Wednesday, November 30, 1994 Roy's birthday! - Norfolk, VA

Roy was really surprised to receive a birthday card at breakfast. His watch said November 29th, so he thought his birthday wasn't until tomorrow, but he finally agreed it was today.
At lunch, he remembered that Stacey's gives a free meal on your birthday, so we agreed to eat supper there. That sort of messed up my plans -- I was going to bring in a lighted cake and Roy's present after supper, but I didn't want to embarrass him in the restaurant, so I gave him his present after lunch. It was a warm shirt that actually fit, and he likes it! He wore it when we went to Stacey's. Then it turned out that Stacey's no longer gives free birthday meals, but we ate there anyway.
Talked with Dr. Sperling on the phone. He said I have bacteria in my colon, and he phoned in a prescription for Flagyl, which is what the doctor in Fairhaven had prescribed, and it had definitely helped, but then I ran out of it. Dr. Sperling also wants me to have a colonoscopy in the next four to six weeks. If we're not here, he'll recommend a doctor in St. Augustine.
I've been trying to figure out where I picked up the bacteria. The most likely place was the fountain in front of the Athenaeum in Providence. Pure, sweet, cool water has been flowing there from an underground spring for two or three centuries. I used to enjoy drinking the water when I was a kid, so when I was in Providence a couple of months ago, I couldn't resist taking a drink, but maybe the water isn't as pure as it was fifty years ago. Anyway, I'm going to write to the Health Department in Providence and inquire.
After lunch, I took the bus to Ward's Corner and got my prescrip- tion. Then I went to Farm Fresh and showed Monday's receipt to the manager I had talked with on the phone. She said she had checked the scales, and they were accurate. I went over to the cookie bin, filled a plastic bag with cookies, and weighed it in the produce department. As I expected, it weighed 1.5 pounds. I took it to the manager, and she weighed it at a check-out scale. Her eyeballs popped out when it weighed 1.5 pounds. She gave me the bag of cookies to make up for my being overcharged Monday. Now I feel much better.

Tuesday, November 29, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

Colder today. Only light sprinkles of rain in the afternoon. I went to Sears and bought a birthday present for Roy. Then I rode the bus to Janaf Plaza and saw a movie I'd been wanting to see ever since I saw the preview in New Bedford. It's an excellent movie that hasn't had any publicity, so it will be a commercial failure unfortunately. The title is misleading; it's called "The War", but it certainly isn't a "war" movie in the usual sense. It's about the futility of war, the waste of war, the uselessness of war. Most of the movie focuses on a bunch of kids building a treehouse, but there is also the father, a disturbed veteran of Viet Nam. The movie was well written, well acted, and well directed. The kids did a terrific job of acting like real kids instead of Hollywood wise guys. This is NOT a children's movie, but I highly recommend it for adults.

Monday, November 28, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

The wind shifted to the southwest and brought in warm air. It must have been twenty degrees warmer today than yesterday. The sky remained overcast, but there was no rain except a few sprinkles in late afternoon.
Roy had his hair cut. One of the worst cuts of his entire life, certainly the worst since I've known him. I took one look and ran off screaming. I could have done a better job of cutting it myself, and I can't cut hair for beans. I told him I'd give him a bottle of hair tonic for his birthday to help it grow out.
Bought a few groceries at Farm Fresh. I think the scale at the check-out counter was overweighing by a pound. I had three apples that couldn't have weighed more than a pound-and-a-half. The scale showed two-and-a-half pounds, so I refused them. A bag of loose cookies weighed nearly three pounds. I knew that was wrong, but I was in a hurry to catch the bus, as they only run once an hour, so I rather stupidly paid for them and left. When I got to the boat, I weighed them on our scale and had Roy heft them. Also compared them with the weight of a two-pound package of chicken, which definitely weighed more than the bag of cookies. Roy and I agreed the cookies weighed about one-and-a-half pounds. I phoned the store and talked with the Service Manager. She said they check the scales every day and they can't be off by one-hundredth of an ounce. She said she'd recheck the scale, and she also told me to bring in the receipt and she'd refund the two dollars I thought I was overcharged.

