Manchester by the Sea

Gloucester was a fun town and we thoroughly enjoyed out visit. Yesterday we added to the excitement by defrosting the refrigerator! That activity requires us to remove everything from the fridge and patiently wait for the ice that formed on the cold plate to melt. We definitely do not try to move things along by using a metal knife, even if it is a butter knife. Right Ellen?

We went for a long walk along the waterfront yesterday and came across this sweet little beach. No swimming for us, but it definitely adds to the town’s appeal.

…So does a teddy bear tea party in the street.

This morning after a leisurely start we slowly motored about eight miles down to Manchester by the Sea. We are so close to Boston the skyline is starting to loom large on the horizon, but we’ve got a week before we need to be there so we are taking baby steps down the coast.

Manchester by the Sea is a gorgeous harbor. The anchorage is extremely well protected and extremely crowded. Perhaps the most astonishing thing about this place is that by asking politely at the yacht club, visiting yachts get complimentary moorings. (A donation to the club’s Christmas fund is recommended.)

We are among so many beautiful boats, packed cheek-by-jowl. There’s another Nordic Tug 37 moored nearby, the first we’ve seen on our travels this season.

Also, can we talk about the spectacular blue sky?

Ellen and I walked to town after we got the boat squared away and ate lunch. Then we took the dinghy to town so we could get some groceries. There’s a nice town dock about 50 yards from a terrific grocery store. Couldn’t be easier.

Now we are relaxing aboard, listening to the chuckle of water on the hull and the tink tink of halyards on masts.