 
4 August Al, Karen & the kids seemed to have learnt nothing from their last visit to Jem over Christmas 2005 and arrived with what appeared to be a ton of luggage and millions of carrier bags. However, it all quickly disappeared into various nooks & crannies and provided Karen with the endless entertainment of looking for things during the week onboard. In fact, it became such a full time job that she dropped her given name so that she could be addressed by ALL her family by her Native American name of “Wheresmy”!
Our week consisted of a night in Headley Harbour in the Elizabeth Islands where we met some of their friends for a jolly bbq lunch the following day. After which, rather than tucking into another bottle of wine we decided to head for Martha’s Vineyard which required another trip through Wood’s Hole – Mr Wood and his Hole being the source of much really mature comment.
Martha’s Vineyard is very pretty and provides that essential to American life; a place to spend money. In particular ‘The Black Dog’ store, the Black Dog being the definitive Martha’s Vineyard brand & ‘the must have’ for those visiting the island – an arrangement everyone seems happy with, particularly Mr Black Dog no doubt!
Once poor Al had been turned into really poor Al as his children paraded around in Black Dog everything, we took to the only free thing in MV which is bicycling (once bikes had been hired that is). We had a great day out on the bikes taking a picnic lunch on the ferry across to Chappaquidick Island (a small fee for a voyage of about 50 yards across Edgartown Harbour) and down to a great beach (yet another small fee to enter) where the kids (Al included) spent at least an hour jumping around in the huge waves of the Atlantic Ocean; Mark, Karen & Louise preferred to zizz quietly in the sunshine.
We could not resist the temptation to visit the bridge where a lustful Kennedy had a little mishap – extra points for anyone who can remember the name of the poor victim.
The following day we planned to head for Nantucket where Al and Karen as a huge treat had booked us into one of the most expensive marinas on the planet. Unfortunately the weather took a bit of a downturn so we thought briefly about a contingency plan – that was quickly dismissed however when Nantucket Marina where not prepared to offer any refund for the reserved berth (minimum two nights) so, erring on the side of safety, using all the experience we have picked up over two years of sailing and displaying the very best elements of cautious seamanship thought bo**ocks and set off anyway!
The sailing got quite sporting particularly when the wind hit 45 knots and there were three of us trying to pull down our mizzen sail (the small one!) Mark did think that it may have been better to have gone to the cinema. Karen sat below with her lifejacket on for the whole trip trying to remain cheerful – thank god for the new Helly Hensen jacket!
Nantucket was worth the trip as it was really lovely and the sun did come out; beautiful houses, fantastic Whaling Museum and surprisingly good beer that Mark and Al found most satisfactory. We all thoroughly enjoyed being alongside for a couple of days; us to have water, flushing loos, showers and a laundrette all within a few yards of the boat (it’s the simple things that keep us happy), while the Pims explored further a field on bicycles.
All too quickly we found ourselves sailing back to Mattapoiset, on the trip back we had one of the fishing highlights and certainly the biggest catch so far, a thoughtless tosser in a stink boat who came so close under our stern that he wrapped our two trailing fishing lines around his props nearly pulling Karen (and Mark’s rod he is quick to point out) over the side in the process. He was treated to a lesson in basic Anglo-Saxon the like of which has not been heard in these parts for centuries.
Once the Pims had been landed safely ashore we headed North across Cape Cod to Boston.
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