Sunday, November 27, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

Cold, wet, raw, rainy day. Not a good day to be outside, so we stayed in. Roy watched television, and I played with my computer. The new heater kept us cozy warm. Roy wanted to go to Stacey's for supper, but I talked him out of it. Once a week is often enough for me. Besides, who wants to wade through puddles in the dark just to get something to eat? We had a good supper on the boat.

Saturday, November 26, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

Cold and windy but dry and sunny. Tomorrow it's supposed to rain.
Roy started working on the hull today, and I went to the grocery store. Got some good buys. Nothing exciting happening.

Friday, November 25, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

Roy took his bike to a bike shop to get a new tire and tube. I spent three hours going down to the medical lab and back. It will be interesting to see what they find.

Thursday, November 24, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

What a nice Thanksgiving Day! The air was totally clear. Not a cloud in the sky. It was cold but sunny. A perfect day for a walk in the woods. But there aren't any woods nearby.
Around 2:30, we walked to Stacey's Buffet and stuffed ourselves with turkey and all the goodies. Didn't need any supper after that.
Roy phoned the Dickinson Company in Canada (where Thanksgiving is celebrated on a different day). They're going to send him the correct manual for the new heater and some replacement parts
The heater installation is essentially complete, except for some finishing touches. It works very well. We've stayed cozy by it three nights in a row. It uses about half a pint of diesel an hour.

Wednesday, November 23, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

I had another doctor's appointment today. By the time I rode down there and back on the bus, waited for buses, saw the doctor, and had some blood drawn, the day was practically over. On the way back, I copied the previous survey and bought a few groceries.
Roy rode his bike to a store and got a flat in his rear tire. Same one that went flat just before we left Fairhaven, so now he's going to get a new tire as well as a new tube.

Tuesday, November 22, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

Sunshine today, but cold. Roy has just about completed the installation of the diesel heater. Tried it out this evening, and it worked perfectly.
I did the laundry in the morning and bought a few groceries in the afternoon.

Monday, November 21, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

The wind shifted to the southeast, which warmed up the air but brought more wind and rain.
We got a message from West Marine that the stovepipe parts Roy ordered last week had arrived. I wanted to wait until tomorrow to get them, but Roy is anxious to complete the installation of the diesel heater, so I left a little after two. By the time I got to Hampton, the rain was coming down in a deluge. Streets and yards were flooded. Buses and trucks got through, but cars were bogging down right and left. One little car had tried to make a right turn and had slipped into a flooded ditch. It was listing 45 degrees to starboard, half submerged in the water. Another car was stuck in the entrance to a parking lot. It couldn't go forward, and it couldn't go backward. Many other cars were sitting along the side of the road, with water up to the tops of their fenders.
Fortunately, by the time the bus reached West Marine, the rain had let up. This time, I got off at the right stop.
When we were in last week, Roy had showed them the banged up piece of pipe and had arranged to exchange it, so I had assumed I wouldn't have to do anything but give them the old pipe and pay for the additional pieces. To my surprise, they gave me a hard time. Usually, West Marine makes exchanges without hesitation, but this time they said the piece of pipe was too beat up and had been used! Of course it hadn't been used; there was no way it could have been used in that shape. I didn't feel like arguing about it, so I said I'd pay for the new one. But then they went ahead and made the exchange.
The rain had messed up all the bus schedules. I had to wait forty minutes for the bus back to downtown Hampton and another hour for the Crossroads bus back to Norfolk. Half a dozen other people were waiting for the Crossroads bus. Some of them had been waiting for two or three hours! Traffic on the bridge was at a standstill, so the buses couldn't get through from Norfolk. When they finally arrived, three buses got there at the same time, but they were still on their way to Newport News, so we had to wait until they went into Newport News, turned around, and came back. It was pitch dark by then, and I was worrying that I might not make it home, but at long last a bus arrived and took me back to Norfolk. The #8 bus was sitting there waiting, so I jumped right on it. A group of people who needed to get home to Hampton had been waiting two or three hours for a bus. The bus I came in on was on its way to the garage. In fact, the last bus to Hampton was supposed to run at 6:45, and it was nearly 7:30 by then. I felt really sorry for those people; they were in the same situation I had been in, not knowing if they'd be able to get home. The driver of the #8 radioed the dispatcher and was told TRT was sending a last bus to take the people home to Hampton. That was good.
It was almost eight o'clock when I reached the boat. Roy had supper all ready, so I didn't have to do anything but eat, watch the news, and go to bed.

