Final Mooring and Berthing Information for the Cruise

We now have all the details for the mooring and berthing options for the cruise. Please review and make your reservations as soon as possible!

Newport/Jamestown, RI

For Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 29- July 1:

Conanicut Marina, they have slips and moorings. Please identify yourself as a BWSC member as I am asking them to get us moorings together as much as possible.

http://www.conanicutmarina.com/marina/transient-reservations.html. $50/night and they have excellent restroom/shower facilities, launch and wifi, plus a good chandlery a short walk up the road. There is a launch service and a ferry over to Newport

Cuttyhunk, MA

Monday, July 2 and Tuesday, July 3

Moorings are first come first serve, $40 per night. There are at least 50 available and rafting is allowed, so we expect that with daily turnover that we should be able to get a mooring or two if we get there reasonably early in the day. Slips can be reserved with the harbormaster. There are restrooms ashore, but no showers. Rates are posted as $2.25/ft/night, extra charge for electricity  harbormaster@cuttyhunkmarina.net, George Isabel Harbormaster, m 508 971-1388

Anchoring is an option, both inside the pond and outside to the east, and depending on the crowds it may be the only option so you may want to brush up on your anchoring skills. We have extra 37 and 44 lb. Anchors and rodes if you are only sporting a lunch hook and want some anchoring firepower.

Fairhaven/New Bedford, MA

Wednesday, July 4

Slips can be arranged with Fred Stenquist the Dockmaster at Fairhaven Shipyard: (774) 263 3357. $3.25/ft/nite and $10/nite for electricity. There are restroom/shower/laundry facilities, wifi and gas grills.

Moorings in New Bedford harbor are administered by Whaling City Expeditions, (http://www.whalingcityexpeditions.com/mooring-rentals.html) Diane Pontiff  (508) 984-4979  Diane has BWSC penciled in for 4th and 5th in the mooring field near the shipyard.  $30/night, cash or check (no credit cards).  They offer launch for $4/person/trip.  People should preferably e-mail, or they can call, and indicate they are with BWSC and provide cell phone # that they will be using on the cruise.  Diane will e-mail the mooring assignments about a week before the cruise 

(http://www.whalingcityexpeditions.com/mooring-rentals.html)

Be sure to get your NE PHRF renewed if you wish to join in the racing!

Now that warm, sunny weather is more prevalent we are seeing a lot more interest in the joining the mini-cruise! So far we have:

Vice Commodore Dave Patton and Past Commodore Sue Patton
Herb and Ruth Weiss on WINDPOWER
Jack and Pam May on KEEWAYDIN
David and Jennifer Pomfret on LIVING PROOF
Tom and Kem Vassallo on MISE EN PLACE

We now have confirmation from the Mayor's office in New Bedford that the fireworks are on for July 4! We have seen them before and they do not disappoint. If you are planning on joining us and have not done so yet please let us know of your intentions to join in and most importantly please make your mooring reservations ASAP at Conanicut Marine before they fill up! Go to http://www.conanicutmarina.com/marina/transient-reservations.html.

Also if you plan to join the race from Newport to Cuttyhunk, club rules require that you have a current phrf rating. Email us if you need assistance organizing that for your boat.

More trip information coming soon!

So in talking to our Vice Commodore Dave Patton today we conjured up a fun itinerary for the cruise:

Friday June 29 or Saturday the 30th arrive to Jamestown, RI. Twilight plans to be there by 5 PM Friday for Happy Hour and after the susnet cannon and striking hte colors, dinner in Jamestown. Everyone will want to reserve a mooring with Conanicut Marine in Jamestown or try to wedge into the anchorage in Newport Harbor.

Saturday and Sunday we'll be ringside for the America's Cup World Series between Fort Adams and Ft. Wetherill. For us at least, this is likely a once in a lifetime opportunity and we are very excited it has come back to Newport for the first time in many years!

Depending on the race schedule which is not yet published we'll have some sailing outings or perhaps a can race on Sunday as well.

If your weekend is packed, you can stil join us on Monday for a (hopefully) downhill race to Cuttyhunk Island! Once there you can anchor or get a mooring (no reservations) and we'll arrange a beach BBQ and bonfire Cuttyhunk style. We'll stay again on Tuesday so that everyone can enjoy the unique and simple splendor of one of the best destinations in the area. We can also arrange for a Striper fishing charter and a dinghy flotilla over to the very large seal community just southeast of Penikese island.

On Wednesday, we'll sail north to Fairhaven to the Shipyard that is just inside the hurricane barrier. Fairhaven is where the first battles of the revolutionary war were fought by Nathanial Pope on May 13-14 1775! You can anchor, moor or get a slip and the fireworks barge sets up just off of the Shipyard wharf!!

Before the fireworks we'll have a BBQ at the pavillion in the Shipyard or people can try one of three really excellent restaurants within walking distance with a nice stroll through a neighborhood of wonderful homes originally built by whaling ship captains.

For information on all these activities and locations see the links elsewhere on this blog.

More to come soon!

Welcome to the BWSC JULY 04 South 2012 BLOG!

Hello Blue Water Sailors,


Capt. Anita and I are excited to be hosting the July 4 South Independence Day Cruise beginning Friday June 29 and ending with a big (yes really big) celebration on Wednesday July 4. It is especially exciting to have the opportunity to call on Newport during the America' Cup World Series Events that lead up to the Americas Cup Finals! For those that cannot make the entire 5 days, we have arranged a couple of convenient points for you or some of your crew to join in or disembark from the group. We have a great number of sailing and non-sailing activities that we can decide on in addition to some great happy hour, picnicking and dinner opportunities. You will also have the opportunity to join in late or leave early as your schedule mandates. Without your boat or your boat is not in the area then? Write us and we'll see if we can match crew with participating boats! Stay tuned as we begin to outline here the fun itinerary and activities that we'll mix into the trip!

Anita & R. Todd Smith
S/V Twilight
rtoddsmith1@gmail.com
acrsmith@usa.net