Block Island is about 15 miles from mainland. Rhode Island to the north, and 15 miles from Long Island to the west. This island is a destination for weekend boaters, similar to Santa Catalina Island off of the Southern California coast (which we are familiar with). Our first impression was that Block Island was substantially larger than Catalina with it’s large houses on beautiful lawns, marinas, and long roads. However upon doing a little research I’m surprised to learn that it is much smaller. Only 10 square miles compared to Catalina’s 75 square miles, and one quarter the population.
We arrived in Block Island’s Great Salt Pond on Monday hoping to escape the fog and rain in Stonington, as well as ensure a good spot to anchor for the July 4th holiday. For the next three days we had high winds, rain, and fog, and watched the boats streaming into the channel. We saw anchoring disasters with boats drifting and dragging into each other, it was a constant source of concern. Fireworks were scheduled for July 3rd, but the fog socked us in, so the show was postponed.
We sailed the Hobie around in the fog and found people on the beaches shivering and wishing their summer would start. We did note how tough these people are as dinghies full of kids in bright new bathing suits zipped around in the downpours, people fished in the fog, and speed boats dragged kids on tubes around in the wind. On one dry day the kids went to the dock to collect crabs, not for eating but for counting and the fun of it.
Finally the sun came out bright and hot on July 4th. We walked the humid mile to town and came across a lemonade stand. I was impressed that this stand had been open since 1956, the girl running it this year said her grandmother used to sell lemonade there. Sounds good, so we bought a round and left a tip for the picture.
Most years we spend the 4th in Creede, CO, so we noted similarities like homemade fudge.
Creede is also the home of Eric’s favorite hot dog stand, the Best Little Dog House. The town of New Shoreham on Block Island also has a hot dog stand everyone enjoyed.
They even had Lobster Rolls. At first I thought I was going to get some sort of lobster burrito all rolled up, but was served this yummy lobster salad sandwich on a ‘roll’.
The street was quickly filling up with parade watchers.
Earlier this week Eric and the sisters discussed what the 4th of July would be like at Disneyland. They wistfully remembered the parades and fireworks. We were amazed to see this year’s Block Island parade theme is the World of Disney. The parade opened with the Volunteer Fire Department.
Followed by military representatives, past and present.
The color guard stationed themselves around the flagpole for the National Anthem and raising the flag. Earlier today I downloaded a patriotic song album so the kids were prepared to join the singing.
The parade lineup was impressive with a brass band playing traditional patriotic marching tunes.
A giant flag.
The ladies fife group.
A cool uni/tricycle.
Then there were the Disney entries like this Mickey Mouse Club.
The Tagart Pipes & Drums, stopped to perform.
Like in Creede, the local shops and restaurants have entries in the parade.
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The locals had fun dressing up like a Disney Parade.
There were Jeeps everywhere. This flower Jeep caught the girls’ eye.
There were several families that got into the Disney Spirit.
We all like red Jeeps, especially ones with Mickey and Minnie.
Finally someone took off their mouse ears and put on their stars and stripes.
Apparently, Jeep guys don’t stick only to Jeeps. In Eric’s case he has Jeeps and boats. This picture of an Oldsmobile 442 is for Steve, one of our California Jeep pals.
Princess Jeep for the sisters.
Old Willys Jeep for Eric.
More Jeeps.
And even more Jeeps. You would think this was a Jeep parade!
On our walk back to the boat we stopped by the Volunteer Fire Department’s festivities. This reminded us of our very own Angelus Oaks Volunteer Fire Department and their Labor Day Pancake Breakfast.
But, WOWSY, they weren’t flipping pancakes, it was a steak roast. We were all so disappointed that we had just eaten hotdogs, chicken strips and lobster salad. The spread they put on at the fire department might woo us here next year.
We were hot and tired, but Topaz had a nice morning resting on the boat. Lets go play before the fireworks tonight. We sailed the Hobie, Genny went wakeboarding, Roy fished, Topaz tromped around at the beach, Marie did this and that, and then the FOG came back. No fireworks tonight.
Luckily the weather has been getting progressively better and our new friend’s came by for a few days. A few weeks ago Eric spotted a Leopard 40 in the Housatonic River. They have a girl Genny and Marie’s age and are going cruising this fall. Another interesting bit of info is that this Pimentel Family contacted the Rodney and Jane Pimentel family, we bought our boat from, and found out that their great-grandfather’s were brothers from the Azores. We had a delicious dinner on their boat, the girls played all day for two days, they put on a great mermaid play, sparklers lit up the night and then…..
Without any fog in the sky we watched the fireworks.
We had a great view from the harbor. Afterwards private fireworks went off on the beaches that surround us.
Today there is a long parade of boats filing out the channel heading for home and business as usual on Monday. We’ll follow them to Newport, RI tomorrow. It’s time to find a laundry and grocery store. We only have another week or so left in New England so Roy and I will be an a quest for seafood restaurants. We’ll probably stop at Martha’s Vineyard later in the week and then make our plan to head to the Delaware Bay, into the Chesapeake and down to a Marina in Solomon’s Island.