather day
Fri: Nantucket to....Newport? (been there, done that)
Sat: return to Barrington, RI

Other alternatives that I've seen in the forum include places such as Memsha or Tashmoo, Hadley's Harbor, Tarpaulin Cove, Potters Cove, Quisset and Red Brook Harbor. If these are attractive with reserveable moorings in high season....and worth visiting...where would you substitute them in?

As an alternative, we could head for the Vineyard then make for Nantucket, stay for a couple days, then head back--making Nantucket the real focal point of the trip--and wouldn't mind suggestions about the best way to do that. We won't be doing any night sailing.

Thank you all in advance.

With best wishes,

MarkTun

Mark

I have not been that far east in a few years but, Cuttyhunk Island is always a favorite of mine. Likewise Hadley Harbor is another nice tranquail spot I'd go back to. My take on Nantucket is it is an upscale Key West. Unless you want to shop and hang out with day trippers I would not waste your time heading there. Vineyard Haven IMO is a little more down scale but, still a lot of tourist heading there. I did like Menemsha and I would pick up a mooring off the beach again or you could anchor. You may already know this but, I would make sure you pick up the Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: FROM BIANKA'S BOOK SHELF: ELDRIDGE TIDE AND PILOT BOOK
before you head out. It's most valuable for navigating these waters and using the currents to make your trips faster.