Cuttyhunk – Part 2

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Today, we are two weeks into our trip, and we find ourselves in Cuttyhunk Harbor.  Cuttyhunk is the last and smallest of the Elizabeth Islands, an archipelago that trails southward from the “triceps” of Cape Cod.  The harbor is an oblong-shaped “pond” surrounded by land on all sides except for a narrow entrance channel.

Like many of the names around here, the word Cuttyhunk is derived from an old Mohegan name: “Cutie-Hunk”, which women used to describe an attractive warrior.  At least that’s what I have been told…

The trip from Nantucket took less than 4 hours in nearly ideal conditions.  Blue sky, high wispy clouds, and seas 1’-2’.  The time seemed to pass quickly.  It presented quite a contrast to our trip TO Nantucket three days ago:  today we had 20-mile visibility; on Sunday, we couldn’t see anything but fog!

Here’s a view of Gay Head which is on the western end of Marthas Vineyard taken from Cutty.

Cuttyhunk is a hilly little island, with fewer than 30 year-round residents.  In the summer, the population grows to 10-times that, and small gray houses climb the hills.  In fact, there is next-to-nothing to do here, except to enjoy a beach walk along the spits of land that surround the harbor, among the rosa rugosa, with the harbor on one side and Buzzard’s Bay on the other.

Sailors like to stop here because of its simplicity.  No restaurants.  No resorts.  No nothin’.  But the harbor is filled with mooring balls that the town manages and maintains.  So, one simply rolls in, picks up a mooring, and hangs out.  A small boat comes around to collect a nominal mooring fee.  Sweet.  Here’s a shot of the fleet arrayed behind us.

The weather is SPECTACULAR today: 80 degrees with a 9mph breeze.  Heavenly.  I just finished a nap, and Lynn is taking her turn now.  As soon as she rallies, we’ll take Guinness ashore in the dinghy for a bio break.  

As we said, there’s not much on Cutty but some enterprising young folks have a delivery service to the moorings callled Raw Bar. You call on VHF and they deliver to the boat.

Shrimp and fresh oysters from the Raw Bar and then hamburgers on the grill (yummy!)  Again, quite a contrast.  Last night’s dinner at Dune cost ten times more than the Raw Bar. But it was worth it!

A spectacular sunset that lasted for over 30 minutes – hope to get up at 3:00 am to see the stars – there are no street lights or stop lights on Cutty.

ttfn
R&L&G