Watson's Wrap up

Hi All. Well you will be glad this is pretty much over for this year. I am happy to report the laundry is done and the boat has been washed and the engine oil changed. Looking back over the past two weeks: we lucked out this year with limited drama: no major blood and guts or injury to life and limb. Joel did lose a little blood in the light switch incident and Jim lost a little knee blood wrapping it around the knob on the pilot wheel - which promptly spread itself to every white surface in the boat - but all in all - a non-event this year. The weather and AC cooperated with only a sprinkle here and there and one day of fog. The seas were most generous in their very kind treatment of us. Even the food shared with us doggies was pretty good. I can say that a few stops along the way left a bit to be desired. But NONE compared with the rotten fish guts smells of Montauk - how I loved that place!

I have been compelled by my caregivers to report the final cribbage score - as if ANYONE out there really cares: Joel and What's Her Name roared back to tie Jim and Sue at 13-13 for the 2 weeks. Now onto more important topics:

I have been pondering on boat names. This whole area peaked my interest when we encountered a boat early on in our journey. Its name: Tenacity Prospect. What the heck is that about? That got me to start looking at other boat names. Now some are understandable - even clever or cute. Some are even references to loved ones - or ones the owner hopes will think they are loved. But I have started to think on what I consider to be the more pretentious names and to start to speculate on some alternatives......... You can play this game too!

So here goes:

For all the sailboats named Tranquility, Free Spirit, Harmony, Golden Summer, Karma II, Freedom, Liberty - who are these people kidding??? Most are in debt up to their eyeballs over these toys and a very few are actually like using the sails! 9 out of every 10 are motoring to their next destination and spending every waking minute working on it or cleaning it - to say nothing of just surviving those 10 or 20 foot swells. Where is the Tranquility or Freedom in all of this! I am still trying to figure out the one called Sceptered Isle - what the heck is that? And frankly - the same for all those motor yachts. Who are they kidding - with all these pretentious names........

So here is a game you can play along: let's find alternative names for these boats! There is nothing about a boat that does not spell money or trouble or broken. Ask Joel about his head and Jim about lusting for a bow thruster. So why do we delude ourselves with so many names that make NO SENSE! We met up with all the boats below on our trip. Here are a few of my choices for alternative names - what do you think?

Boat Name Watson's Alternative Your Choice

Dauntless Daunted

Stock Option Stop Loss

Resolute Vacillating

Fearless Scared @$!%@less

Diplomat Tactless Sot

Diligence Lethargy

Zenith Nadir

American Beauty Odious from Odessa

Next time you are in a marina - play along....

Adios and thanks for coming along with us! Next year - maybe the moon! How much gas will that take? Any grass along the way? Meanwhile - I am going back to curl up and have another snooze........ W.

Watson's Picks of the PIX - Jamestown, Bristol & the Way Home

Watson's Wisdom - Back Home at last.......

Dateline: Falmouth MA - on the oriental behind the sofa in the family room

WAHOOOOO! Home at last! Now I can have some privacy and a little ME time alone! No such thing on that little putt-putt of a boat!

We could not blog yesterday after we left Jamestown RI in the am. We hung around there waiting for the bow thruster guy to come and look at Taking Stock and hypnotize my dad into signing on the bottom line. What's Her Name is less excited - and pointed out that instead of a lousy bow thruster, we could have new windows throughout the house to keep us cozy in winter (and get a tax credit this year) - but what do I know? Though I do know drafts!

We toodled around Newport Harbor ogling big yachts - the few that were there - while dodging fishing boats, launches, jet skis, people gawking like us, kids learning to sail and a few big honking boats. And then we headed north up the East Passage towards Bristol.

We had quite a blow at Bristol - took 30 people and a few dogs and cats to get us berthed at the Herreshoff Museum there. They have a couple of large stone quays out front and have decided to take in poor boaters desperate for a slip in Bristol - at $4 a foot. Turns out the facilities left a bit to be desired - the bathrooms were only open during Museum hours and were shared with the museum viewing public. At least there was a little grass by the dock - and a porta-potty if nighttime needs occurred.

The Museum, detailing the career of America's Cup winning boat designer, Nat Herreshoff and the America's Cup Museum next door were interesting - I guess. I opted for another snooze in the AC 'ed comfort of Taking Stock.

We had a visit in the afternoon from Pete and Andrea Johnson - related somehow to my very good buddy, Ralph - even though he insists my name is Winston. Pete and Andrea live in Bristol in the center of town and have a boat for cruising too. Alas: No Pet! What a waste of of very nice people!

After a stroll around town, dinner, and ice cream at The Daily Scoop, we hit the hay early to be underway just after dawn to get out of town before the big blow begins again - seems to happen every day there.

