After a short sail across Nantucket Sound in the rain, we pulled into Nantucket. We were pleasantly surprised with how well preserved the town is with cobblestone streets and buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries and in perfect condition.
Also surprising, but not so pleasantly, was how crowded the downtown area and waterfront are. The year-round population of 14,000 swells to 80,000 in the summer. Ferries come and go on a continuous basis, connecting the island to Hyannis on the mainland.
The only marina on the island, Nantucket Boat Basin, is a monopoly and is priced as such, but puts you at the heart of the action. Surrounded by power megayachts, Fregata looked small and out of place as one of the only sailboats. Sailors seem to prefer the vast mooring field. We figured out why. The docks don’t float like most marinas we’ve experienced. So at low tide, sailboats, with their lower profile, disappear below the dock!
We would have stayed on a mooring as well, but Sandy’s friends, Ann, Gerry and Prescilla, were visiting Nantucket for Ann’s birthday, and we wanted them to join us aboard for an aperitif. We would have moved to a mooring the second night, but a 25 knot wind pinned us against the dock. Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem, but with Fregata’s deck lower than the dock, and boats and obstructions on every side of us, it was complicated so we decided to remain tied up for a second night.
We enjoyed wandering the historic streets, learning about the history, people watching, and admiring the architecture.
Incidentally, Nantucket was home to Herman Melville, and thus the setting for Moby Dick.
Here’s one of the original limericks from the 1902 Princeton Tiger:
There once was a man from Nantucket
Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
But his daughter, named Nan,
Ran away with a man
And as for the bucket, Nantucket.
For the literary-minded among you, this one has multiple verses that are easily found on the internet. Of course, many variations have been written over the years, most of which are too raunchy to publish in a family-friendly blog.
4 Responses
Wonderful trip. This entire area around Cape Cod/Martha’s Vinyard/Nantucket is about as beautiful and history filled as anywhere one can sail. It does not get much better than this. I am very envious.
A great book to read, if you have not already done so, which is a true whaling story which starts at Nantucket is “In the Heart of the Sea.” Riveting.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/332426/in-the-heart-of-the-sea-by-nathaniel-philbrick/9780670891573/?ref=PRHB7BD76FBDB&aid=14813&linkid=PRHB7BD76FBDB
Added to reading list.
I found this blog, particularly interesting, as I have never been to Nantucket, but now hope to do so. I have been reading a series of novels by Elen Hillebrand, which all take place in Nantucket, and talks about the swell in the population during high season. Wonderful that you have had so many visitors and Fregata is very welcoming.
Donna, Don’t know if we mentioned it but she was doing a book signing in a local Nantucket book shop when we were there. The line was literally around the block. Hope you’re enjoying Clayton. We do miss the 1000 Islands and our annual rendezvous there. D&S