Sunday, November 20, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

Another clear, sunny day. We took the afternoon off and had some fun. At one o'clock, we walked down to Stacey's Buffet Restaurant and ate lunch. Then we rode the bus downtown to visit Nauticus, the maritime exhibition hall that was under construction last spring and has since opened. They had many, many interesting exhibits. We especially enjoyed a movie called "The Living Sea". It was terrific. We also enjoyed watching a moving model of a container loader.
Got back to the boat around 8:30 and watched the TV program about the Dionne quintuplets. We both remember their birth very well. Roy was eleven and I was eight when they were born. They were all over the news for years. It was interesting to see on tonight's news that three of them are still alive and well. My favorite, Emilie, died when she was only twenty, and another died at thirty-six.

Saturday, November 19, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

Sunshine! The wind is still blowing some, and the bay is still full of whitecaps and waves, but the rain has quit, the sky is blue, the temperature is climbing, and the sun is shining.
Roy continued working on the heater and the table. I took the bus downtown and strolled around the waterfront, enjoying the warm sunshine. How lovely everything looked! The grass is still green, the river is blue, the trees have leaves on them, the world is beautiful. Even the old junk boat that was there last spring is still anchored near the other side of the Elizabeth River.
Tried to phone Linda. Talked with her answering machine. Had better luck reaching Kathy. She told me Bill wanted me to phone him, so I did. Guess who's going to be a grandma again! Bill and Laura are expecting a baby in June!
On the way home, I ran off a copy of the last survey to send to a potential insurance agent. (The SSCA insurance underwriter is no longer permitted to insure boats, so we're trying to find new coverage -- so far without much success.) I also bought a bunch of groceries.

Friday, November 18, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

The storm abated considerably today. It was still windy, rainy, cold, and miserable, but not as bad as yesterday. Very strong winds were predicted for tonight, however, so Roy brought in everything that could blow away or cause a problem, and he lashed down the sails. Then, in late afternoon, Hurricane Gordon began losing strength and turned back towards the south. That's good news for us, but I hope it doesn't hit Florida again. Those poor people have suffered more than enough.
Roy continued installing the heater and relocating the table. It's nearly finished now; he just has to wait for some parts.

Thursday, November 17, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

The northeast gale continued to rage, especially in the morning, and the tide was exceptionally high, coming almost to the top of the ramp and nearly to the tops of the fixed docks. Jofian rocked back and forth during the thirty-knot gusts. I was afraid she might blow over, but Roy assured me she wouldn't. However, he did go down and tighten the stands.
A small trimaran blew off its stands but didn't seem to be damaged. It hadn't been very high off the ground and fell onto soft sand.
An even smaller motorboat that was tied to a fixed dock got trapped under the dock by the tide and tipped over. The boatyard workers fished it out with a crane and a metal frame. This is not a good day for boatyards.
Roy spent most of the day installing the new diesel heater, but in the afternoon, he rode his bike around, looking for some parts he needed. He finally found them, but had a real struggle pedaling back against the wind and rain. When he arrived, he looked the way I did yesterday.
Kent Glover, the man who surveyed the boat last spring, dropped by in the late afternoon and chatted for a while. He had been working on another boat here at Cobb's and saw the Jofian. He returned $5 that he said he owed us! What a surprise that was! He's very nice.
On the evening news, we watched rather terrifying scenes of hurricane Gordon advancing up the East Coast. We had always thought the hurricane season ended November 1st. The summer had had almost no hurricane activity at all, and now we get one in the late fall! Maybe we should have stayed behind the hurricane barrier in New Bedford. If Gordon threatens Norfolk, as it well might, we'll put the Royaks and the life raft on the ground, remove the sails, and take in everything else that we can.
A 64-foot ketch left here about the time we arrived and was clobbered 300 miles off the coast. The Coast Guard airlifted everyone on board to safety, but the boat is lost.

