This is as far, a little above Latitude 41, I made it from Cape Charles, Latitude 37 plus. I set off from Greenport, Long Island, N.Y. on August 12^th. I set my course for Newport R.I., the North American Sailing Capital. But the winds changed and I diverted to Block Island R.I. This is my third day on the island. I am anchored in the Salt Pond. A busy place, hundreds of yachts, most are on mooring buoys. Water taxis take me to and from shore for $4 and the same for the bike. There are similarities with Port Jefferson with day-trippers coming by ferries from the mainland. The countryside reminds me of the South of England and also the San Juan Islands; stone hedges mark the property lines, white shingle sidings. The only place for me to connect on the internet is the library in Shoreham, the nearest and main town on the island. None of the restaurants and bars provide wi-fi.

My apologies for the quality of the pictures. Since the drowning of my Nikon D-3200 and my cellphone, I am using the Go-Pro and a dated I-phone. I just got onto the internet and discovered that my previous blog is from Port Jefferson. I sailed from Port Jefferson on Tuesday to Greenport. A very fast sail with wind and current. Arthur Stroem let me use his mooring in the harbor while they are still out cruising further north. A delightful spot. The town has a very laid-back atmosphere. But the bumbling sailor had another mishap. While bringing my folding bike to shore, I lifted it from the dinghy onto the dock and lost my balance, both bike and I went overboard. I had my Nikon and cell phone in the backpack. Both are toast. I should have (familiar?) lifted it from the dock out of the dinghy. I was totally soaked. The couple on the closest boat, Chris and Judy, helped me onto the dock and had me put the phone in a bag of rice.

The replacement cell-phone is already waiting for me in Mystic Seaport and a used D-3300 will arrive the same day I shall be pulling in, on the 19^th. The 3300 is the same model as the one I left on the Pierce Transit bus in 2017. Now I will be able to use the 70-300-zoom lens again, which was not compatible with the drowned -3200.

I will attend the 10 a.m. service in town. Later this afternoon, my friends from Greenport will join me here. We will either leave tomorrow or Tuesday and I’ll follow them back to Greenport from where I plan to sail on Thursday the 19^th to Mystic Seaport. My presentation is on Friday morning at 10 a.m. I managed to find an exact used replacement for my Aqua Signal 40 Series Tri Color, from the well-known Sailors Exchange in Saint Augustine. It is also waiting for me at the Wooden Boat Show. I need to find a muscled helper to crank me to the mast head. The last time I had the help of my Gig Harbor friends, at anchor for the Heineken Regatta on Sint Maarten, in March last year.

Yesterday I heard from Lisa that the Scots are already arriving on August 24 and flying back to Glasgow on September 7^th. Wish me luck with the weather conditions to get to Kinsale, off the Potomac, in better time than the way north.

I’m just reading a comment on my previous blog from my new friend Russ Grimm. He tells me that Block Island is named after the Dutch discoverer Adriaen Block. So, that makes me currently a “Chip off the Old Block”. I am in the gestation process of an article for “Zeilen” the Dutch sailing monthly that has published a few of my articles of the world voyage and I mentioned this to Russ that I like to reference the places I visit on this trip with the first Dutchmen who discovered these places. New York is, of course, a well-known. But I had never heard of Block Island connection. I was very fortunate to meet Russ and his wife Doreen in Hampton at the start of this trip. He is a, Military (by trade) and other by hobby, history expert and he has already coached me with great sources.

Here the few pictures :