All good things come to an end, so Madrone reluctantly pulled out of Martha’s Vineyard to head further north.
The Elizabeth Islands form a line off the southern coast of Massachusetts, dividing Buzzards Bay to the north from Vineyard Sound to the south. While largely privately owned by the Forbes family, parts of the islands are still generously made available to passing boaters like us. Why does the Forbes family do this? We’re not sure, but we’re very glad they do – the scenery is gorgeous, the weather protection is good, and the atmosphere is relaxed.
Next up is the Cape Cod Canal, excavated in the early 1900s and officially opened for transit in 1914. Providing a convenient shortcut to the long trip around the outside of Cape Cod, each side of the canal’s ~10 mile length is a public park filled with folks walking, running, biking, fishing, or just watching the boat traffic.
We timed the approach to the canal so that the strong currents would push us through, and Madrone managed her first ever canal transit successfully.
Sailing north in the light winds prevalent along the coast, Madrone pulled into the friendly Satuit Boat Club in Scituate, Massachusetts, on the south shore outside of Boston.