Wednesday, November 16, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

The trip to West Marine went almost flawlessly. We caught the 7:30 #8 bus to Elm and J, transferred immediately to the Crossroads bus, which zoomed non-stop across the bridge to Hampton, where we immediately transferred to the #1 bus to West Mercury Boulevard. By the time we got there, I was totally turned around and thought North was South and East was West, so we got off the bus too soon and started walking in the wrong direction. We soon became aware of my error and turned around. It was only a three or four block walk to West Marine, and we got there a few minutes before nine, so it was faster than going to Boat/U.S.
Roy was able to buy most of the stuff he wanted, and they ordered the piece of stovepipe he needed to replace the one that got bent out of shape in transit. The woman at West Marine actually remembered us and asked us about our trip.
There was a bus stop right next to West Marine, so we got back without walking. Reached Norfolk shortly before twelve. Roy returned to the boat, and I went to a walk-in clinic on Little Creek Road. I still have the ongoing problem I've had for over a month. The doctor gave me a prescription and told me to eat nothing but rice for two or three days. Yummy.
By the time I left the clinic, it was raining dogs, cats, and little fishes. The forecast had been 30% chance of rain late in the afternoon or evening, so I hadn't brought an umbrella or raincoat. Walked three blocks through the rain to a drugstore. Water was dripping from my hair, my glasses were so wet I could scarcely see through them, and my eyeballs were full of water. Luckily, I was dressed fairly warmly.
The drugstore didn't have all the ingredients for the prescription. They phoned some of their other stores, but they didn't have all of them either. Then they sent someone somewhere to get the missing ingredient! That was really nice of them. I bought a plastic rain hood while I was waiting for the prescription.
Went next door to a super market and bought a few groceries. The bus back to the boat should have gone by around five to three, so I started out to the bus stop about quarter to three. The bus went zooming by ten minutes early! I had to wait in the wind and cold and wet for half an hour plus the additional ten minutes, since the next bus ran at the proper time. What a relief when it finally came along!
Had to walk three or four blocks from the end of the busline to the boat. A passing vehicle splashed water all over me, as if I weren't already wet enough. By the time I reached the boat, I looked like a drowned rat. It was sure good to get inside and dry off and get warm.
The wind is blowing like crazy and the rain is still pouring. We were certainly lucky to have had that perfect weather window for getting here. I feel sorry for any little boat that's out in this.

Tuesday, November 15, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

This was sort of a wasted day. We took the bus to Boat/U.S., not realizing it would take two hours to get there and two hours to get back. And then they didn't have most of the stuff Roy wanted. But he got a few things.
Tomorrow, we'll take the bus across the water to West Marine. TRT has put in the bus route they were talking about last spring, so we can now get to Hampton. It will probably take less time to go across the bay to West Marine than it did to go to Boat/U.S. on this side.

Monday, November 14, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

The Cobbs were surprised and happy to see us. Everything's the same as it was last spring.
What a lovely, WARM day! It's 72! We shed about six layers of clothes. Roy put his bike together and went for a ride. I trundled fifty pounds of dirty clothes to the laundromat and washed them.
We were hauled out between three and four in the afternoon. First time I've been around for a haulout here. When we hauled out last spring, I was fast asleep, and when we went back in the water, I was at the doctor's with a fractured elbow. As it turned out, I didn't do anything anyway, so it didn't matter if I was here or not.

