Kathryn’s Voyage Blog

Publish Date: Monday, November 8, 2010
After spending two beautiful months in parts of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, I never managed to post one blog about this charming, historical, and friendly area. My apologies New England.

Last year we whizzed through the area, as we were late heading south from the Canadian Maritimes. (Can you really call it whizzing when you only go 6.5 kts?) Anyway, our stops were few, and they were quick. However, having sampled the beauty of the area, we knew we wanted to return. So in August, Three@Sea returned to Narragansett Bay for a more extended stay.

The cooler temperatures where a treat after two months in the Chesapeake during one of their hottest summers on record. I was particularly struck by the friendliness of Rhode Islanders. They have an easy smile and an unassuming way that immediately puts you at ease. They are very polite drivers, and think nothing of stopping traffic (even during rush hour) to let cross traffic get across multiple lanes. No horns blowing, no big hand gestures, just a smile and wave. As we travel, I’m always fascinated by the small cultural gestures that tell you about a place your visiting.

I took over 700 pictures of the area, with grand plans to write detailed blogs accompanied by photo essays from the old seaport at Mystic, Connecticut; to Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower in Massachusetts; from apple picking in Rhode Island, to “chowdah” on Martha’s Vineyard. But alas they did not come to pass. Instead, I give you the “Reader’s Digest” version of these magical areas.

Highlights:
Biggest surprise (other than how courteous Rhode Island drivers are), was the size of Plymouth rock. Somehow I was thinking Rock of Gibraltar size, not slightly bigger than a bread box.

Loved the passion, skill, and determination of the many historical societies that have worked miracles to preserve, and in some instances recreate, important places in our American history. It’s important to know where we have come from, as we evolve towards our future. Some favorites:

• Plimoth Plantation does a great job sharing the story of the pilgrims arrival at Plymouth rock (yes there are multiple spellings) from both the native Wampanaog perspective as well as the Mayflower pilgrims point of view. http://www.plimoth.org
• Freedom Trail in Boston is an easy 2.5 mile trek through the city filled with tales of hope, conflict, and passions, against a backdrop of historical sites.  http://www.thefreedomtrail.org
• Old Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut is a trip to a mid-1800’s fishing village. Think a small Williamsburg for the seafaring life. http://www.mysticseaport.org

Martha’s Vineyard is strikingly beautiful, with a quirky “Sybil” like personality. At less than 100 square miles, the island is home to vastly different personas. The elegant old homes of whaling captains blend seamlessly with the extravagant and impeccably manicured vacation homes of New England’s wealthiest in Edgartown. Tents from summer religious revival meetings of old have given way to a colorful, playful architecture in Oak Bluffs, which is wrapped in a relaxed summer beach “carnival” atmosphere . Vineyard Haven acts as the bustling hub of tourism and various harbor activities; a small Aquinnah population still celebrates their native heritage on the west end of the island; and the fiery, fiercely private individuals of Chappaquiddick act as guardians of the east end. Whatever your tastes — fishing fleets or flamboyant yachts, chowdah or haute cuisine, a quiet paddle or a bustling bar — you can find it on Martha’s Vineyard.

Then there is the equally beautifully but completely different Block Island, where almost the entire perimeter of this island is beach. It emanates such a relaxed vibe, you just feel an overwhelming desire to sit down and pull out a book or quietly walk along the beach in reflection. New Shoreham, the one small town on the island, acts as a perfect host welcoming you to its beauty, but then quickly sends you off on foot, bike, moped or jeep to go explore and find your own piece of peace within the islands fields or upon the sentinel cliffs, along the meandering beaches or in the simple act of walking a labyrinth. Serene.

As with most places we’ve been fortunate enough to visit, it is the people we meet that bring the spirit of a place to life. We saw old friends we’d met just last year, and made new ones on this trip. Length of acquaintance does not dictate the quality of these friendships, it is the sharing of experiences together. We thank them all for their ideas (like apple picking in Rhode Island, which produced the best apple pie we’ve ever eaten), encouragement, laughter, and most excellent site seeing tips.

New England definitely has its own personality. I never cease to be amazed by the great diversity of our country—geographically, architecturally, historically, and culturally. The red brick homes of Virginia give way to the gray shingled homes of Martha’s Vineyard; the low country marsh morphs to low stones walls covered in wild concord grapevines which have been separating neighbor’s property since before the revolutionary war; tales and music of whaling expeditions live along side stories and rituals of native cultures. The blanket that embraces our country seems more quilt than woven tapestry, with the fabric squares being the unique identity of each area bound together by values of freedom, individualism, and respect.

Thank you New England for the living history lesson.