Fairfield, CT

---

We finally left New London on October 11 after a two week stay.  It was a sunny and warm day and the waters appeared to be very calm when we left at 8 a.m.  However, once we got out onto Long Island Sound we encountered some very choppy seas.   The waves looked to be about 3-4 feet and their intervals were very short, making for a rather uncomfortable journey.  We were glad that we had no guests aboard as they would not have been happy cruisers.  But we needed to “make hay while the sun was shining” so we hunkered down and spent the day heading for Fairfield.

After about 6-7 hours, as we got closer to the eastern end of Long Island Sound, the waters calmed down a bit, so the captain had a chance to take a nap.

Our plan was to stay near Fairfield so we could visit Jonny’s Aunt Edith (Skid) and perhaps see one of Lynn’s old buddies.  Fairfield is Lynn’s home town but she hadn’t spent a lot of time here since her parents moved to nearby Stratford after her dad retired.  The closest and best place to stay was Captain Cove’s Marina in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport right next door to Fairfield. 

Shortly after we arrived, Jonny’s cousin Abby and her husband, Rich, arrived with Skid in tow.  The cousins came aboard to see Zendo while Lynn stayed on the dock with Skid who uses a walker these days (which aren’t conducive to boats).  Afterwards we drove to a very nice restaurant in Fairfield Center called Centro.  There, we had a delicious dinner and lively conversation about old times and new which Skid generously hosted.

It was an eye-opener for Lynn to see how Fairfield Center has changed over the years.  The town looked beautiful with tree-lined streets, lots of attractive stores – so much of it barely recognizable (though it had always been a lovely town).   If we had had more time, it would have been fun to drive by her old home and more familiar haunts – but we’ll have to save that for another time.

Later on, after returning to the boat, Lynn’s old high school buddy, Billy Rappoport came by to see us and the boat.  He stayed for quite a while and we caught up on each other’s lives since we only see each other every few years.   It was a wonderful reunion with all concerned and we were touched by our friends and family taking time out to visit with us.

New London, CT

---

On September 25, we left Stonington Harbor bound for Jonny’s home town, New London, CT.  It was great to have Addie and Lange aboard to join us on this particular cruise.  The trip was a pretty quick one with beautiful weather and fairly calm seas – though there were a few whitecaps.  Jonny was very moved by the opportunity to sail into his home town harbor.  As a boy, he always dreamed of having a boat and never achieved that dream until our move to Florida.  So seeing New London from the water and arriving on Zendo was definitely a special moment for him.

New London is one of the oldest and most  historic towns in Connecticut.  Founded in 1646, it is located at the mouth of the Thames River which flows into Long Island Sound and has one of the deepest harbors on the Sound.  During the Revolutionary War, it became an important base for naval operations.  For several decades it was the second busiest whaling port in the world.  It is also home to the US Coast Guard Academy and the Naval Submarine Base New London (where many of our nuclear submarines are built) and home port for the classic tall ship, Eagle.  It is really a little city with a charming downtown area that has had its share of economic ups and downs over the years.  We planned to spend some time here with Jonny’s brother, Andy, to prepare their mom,  Janice to move to South Florida.

First thing we needed to do upon arriving was to bring everyone (including Jonny’s mom, Janice) to Captain Scott’s, a great little open air restaurant on the waterfront. There we enjoyed all our favorites:  lobster rolls, fried clams, steamers, Rhode Island clam chowder, scallops – yum!

That evening we had another birthday dinner for Lynn at the Recovery Room, our favorite Italian restaurant in town.  We had a very jolly time there and as always, a delicious dinner that was enough for lunch the following day. Accompanying Janice anywhere in New London is a big production because wherever we go, someone knows her and they spend time chatting and reminiscing.  I guess if you have literally lived somewhere for 90 years, you develop quite a following!

The next morning  Addie and Lange left for the airport and the major effort to begin packing Janice’s home began.  We had a lot to do in a week’s time – pack much of the house, arrange for an estate sale, meet with the realtor, get a home inspection, etc.  Unfortunately, Janice has not been feeling well – her glaucoma is causing her problems.  Our trip to New London is being extended because of the need for her to have eye surgery and numerous follow-up appointments.  We want to especially recognize Andy for the loving care he is providing to Janice,  not only the last few weeks but also for having her move in with him for the next couple of months until we find a more permanent place for her.