Sunday, November 13, 1994 - Norfolk, VA

What a beautiful day! The wind died down, so we had to motor, but the sun was warm and the air clear. We couldn't have asked for nicer weather. Reached Norfolk's outer buoy at sunset, and what a glorious sunset! The water was lavender, and the sky was a thousand shades of gold and red and orange and purple. Beautiful!
But it quickly became dark, so it was rather nerve-wracking going up the channel with freighters going in and out and tiny motorboats zooming around in every direction. We proceeded slowly and carefully. I was at the wheel until we were nearly at the bridge, and then Roy took over, to my great relief, since it's hard for me to see at night.
If we hadn't been familiar with the harbor, we would have anchored outside, but we know our way around Little Creek and there are lots of bright lights, so we came on in and tied to the end dock at Cobb's Marina. Home again!
We'd no sooner gotten tied up than we heard a guy on the VHF calling a Mayday. It turned out his powerboat had been rammed by another powerboat -- not surprising, considering the way the little beasts were zooming around. However, his boat wasn't sinking and no one was injured, so he really shouldn't have called a Mayday. Anyway, the Coast Guard went out and escorted him to the ramp here at Cobb's Marina, and the Harbor Police located the other boat and brought it here to the ramp at Cobb's Marina. One boat had a big hole near the bow but above the waterline. The other boat had a big hole in its stern, also above the waterline. Both operators were hopping mad. The one that did the ramming claimed the other boat didn't have any lights on. The other guy insisted he had all his lights on. So the insurance companies will fight it out.

Saturday, November 12, 1994 - On Way, Norfolk, VA

Reached the entrance to Atlantic City about six a.m. It would have been pointless to go in at that hour. The weather was still ideal, and we had the whole day ahead of us, so we kept going. Stopped briefly at Cape May for fuel. Other than that, we just kept going.

Friday, November 11, 1994 - On way, Atlantic City

This turned out to be a perfect day. Everything went right today. We left early and got through Hell Gate on a favorable tide. The wind was still blowing hard, but it was in our favor. We zoomed across New York Harbor and through the Verrazano Narrows. We decided to head for the protected marina at Atlantic Highlands and wait for calmer wind before heading out to sea.
When we got behind the breakwater, we dropped anchor and watched carefully. Even though the breakwater protected us from the waves, the wind was still blowing like crazy. Jofian began dragging! Then we understood what happened at Throg Neck. The bottom there was soft, as it is here, so even though we thought we'd set the anchor securely, it didn't hold in the strong wind.
We upped anchor and motored to a mooring buoy. I radioed the marina to find out which buoy we should tie to. I was told that all the mooring buoys were privately owned and we couldn't use any of them. The woman at the marina was very nice. She let us tie to an end dock for a few hours for free. Roy walked to town and bought a few things, while I took a nap.
The weather forecast indicated this would be an ideal night for sailing south, so we left around four o'clock. Rounded the Hook and headed along the coast towards Atlantic City, pushed by a 15-knot northwest wind.

Thursday, November 10, 1994 - Throg Neck, NY

What a terrifying experience we had today! And we weren't even under way.
The wind blew like crazy around two or three o'clock in the morning, but our anchor held. By five, the wind had died down, so we thought we might be able to head for Sandy Hook, but when we listened to the weather forecast, we decided we'd better stay put. Then, as the morning progressed, the wind was nearly calm, the sun was shining, it was a clear, brisk, beautiful fall day, so we decided to go a little ways. It was too late by then to go through Hell Gate on a favorable tide, as we would have been able to do by leaving very early. We figured we'd just go under Throg Neck Bridge and drop anchor. Then we'd be in a good position to leave tomorrow morning.
Around noon, we anchored off Throg Neck in eight feet of water. We let out plenty of chain and backed down on the anchor to be sure it was set. Then we paddled ashore to get some groceries. A very nice couple let us leave our Royaks on their private beach and told us how to get to the stores.
We were in a pleasant residential area of well-maintained brick homes and small shops. We walked a few blocks and ate lunch at a McDonald's. On the way back, we stopped at a little produce market and bought some fresh fruits and vegetables. Then we went to the poultry market next door and bought some chicken legs.
We'd been gone about two hours when we got back to the beach where we'd left our Royaks. They were sitting there, waiting patiently. We glanced across the water to Jofian's anchorage -- and saw water! There was nothing but water where the Jofian had been! We could scarcely believe our eyes. Our boat, our home, everything we own was gone! How could she have dragged anchor, when we'd anchored her so securely? Had someone pirated her? Those were probably the worst moments of our entire cruising experience.
We scanned the horizon anxiously. Then we spotted her, drifting aimlessly near the bridge, nearly two miles away. Roy jumped in his Royak and took off in hot pursuit. I followed as soon as I could get ready. Then we saw a small tugboat towing her! Although we were relieved that Jofian was being towed to safety, we were worried that the tug captain might claim rights of salvage. Luckily for us, the tug belonged to the SUNY (State University of New York) Maritime College, which is located at Throg Neck Bridge. The kids who were on her were happy to have a little adventure and to do a good deed. They didn't ask for a nickel. They attached Jofian to a mooring buoy and gave us permission to stay there overnight.
What a relief to be back on our boat, safe and sound. We're still puzzled as to how she managed to drag anchor. The wind has been blowing 25 knots, but she seemed to be securely anchored when we left. Anyway, all's well that ends well.

