RI / Block Island / New England / US

Rhode Island's Block Island has to be my most favorite local
cruising destination New England has to offer. Located about 15 miles South
of Newport, RI and about 17 miles East of Long Island's Montauk Point, this
pork chop shaped island is often referred to as the Bermuda of the Northeast.

Block Island is about 7 miles long from North to South and 3.5 miles East
to West. The notable bluffs that line the Southeast and Southwest coastlines
are one of mother nature's most prized architectural design achievements
the Northeast has to offer. Block Island has 2 harbors - the New Harbor
and the Old Harbor. The Old harbor (accessible from the East),is a
man-made rock jetty harbor that protect the ferry landing dock
and a number of private docks. The New Harbor, accessible from the West was actually created when a Hurricane opened the causeway separating Great Salt Pond from Block Island Sound.

Approaches:

You can approach the Island from the West into the New Harbor ("The Great
Salt Pond") or from the East into the Old Harbor. Both are well marked
with navigational aides so make sure to use your local charts. Block
Island Sound is known for its dense fog so take extra care when
navigating. On a clear day you can see Block Island from both
Rhode Island and Long Island but do not count on visuals for
navigation. Keep clear of the ferry traffic as well, especially
in fog!

The New Harbor - The Great Salt Pond

The New harbor, also called The Great Salt Pond on any given
weekend is home to almost 2,000 vessels of all shapes and sizes from around
the world! The pond, about 2 miles wide in each direction is my
favorite place as I find it extremely anchor-friendly with plenty of public
dingy docks, dining and supplies right on the Harbor. We usually
anchor in the harbor and use the dingy to motor back and forth. Moorings are
available if you make reservations.

If you prefer the comforts of shorepower and convenience of facilities checkout 2 mariners: Champlain's and Paines, located on the Eastern most part of the harbor. Champlain's is a full-service mariner and resort with everything from a movie theater, playground to
swimming pools and a nightclub! It truly appeals to every and any age
group.

Paine's has the charm of a real New England marina that somehow
manages to raft an amazing number of boats to 1 pier that extends out into
the Pond. It is truly a one-man-show run by "Cliff", New England's
tannest resident! If you look real hard - you will find tucked deep
within the pier, a bar called Mahogany Shoals that is well worth the
stop-by on your way back to your boat. Another one-man show takes over
here with Irish Folk music every night on the weekend (its not Cliff - he
works the dayshift).

Between Paines and Champlain's is the town dingy dock. Part of a private marina, this dock is always operating at full capacity but somehow manages to"squeeze-in" one more. Just above the town Dingy dock is a "Block-Island-Must-Do": a bar and restaurant called "The Oar". The menu
offers your basic bar food choices but it also offers the BEST sunset you
will ever experience in New England! The sun manages to spray her golden
rays on each and every vessel in the harbor! Also worth
mentioning - walls and ceilings of "The Oar" are literally covered with
Oars (painted with vessel and crew names) donated by mariners like us from all over...feel free to add to the
collection but make sure you bring your own hooks and fishing wire to
suspend it.

*See the links below for details on how to contact the above
mentioned marinas.

Now if coffee is your thing and your on your boat, you can count on Aldo's
Bakery to wake you every morning to the sounds of a slightly overweight baker
behind the wheel of a Boston Whaler yelling out "Adiamo" ("Let's Go" in
Italian). I must say the coffee is not bad, sometimes hot, sometimes not- but worth the convenience. The Doughnuts were a hit with my crew!

Water transportation around the Salt Pond is made easy by a number of private water taxis ready to cart you back and forth - to and from you vessel (they charge a few dollars). They could drop you off at Paines, the Town Dingy Dock, Champlain's or to the far East where you could access Crescent Beach (located on the Island's Eastern shoreline). Just hail them down with your
VHF or arms - they advertise the channels on the docks, boats and website links
below.

Old Harbor

The Old Harbor is located on the East side of the Island. This smaller harbor pacs in the action. Although you can anchor, I would recommend making a reservation for dock accommodations as the harbor is small and home to a rather busy ferry terminal. If you don't mind being rafted 4-5 boats out off the pier on weekends, Ballards offers dock accommodations with shorepower and water. The Old Harbor definitely offers the action and activity with live bands heard all day from Ballards.

Getting Around Block Island

Cars are permitted on Block Island and come over daily on the ferries from
New England. Taxi's are in abundance and are usually waiting at all key points around the Island (marinas, restaurants, beaches and ferry terminals). We always stow our bikes on the boat but you can also rent a bike for the day, weekend or week! Motor Bikes are also available. When all else fails, your feet will cover a surprisingly decent portion of the Island. Another Block-Island-Must-Do is a ride around the Island from the Northern Lighthouse to the Southern Lighthouse - local maps are available on the island and you can easily map out the route. This covers everything from Beaches to the Bluffs. For the kids - there is a petting Zoo, ask around and you will find it tucked away behind the town.
Dining on Block Island
Well my last name is not Zagat and this is not a dining site but I do feel
compelled to tell you that there is no shortage of dining choices on the
Island. Some of my favorites include The Oar (for scenery), Winfield's
(for fine Dining), The Atlantic Inn (for the view from atop the hill), and
The Harborside (just because its located in the heart of the village). Of
course, some of my best meals were in the cockpit of our boat just around
sunset in the New Harbor's Salt Pond.

Bar-life

If your looking for nighttime activity there's plenty going on! During the
Day, Ballards, located in the New Harbor hosts some of the best Bands New
England as to offers right on the Beach! Afterwards, you can find nightlife activities pushing through the wee hours at Yellow Kittens and Captain
Nicks. Ask around when you are there - each bar has live entertainment at
different times and nights. My favorite for late nite fix of Irish Music is Mahogany Shoals tucked away on Paine's Peir (Old Harbor). Champlain's also has a lively bar on the
outermost tip of the main pier famous for their frozen drinks and live
bands.

Downtown

The Downtown area of Block Island adjacent to the Old Harbor offers the
hustle and bustle of any New England village with no shortage of shops,
restaurants and ice-cream stands - everything for everyone on a 1/2 mile
strip! There is also a local lemonade stand (the name escapes me) located between Main Street and the New England Ferry terminal (Old Harbor) that is another Block-Island-Must-Do on a hot summer day.

Beaches

Don't miss a relaxing afternoon on Crescent Beach
(located along the Eastern Coastline). This beach is walking distance from
the Old Harbor and Downtown area and from the New Harbor Salt Pond
accessible by dingy or water taxi if you head Northeast and pull up on the
beach just opposite Crescent Beach (there is a causeway separating them).
The town also has a wood walkway that leads from the Salt Pond to Crescent
Beach. The crescent moon shaped beach stretches for about 3 miles from the New
Harbor the Northern Coastline and offers one of the best views of the
Island. The water is fed directly from the ocean but because of the
crescent nature of the beach, always remains calm, perfect for Kids! Bring
a mask and snorkel as visibility is probably the best in New England.

Enjoy your stay and keep lookout for "Rum Swizzle in the New Harbor (our 30 Ft. Catalina)!

Helpful Block Island links to navigate on-line:

The Block Island Times
http://www.blockislandtimes.com/

Block Island Homepage:
http://www.blockisland.com/