Day 6, July 3, Beverly to Boston

Today we woke up to calm seas and warm, blue, sunny skies. The wind picked up shortly after breakfast and we made our way south through the Beverly islands headed out past Marblehead neck lighthouse into Massachusetts Bay.The winds held fair out of the southeast today at about 10 knots and we made good time close-hauled all the way from Marblehead to Boston harbor on a single tack. Surprisingly, they were few boats in the bay and as we approach the harbor the primary activity was that of dredging barges and crane, as they scooped their mud and seawater from the channel.

Entering the harbor, we made our way to peddocks Island which was, for a time, an island the Portuguese fisherman who where displaced from their homes in the city of Boston as the city developed. it was also the site at the turn of the last century of a summer hotel and in later years during the 1917 and 1940s served as a fort during World War I and II as well as an outpost to guard against German subs potentially entering the harbor.

We strolled the island and found it to be a gym, with wooded hills and craigie bluffs and a goodly population of deer as well. one of the old military buildings have been turned into an information and welcome center. Camping is allowed on the island and one may select from a campsite or a well-furnished yurt complete with electric roof fan.

after our ramble about the island we returned, rowing partial eclipse back to our Anchorage just offshore of the beach. Dinner was chicken breast stuffed with bacon and cheese and a vegetable medley which included some freshly picked milkweed from the island. Delicious!

After the sunset, the sky was aglow with fireworks both private and Town sponsored from all around the harbor. For miles around, we could see the bursting flares and colorful displays from our vantage onboard eclipse.  A wonderful end to a beautiful, nearly one tack, sailing day