We headed north under the Mt Hope Bridge and then down the Sakkonet River out to RI Sound and Buzzards Bay. We lucked out with fair winds and calm seas til we hit Woods Hole - what else is new! But we rounded Nobska Light and beat it to Falmouth Harbor and our good friends at Pier 37.

7 Hours later - I have been bathed and blow dried and have a newly laundered collar. I have checked out all the new smells in the yard - we are not pleased with the number of varmints who seem to have been visiting in my absence. 6 loads of laundry are done and I am pooped with all the excitement.

Tomorrow, when my mind is fresh - I will wrap up the trip and delve into a subject on which I have been pondering of late: Boat names. In my own perverse doggy way - I think I could do better than a boatload of them we have seen in the last couple of weeks. Happy Zzzz's for now!

W.

Watson's Wisdom - Home minus 2

Dateline: Jamestown RI

Yo. Evening. Sun just dropped below Newport across the bay. First night in a while I could cool my little belly on the deck instead of being cooped up in the AC'ed cabin. Have had to file a flight plan to get off this bloody maze of docks just to have a little POSH before bed. We were driven out of Block Island this am by the swarm of tourists descending on the Boat Basin. Unlike yesterday - I could see a paw in front of my snout - no fog today!

We beat it out of Great Salt Pond and banged a right to skirt yet another lousy light house where we had to stop for pix before heading for Jamestown. We had quite a roller-coaster ride here from Block over these huge swells that had us bobbing to and fro. Every time we went up a swell, After You went down one - and totally out of sight until it would pop up on the next one! I got a little but woozy in the process- but today at least we could see land all the way.

At one point it looked like After You and Taking Stock were vying for the same space on the same wave - a little too close for my comfort - good thing I had left a deposit at BI before we left - or I might have left it on the same spot. All was well, however - when speeds were adjusted and swells no longer shared. You would think on an ocean the size of the Atlantic, they could stay far enough apart!

We chugged in to Jamestown about noon. Hotter than Hades in the sun here then on the dock and lots of little swells coming in to give a rock and roll ride all afternoon and likely tonight. Good thing I like a good cradle!

We hot footed it (literally) around town this afternoon and then broke in the late pm for some R&R on the boats. Best part about the walk: my Snausages supply was replenished!! After dinner we were treated to a 50's rock concert at the waterfront and I got to dance on the dock! I love Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis! My rhythm isn't great - the front end and back end have trouble synching up - but when I wag my tail, no one seems to notice. Tomorrow we are off to Bristol and our last night on this lousy mattress for a while. I am beginning to look forward to my own comfy bed that I do NOT share. At least there are no nasty swans here to try to horn in on my territory.

They just turned the lights on the Jamestown Bridge! - I know - we dogs get excited about the weirdest things. Adios amigos! W

Cribbage Jamestown

Joel and Brenda 2; Jim and Sue 1

Sadly J&B have taken a commanding lead.  But hope is not lost.

Pictures of Block Island to Jamestown

Cribbage catch-up

Things are not going well.

Previously blogged scores
   Jim and Sue  9,  Joel and Brenda  6

Montauk
   Jim and Sue 1, Joel and Brenda  2

Block Island
   Jim and Sue 0, Joel and Brenda 3

Cumulative total
   Jim and Sue 10, Joel and Brenda 11

In fairness, Joel might dispute the score as they actually skunked us in one game.  But who is counting.

Watson's Pick of the PIX - 3 Mile, Montauk and BI

Watson's Wisdom - Days 9 & 10

Dateline - Block Island.

Hi Ya'all. Yup - I am back. I know none of you were deceived by the pathetic prose of an impostor posing as me at Montauk. First - I am NOT blogging at 6:30am. I may be on a POSH (remember - that is a Poop out, Scamper home) but definitely NOT formulating pearls of wisdom at that hour.

I have to say I LOVED Montauk!! I have never been so surrounded by the smells of rotting fish guts as in this town. WOW! This is doggie heaven. I would love to climb into the marina dumpster and spend the night! But I was yanked away quickly. We did see a 45 lb fish all hooked up and being weighed on the dock. I loved it - but could not make it to the front row of gawkers - all the blonde babes in town were having their pictures taken with it.

The marina and town were definitely a step down from East Hampton Point. We did hang around Three Mile Harbor for a while yesterday - good place to cool off and hang out for lunch. Then we headed off for Montauk. Dave, the cool taxi-mon from Jamaica, with his cool running bobsled logos, took us into town and back to the marina. Fortunately he already had a business going and we did not have to endure the Joel Mana-Tea spiel again. The only worthwhile stop there in town was the bakery. Hugo Boss and Michael Kors did not make it out this far on the Island. There was the biggest laundramat I have ever seen though.... Must be all those fish guts....

