Foreign Affair Sailing

We made the very short passage from Salem to Marblehead - 4 miles in less than one hour. We secured a Boston Yacht Club mooring ball. The Boston Yacht Club operates out of it facilities in Marblehead. The clubhouse in Boston no longer exists. This is the sesquicentennial of the founding of the club in 1866. Of the more than 2,000 yachts moored in Marblehead harbor. 400 belong to members of the Boston Yacht Club. Several other yacht clubs call Marblehead home.

It rained off and on during the night. The winds were really blowing - high teens and gusts in the twenties. The boat danced on its mooring all night. We were rudely awaken at 0600 when the tide, wind and waves conspired to cause Foreign Affair to slam against the mooring ball next to us. We suspect our mooring dragged during the night as we think there was ample clearance when we first arrived and the gap between us and another boat next to us seemed to have increased. We were able to bring in the mooring bridle a couple of feet which then allowed us to swing clear of the ball which was causing us problems. The winds eventually died down and we decided not to request a different mooring for the night.

We had to take a photo of one of the leading historical landmarks as we left Gloucester. The Tarr and
Wonson Paint Manufactory building has been the subject of art works by numerous artists. The building was constructed in 1874. It sits prominently on the tip of Rocky Neck. The company was best known for developing an innovative copper based paint which deterred fouling and infestation of vessels' hulls. Anti-fouling paint is important to boaters. This building is of interest to us not only for its appearance but also because of its history as a developer and manufacturer of anti-fouling paint. How exciting is that!

We went whale watching today. We haven't seen any during our travels yet despite traversing along the edges of their feeding grounds. Whales are plentiful in Massachusetts Bay this time of year as they feed heavily on Stellwagen Bank and Jeffreys Ledge in preparation for their migration south in the winter to warmer waters and birthing grounds. They return to the north in the summer months. Whales migrate much like birds. Minke and Humpbacks whales are most commonly seen and the whale watching boats out of Gloucester were finding them about 20 miles off shore. So, we decided to let the experts take us whale watching and we learned much enroute and after arriving on Stillwagen Bank. The marine biologists on board did a fine job of describing the various types of whales and what to expect when we finally saw them up close. It was truly a marvelous experience.

We decided to take the train to Salem which is a short distance from Gloucester. The round trip ticket was less than $5.00. We got to see the country-side which we would not have from off shore. Our first stop was the Salem Visitor Center where we watched two videos covering the history of Salem. From there we walked to the Salem Pioneer Village 1630 which was built in 1930 to mark the tercentennial of Massachusetts. It is the first living history museum in the US. Several buildings representing those of the early settlers have been constructed in a city park. Guides dressed in attire similar to what was worn by the colonists in 1630 lead visitors through the village structures and grounds while describing life in early Salem. We felt sorry for the reenactors as it was a very hot day and they were dressed in layers of cotton and wool clothing. They did a wonderful job and we learned much today about life in the early settlements of Massachusetts.

We took the MBTA bus to Hammond Castle which was built for John Hays Hammond, Jr. just prior to the great Wall Street Crash of 1929. The castle has been featured in the Travel Channel's "Castle Secrets and Legends" and "Ghost Hunters". Of course, the castle is haunted as proven by the cast of "Ghost Hunters". Hammond's wife, Eileen Garret, was a well-known psychic. Reportedly, she and her husband continue to enjoy their unusual home. We left before dark.