Wednesday, November 9, 1994 - Mamaroneck, NY

Had no problem leaving the dock this morning, but when we got out into the Sound, we had to slog against the wind and waves for several hours. As usual, the wind diminished by noon and then changed to the north, so we were able to sail for a few hours without the engine. That was really neat. But then the wind died to nothing, so we had to start the engine again.
Covered 41 miles. Dropped anchor in Mamaroneck Harbor right at dusk. Gale winds are predicted for tonight and tomorrow, so we might be here a while.
We can see the lights of Throg Neck Bridge from here. Pretty.

Tuesday, November 8, 1994 - New Haven, CT

Went for another bus ride this morning, while we were waiting for the tide to come in, so we could get out of here. We certainly didn't want to pay for another night at this place. The bus took us all the way to Milford, which is a lovely, rural New England town. We greatly enjoyed looking at the foliage and the white-capped ocean.
Got back to the boat a little after noon. The man who drove us downtown yesterday came by the boat on his lunch hour and chatted for a while. We gave him an old copy of "Latitude 38" as a token of our appreciation.
By then, the tide was high, and we wanted to leave, but first we had to get diesel. There were two other boats at the fuel dock, so we ate lunch while we were waiting. It turned out the boats weren't waiting for fuel; they were waiting to be hauled out. It took the dockmaster about two hours to attach one boat to the Travel Lift and raise it out of the water. That gave us a little room at the fuel dock, so we motored over there and tied up. Eventually, the dockmaster came by to start the pump. By the time we'd filled the tank and eight jerry cans, it was after 3:30 -- too late to go anyplace, so we were just going to motor out into the harbor and drop anchor. To our amazement, the dockmaster apologized for keeping us waiting and offered us a free night at the marina! So he isn't such a bad guy after all.
We tied up again at our old dock and then walked a few blocks to a grocery store for cereal and juice.
The wind has died down considerably, so we should be able to depart in the morning, especially since we've turned the boat around so she's facing out.

