Newport to Bermuda Race

This past Friday (18 June), I was out on my motor boat in Newport and noticed a large number of enormous yachts circling around in the mouth of the harbor. Getting closer to them, I realized exactly what this was - the start of the Newport to Bermuda race. The sailing vessels were being prepared by their crews for a long race ahead of them. This race is something that happens every year. There is usually a large turnout, just like there was on Friday, and it is something worth seeing.

Not only were there hundreds of boats in the water, but there were also several helicopters above taking photos of the start of the race. If you have not been in the past, I strongly recommend taking a look next year. The boats that you will see here are some of the nicest / most prestige in the world.

Navigating Newport Harbor

Just a heads up to any boaters not familiar with the area -

Be aware of rocks surrounding Newport / Jamestown Harbors. There have been multiple shipwrecks recently - one resulting in the sinking of a $500,000 yacht off of Bretton Point.

Some key spots to look out for are:

The shores around Ocean Drive, specifically right off of bretton Point.

Shallow waters off the north side of Rose Island - the waters here are extremely shallow, but very deceiving to inexperienced boaters. The rocks / sand bar are completely submerged under the water at high tide, but are clearly visible at low tide. In the past - many boats have run aground at this spot.

USS Forrestal

Here's another picture of the USS Forrestal under the Newport Bridge. You can see how massive it is when it's compared to the bridge and other boats.

USS Forrestal

The USS Forrestal left the Navy Base in Newport today, 15 June 2010. The Forrestal's final destination is the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard - where it will be sunk and used as an artificial reef.

Galilee - Narragansett, RI

Here are some fishing boats in Galilee - in Narragansett, RI. The fishing boat that's underway (above) is headed out to sea - hoping to have a big catch!

Westport Harbor

Just a couple of pictures of Westport Harbor - this is right outside of Cuttyhunk. There is a pretty good boat ramp that you can use - picture here.

Newport International Boat Show

Check out the Newport Boat Show's website. Show will be from September 16 - 19. www.newportboatshow.com .

Block Island

Block Island is another great spot to travel to by boat. Above is an aerial photo of the Island. If you don't have a water vessel - there are two ferries in service - a high speed and a 'regular speed.' The high-speed ferry will get you there in less than 30 minutes, while the 'regular speed' ferry will get you there in approx. 55 minutes. The ferry I have taken in the past leaves out of Point Judith. All relative information regarding this ferry service can be found at their website: www.blockislandferry.com/default.asp .

Newport Folk Festival - Fort Adams

Somthing to keep in mind - the NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL will be held at Fort Adams the weekend of July 30 - August 1. This festival is great to watch / listen to from Newport Harbor. **Keep in mind: The harbor gets very crowded, very early. If you want a good spot, stay over night - or get there early in the morning. I will put up a reminder of this event, when it gets closer to the actual date. For more info on this event, visit the website: www.newportfolkfest.net .

Gay Head - Martha's Vineyard

Hey everyone, heres a picture I found on 'wikimedia commons' - taken by Alberto Fernandez Fernandez. These are some of the 'Gay Head' cliffs you can see from the Southeast side of Cuttyhunk. If you are at Cuttyhunk, Martha's Vineyard is just a short trip away, and is a beautiful spot to visit in the summertime!

Bart's Cart - Cuttyhunk

A great spot to catch a quick bite to eat on Cuttyhunk - 'Bart's Cart' - located right on the docks when you come ashore. There are also a couple other vendors who sell seafood, ice cream, etc. on the docks. That's it for now.

Cuttyhunk Island

One of my favorite spots to visit is Cuttyhunk Island, a trip that's about 25 or so miles from Third Beach, in Middletown, RI. The Island is truly tropical, and the snorkeling / diving is amazing out here.. also just a short trip away from Martha's Vineyard. This is a picture of Cuttyhunk Harbor from the top of the Island's 'big hill.' There are many more pictures from Cuttyhunk to come! Enjoy.