 

A highlight of our time here was the arrival of Stephanie and Andy’s daughter, Samantha for the weekend.  Stephanie came in on the train and we got to visit New London’s historic train station to pick her up.

The girls came to see their Grandma Jan one more time before she moved to Florida.  They spent time going through the Grandma’s treasures and selecting items to keep.  They had quite a haul!

Every time we visit New London, we have to visit all of our favorite haunts which include Captain Scott’s (for lobster rolls and fried clams), Fred’s Shanty (for burgers and hot dogs), and Michael’s Dairy (for ice cream) and of course the Recovery Room (for great Italian food).  We got to visit these places more than once due to our protracted visit this time.  It’s amazing we don’t weigh more than we do considering all the delicious food we’ve been eating!

 

We also used this time to visit Lynn’s Aunt Edie and her cousin Sally.  Edie, Lynn godmother, is 99 years old!  Our family has strong genes on both sides!  We met them at a quaint pub in beautiful Essex, CT located on the Connecticut River.

We drove all over the state of Connecticut taking Janice to various doctor’s appointments.  What a treat it was for us to see the leaves starting to change!

We also had a chance to visit Janice’s granddaughter, Megan, at the restaurant she manages in Newington.

By Sunday, October 11, we had done all we could to help Andy in New London.  We decided to resume our trip aboard Zendo and continue our journey to Miami so we can help Andy get  Janice situated in South Florida.

Stonington, CT

---

We left Newport on September 24 originally bound for an anchorage near Fisher’s Island off the coast of New London, CT.  Our habit is to identify a port that we want to travel to but we often re-evaluate our destination based on timing, wind conditions, currents, etc.   This time we changed our mind because the anchorage on Fisher’s Island was a bit too open to the northeast winds and we wanted to be near a town that we could explore.

We passed Pt. Judith lighthouse compound as we headed to our  new destination – Stonington, CT where we could take advantage of a cost effective mooring and  the launch for shore explorations.

After a four hour journey on a  warm and sunny day, we arrived in Stonington Harbor where we took a mooring ball among some beautiful sailboats.  In New England we’ve found that sailboats far outnumber powerboats and trawlers like ours. 

The historic town of Stonington is another charming gem along the New England coast.  We took advantage of the local launch to bring us ashore where we explored this quaint town on foot.  Since we are past Labor Day we didn’t encounter a lot of tourists in this popular seaside town.

We had planned to stop at a the local ocean-side fish market to buy fish and make dinner aboard.  There we found a most unique arrangement.  In an old warehouse type of building a section was designated as a self-service fish market.  Packets of flash frozen fish, scallops, shrimp and stuffies (stuffed clams)were placed in freezers with a sign on the wall posting the prices and asking shoppers to deposit their cash or checks in a box – the ultimate honor system!  After agonizing over which combination of seafood to purchase, we decided to delay our decision until after we had a chance to explore the town a little more.  We would buy our fish on the way back to the boat.

As we walked up and down the streets lined with shops and restaurants, we got thirsty and decided to stop for a cold beer.

We discovered a very local bar called Noah’s  that has been there forever.  This was just the kind of place we were seeking – lots of locals hanging out in an old-style bar filled with wood and local memorabilia.

Fortunately we arrived at happy hour and took advantage of 2 for 1 specials of the local craft beer choices that they featured.  We also discovered that they had a very appealing menu but we stuck by our plan to buy and cook our own seafood aboard.  After only one round of beers, we took the bartender’s suggestion and ordered from their happy hour specials - $5.00 for most of their regular mouth-watering menu items.  That did it – the food was delicious – mussels in wine sauce, oysters on the half shell, a great pate’ and much more.  We threw in the towel on cooking our own dinner and just ordered more appetizers and beer. 

And, we just had to take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate Lynn’s birthday which was the following day!

When we returned to the boat that evening, Addie and Lange popped open a great bottle of champagne and we had our own private dance party late into the night.  Luckily, none of the neighboring boats complained about the loud  music!

  Fortunately, we didn’t have to get up early the next morning to get to our next stop, New London, CT – Jonny’s home town.