Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Nantucket Harbor (Wednesday, June 4, 2008). Woke to rain and overcast skies in Nantucket Harbor. Good day to catch up on work, reading and friends. Had all three on board so it was a great day. Pete (aka Roger), Anita and Tess watched pre-season maintenance on mooring field and boat loads of elderly tourists being shipped to shore in dinghies with umbrella covers like a bouquet of pansies. A good day to catch up on old stories. Scrabble has become a bit of a problem. Roger’s got his groove on, Anita has read the rules, and Tony will have a real contest on his hands if he has the courage to another game. Today’s game was called about the 7th inning for a ride to town during the respite from the drizzle.

Took the dinghy down and impressed Rog with the motor lift procedure. More impressed with the Town of Nantucket. Roger and Anita (Nantucket first timers) are coming back in late October for golf. Roger’s dream museum (Nantucket Whaling) closes down on October 13. Since its 6:30 when we get into town, the 5:00 closing time provides immediate distress. Until Anita points out that they are open until 8:00 on the first Wednesday of the month. Guess what. We skip a quick drink before dinner (and maybe dinner itself) to take a half hour tour followed by the first of the season “Gam”. Storytelling a la old Nantucket Whaling Tradition. We hear of the ESSEX (rammed by a whale and entailing crew cannibalism prior to rescue – though the speaker assures us that its not really cannibalism since it was quite common in the jungles and deserts of the time; and the Nantucket Quakers never asked probing questions), and the GLOBE (mutiny and king making by crazy local boys in the Pacific). Followed by one of those expensive Nantucket dining experiences (is that obvious?). In short, a perfect rainy day as a cruiser. We ate at Lola’s 41º and had a lovely meal. There were no natives served in the entrees, and we asked no questions. It’s open year round, and is clearly a beautiful person’s local spot. In short, all our kids would look so good there. We were considered somewhat quaint to be out to dinner so late for people our age!

Tomorrow, Woods Hole and Buzzards Bay are likely. See you then?