Monday, November 7, 1994 - New Haven, CT

A lovely, clear, brisk autumn day. Great for walking but not the greatest for swimming. Nevertheless, Roy had to get into his neoprene coveralls and jump in the water. He had noticed when we were in New Bedford that the perry-nut zinc was nearly gone, and he'd been trying to get up the courage to replace it ever since. This morning, the tide had gone out so far that we were sitting in less than four feet of water, so it was an ideal opportunity. He didn't really have to dive; he could stand on the bottom and squat, which helped a lot. But the water was so murky, he couldn't even see the propeller until he had his nose right on it. It was a struggle, but eventually he got the new zinc in place.
After breakfast, he walked up to the dockmaster's office to pay for last night and tonight. If the plunge into the icy water had been a shock, the rates were more so. TWO DOLLARS A FOOT! Unreal! And this is a long way from being a first-class marina. I'd classify it as less than mediocre. Usually we find out the rates before we tie up, but yesterday we couldn't because there was no one in the office, but there aren't any expensive-looking boats here, so we figured it would be $1 a foot a less. Roy managed to talk the dockmaster down to $1.50 a foot, plus $4 for the nickel's worth of electricity we'll use, but that's still outrageous. It costs as much for two nights here as it did for a month at the Gear Locker, but with 40-knot winds on the Sound, we don't have much choice.
After paying the king's ransom for the dock space, we started walking up the street to look for a bus stop. We'd only gone a couple of blocks when a guy in a car offered us a ride. He works downtown but comes out to the marina to eat lunch, because he loves boats. He had talked with Roy for a few minutes when Roy was going to the dock-
master's office and had admired the Jofian from a distance. Now he was on his way back to work, so he offered to drive us, and we were happy to accept. On the way downtown, he provided us with a lot of information about New Haven.
Even though Roy and I grew up in New York and New England, we had never been to New Haven, except passing through on a train or the Boston Post Road, so it was all new to us. We hadn't even known that Yale is right in downtown New Haven; we had assumed it was out in the country someplace. But the magnificent university, with its wonderful architecture, is adjacent to the Village Green, which is the heart of the city of New Haven. The buildings resemble medieval cathedrals. They are of varicolored stone, with towers and parapets and massive wooden doors and intricate stone carvings. We wandered around the campus, gaping in awe. Tuition at Yale is now $28,000 a year, and no wonder, with all these beautiful buildings to maintain. Later, a bus driver told us that Yale had been modeled after Cambridge University in England.
We ate lunch at a nearby restaurant that had been recommended by the man who drove us downtown. From the outside, it looked expensive, but it turned out to be remarkably reasonable. We both had crab-salad sandwiches and strawberry shakes for less than $10 for the two of us. The place had obviously been a popular student hangout for generations; every inch of the wooden table-tops and most of the wooden walls had names carved in them.
We walked around a little more and then hopped on the first bus that came along. Rode to the end of the line and back. Then we transferred to another bus that took us way out into the country. By then, it was getting dark, so we returned to downtown New Haven and walked around trying to find the stop for the bus that would take us back to the marina. Luckily, we found the stop minutes before the bus arrived. They only run once an hour, so we'd have had a long wait for the next one. The bus took us within a block of the marina, and we were back on the boat before 6:30.

Sunday, November 6, 1994 - New Haven, CT

Enjoyed a very calm night, but gale winds are predicted for tomorrow night and Monday. We'd like to get to New Haven today, but might have to pull into a harbor before then, if the wind kicks up.
Jofian had swung over towards a big rock and was in six feet of water, so we pulled up the anchor and took off before breakfast. Ate along the way.
The wind picked up as the day went on, but it was a favorable sailing wind, and apparently we had the tidal current in our favor, too, so we zoomed along at more than seven knots. Reached New Haven before three o'clock, which was fortunate, because we weren't sure where to go. If it had been dark, we'd have had to drop anchor wherever we were, but with daylight we eventually found a marina and tied to a dock. The marina office was closed, so we weren't able to get a key or hook up the electricity, but at least we have a sheltered place to stay.
There are no grocery stores within walking distance, so a very nice woman on the next boat drove me to a super market and back. She has lived on her boat for about six months. Her name is Ruth, and she's a pediatrician in residency here.

Saturday, November 5, 1994 - Fisher's Island, RI

Sort of a weird day. Had no trouble leaving the dock early in the morning, but right off we discovered the GPS receiver in the cockpit didn't work. Roy thought we'd have to send it back to the factory for repairs, but after reading the manual, I concluded it probably only needed new batteries. Roy didn't think that could be the problem, because we've been running it off the boat batteries. The Loran has needed a new battery for a long time, so it doesn't work either. Roy was about ready to turn around and return to Newport, but luckily the old GPS receiver still works, so we used it.
The wind was dead against us most of the way, so we had to motor. The waves were really slamming us, too. Slowed us down quite a bit, so instead of proceeding to the Connecticut River as we had planned, we dropped anchor in the cove at Fisher's Island. On the way around the end of the island, we passed three consecutive red buoys, all numbered "2". Not the least bit confusing, of course.
When we got settled down, Roy got out his handy-dandy volt-
ammeter and checked the batteries in the GPS. Sure enough, they were very low. He replaced them, and Bingo! the GPS worked good as new. What a relief that is! He also checked the batteries in the old GPS. They were on their last legs, so he replaced them also. It's a wonder the GPS kept running as long as it did.

