It was about 8pm Sunday night (a little earlier than usual) when my VHF came on and our weekly boat to boat conversations started. The call was initiated by the Whale, she was out of the garage and back in the water, her new home in RI was nice but she missed cover of the garage.

Whale started to report about the weekend in Allen Harbor, then the rest of the boats joined in. There was 2 Degrees, Karamal, Zemer Hiem, Mildred Rose, Magic, Istolr, Zusamman an oday 222 and the boat that still has no name(roger & Mike). Whale kept talking about all the new boats and how the ride down was slower than usual but done well and how the people at the dock took good care of her and made sure her mast was up right.

Now Whale hated to sit at the dock waiting for the people to eat at the restaurant but with the 'no name' boat rafted to her she had someone to talk to. When the sailors got back it was sleep time and the boats went to slips, anchor or moorings for the night. In the morning at the late captains meeting we found out that there really was a first mate on Mildred Rose, (you know the talk the first Allen Harbor Rendezvous).

It was a lumpy ride taking the south route to Potter's Cove. Whale was planning to go to Newport but with the water so rough and the wind so gusty she thought better and checked up on the slower boats. Then Zusammen who was quiet interrupted and started to talk, but as a lady of the sea I cannot repeat the whole story, lets just leave it that after a daring rescue at sea the Zusammen was forced to anchor away from the group then in the dark had to pickup the first mate off the Whale and moored away from the group. What could have gone on that they needed such privacy? The pictures may but I'll never tell.

As for the rescue at sea, Istolr after working very hard to show her new owners a good time could not depend on her motor to get in and started to drift away from shore. That is when the group got the call and Zusammen went to the rescue. When Istolr was anchored Zimer Hiem sent over her captain, the Honda Expert, to locate the motor problem which was a bad fuel line. But this was on the start of the buzz, 2 Degrees came into the anchorage under sail and with a line caught in the dagger board could not be beached so she was taken out the a mooring by Barbara and fixed as best as could be then returned to the group.

When the boats were finally rafted the usual get-on-another-boat thing happened and the talk was about the lumpy ride over and setting the anchors etc. The kids on the Oday 222 wanted to go out in there little inflatable but the wind was too high for that, but there was another use for it. It seem the first mate on the Karamal could not go into the water, jaws or other things that eat human flesh were about, so the little raft was enlisted into service. Check the pictures, a one man raft with a woman trying to get into it from an M. The captain of the Karamal, who spent most of the day in the water, was there to hold the raft tight to Mildred Rose for the transfer, which did not go smoothly but was accomplished and the group gave a cheer and was ready for sleep.

The night went as usual and the wind in the morning was not as bad as the prior day but with bad weather approaching we chose to head back to Allen Harbor early. One after another the NE-TS boats took off and it looked so nice. They took the north route back.

Whale came from behind and was catching up to the first boats when the motor would not start (too much time in the garage). So the captain had to get her to the dock under sail. After an excellent sail in to the dock the helpful hand of other NE-TS captains got her snug and ready for the trailer. It must be noted that all the boat captains were on the dock helping not only with there own boats but also the numerous other boats that were docking. It was a great weekend for ne-ts boats and we will discuss it till we meet again.

Above: Sailors from my friends Zusamman and Whale

Above: Shuttling

Above: Sailors from my friend Zusammen.