Sept. 13-15 - Newport, RI

Newport Harbor –Anchorage

“My escape is to just get in a boat and disappear on the water.” —Carl Hiaasen

We had a very rough ride down Buzzards Bay and the Atlantic, but we arrived in Newport safely and we're glad to be in the protection of the harbor. The harbor was busy and very crowded since the boat show is starting in a few days. We usually like to pick up a mooring but there weren't any available. We anchored near the yacht club and the fort a little more exposed than we like, but we made it work.

Newport is one of our favorite towns...very old and full of history. It was founded in 1639. It attracted settlers in the early days for the religious freedom it offered. It became a major port in the whale business and in the slave trade. Most of the buildings in town were built in the 1700 & 1800's. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, wealthy southern planters seeking to escape the heat began to build summer "cottages" on Bellevue Avenue and it became the summer playground to America's wealthiest families. Some of the large mansions are now museums. Newport's harbor has been filled with yachts since the Gilded Age and is the sailing capital of New England. In the summer the docks are lined with mega yachts, here for the summer social season.

Bowen's Wharf - full of art galleries, restaurants, shops and boating executions.

Bannister's Wharf - full of shops and restaurants along the waterfront.

 Trinity Church

The Colony House 

Homes in Newport

We didn't do as much in Newport as we hoped. Most of our time was spent recovering from our two long days on the water and the extremely long sleepless night we spent in the anchorage Wednesday night. High winds and swells made it almost impossible to stay in bed. Everything in the cabin had to be put away or tied down. Thursday morning was still horrible, so we dressed and were in town before 7:30. We had a nice breakfast at Rosemary & Thyme's and relaxed in the park until the boat show opened. We spent the rest of the day touring boats and dreaming. 

The Newport International Boat Show encompasses 13 acres of Newport’s famed waterfront with all makes and models of powerboats and sailboats ranging from 16 ft. to 85 ft. People are welcomed to board all of them. There are also tents filled with any kind of boating gear, clothing, guidebooks and equipment you can think of. One day is definitely not enough time to see it all, but the only good weather day to move south is on Friday…so we’ll say goodbye to Newport a little early and move on.

The Newport International Boat Show