Friday, November 4, 1994 - Newport, RI

We lucked out. Beautiful sunny day today. We left at quarter to six and reached Newport around three. Had a great sail part of the way, but then had to use the engine. We're actually on our way!
Frank's wife drove to Newport to pick him up. Roy wanted to take the new diesel heater that he'd shipped from California and that had been bent out of shape in transit to a West Marine store to see if they'd exchange it. Frank drove us over there and back in his wife's car. Sure enough, West Marine gave us a brand new heater without batting an eye. They certainly have an excellent exchange policy.

Thursday, November 3, 1994 - New Bedford, MA

Beautiful, warm, sunny day, but still windy. I took the bus into Providence and learned a few more things. Found out Frank Mauran bought the Dorr Mansion from the Providence Preservation Society, so apparently, Aunty Margarethe sold or gave it to the Society.
Also wandered around the beautiful, magnificent Brown University campus and envied the students. If it hadn't been for Aunty Margarethe, that's where I would have gone.
I'd been wanting to buy a book in French, so I could relearn the language, but I hadn't been able to find one at any normal bookstore. It occurred to me that the Brown University Bookstore would have books in various languages, so I went there. They had a vast assortment of books in French. I'd been wanting to read Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past" anyway, so when I found volume one in French, I bought it.
Also went to Swan Point Cemetery. Found out the dates and places of Aunt Mat and Unk's births and deaths. They were both born in Pennsylvania. Aunt Mat was born in Ringtown August 4, 1864, and named Martha Alvaretta Applegate. Unk was born in Shamokin, August 30, 1861, and named James Buchanan Klase, after the former president. Unk died April 2, 1950, and Aunt Mat August 11, 1953. They'd both been cremated, so there was no gravesite to visit.
Got back early, so I could go to the Post Office. Just one letter. Went to the super market and bought a few groceries.
Roy's bicycle tire went flat, so he borrowed Jay Jay's truck and took his bike to a shop and got the tire fixed.
Tomorrow looks like a go. We dismantled our bikes and put them away. Frank O'Neil, a very nice guy who's interested in buying the Jofian in a couple of years, will be going with us.

Wednesday, November 2, 1994 - New Bedford, MA

Blew like crazy all night and all day. Cold, too, even though the wind's out of the southwest. 40-knot gales on the ocean. Glad we're tied to the dock.
Roy continued working on the boat. Replaced his head. I stayed on the boat all day, bundled up in the warm winter clothes my kids gave me. I had hoped to go the Post Office and the grocery store today, but it's too cold and windy.
Looks as if we won't be able to get out of here tomorrow, either. Wind will still be strong and waves high.

Tuesday, November 1, 1994 - New Bedford, MA

I thought I'd gotten over my defugalties, but at three o'clock in the morning, here they came again. I had planned on going to Providence today, but I called it off. Walked over to the drugstore and made some phone calls. In the afternoon, I felt well enough to go to Dartmouth Mall and see a movie. It was a lot of fun, even though the plot was full of holes. It was a good kids' movie, called "Squanto". It was about a Patuxet brave in the early 1600's.
Roy spent most of the day mounting the anchor winch he bought in California. He mounted it in the stern, so we can use a stern anchor if we need to or winch ourselves off if we go aground. (Who, us? We never go aground!)
The wind finally made it into the inner harbor. It's been blowing like crazy out of the southwest. Tomorrow's supposed to be more of the same, but on Thursday it should shift to the northwest, so maybe we'll have a chance to get out of here.