If you read my Fishers Island post, you might see a theme developing here! I believe this trip is teaching me (us) to let go or perhaps hold more gently the plans we make.
The story,
Our three days planned for Martha's Vineyard was disrupted when water in our fuel tank halted our departure from Bristol. Luckily, we have two separate fuel tanks and Bristol Marine was able to drain the contaminated basin. However, unfortunately, they did not have fuel services, so we limped our way back to Newport on one engine and limited steering. Tad's years of boating experience really shined on this leg of our journey!
We were able to refuel our drained tank at the Newport Yachting Center and the engine started right up. Yes! Knowing the true test would be in running at full throttle, we didn't want to get underway over the weekend. Hmmm, stuck in Newport...woohoo, now we can do the Cliff Walk!
The walk was amazing, but what made this redirect extra special, was the kindness and hospitality of friends from Bainbridge who also own a home in Newport and happened to be there.
Cliff Walk
With a stress-filled day behind us, we got up early to do the Cliff Walk before the tourists arrived. I'm so glad we did! If you visit Newport, this is a definite must see! Imagine a 3.5-mile walk along the Atlantic Ocean with the crashing waves and a gentle sea breeze on one side and enchanting century-old Golden Age mansions on the other. A bit of Heaven and earth all at once. It reminded me of the sweet memories of doing the Point Defiance walk in Tacoma, Wa. with my sweet friend, Ruthie only instead of mansions on one side, Point Defiance has towering forest.
Friends
We weren't able to connect with Chris and Shawn on our first stay in Newport, but when we told them we would be coming back, they went out of their way to spend time with us! They picked us up for lunch the first day and gave us a tour of their incredible Circa 1803 Colonial home. I love that they took great effort to preserve the original house when updating the home. Below are a few pictures. The last two pics are the bar which was built from the remains of an old ship. It was so cool!
On the second day, Chris and Shawn gave us a tour of Newport, their incredible Swan sailboat and the stunning New York Yacht Club where we enjoyed cocktails. Chris introduced Tad to Jerry Kirby, of Kirby Perkins Construction, who happened to be at the club with his family. Tad and Jerry hit it off immediately and laughed as they compared the likenesses of high-end construction on the west and east coast. We returned to Chris and Shawn's house for dinner and a lovely evening of laughter and conversation.
As I reflect on the detour of our trip I am reminded of our need to mark the small moments of our lives and listen to what they have to teach us, as these are the links that form the timelines of our lives.