This am we awoke to showers in Montauk - but that did not stop us from a forced march to the Montauk Yacht Club to visit more spiffy mega-yachts and the Coast Guard Station on Star Island. We almost lost Joel to the Sabre dealer at Star Island Yacht club - but we managed to get him back, minus a bit of drool.

The trip from Montauk to New Harbor on Block Island was a total fog- out. The waters were flat except for constant big rolling swells that made my tummy feel like it was in constant motion between my neck and my tail. I was on the captain's perch - but that did not seem to help much - so I caught a few ZZZZ's and that seemed to help. Occasionally we saw another boat - as we came up on it. People were out on the deck in the pouring rain with their fishing poles and hoping for something good to happen soon. I was glad we had a goal and destination in mind!

We made it to Block Island Boat Basin in the rain - but the fog lifted on the island. And by the time we tied up, the sun was beating down on us and steam was coming off the roof!.

There was another forced march to Old Harbor on the other side of the island for a couple of lousy tee shirts - and there wasn't a dry piece of apparel in sight. Glad I am drip/dry.

Hope there are some good left-overs from Dirty Dick's tonight. I could use a change of diet from Fit and Trim.

Clouds rolling back in - looks like more rain on the way.

That's it for now. Be good to your pets. And if you don't have one - get one.

W

Greetings from Montauk

Watson here. It is 6:30AM and my people got me up from a sound sleep to say a few words.

While we have internet connections at the Snug Harbor Marina, it is very sketchy at the boat so we won't blog much this AM.

Suffice to say, we had a very smooth crossing from Sag Harbor. Montauk is not quite as fru-fru as Sag but we met a very nice taxi driver who took us into town and then picked us up.

Nice dinner last night at a hopping place near the Marina.

Stay tuned for more info later today or tomorrow.

PIX - Sag Harbor to 3 Mile Harbor

Watson's Wisdom - Day 8

Dateline - East Hampton Point Marina, Three Mile Harbor NY

Ya Baby! Here we are in The Hamptons with the glitterati. I have been on the lookout for movie stars - like Lassie, Beethoven and Benji - but can't seem to find a glimpse of any famous pets - even that evil white furball kitty in the Fancy Feast commercials. Here at East Harbor Point Marina, Inn, Restaurant, Spa, Pool.... I have only found one rather mangy looking beagle - no slick poodles with special dos - no yorkies in stuffed in a Gucci pouch here or there - nothing!

We left Sag Harbor yesterday am after a hike around town before the heat set in. We headed out for Coecles Harbor where we planned to drop anchor and raft up - but just cruised around as the fog seemed to be settling in. We beat it over to Three Mile Harbor and a mooring field just off the East Hampton Point Marina. We picked up the scummiest, disgusting (even for a dog like me!), barnacle-encrusted line from a mooring and tied up to have lunch and take a swim before making our grand entrance into the marina. Word has it that Three Mile Harbor is only 2 miles long - but THREE miles from East Hampton - which seems to be way more important.

We had a wee bit of trouble docking due to the fact the dockhand giving directions put us in a slip better suited for the 54 Bertram next to us and had no clue what to do. To be 16 again and gorgeous! Besides - her dad probably owns the joint. But we made it - and more importantly, I made it to the grass nearby. Good thing the grass is bordered by a plank walkway - as it is an absolute minefield of deposits left by previous desperate doggies. I guess they don't have baggies here in the Hamptons. Gee - they seem to have everything else with a label on it!

We caught the van into town to mingle with the beautiful people and dogs. Seemed to be a nice town with lots of shade trees (makes me happy) and lots of yuppy little stores. Not a Walmart in sight. Joel tried to chat up the van driver to start a new business he calls Mana-tea. Sounded to me like he had a name but was short on ideas of what to do with it - but he was really in distress when the kid expressed ignorance of ever having heard of Paul Newman or the Newman's Own brand. Even I felt old on this exchange!

Dinner - no leftovers - was out on the deck at the Marina/Inn Restaurant. They took one look at us and told us: Formal attire and Reservations at least a year in advance in our case required. And they didn't even bring me along on that exchange!

I am celebrating the end of my antibiotics last night. No more choking courtesy of what's her face! Now I can get back to licking my paws and infecting them again. Yay!

Today they are booting us out of the Marina at 10am so we are heading for Montauk. Til next time! W

Cribbage in Three Mile Harbor

Well, I am sad to say but Jim and Sue did not have a successful day yesterday.

Joel and Brenda played well and despite our amazing skill their luck persisted.

Score for the day Joel and Brenda 2, Jim and Sue 1

Totals for the trip: J&S 9, J&B 6

Pictures from Greenport and Sag