A Yellow Dog fares well in Black Dog territory!

As we were leaving the village of Mettapoisett, headed for Martha's Vineyard, we were advised to go to Lake Tashmoo, an anchorage on the north side of the Vineyard. This was advice we are most happy we followed, as Lake Tashmoo was a lovely spot. We enjoyed it so much we stayed 6 days! Well protected, good holding, quiet and peaceful, a dinghy dock close by, with a water supply and garbage disposal, an easy 20 minute walk into Vineyard Haven, where we could take showers at the Harbormaster's building. Vineyard Haven has a good grocery store, lots of shops and several good restaurants with excellent takeout (we travel with Jonah, remember, and he isn't allowed in restaurants!). Lobster dinners, lobster salad, steamed clams and mussels....delicious! Martha's Vineyard is a very dog friendly place, and although the "Black Dog" trademark is everywhere, and every other person walking down the street is wearing a "black dog" shirt, Jonah got lots of compliments! He met many friendly people and lots of other dogs. The last night we were there, as we were walking back to the anchorage, a car drove by and someone called out the window, "Hi Jonah!" While on Martha's Vineyard, we traveled by bus to Oak Bluffs and the Edgartown, as well as all the way out to Aquinnah and Gay Head Lighthouse. Jonah didn't like the bus at all at first, and wanted to get off every time the door opened, but gradually he got used to it, and by the time we took the bus back to Vineyard Haven, he slept all the way!

One evening as we were taking Jonah for the last "shore call" of the day, we saw a dinghy, holding 6 people, bobbing around. Their 9.9 HP motor wouldn't start, and they were a long ways from their boat. So we gave them a tow...our 2.5 Suzuki powered 8 people, one dog, 2 dinghies and the 9.9 outboard! We are very pleased with our new dinghy, the Walker Bay with the inflatable tubes. It is stable, has plenty of room for the three of us and groceries, ice or whatever we are carrying at the time, and is easily pushed through the water by our 2.5 HP motor.

We finally decided it was time to leave lovely Lake Tashmoo, and we headed for Cuttyhunk, a small island at the opposite end of the chain of the Elizabeth Islands from Woods Hole. The tide was against us, and it took us 6 hours to motor (no wind) 18 miles! In Cuttyhunk Harbor, we picked up a mooring. What a difference from Lake Tashmoo! Boats coming and going all the time, mostly sailboats, a very festive atmosphere! We soon took the dinghy ashore, and explored the island a bit. There are about 30 permanent residents, and many more in the summer. Cuttyhunk is very relaxed, very pretty, does not have a lot in terms of services, but is still a very popular place to be. A fun part if being here is the floating "raw bar" which makes its way around the mooring field each evening. Oysters and clams on the halfshell, shrimp cocktail, clam chowder (delicious), seafood dip, all delivered to your boat! And gorgeous sunsets as well! We have had some nice walks to the lookout at the highest point of the island, and Jonah has loved his romps in the ocean! We planned to stay 2 days, and opted for a third! Tomorrow we head out for Block Island!