We encountered a wicked current as we passed the lighthouse, entered the channel to Portsmouth and cruised up the Piscataqua River. We took a mooring ball at the Portsmouth Yacht Club which took a little while to tie up at due to the raging current.
As soon as we were settled we ate lunch on board and then took an Uber into Portsmouth with Joe and Pat. We walked all around this beautiful city with its stately red brick architecture, attractive storefronts, and flower-filled parks and squares. The city seems to be thriving. Everything is beautifully maintained and even the newer buildings are in keeping with the traditional look and feel of the city’s historical past.
That evening we ate on board and as night fell the rocking and rolling that we were experiencing due to the current and fast moving boats calmed down somewhat. But the next two mornings we were awakened by the current and the wakes of passing boats both of which were stronger than most anything like it that we had encountered before. Clearly we won’t be staying at this mooring field in the future! The yacht club has a launch that we used sometimes to go into shore but because it served such a big area, it was often slow to arrive so we used our dinghy as well. Getting on and off the launch and the dinghy was tricky and sometimes dangerous due to that raging current. While waiting for the launch, this fishing boat tied up to get fuel. I got a kick out of its name!
On Sunday morning, we took Archie into shore to walk around the tiny town of New Castle, the smallest town in New Hampshire. It may be small (population 1000) but it is quite prosperous as is evident from all the beautiful and tastefully appointed historic homes lining the shore and charming by-ways. We had breakfast at the cute little Island Café where I had my first Dutch Baby for breakfast. Yum! We walked all around this charming hamlet and chatted with some of the homeowners who were very friendly and informative. One of the homes had a very old section that had been lovingly restored to its 1724 look including replicas of the original nailheads used!
Later that afternoon we had a visit from Rachel, who had been Jonny’s sister Lynn’s best friend for years and years before Lynn passed away. We hadn’t seen Rachel for 20 years when she last visited us in Miami Beach. She had been living in Portsmouth for many years and just moved over the border into Maine. We had a wonderful time catching up on each other’s lives. Later on she drove us into Portsmouth where we had an early dinner at the Oar House overlooking the water. We highly recommend the Oar House Delight with shrimp, scallops, and haddock in a sherried lobster sauce. It was delicious!
Afterwards we had a quiet evening on board celebrating the decision that Stephanie and Ryan made in finding their wedding venue and securing a date - October 28, 2023. It is a venue reflecting Stephanie’s dream wedding since she was a young girl!
We will be starting our cruise up the coast of Maine the next day. First stop will be an anchorage near Cliff Island in the Casco Bay Islands northeast of Portland.
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